The Mark Tap List

Grabbing some dinner at the Mark in South Bend tonight and thought I'd share their tap list/beer menu since they don't put it on their site. Not a bad selection!

Their list changes often, and I will try to stop by every now and again to grab a pint and keep you updated.

I had the 3 Floyds Brian Boru and as always, it was delicious!

3 Floyds Cerveza Mysterioso

Enjoyed one of the last few pints of 3 Floyds Cerveza Mysterioso (Red Ale, 5.6%) at Fiddler's Hearth tonight, and it was quite delicious! If you ever have a chance to try it, don't miss out!

3 Floyds tapping at Fiddler's Hearth

Don't have the time to drive all the way to 3 Floyds in Munster to get some delicious beer on tap? Fiddler's will be having Arctic Panzer Wolf (Imperial IPA, 9%), Rabbid Rabbit (Farmhouse Ale, 9%), Alpha King (American Pale Ale, 6.5%) and Cerveza Mysterioso (Red Ale, 5.6%) available tomorrow (4/22), while it lasts.

Other brews they had on tap this evening that may or may not still be there tomorrow includes a cask of Bell's Porter, North Coast Old Rasputin, Bell's Two Hearted, Stone Arrogant Bastard, and others.

3 Floyds Brian Boru

Style: Irish Red Ale 
Brewery: 3 Floyds
Package: Bomber into Bruges
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 40
Location: Citywide Downtown S.B.

Aroma: Piny/Resiny, citrus, toasted malts, toffee and floral hops.

Appearance: Very deep amber color, slightly off-white, foamy head.

Taste: Subtle sweet caramel malt with a big flowery hop profile. Low bitterness and finishes dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and mild carbonation.

  Overall: Brian Boru is a good session beer with big flavor, although a bit unbalanced.

Notes:  Brewed with Amarillo hops and is a February release. This sold out pretty quickly at the Citywide in downtown South Bend, however I have recently seen some still lingering at the Belmont on South Bend Ave. Pick it up while you still can!

Grade: A

Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree Sighting

For those of you that have been jonesin' for some Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA, it is currently available at the Liquor Cabinet on Hilltop in Saint Joseph, MI. While I was there, about 8 four-packs were on the shelves (four warm, four cold), and I grabbed one, so they are down to 7. This is extremely difficult to find in the Michiana area (South Bend, Elkhart, Mishawaka), and was assumed to be sold-out everywhere. If you haven't tried Double Crooked Tree, it very high ABV (13 and change) double IPA that has a great hop profile and balanced extremely well with malt. This brew goes down way too smoothly, so handle with care.

This was my first time at the Liquor Cabinet and I will be doing a full write-up about it. Tons of great Michigan beer that I can't find in my area, I even found some Founders Devil Dancer in stock!

Caldera IPA

Style: American IPA
Brewery: Caldera
Package: Can into Pint
ABV: 6.1
IBU: 94
Location: Citywide Downtown S.B.

Aroma: Not much to this one with very faint hints of floral hops and citrus, maybe a little grassy.

Appearance: A medium amber color with a thick creamy white head that leaves a thick top that follows the beer all the way down the glass.

Taste: Muted grassy hops, orange, balanced well with sweet malt and finishes dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light feel to it with mild carbonation.

Overall: Not a bad brew overall, but not great either. Checking Caldera's site on this, it claims to have an assertive hop profile and 94 IBUs. I'm thinking this can traveled a long way and sat for quite some time before being sold to me, because I am not picking up much bitterness or hops. Someone could have told me this was a pale ale with IBUs around 50-60, and I would have believed it. Still, it was an enjoyable beer, and I'll be keeping an eye out for others from this brewery.

Notes:  My first experience with Caldera, and first ever craft beer from a can. Now I know what some of you are thinking, "Craft Beer in a can, how can it be?" From what I've read, not only is there a special liner that protects the beer from a metallic flavor, but it also does a better job at preserving it than bottles do. They are also easy to travel with, are accepted in more locations, chill quicker and are fully recyclable. Bell's is also about to start canning some of their beer, and I can't wait to compare.

Back to the beer... This IPA is brewed with Premium 2-Row, Munich and Crystal Malts, along with Simcoe, Centennial and Amarillo hops.

Grade: B

3 Floyds / Sun King Three Kings

Style: American Pale Ale
Brewery: 3 Floyds / SunKing
Package: Growler into Pint
ABV: 5.4
IBU: 50
Location: FFF Brewpub

Aroma: Not a very big aroma, but there is light citrus, floral hops and hints of pine.

Appearance: Hazy golden color with a white head, leaves sheets of lace sticking to the glass.

Taste: Citrusy orange and grapefruit, grassy and slight floral hops balanced well with a sweet malt profile. The bitterness is very low.

Mouthfeel: Very light feeling, bordering watery. Medium carbonation.

  Overall: This is one hell of a session beer. The taste and mouthfeel is a lot more tame then I am used to from 3 Floyds, but this was such an enjoyable brew that I sessioned through an entire growler in one evening; I suggest you do the same to compare results.

Notes:  Three Kings is a collaborate brew between 3 Floyds and SunKing to commemorate their alliance to change the archaic brewery laws in the state of Indiana. Available for a limited time at both SunKing and 3 Floyds, get it before it runs out!

Grade: A-

Lagunitas New Dogtown Pale Ale

Style: American Pale Ale
Brewery: Lagunitas
Package: Bottle into Pint
ABV: 6.2%
IBU: Unknown
Location:Total Wine - Jacksonville, FL

Aroma: Floral and citrusy with light sweetness and a hint of pine.

Appearance: Golden with a frothy off-white head, each sip leaving a row of lace.

Taste: Mostly floral hoppy profile in the foreground, slightly bold with a little malty sweetness. Finishes crisp with citrus and slight bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and carbonation.

  Overall: A very solid pale ale with great flavor and crispness. This APA could probably pass easily as an IPA

Notes:  My first Lagunitas and I wasn't disappointed, I hope they start distributing to Indiana sometime soon.

Grade: A-

Rare Sam Adams Beer Tapping at Fiddler's

Straight from the Indiana Beer Facebook page...

"For one night only, we will be tapping three very special kegs from Samuel Adams: Imperial White, Old Aged Porter, and Cherry Chocolate Bock. This is the first time any bar in Northern Indiana has put any of these beers on tap, and the first time the Porter and Bock have ever left Massachusetts. There is only a quarter barrel of each and once they are gone, they are gone. So show up early and enjoy these rare and spectacular beers!"

Fiddler's Hearth (Main St., South Bend)
April 21st
4-7pm

Great Divide Grand Cru

Style:  Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Brewery: Great Divide
Package: Bottle into Bruges
ABV: 11%
IBU: Unknown
Location: Citywide

Aroma: Sweet caramel malt with fruity undertones. Nothing much to this.

Appearance: Very dark brown with reddish highlights. Thick tan head and sticky lace that clings to the glass.

Taste: Very sweet caramel flavor with brown sugar and spices. Hints of fig, raisins, and plums. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, medium carbonation.

  Overall: Smooth, but way too sweet, so much so that it was tough to get through this one.

Notes:  My first Great Divide brew, and I wasn't very impressed. Belgian Strong Ales aren't my favorite brews, however I tried to stay objective. It wasn't terrible, I just was not a fan of this particular beer.

Grade: C+

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Style:  Imperial Stout
Brewery: Founders
Package: Bottle into Bruges
ABV: 11.2%
IBU: 70
Location: Citywide & Belmont

Aroma: A complex weave of bourbon, chocolate, coffee and roasted malt.

Appearance: Dark as midnight, maybe darker. No light escapes this brew and is complete with a one-finger thick brown head.

Taste: KBS has huge taste consisting of chocolate, roasted malt, and just a hint of tobacco. Finishes dry with warmth from the bourbon.

Mouthfeel: Thick, coats everything and stays with you. Very light carbonation in this.

  Overall: A really great tasting brew with big, complex tastes. Certainly not a session brew, this is great for sitting back, relaxing and enjoying each sip.

Notes:  I was lucky enough to pick up some bottles at Citywide, and then a few weeks later at Belmont on S.B. Ave. This is a very rare and sought after beer every year, running around $7-8 per 12oz bottle. Fiddler's Hearth on Main St. in South Bend also has a keg of this every year shortly after its official release. This is a really great beer, aged in bourbon barrels for an entire year before it is released. If you missed it this year, mark your calendars for the beginning of March next year and pickup a bottle or two... just make sure to leave me some.

Grade: A+

Blue Chip BrewFest Recap

For those of you that took me up on several reminders to attend the Blue Chip Casino BrewFest last Saturday, congratulations, I'm sure you had a great time. For those who were unable to attend, you missed out on a lot of really good beer!

First off, let me say what a great job Ben Amster of Indiana Beer and everyone did with this event. I hope Blue Chip agrees to another BrewFest next year! There were approximately 25 breweries representing around 125 different beers from the likes of Pyramid, Upland, New Holland, Figure 8, Bare Hands, New Belgium, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada and many more.

I could write a novel on all of the beer I sampled, 2oz at a time, but the most exciting part about the event was Figure Eight out of Valparaiso and Bare Hands in Granger.

Making our way over to the Figure Eight booth, I picked up a sample of Ro Shampo, their Imperial Red Ale. Brewed with four types of hops and 6 types of malt, Ro Shampo has big flavor, but is also very smooth. In addition to the delicious I.R.A., they had Where Lizards Dare (IPA 4%), First Ascent (Belgian Honey Lagar 4%) and Snake Pro (DIPA 9%). Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to try anything other than Ro Shampo, so I will have to take a drive out to their brewery for some extensive tasting.

While at the Figure Eight booth, a friend of mine tapped me on the shoulder and said "try this." Normally I would question the offer, however I was fairly confident the sweet liquid inside was not laced with roofies, so I took a sip.

W-O-W. What the hell is this? THAI.P.A. from Bare Hands Brewery in Granger, IN.

I really liked Figure Eight, they were great, but I had to check out this new brewery from the same area I live. Already trying THAI.P.A, I wanted to see if lightening could strike twice. It did, with their Apollo Double IPA. Big grapefruit and hoppy flavor, balanced very well with malt for a touch of sweetness, this was another mighty fine beer. Next up, the Imperial Chocolate Stout. This one had lots of chocolate and fruity flavors with a good balance of bitterness. Last up was the Amarillo Pale Ale, a very nice brew. This was a smooth, enjoyable brew that would be great for a drinking session. Overall, Bare Hands generated a TON of excitement within my group of friends. They're new, interesting and best of all, local. The South Bend area has long needed a brewery that beer enthusiasts could get behind, something we've not really had before (I'm looking at you, Mishawaka Brew Co.).

When the event was over, we were left feeling impressed at how smoothly it was run, the great offering of local and national beer, as well as all the really cool fellow beer fans. Next year it would be nice to see some more of the local favorites such as FFF, Bell's, SunKing and Founders, along with the newer local breweries like Triton Brewing Company (Indy), The Livery (Benton Harbor) and others. I hope that Blue Chip agrees that this was a success, because I'm looking forward to coming back next year!

Goose Island Big John

Many thanks to the guys at Belmont for supplying me with a very hard to get bottle of Big John from Goose Island. Big John is an imperial stout, brewed with cocoa nibs and roasted malt, with an abv of 11.5%. If you want a bottle, try the Belmont on South Bend Ave in South Bend. Supplies are VERY limited, but they also have plenty of other really good beer in case you miss out!

Zombie Dust Tapped at Fiddler's Hearth!

If you are a fan of 3 Floyds Zombie Dust, or if you have ever wanted to try it, Fiddler's Hearth in South Bend is the place to be! It was tapped Friday, and they are also offering Rabbid Rabbit, so stop by this weekend before it is all gone!

Dark Lord Day tix have arrived!

Great way to start a Friday!

3 Floyds tapping at Fiddler's Hearth

Fiddler's Hearth in South Bend is really rocking the great brew these days with Ommegang tonight, and four from 3 Floyds tomorrow!

According to the Bar Manager's facebook update, they will be serving Cerveca Mysterioso, Rabbid Rabbit, Topless Wytch and Alpha King. He also said he was working on getting some Zombie Dust in sometime, which would be really awesome.

Show your support for the effort it takes to bring in this really great beer by stopping by and having a few rounds!

Indiana Brewers take on outdated Indiana State laws

Today SunKing and 3 Floyds took a major step toward changing the craft brewing laws of Indiana.

Under current law, a brewery does not have the ability to run a brewpub, tasting room or self-distribute if it produces more than 20,000 barrels of beer per year. The problem with this is that both SunKing and 3 Floyds are on pace to brew more than the Indiana limit, which would require closing their brewpubs or moving their entire brewery to another state. The SunKing / 3 Floyds Bill moves to increase the ceiling from 20,000 barrels per year to 60,000 per year. Along with the ability to keep their business model just the way they are for many years to come, while allowing for steady growth, breweries will get to keep the state tax breaks that come with being under production constraints. As of this afternoon, the bill has passed unanimously in committe according to a SunKingBrewing tweet, thus allowing it to move to the Senate and the House.

Stayed tuned for more information, and how you can help support the effort of our amazing Indiana Breweries!

Also check out the below links that provide more informaiton on the current Bill.

http://www.3floyds.com/2011/03/22/indy-star-article-about-legislative-efforts/

http://thefullpint.com/beer-news/3-floyds-sun-king-collaboration-born-out-of-legislation-issues

http://www.southbendtribune.com/business/sbt-20110406sbtmichb-08-06-20110406,0,6181935.story

andy at thebeerisgood dot com

Pennsylvania Brew Co. Penn Weizen

Style: Bavarian-style wheat
Brewery: Pennsylvania Brew Co
Package: Bottle into Glass
ABV: 4%
Gravity: Unknown
IBU: Unknown
Location: Beer of the Month Club

Aroma: A nice bready aroma with light citrus


Appearance: Golden wheat colored and hazy with a frothy white head


Taste: Lightly toasted malt, bread, crackers, with hints of citrus and clove. A bit of tang also comes through on this


Mouthfeel: Nice light feeling with good carbonation, and no alcohol burn at all

 
Overall: Great light weizen and very smooth. At 4%, this would be very refreshing on a hot summer day

Notes: I know, I know, I'm totally using the wrong glass for this. I don't actually own a weizen glass, just the bruges glass pictured and a ton of pint glasses. What I like about my bruges glass (available at Crate and Barrel) is that it's 16oz, which fits an entire 12oz bottle and a healthy head. Anyway, back to the beer... This is my first beer from Penn Brew Co, as well as from Clubs of America, which turned out to be a great first impression from both. This was a really solid beer, something I would be open to picking up from my local bottle shop on occasion if they had it, but it isn't available in this area. This brew has also won numerous awards in the craft beer community, most notably the Gold medal in 2000 at the Great American Beer Festival.


Food Pairing: Salads, Barbecue, Grilled meats and spicy food

Grade: B+

Ommegang tapping at Fiddler's Hearth

Ommegoodness Fiddler's on Main Street in South Bend is tapping four different great brews from Ommegang on April 7th! According to the Bar Manager's tweet, they will have Abbey Ale, Adoration, Gnomegang and Witte available.

I don't know if I will be able to make it, but you should stop by and try some great food and brew!

Founders Breakfast Stout

Style:  Double/Imperial Stout
Brewery: Founders
Package: Bottle into Glass
ABV: 8.3%
Gravity: Unknown
IBU: 60
Location: Citywide Liquors (Downtown South Bend)

Aroma: Chocolate, Coffee, Toffee and roasted malts


Appearance:  Very dark brown and opaque with a thick creamy brown head

Taste: Tastes of coffee and chocolate with just the right amount of bitterness, balanced well with malty sweetness

Mouthfeel: Thick and a little chewy, mild carbonation. 

 
Drinkability: This is a very delicious brew, and could easy drink a couple of these. 


Notes: This is a seasonal brew (Sept-Dec) from Founders which I was fortunate enough to try both in the bottle and on tap. Brewed with imported chocolates along with kona and sumatra coffee, this is a coffee-lovers stout. This is a pretty easy to find brew in the South Bend-Mishawaka-Elkhart area, and certainly worth giving a try.


Food Pairing: Cheese, Chocolate, Grilled and Smoked meats

Grade: A

3 Floyds Zombie Dust

Style:  American Pale Ale
Brewery: 3 Floyds
Package: Growler into pint glass
ABV: 6.2%
Gravity: Unknown
IBU: 50
Location: 3 Floyd's Brew Pub

Aroma: Big floral hop aroma and citrus

Appearance: Nice hazy golden color with a foamy white head that dissipates quickly leaving sticky lace clinging to the side of the glass

Taste: Citrus, Tangerine, great hop flavor and just the right amount of bitterness, balanced slightly with sweet malt

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation and body

  Drinkability: This brew is extremely good, at 6.2% ABV, it's not meant to be a session beer, but it is so delicious that I don't care, I'll drink the entire growler in one sitting

Notes: Zombie Dust is a single hop (Citra hops from Yakima Valley) American Pale Ale, one of my favorite styles. Rumor has it that 3 Floyds is going to start bottling Zombie Dust within the next few months, a move that I fully embrace. This brewery was already in my top 3 before; Zombie Dust makes them #1 in my book. I can't say enough about this beer... drop what you are doing, drive to Munster and get some. If they don't have it on tap when you get there, camp out until they do.

Food Pairing: Typical Pale Ale pairing, pizza, spicy food, burgers... this will complement a lot and is very refreshing.

Grade: A+ (Yeah, it really is that good.)