"The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" Food Menu

So we have released the epic tap list for The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth craft beer party, now it's time to release the epic food list. The legend of Chef Tony at Fiddler's Hearth continues with his next creations, which in my opinion, rival what will be on tap. If you don't leave Saturday night stuffed, buzzed and happy... well then you did it wrong.

SMOKED SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS (spicy chimichurri)
CHEDDAR & JALAPENO PUB PRETZELS
ROASTED GARLIC BEER CHEESE SOUP (homemade beer bread bowl)
FRIED SOFT SHELL CRAB SANDWICH (open face, remoulade, spicy local micro greens)
SMOKED BUFFALO FROG LEGS
CLASSIC POUTINE (house cut chips, homemade cheese curds, lamb gravy)
OLD WORLD BUTTERSCOTCH & CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON
BANANA BREAD FRITTER (salty rum caramel sauce) 

Special Flat 12 Beer on tap at Fiddler's Hearth

As you may have noticed, we've been waiting to find out what the special beer from Flat 12 would be for "The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" craft beer party on June 30th, to go along with their tasty Cuttlefish Cuvee and Mustache Ride. We all know what they are capable of, so the anticipation was like being a kid at Christmas and waiting to open the big present...

Have you heard of Joe Brahma, Flat 12's delicious coffee brown ale? It was on tap at the "The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" party last November. People loved it, and I enjoyed it so much that despite knowing that it would be on tap at the party, I still picked up a growler of it at the brewery for myself. AV, my brother in beer, even wrote a review of it on this site, giving it an A.

So when we asked if they could provide something fun for our next party, they kindly obliged. This time however, they decided to up the ante by sending Fiddler's a keg of Haggard Jo. This whale of a beer is their tasty Joe Brahma, aged for 11 months in whiskey barrels. Here's the kicker - Haggard Jo has never been served outside of the brewery. That's right, google it - you won't find much, and there aren't any ratings on Beer Advocate, Untappd, or Rate Beer. Those attending the party get to be among a select group of individuals to experience this beer, and the first to rate it if they so choose. Since we just found out about this beer last night, I'm not sure what time it will be tapped yet. Get it while you can though, it will go quick!

If you've not experienced any beers from Flat 12, you're definitely missing out. Every single beer I've had from them has been interesting, well crafted and flavorful. Walkabout Pale, using the very trendy Galaxy hops, was the first beer I've had from them, and it hooked me right away. This pale ale hits you in the mouth with grapefruit, passion fruit and pineapple, while not being shy with the bitterness.

After Walkabout, I made sure to try every other Flat 12 beer I encountered, such as Half Cycle, Tangerine Porter, Joe Brahma, Big Black Dog, Winter Cycle, the famed Bleeding Heart IPA, and the list goes on. Their habit of coloring outside of the lines when it comes to brewing really shows through in the beers and their pursuit of having fun while doing so makes them one of the most exciting breweries around.

The Brewery and Tap room is located in downtown Indianapolis. Trust me, this place is worth a special trip. Location/Tap List/Hours

The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth Tap List

As someone pointed out to me earlier, this event is the pinnacle of Craft Beer events in the Michiana area this summer, and once you get a look at the list, it's hard to disagree. With the exception of KBS and Black Note, we do not have specific times listed for tapping these beers. Feel free to follow me on twitter (@thebeerisgood) or facebook (facebook.com/thebeerisgood), as I plan to keep people updated when beers are put on and taken off.

Where: Fiddler's Hearth (Main Street, South Bend)
When: June 30th, 11am-Midnight
Misc: Special food menu available for the day, and free schwag to be handed out all day..

And here is the list...

Founders - KBS (11am)
Bell's - Black Note (6pm)
Stone - Verical Epic 11.11.11
Stone - Double Bastard
Four Horsemen - Porter
Four Horsemen - Citra American Wheat
New Belgium - Tart Lychee
Founders - Backwoods Bastard
Founders - Curmudgeon
Founders - Imperial Stout
3 Floyds - Tiger Jelly
3 Floyds - Ham on Rye
3 Floyds - Behemoth
3 Floyds - Al-Dabeyoun
3 Floyds - Blackheart
Bell's - Expedition Stout
Two Brothers - 2011 Bare Tree
Flat 12 - Mustache Ride
Flat 12 - Cuttlefish Cuvee
Possibly one more fancy-ass beer from Flat 12, still trying to work that out.
Greenbush - Rage
Greenbush - Doomslayer
Greenbush - 1825 Steeped w/ MI Raspberries
Greenbush - Cabra Perdida
Southern Tier - Oak Aged Back Burner
He'Brew - Barrel-Aged Funky Jewbelation
He'Brew - Jewbelation Fifteen
New Holland - Night Tripper
Upland Teddy Bear Kisses
Boulevard - Collaboration #2 (w/ Deschutes)
Bare Hands - ThaIPA
Bare Hands - ThaIPA (Cask)

Dropping in on Iechyd Da

My arch-nemesis at Michiana Beer Nuts has done it again, he beat me to the punch on writing about Iechyd Da in Elkhart. It's my own fault really, we stopped by nearly two weeks ago, and I'm just now getting around to singing their praises. It's all in fun of course, Eric is a friend, and his write-up on the newest brewery to hit Michiana can be read here. I've avoided reading it so far so that it won't influence my opinion, but I'm sure we'll arrive at similar results.

Opening week started on June 4th, while I was out of town, so I couldn't wait to get there on the 8th for some delicious pizza and tasty beers. Much to my surprise, we found one open table right away, which must have been lucky timing since a horde of thirsty patrons arrived shortly afterward. For only $4 per 20oz glass, we were able to pick from the following lineup...

Maiden Voyage (Style?, 5.3%)
Pub Ale (English Ale, 4.4%)
Prosperity (Pale Ale, 5.3%)
Main Drag (Amber, 5.5%)
Big Pit (Porter, 5.2%)
13 American Black (Black Ale, 7.8%)

All ordering at Iechyd Da is done at the counter to the left of the bar, so after deciding what we wanted, that is where I headed. To be honest, after a week in Chicago, I was beat.. there was no way I was going to make it through more than one beer without curling up next to a warm mash tun and falling asleep. Black Ales/IPAs are one of my favorite styles, so I wanted to give theirs a try. My wife went with something I'm typically not a fan of, an English style ale.
 

So the beers were ordered and served right away by the brewpub's co-owner with the sunny disposition, Summer. At the same time, we put in an order for a fancy-ass pizza which was to be delivered to our table at an undisclosed time. First off, with regard to said fancy-ass pizza (We ordered the Kidwelly, with rosemary oil, smoked gouda, mozzarella, arugula, and balsamic), you should know by now that I'm not a foodie. I tend to leave all food related matters to our local expert - South Bend Foodies, but I must derail the beer talk for a moment to say how awesome the pizza was. Even though it had toppings I wouldn't typically order, it was nothing but hand-made, sweet, savory goodness. This is the kind of pizza you share with someone else, and wash down with a cold beer.

Oh ya, and the beer... well.. The beer is good. The black ale had just the right balance of hops, roast, and malty sweetness, all while leaving a crisp and clean finish. It wasn't exactly session-able, but not a palate-wrecker by any stretch. The pub ale on the other hand, it's everything I figured it would be.. caramely, vinegary, and very English. To be honest, if I lived over there and was stuck with this style, I'd probably be a wine drinker (I shutter to think..). In all seriousness though, in spite of the fact that I dislike the style, it was a very well crafted, clean beer. Drinkers with a taste for English-style beers will take to this one nicely.

To say that I was impressed with Iechyd Da would be an understatement. They've clearly put a lot of thought and care into the products they sell, whether it's beer, or food. It has the feel of an upscale joint without snooty exclusivity; a place you'll feel comfortable. Bottom line, they finally gave me a good reason to visit Elkhart.
   

2012 Founders Fest Beer lineup

For those fellow festival goers, Founders has released the lineup of beers, minus the specialty beers and firkins that will be on tap throughout the day. Last year these included Blushing Monk, Kaiser Curmudgeon, KBS and others.

Centennial IPA
Pale Ale
Dirty Bastard
Reds Rye
Porter
Solid Gold
Cerise
Founders Fest Wheat

By the way, this is the first year that they are doing Firkins at this festival, which I'm excited for, as I've never had any of their beers on cask. It's not too late for tickets, and the weather is slated to be awesome!

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp comes to South Bend!

You may have heard about the Beer Camp run by Sierra Nevada already. It's a very cool program actually, which picks people based on the entries they submitted to the company, explaining why they should be chosen. The lucky few that are selected are then shipped off to Chico, California, to take part the brewing process of a new beer which they get to design. I can only imagine how awesome this experience is for the campers, as well as for Michiana resident, and Legends of Notre Dame restaurant manager, Jon Myers.

Jon took part in the camp last March, and has been working hard ever since to get the end result, Solar Storm (IPA), tapped at his restaurant. Fortunately for him, and the rest of the community, he succeeded! Here are some further details of this beer.

"We're calling this beer at WIPA - a wheat IPA! This beer starts with a fruity and citrus-like hop aroma reminiscent of grapefruit and white peach. The flavor leans twoard the hops, but the malt-profile makes this beer uniqur, slightly bittersweet, but incredibly smooth and with a mild twang from the use of the wheat."

ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 57
Color: Cloudy Red
Bittering Hops: Centennial
Aroma Hops: Motueka, Experimental Hops, Nelson Sauvin
Torpedo Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Experimental Hops, German Magnum
Malts: Pale two-row, Wheat, Patagonia, Caramunich, Chocolate
Yeast: Ale

There will be a tapping party at Legends on July 27th, starting at 4pm, with appetizers available until the beer is tapped at 5:30. If you've never had the opportunity to eat/drink at Legends, you are really missing out. This is one of my go-to places to grab a bite and a pint, with a very comfortable atmosphere whether you sit in the bar, or restaurant side. Look for a writeup soon, as this is one of the most under-rated restaurants in Michiana...

Stay tuned for more info on the tapping of Sierra Nevada/Jon Myer's Solar Storm, it's certain to be a great time!

South Bend area tap lists

Just a few tap lists from places that were kind enough to send to me over the last day or two. Should be a nice weekend for drinking!

The Stray Dog (New Buffalo, MI)
Short's - Huma Lupa Licious
UFO - Hefe
Greenbush - 1825
Bell's - Two Hearted
Bell's - Oberon
Left Hand - Sawtooth Ale
Four Horsemen - Irish Red
Rogue - Dead Guy
Founders - Dirty Bastard
Lagunitas - IPA

Miles Lab (Elkhart, IN)
Brooklyn - Lager
Brooklyn - Black Chocolate Stout
3 Floyds - Gumballhead
3 Floyds - Alpha King
Boulevard - Unfiltered Wheat
Ommegang - Rare VOS
Bell's - Two Hearted
Bell's - Oberon
Flat 12 - Upside down blonde
Flat 12 - Pogue's Run Porter
Victory - Headwaters Pale
Victory - Hop Wallop
Rogue - Chatoe Rogue Single Malt

LaSalle Grill (South Bend, IN)
Sierra Nevada - Ruthless Rye
Goose Island - Matilda
Shiner - Ruby Redbird

The Mark tap list (South Bend, IN)

Draft

follow our beer changes, plus wine and cocktail specials on twitter: @BarAtTheMark

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Quadrupel.  Water, pumped up from a depth of 150 meters is the basis of all St. Bernardus beers. This water is not only the purest but has also a historical background.  Scientists have proved that the water that is pumped up now, is originating from rainfall from the time of Jeanne d’Arc. A dark ivory colored beer with a high fermentation. The show piece of the brewery. Village of Watou in West Flanders, Belgium. (10.5% abv) .25 L $9 or .5 L $16

Brouwerij Huyghe Delirium Tremens

Belgian Strong Ale.  Apples, citrus & pears with floral & grassy hops, Belgian spices & hints of pepper.     Melle, Belgium.  (8.5% abv)  8 oz.  $9.50

Unibroue Maudite

Belgian Strong Ale.  Mahogany-colored, with  a distinctive, complex taste. Maudite has a typically Quebecois name that is reminiscent of the legend of the Chasse-Galerie (the legend of the Flying Canoe). Legend has it that a group of lumberjacks struck a deal with the devil to fly home in their canoes, guided by Satan himself, to make it home in time for Christmas. Chambly, Canada.  (8% abv) 12 oz.  $7.50

Flat 12 Liquid Fiction

All day IPA.  Dry-hopped with American and New Zealand hops. Indianapolis, Indiana . (4.3% abv)  16 oz.  $6.50

Rogue Double Deadguy

American Strong Ale.  Full bodied with an amazing mid-palette richness of toffee and caramel. The hops are evident also, with just enough to keep the maltiness in check.  Newport, Oregon (9.5% abv)  12 oz.  $7

Hacker-Pschorr (Hefe) Weisse

German Hefeweizen.  Banana, with fairly subtle hints of lemonpeel and cloves & some lingering clove spiciness. Munich, Germany.  (5.5% abv)  .5 L $6

Schneider Aventinus

Weizen Bock.  Fresh with a hint of caramel & clove, light and delicate taste of bitters leaving behind a strong, smoothly rounded, sweet impression.  Kelheim, Germany.  (8.2% abv)  12 oz.  $7

Greenbush Doomslayer

American Strong Ale.  And the maple shall make you happy.  Delightful brown ale ith a nice hit of straight maple sap - no watery substitute here.  Sawyer, Michigan   (8.5% abv)  12 oz. $8

Bitburger Pils

German Pilsener.  Brewed with the best of ingredients in the same traditional way it has been for many, many years. Bitburg, Germany. (4.8% abv) 16 oz.  $6.50

Boulder Beer Mojo IPA

Nitrogen IPA.  The unique Amarillo hop adds a slight citrus flavor to an ultra-crisp dry finish.  Boulder, Colorado.  (7.2% abv) 16 oz. $6

Three Floyds BlackHeart English IPA

Double IPA  Blackheart English India Pale Ale is a throw back historical ale brewed when English I.P.A.s were hopped up to last the long voyage from England to colonial troops in India. Using English malts, English hops, English yeast and aged slightly in oak for a 19th century taste. Munster, Indiana .  (9% abv) 12 oz.  $9

Six Point Resin

Imperial IPA.  When hops are at their peak maturity, their cores swell up with a sticky, golden, resinous substance that is the flavor you crave from an IPA.  Brooklyn, New York. (9.1% abv) 12 oz. $6.50

A Tip For The Kitchen

6 pack of PBR. $5

The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth (Update)

Ever since the announcement here two months ago that we are doing another "The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" craft beer party this summer, we've been working pretty hard at getting all of the pieces put in place. I just wanted to provide everyone with a reminder, and a few updates...

Where: Fiddler's Hearth (Main Street, South Bend)
When: June 30th, 11am-11pm
Price: No ticket required to get in, pay for only what you order

We are working on a really unique and special tap list for the day, consisting of constantly rotating taps. In addition to the Founders KBS that was originally announced, we will have the FIRST EVER sale of Bare Hands beer outside of the brewery, with a firkin of ThaiP.A! This is one of their most popular beers, and the first firkin of it ever made.

Alongside the great beers from Bare Hands will be two special Four Horsemen beers (Porter & American Wheat), personally crafted by your favorite (I hope) South Bend beer blogger - me! The Porter is an intensely roasty beer with hints of chocolate and coffee, smoothed out with caramel and rich mahogany. On a lighter side is a citrusy and hoppy American Wheat brewed exclusively with the immensely popular Citra hops. Both the Porter and American Wheat are great examples of fun beers coming from my experience with Four Horsemen. Stephen, Sam, Ben and John have been so great to work with and I'm learning so much about the craft beer business!

So when I originally sat down with Sean and Jeremy of Fiddler's Hearth, we all agreed that we wanted this event to be even BIGGER and BETTER than the already successful party back in November. So in addition to the ultra-limited Founders KBS and the specialty beers from Bare Hands, Four Horsemen, etc., we needed one more beer to really put this event over the top...

So without further ado, we would like to announce that an extremely rare keg of Black Note from Bell's will be on tap at some point during the day! If you haven't had the opportunity to try this highly sought after beer yet, you will not want to miss it!

So this is just a taste of what's to come, and the very long final tap list will include specialty beers from such favorites as 3 Floyds, Greenbush, Founders, etc. This party is exactly four weeks away, so look for updates and more info as we get closer!

Tap Lists in and around South Bend

For your drinking pleasure, below are a handful of tap lists I was able to put together. I'm missing lists from Chubby Trout, Fat Tomato, Brothers, O'Rourke's, Fiddler's Hearth, LaSalle Grill, Bleachers and anywhere else fine beer is sold. Tap Lists sent to andy@thebeerisgood.com would be greatly appreciated!

The Mark Dine and Tap (South Bend, IN)
St. Bernardus Abt 12

Quadrupel.  Water, pumped up from a depth of 150 meters is the basis of all St. Bernardus beers. This water is not only the purest but has also a historical background.  Scientists have proved that the water that is pumped up now, is originating from rainfall from the time of Jeanne d’Arc. A dark ivory colored beer with a high fermentation. The show piece of the brewery. Village of Watou in West Flanders, Belgium. (10.5% abv) .25 L $9 or .5 L $16
Great Divide Old Ruffian

Barley wine ale.  Seemingly mellow at the start with subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness, it quickly becomes aggressive with its bold hop flavors and huge hop bitterness. Ultimately, the big body, succulent sweetness and massive hop character come together to work wonders on your palate.  Denver, Colorado.  (10.2% abv)  12 oz.  $7
Southern Tier Oaked Unearthly IPA

Imperial IPA.  Unearthly IPA aged with oak for a harmonious fusion of rich malts, grassy hops and savory oak. Lakewood, New York.  (9.5% abv) .3 L  $8
Kasteel Tripel

Abbey Tripel.  A golden craft-beer, brilliant, topfermented, refermented in the keg.  An exceptional blend of malts and quality hops, an elegant nose and a particularly smooth flavor.  Ingelmunster, Belgium. (11% abv)  8 oz.  $8

Rogue Double Deadguy

American Strong Ale.  Full bodied with an amazing mid-palette richness of toffee and caramel. The hops are evident also, with just enough to keep the maltiness in check.  Newport, Oregon (9.5% abv)  12 oz.  $7

Reissdorf Kölsch

Kölsch.  Reissdorf Kölsch is the beer speciality from Cologne with a tradition starting 1894. Pleasant, full-bodied, and uniquely light & sweet taste. Cologne, Germany.  (4.8% abv)  16 oz.  $7.50

Schneider Aventinus

Weizen Bock.  Fresh with a hint of caramel & clove, light and delicate taste of bitters leaving behind a strong, smoothly rounded, sweet impression.  Kelheim, Germany.  (8.2% abv)  12 oz.  $7

New Belgium Belgo

Belgian Style IPA.  Authentic Trappist yeast strain and a frenzy of citrus hoppy folly.  Fort Collins, Colorado.  (7% abv)  .47 oz. $6

Bitburger Pils

German Pilsener.  Brewed with the best of ingredients in the same traditional way it has been for many, many years. Bitburg, Germany. (4.8% abv) 16 oz.  $6.50

Boulder Beer Mojo IPA

Nitrogen IPA.  The unique Amarillo hop adds a slight citrus flavor to an ultra-crisp dry finish.  Boulder, Colorado.  (7.2% abv) 16 oz. $6

Southern Tier Gemini

Unfiltered IPA.  Blended Hoppe & Unearthly.  Rich hops with moderate bitterness. Sweetish grapefruit and orange marmalade. Smooth, almost creamy, finish. Lakewood, New York.  (10.5% abv) .3L  $7

Six Point Resin

Imperial IPA.  When hops are at their peak maturity, their cores swell up with a sticky, golden, resinous substance that is the flavor you crave from an IPA.  Brooklyn, New York. (9.1% abv) 12 oz. $6.50

The Pub (Granger, IN)
Bell's - Two Hearted
3 Floyds - Alpha King
Sun King - Naptown Brown
Sun King - Dominator
Sun King - Cream Ale
Greenbush - Distorter
Victory - Prima Pils
Great Lakes - Comodore Perry

Bar Louie (Mishawaka, IN)
Abita - Purple Haze
Left Hand - Milk Stout
Boulevard - Unfiltered Wheat
New Belgium - Fat Tire
Schlafly - Kolcsh
Rogue - Dead Guy
Sierra Nevada - Pale Ale
Stone - IPA
Greenbush - 1825
Greenbush - Anger
Finch’s - Cut Throat Pale Ale
Flat 12 - Half Cycle
Flat 12 - Walkabout Pale ale
Bell’s - Two-Hearted
Bell’s - Oberon
Goose Island - 312
Founders - Dirty Bastard
Founders - Porter
Three Floyd’s - Gumballhead
Three Floyd’s - Dreadnaught
Four Horsemen - Irish Red
Sam Adams - Boston Lager
Stone - Russian Imperial Stout

Silver Beach Pizza (St. Joseph, MI)
Bell's - Two Hearted
Bell's - Oberon
Greenbush - Traktor
Saugatuck - ESB
Brewery Vivant - Big Red Coq

Wheatberry (Buchanan, MI)
Founders - Double Trouble
Arcadia - B-Craft
Anchor - Steam
Victory - Headwaters
Schell's - Stout
Greenbush - Doom Slayer
Brewery Vivant - Trebuchet
Bell's - Hopslam
Left Hand - 400lb Monkey
North Coast - Pranqster
Pig's Eye - Pilsner

Smith's (Mishawaka, IN)
Bells - Best Brown Ale
Bells - Two Hearted Ale
Bells - Oberon
Sierra Nevada - Summertime
Goose Island - 312
3 Floyds - Alpha King
3 Floyds - Dreadnaught
3 Floyds - Jinx Proof
New Belgium - Fat Tire

Buffalo Wild Wings (South Bend, IN)
Bell's - Two Hearted
Four Horsemen - Hop Rush
Bell's - Oberon
Sam Adams - Boston Lager