2012 Potowatomi Zoo Brew (South Bend, IN)

It's that time of year again.. College Football, and of course, Potowatomi Zoo Brew. Each year the zoo opens to craft beer fans from far and wide to taste a huge variety of beers from dozens of breweries. Local breweries represented include Four Horsemen, Bare Hands, Greenbush and Iechyd Da, along with all the other regional and national favorites. Below are further details...

If you're on the fence, please know that this is the largest fund raiser of the year, every year, for the zoo. Every dollar they receive makes an impact, and helps maintain an important piece of our community.

Date: September 8th, 7-10PM
Ticket Price: Designated Drivers - $25, Zoo Members - $35, Everyone else - $40

Check out the Zoo Brew webpage for further details and to purchase tickets, which did sell out last year... see you there!

Founders Brewing 15th Anniversary

This one somehow fell through the cracks with me, but the label for the 15th Anniversary Founders Beer has been released, and it's a Barleywine called "Bolt Cutter." Eric at Michiana Beer Nuts did a nice job of doing a writeup on this one, so check out out here.

It looks like Eric's notion that this will be the next Backstage series release is confirmed within the press release for Frangelic Mountain Brown. Below is the relevant excerpt.

"The next beer to be released in the series later this year will be a celebration of the brewery’s fifteenth anniversary, though the beer's style is yet-to-be revealed. The release party for this beer in November will be Founders' first to require advance tickets."

Whether that means any of it will be distributed though, it's tough to say. What I do know is that I will be trying very hard to go to their Anniversary party!

Official Founders Press Release for Frangelic Mountain Brown

I thought the "Press Release" from BeerNews.org looked too much like a rough draft for Founders, and sure enough, it appears as though it wasn't meant to be released yet. I just received the official press release from Founders, which is mostly the same, with a few interesting pieces thrown in that weren't in the leaked version. Check out the parts below that are in bold...

--

Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 25, 2012 - Founders Brewing Co.’s Co-Founder and Vice President of Brand & Education, Dave Engbers, announced today that Frangelic Mountain Brown would be the next release in the brewery’s 750mL Backstage Series, with availability beginning in July.

Part of what makes Founders Backstage Series so much fun, for both the brewery and consumers, is the period of speculation before the next release is announced. But the purpose of the series is to bring some of Founders’ most sought-after beers, which have been available primarily in the taproom and at a few select events, to a much larger audience. Frangelic Mountain Brown will be the fourth release in the series, joining Blushing Monk and Canadian Breakfast Stout from 2011 and Curmudgeon’s Better Half, which was released in February of this year.

Frangelic Mountain Brown is the quintessential taproom “one-off” beer: Founders’ brewers created the Mountain Brown series for their taproom in Grand Rapids in 2007. Frangelic Mountain Brown is the 16th iteration in the series of popular brown ales—and it likely won’t be the last. The singular characteristic of this beer comes from the use of hazelnut coffees in the brewing process. The beer has distinct aromatics with sweet and nutty flavors beautifully balanced. Founders is known for its beers made with coffee (i.e., the Breakfast Stout series), but this is both the brewery’s first brown ale and its first beer brewed with hazelnut coffees to be bottled. It clocks in at 9% ABV.

“The goal of the Backstage Series is to allow those beer enthusiasts who don’t have the ability to make it to our taproom an opportunity to experience some of the beers that, historically, have been limited to our taproom and a handful of high exposure events,” Engbers said. “Although these beers are not brewed in large volume, it is our intention to distribute them to all of our markets.”


While there will not be an official release party for Frangelic Mountain Brown at the brewery's taproom in Grand Rapids, the beer will be available on draft in the taproom beginning Monday, July 2. The focus of bottle sales will be in Founders' distribution footprint.

The next beer to be released in the series later this year will be a celebration of the brewery’s fifteenth anniversary, though the beer's style is yet-to-be revealed. The release party for this beer in November will be Founders' first to require advance tickets. The KBS release party in spring of 2013 is expected to be an even larger festival-type event--be on the lookout for more detail to come.

Founders Brewing Co. opened its doors in 1997 with the vision of creating some of the most unique craft beer in the world. Today, Founders has a loyal following, with several beers lauded nationally and internationally as award winners in their respective categories. In 2009, they were ranked as the 2nd fastest growing brewery in the United States and they are currently rated the second highest brewery in the world by ratebeer.com

Founders Brewing Company, 235 Grandville Avenue SW in downtown Grand Rapids, is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild and the Brewers Association.

Brew Haven 2012

For my people in the Fort Wayne area and beyond, this is year number two for the Brew Haven Brewfest, and it looks bigger and better than last year. Looks like it will be a great time!

Brew Haven 2012 Ticket Release Party
Friday, June 1st • 6pm • Trion Tavern Ticket sales begin for Northeast Indiana premiere craft beer festival! Among several other rare, stellar and unique beers, we will be tapping 3 Floyds/De Struise Shark Pants (aka Live A Rich Life). And, beers from all 58 taps will be ONLY $3.50! There is no cover charge and, as with all special beer events at the Trion, it will be SMOKE FREE for the evening. More info can be found on the Special Events page at TrionTavern.com. (Ticket sales at the Trion are CASH ONLY.)
Online ticket sales for Brew Haven 2012 will also begin at 6pm on June 1st at BrownPaperTickets.com.


Brew Haven 2012
Saturday, August 4 • 2pm-6pm • Downtown New Haven, Indiana
Brew Haven 2012 is going to be even bigger and better than last year's event! We're adding lots more space for a second tent full of breweries. Check out our BeerFinder for an updated list of the breweries (with beers to be added) and an evolving interactive map of the festival to make it easy to find the beers you want to sample. We are currently expecting 40 breweries to be pouring draft beer at the fest and that number only continues to increase! Watch as the number of beers grows and is sure to exceed 200. Then, there's the Homebrew...our talented local club will be pouring 50 of their tasty concoctions and have invited their contemporaries from around the region to add theirs. All the details can be found at brewhaven.triontavern.com but make sure you're following Brew Haven on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.

Standard ticket ($35 in advance, $45 day of) includes:

• Unlimited samples
• Souvenir Tasting Glass
• Meal
• Water

VIP Package ($60) includes Standard ticket from above, plus:

• 1 hour early admission (with sampling beginning at 1pm instead of 2pm)
• Commemorative Brew Haven 2012 T-Shirt
• Brew Haven Glass-holding Lanyard with VIP Pass
• Access to special beers & pourings
• Limited number, these WILL sell out fast

Designated Driver ticket ($5) includes:

• Meal
• Unlimited Soft Drinks

21+ only
Smoke Free (with separate smoking tent)
Rain or Shine
CASH ONLY

No pets
No outside containers or beverages
No refunds

Co-hosted by Trion Tavern and MASH, Northeast Indiana Homebrewers, Brew Haven festivals benefit the improvement of downtown New Haven, Indiana.

Founders Frangelic Mountain Brown (Backstage Series)

It's official - the long awaited 4th installment of the Backstage Series by Founders, following the likes of Blushing Monk, Canadian Breakfast Stout, and Curmudgeon's Better Half, is here in the form of Frangelic Mountain Brown.

Although I've not had the opportunity to try it yet, from all accounts I've heard, it's a pretty tasty brew. This comes out on July 2nd, and if it's like any of the other releases, it will be difficult to find.

Founders Press Release:

--
Part of what makes Founders Backstage Series so much fun, for both the brewery and consumers, is the period of speculation before the next release is announced. But the purpose of the series is to bring some of Founders’ most sought-after beers, which have been available primarily in the taproom and at a few select events, to a much larger audience. Frangelic Mountain Brown will be the fourth release in the series, joining Blushing Monk and Canadian Breakfast Stout from 2011 and Curmudgeon’s Better Half, which was released in February of this year.


Frangelic Mountain Brown is the quintessential taproom “one-off” beer: Founders’ brewers created the Mountain Brown series for their taproom in Grand Rapids in 2007. Frangelic Mountain Brown is the 16th iteration in the series of popular brown ales—and it likely won’t be the last. The singular characteristic of this beer comes from the use of hazelnut coffees in the brewing process. The beer has distinct aromatics with sweet and nutty flavors beautifully balanced. Founders is known for its beers made with coffee (i.e., the Breakfast Stout series), but this is both the brewery’s first brown ale and its first beer brewed with hazelnut coffees to be bottled. It clocks in at 9% ABV.

“The goal of the Backstage Series is to allow those beer enthusiasts who don’t have the ability to make it to our taproom an opportunity to experience some of the beers that, historically, have been limited to our taproom and a handful of high exposure events,” Engbers said. “Although these beers are not brewed in large volume, it is our intention to distribute them to all of our markets.”

The next beer to be released in the series later this year will be a celebration of the brewery’s fifteenth anniversary, though the style is yet-to-be revealed.

Founders Brewing Co. opened its doors in 1997 with the vision of creating some of the most unique craft beer in the world. Today, Founders has a loyal following, with several beers lauded nationally and internationally as award winners in their respective categories. In 2009, they were ranked as the 2nd fastest growing brewery in the United States and they are currently rated the second highest brewery in the world by ratebeer.com

Founders Brewing Company, 235 Grandville Avenue SW in downtown Grand Rapids, is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild (www.michiganbrewersguild.org) and the Brewers Association.

Green Flash Teams Up With Founders

Just received an email from a PR Firm in San Diego filling me in on the details of the upcoming Green Flash / Founders Collab. These are two of my favorite breweries, so I really hope I get a chance at trying this!

--

SAN DIEGO & MICHIGAN CRAFT BEER INNOVATORS BOND OVER NEW BREW

GREEN FLASH BREWING CO. CRAFTS COMPLEX COLLABORATION WITH FOUNDERS BREWING COMPANY

LINCHPIN WHITE IPA 

Limited Release to Debut During Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego – May 2012

San Diego, CA - April 12, 2012          Green Flash Brewing Co. announces that they have partnered with like-minded Michigan brewer, Founders Brewing Co. to produce a first-time, limited release called Linchpin White IPA.   The Brewmasters from each celebrated craft brewery—Chuck Silva (Green Flash) and Jeremy Kosmicki  (Founders) assembled privately last month in San Diego to develop the beer, and it will debut during the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego and move on to limited release beginning May 2012. These well matched breweries have been individually brewing up several of the world’s top flavor-forward ales and have now come together to collaborate on an uncommon and emerging beer style. 

"Founders makes world-class beer,” says Green Flash Brewing Co.’s Co-founder and President, Mike Hinkley. “It's not available in San Diego, so I always look to taste some when I am on the road. Our Sales Chief, Jim Kenny presented the idea and I was immediately all for it. Then Chuck and Jeremy settled on White IPA. I can't wait to tap these kegs and share this innovative new release with the national community of craft beer fans." 

Each brewery is known to push boundaries in creating risky, new, flavor-forward styles that appeal to the true beer aficionado. Because Founders is not currently available in San Diego, the collaboration will allow the local beer lover a chance to experience the flavors and influence of this Midwestern gem through the Green Flash partnership. Green Flash will release Linchpin White IPA on draft during May’s Craft Brewers Conference with events to take place as follows:

Tuesday, May 1 

Tapping of First Keg  - Green Flash Tasting Room & Beer Garden 3pm – 9pm

Friday, May 4 

Hamilton’s & Regal Beagle Release Parties Begin at 5pm

• •    Each bar will feature Linchpin White IPA 
• •    Other draft selections from Green Flash and Founders will also be on tap for the evening
• •    Representatives from Founders and Green Flash will be in attendance

Beer Details: Linchpin White IPA 

“There’s a lot going on in this beer with two yeast strains, copious amounts of wheat malt, and a big focus on ‘C’ hops to deliver a citrus explosion,” explains Green Flash Brewmaster, Chuck Silva. “In fact we lined up more than a dozen hop varieties in the brewery to select three hops with the biggest citrus character to dry hop the beer. 

“This golden beer pours with beautiful, frothy white beer foam that lasts due to bottle conditioning. Gently rousing the yeast that settles in the bottle will result in a fuller texture and a more cloudy white appearance. The citrus aromas that jump from the glass are largely tangerine up front with other types of citrus notes that mingle with the Belgian yeast esters. Hop flavors of bitter orange zest dominate the brew and linger to the finish with a nice play of American and Belgian yeast combo.”

A beer with so many components can be held together with a “Linchpin”. The official “Linchpin” of this beer is the skillful collaboration between the two breweries to create a unique hop-forward brew. Linchpins are symbolic: two simple shapes that combine to strengthen a bond amongst many different pieces. 

Linchpin White IPA will be released during the May 2012 Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego and will then be available in limited supply via bottle-conditioned 22oz bottles and by the keg for special release events nationally in May and June 2012. 

About Founders Brewing Company 

Co-Founders Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers opened Founders Brewing Co. in 1997 and are adamant about their mission: “We don’t brew beer for the masses. Instead, our beers are crafted for a chosen few, a small cadre of renegades and rebels who enjoy a beer that pushes the limits of what is commonly accepted as taste. In short, we make beer for people like us.” This philosophy has helped them gain recognition as the second best brewery in the world by RateBeer.com, for two years in a row.

About Green Flash Brewing Co. 

Green Flash Brewing Co. is located in San Diego, California, and was founded in 2002 by Mike and Lisa Hinkley.  Brewmaster, Chuck Silva, leads brewing operations. Green Flash is an award-winning brewer of fine, hand-crafted ales, and specializes in brewing assertive and distinctive beers, such as the nationally acclaimed West Coast I.P.A.: an award-winning beer whose wide acceptance has helped define a category.  Green Flash brews ten styles of beer regularly, on draught and in bottles as well as a growing lineup of seasonal and special offerings, including several barrel-aged beers, throughout the year.  Please visit the Green Flash website www.greenflashbrew.com for more information

Press Contact:

Natalie Sellers

Bay Bird Inc PR

T. 917-657-1264

E. natalie@baybirdinc.com

Battle of the Dopplebocks at The Pub (Granger, IN)

Just received word from "The Pub" in Granger, IN about an event happening on March 7th at 7pm titled, "Battle of the Dopplebocks."

BotD as I am calling it for brevity sake will feature two Dopplebocks; Bell's Consecrator (8%, 84/100 on BeerAdvocate) and Sun King Dominator (8.1%, ?/100 on BeerAdvocate).

I'm told this is the only keg of Consecrator that will be available in our area, and the keg of Dominator was specifically brought in from Sun King by The Pub for enjoyment at their establishment, making this a truly unique event.

There will be some sort of voting system by which people can pick from the two the one they enjoyed most; what they do with that information afterward I'm not aware.

This should be a lot of fun, so if you are able to attend, you should!

Michigan Brewery Tour (Sponsored by Fiddler's Hearth)

So here is the reason I've been so tight-lipped about my planned brewery/pub trip... My friends at Fiddler's Hearth are planning a Michigan Brewery Tour on April 7th! For $40, you will have the opportunity to hit Founders, Bell's, Hopcat, Arcadia and Dark Horse, all while not having to worry about driving! Along with safe transportation, the trip will also include a light breakfast at Fiddler's and pizza at Dark Horse!

Reserve your spot in person while you still can and ready your best drinkin' hat (responsibly, of course), April 7th is going to be a blast!

Iechyd Da "Leaps" into brewing on February 29th

In my best Pauly D voice, I would like to inform you that, "Beers here!"

We will be welcoming the 4th brewery within a year to our area (Four Horsemen, Bare Hands, Greenbush), Iechyd Da Brewing Company. They are taking an opportunity to "leap" into their business venture on leap day, February 29th, by hosting a invitation-only beer tasting at their new brewery in Elkhart. About 65 lucky people that follow their Facebook page had a chance to receive an invitation to tour the brewery and taste 8 of the beers that will be flowing.

TheBeerIsGood.com was fortunate enough to be invited to cover this event, taste some beer, and share in the celebration of the latest brewery to join the craft beer community. For those who missed out on an invitation this time around, I'll make sure to take plenty of pictures, try all of the beers and rub-in the fantastic time we are all sure to have. Don't worry though, their opening is right around the corner, giving everyone the chance at some great brew!

On a side note, their logo is pretty badass, amiright?

Bell's Oberon release date

Some people notice the transition of seasons by the change in weather, I however choose to recognize them with beer releases and sports instead.

According to a source, Bell's will be releasing Oberon on March 26th, almost directly between the start of Spring (March 20th) and opening day of baseball (April 4th). This of course means that warmer weather, outdoor drinking and sundresses (hopefully not for our male readers) are right around the corner!

When I hear of any sundress Oberon parties, I will be sure forward them along!

Whole Foods in Mishawaka, IN

It's fairly old news at this point, but in case you've been living under a rock, or pint glass, you should know that Whole Foods is opening a store at the former Borders bookstore on Grape Road in Mishawaka sometime within the year.

No, I'm not getting into foodie news or business openings, but Whole Foods does have an interesting craft beer aspect to it that may benefit our area...

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to travel to several much larger cities around the country, and almost always take the opportunity to visit a Whole Foods when possible. One of the major reasons I gravitate toward this supermarket chain is because of their commitment to Craft Beer, which is quite helpful when picking up snacks and other items for the week.

Of course some WF stores have better selections than others, which I'm sure is a result of various factors, but you can usually find a reasonable lineup of craft beer available in that region.

The best example of this is the Whole Foods in the East Village of NYC (known as the Bowery Beer Room), which I stumbled upon quite accidentally. This very large room features over 1,000 different beers, and 6 growler stations for 32 and 64 ounce fills. The only place I've seen that comes close to this is the South Loop Binny's in Chicago.

So you might be asking, what's the point? With craft beer in our area exploding at the rate that it has been, having another place to find beer will be great. In the unlikely event that someone from Whole Foods reads this, it would be incredible to finally have a store that sells growlers. Fresh beer from Founders, Bell's or 3 Floyds to take home by the jug full? Count me in! 

Michiana Beer Nuts 3rd Anniversary Party

If you live in the Michiana area and don't read Michiana Beer Nuts by Eric Strader, then you are missing out. Over the last 3 years, Eric has pumped out hundreds of high-quality and informative posts about craft beer in our area and beyond.

On March 8th, Eric will be celebrating the 3rd anniversary of his beer blog at the Constant Spring in Goshen, his typical hangout as Fiddler's Hearth is mine. For this event, there will be 6 beers from Greenbush on tap, along with the attendance of the ambassador of all things Greenbush, Jill. For more information regarding the lineup, check out this post.

The journey from South Bend to Goshen isn't short, of course, but last year was a great time, and this year is sure to be no different.

Cheers, and congratulations to Eric on all of his hard work!

Founders KBS release info

Nearly every month seems to have an exciting release, and one of the most anticipated of the year is March, with the release of Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS). KBS is not only one of my top 3 favorite beers (check out my review from last year), but it also highly rated on Beer Advocate and other beer related websites. 

For those not familiar with KBS, from the Founders website...

"What we've got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight."

Founders has posted information regarding the release of KBS at the brewery here, but the bullet points are as follow...

• Saturday, March 10th at 11am at their Taproom in Grand Rapids
• To purchase a case, 4-pack or individual bottle, enter through the rear entrance
• $114 per case, $19 per 4-pack, $4.75 per bottle, 1 case limit
• First come, First serve. KBS will sell out quickly

If you'd rather skip the shenanigans of the release party and pick some up around the South Bend area, keep in mind that bottles are extremely difficult to come by and often sell out without hitting shelves. To the best of my recollection, Fiddler's Hearth (South Bend, IN) and Wheatberry (Buchanan, MI) had KBS on tap last year shortly after it was released at the brewery. When I hear more, I'll be sure to pass along the information.

2nd Annual Blue Chip Brewfest Update

Just received an email from the fine folks at Blue Chip with a poster that provides a little more information about the brewfest in April...

Per the poster, it looks like the VIP admission will give you access to limited release beers paired with food, and you will also get a few other goodies. Tickets go on sale at 10am on February 1st at Ticketmaster.com, so don't miss out!

2nd Annual Blue Chip Brewfest Info (Michigan City, IN)

Just got word that Saturday, April 14th, will be the 2nd Annual Blue Chip Casino Brewfest in Michigan City, IN. I only have a handful of details at this point, which are listed below, and I will post the lineup when I get it. Check back here for more info!

- April 14th, 2012, 1-5pm
- Special VIP event from Noon-1pm
- $35 General Admission
- $55 VIP
- $15 Designated Driver

Ben Amster of Indiana Beer said that this year's event will be "Bigger and Badder," so I hope to see you all there!

Sixpoint invades Indiana

Technically speaking, the absolute best drinking vessel in the world happens to be the Tallboy. Fortunately for us hoosiers, Sixpoint Brewery of Brooklyn, NY agrees. It was announced earlier in the week by hoosierbeergeek.com that the latest addition to Indiana craft beer would start selling as early as next week, and would be distributed by Cavalier.

I called around to a few stores in the South Bend area, but unfortunately none of them knew anything about this new offering. Fortunately I happen to know the area rep for Cavalier, so I couldn't help but give him a call. Come to find out, the target date to have Sixpoint beers in area stores is Tuesday, January 24th. The opening lineup will consist of Sweet Action (Cream Ale, 5.2%), Righteous Ale (Rye, 6.5%), Crisp (Pils, 5.4%) and Bengali Tiger (American IPA, 6.4%) and Resin (February) (DIPA, 9.1%).

I've had Bengali Tiger while in NYC, and although it's heavier malt bill is not my favorite IPA quality, I'm definitely going to give it another shot, along with the other 4 that are all new to me. When I have confirmed sightings of tallboys in our area, I'll pass it along. It's definitely an exciting time for craft beer in Indiana!

Andy
andy@thebeerisgood.com

Founders All Day IPA

Happy New Year everyone, we here at TBIG hope you had a great holiday and capped off the year with an incredible beer.

Most of you may know by now, I have a real bug up my ass about Founders All Day IPA. I had it for the first time at Founders Fest back in June (or was it July, it's a little fuzz). Sitting at around 4.5%, it has a ton of flavor, super smooth, and after drinking a growler of it, you shouldn't need your stomach pumped.

With that being said, it's going to be released in specific markets (Michigan only, it seems) 11 months out of the year, with January getting no love. The official release date is February 6th, however S.E. Michigan has seen limited quantities, due to either a mistake, or perhaps a test run. We won't see it in Indiana, but I don't mind going for a drive through Pure Michigan to stock up on a case or two.

Bare Hands Brewery opens to the public today at 5pm!

Just a quick heads up that Bare Hands Brewery (Granger, IN) opens to the public today at 5pm! Come celebrate our newest Michiana brewery by stopping by and having a pint! I recommend trying their Hybrid Pale/IPA (although they are all very good), I had it the other night and it was delicious!

As far as I know, it's cash only for the next few weeks, so bring stacks of money!

Congratulations Chris and everyone who has put so much work into this brewery!

Black Note Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

Label approval just dropped for one of the most coveted beers around, Bell's Black Note Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (11.5%). My guess is that this will likely only be available at their general store with a 2 bottle limit per customer, as was the case with other 750ml bottles.

From the Bell's website...

One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell's history, Black Note Stout blend the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel. Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.

Fiddler's Hearth Beer Dinner on Dec 28th

Received word from Sean over at Fiddler's Hearth (Main St., South Bend) regarding a beer pairing dinner taking place on December 28th. Looks like a great lineup of food and beer for a very reasonable price. I've definitely never had a bad meal from this restaurant!