Showing posts with label Craft Beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craft Beer. Show all posts

BrewMile: Recap of Movin' & Brewin' 

Friday, September 23, 2011 -
We had a great time last Friday at our BrewMile event!  It was a bit cooler than I would have liked, but we had a successful event!

Friends, new and seasoned, all joined us around 6:30 to register, receiving a white or purple bracelet to signify that they were ready to run and drink.  Once the gang was there, we worked our way over to the Monon for a quick one mile run/walk event!  Congratulations to Ryan and Jess for being the first man and woman to cross the finish line in around 7 minutes (yes, my stopwatch stopped working just when I needed it the most!)

After everyone got their fitness in, we worked our arms by sipping on several brews.  Everyone was given a commemorative drinking glass and pretzel necklace to start the festivities.  As mentioned, hubs had two and we also had Flat 12 available.  In addition, guests could bring craft beer to share - we had quite a variety from local breweries, including Sun King, Granite City and a few others.  The drinks were flowing and people were chatting about beer or whatever struck them through the evening.


Of course, we can't forget the beer inspired food.  People, and pups, were snacking on the (and of course, I don't mind - if anything, I encouraged!)


 

Hamburgers and brats from a beer bath were eaten, while people dipped beer bread into the beer cheese dip. There were also stout brownies - a lot of brownies.  Some people were lucky enough to walk away with these rich treats. 



We raised approximately $400 for the cause - couldn't have done it without the support of our Indy friends, new and seasoned!  Who knew playing some beer toss could result in finances?


Thanks to my dear sparkle monster friend, Mal, for passing the photos my way.  I was clearly a slacker of the evening having too much fun with friends!  Hope everyone had a great time!


Weren't able to join us? If you are still wanting to support my fundraising efforts, I would really appreciate it!  I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  Every dollar counts - I couldn't help fight this disease without the support of my friends and family! 

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Hoosier Beer Geek's CBMTCBL 

Monday, April 4, 2011 -
After last year's event, hubs and I were waiting quite a while for this year's Craft Beer Meal that Comes Before Lunch (CBMTCBL,) planned by the fine ladies & gents of Hoosier Beer Geek.  This past Saturday, we made our way to Brugge with tickets in hand and stomachs ready for a what would be a great morning.

Here is a run down on the brews we got to sip:  

New Albanian's Old Lightening Rod
A seasonal release, this is a smooth darker ale with molasses flavor.  It was deliciously paired with a cheese from Goose the Market.  The cheese was of a brie texture and taste, but very smooth.  Creamy and buttery, it had been wrapped in wood, giving the rind a slight salty and earthy finish.  I can picture the cheese oozing between the wood and huge grape leaves that were placed one on top and bottom. I apologize, being the cheese lover that I am, I really concentrated more on the cheese.  But I can tell you that the beer complimented it well, not overpowering but cleansing the palate for each bite.

Black Coffee

Brugge Black Coffee 
Subtly sweet smell, also had a strong coffee backbone.  Subtle chocolate taste to the palate.  

Broad Ripple Brewpub ESB 
Not carbonated like a standard ESB, but once warmed up a bit it was subtly bitter.  A bit more hoppy than anything, but a decent brew.


 


Dogfish Head My Antonia 
Sadly, Dogfish no longer sells their beer in Indiana.  Which is unfortunate, because this was my first taste of this particular brew and I would love to try it again (and again...)  A hoppy pilsner, I enjoyed how smooth it was.  Very drinkable for being an Imperial - surprisingly refreshing for a hoppy beer.


Mmm...chocolate bacon...


Sun King Baconator 2
Last year, we got to enjoy the original baconator beer, but this year, a slight twist was added.  The bacon was infused with milk chocolate from Indy's Best Chocolate.  So you had the sweetness taste from the chocolate, but a subtle smokey flavor from the bacon.  It was very good - cheers Sun King!


Lafayette Brewing Bumpyface Agave Wheatwine
A thicker alcohol taste than I anticipated, and also more smooth.  Not much of an opinion on this one, didn't really stand out to me or the hubs.



Schlafly Raspberry Coffee Stout 
This may be my favorite of the day.  It had a light raspberry smell, but a rich coffee flavor.  It made me think of those chocolate covered raspberry jelly treats I ate as a child.  But don't be thinking it was sweet, only subtle sweet because of the rich stout flavor.  I really enjoyed it - and there is quite a story behind it involving a grocery store and how it is made just for them.  Yum.




With poplar syrup addition

Brugge Bad Kitty 
We weren't originally going to be tasting this, but the scheduled woodruff wasn't delivered (it was stuck in Illinois somewhere).  A sour beer, it wasn't something I loved at first sip, but this is because I'm not a sour beer fan.  But, with a bit of their poplar syrup (which they mix in with their mustard normally...mmm...so good) added to the mix, it was pleasantly refreshing.


The food - oh yes, those frites that Brugge serves up.  We were given three choices, and I got to taste a little bit of each due to some sharing friends (thank you friends!):

Steak & Eggs, served with frites.  I've reviewed the steak & eggs time and time again and am happy to report it is still delish.  For the first few bites, I thought my steak was over seasoned, but the more I ate, the more I disagreed with myself.  Eggs were perfectly fried with a soft yolk for the frites and steak to soak up.  And of course, the fantastic frites.  I chose two different dipping sauces: hot curry and bleu cheese, this time around and both were phenomenal.  Nom.
German Cheese & Meat Platter.  Kyle had ordered this, and there was a variety of fruits, meats, cheeses and spreads.  I nibbled on some dragon fruit, which was very bland and some mustard cheese.  That cheese was fantastic, mustard seeds popping with each bite.  Nom again.




Sweet Potato & Goat Cheese Crepes.  If you know me, you know that I adore goat cheese and sweet potatoes and crepes are also ranked highly.  But really, I just adore goat cheese.  Unfortunately, I didn't order it.  Fortunately, Kristin (my vegetarian, beer loving gal) did!  My nibble was rich with earthy components, bursting with great herb flavor (thyme maybe?)  The goat cheese was creamy, big dollops inside the thin crepe.  Delish.  If it wasn't for those frites, I would have ordered this hands down.

Another successful event, we had a great time with our friends while noshing on some treats and sipping some brews.  Unfortunately, we had to take off rather quickly for another event that afternoon (more to come) so we missed out on the misc. tastes offered by HBG and their collection.  But I'm sure it was a grand time.

Thank you HBG's for another great event, and the Brugge for being a fantastic host location.  The servers, the cooks, and all those involved - cheers to all of you for a great morning.  I look forward to next year's event (and word to the wise, if you missed out, make sure to your ticket early!)

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Sun King Sips at Tastings 

Friday, March 18, 2011 -
In celebration of the upcoming St. Paddy's Day, Tastings invited Sun King to participate in their weekly Wednesday tasting event.  A combination of two of my favorites in Indy (Tastings & Sun King), I immediately knew hubs and I had to participate.  Those who attended drank and ate well that evening - here is what you missed (and be sure to look at the great glasses Sun King served their beer in - love them!):

First Course - Sun Light Cream Ale served with Irish Breakfast in One Bite
Sun Light Cream Ale is the first beer I sampled from Sun King Brewing.  And to this day, it is consistently beautiful.  Clean and smooth, it is always great on the palate.  Couldn't have picked a better beer to pair with the treat Steven served up.  A deviled egg, consisting of a creamy center of yolk, goat cheese and mustard, was wrapped in a smokey and spiced Irish Banger sausage.  The taste was perfect - the seasoning of a great breakfast sausage.  To make it even better, it was wrapped in Rasher bacon - slightly fatty but crispy at the same time.  To calm it all down, an heirloom tomato coulis was the bed and perfectly thinned out sauce to cover the egg in.  The half surely wasn't enough - I could have eaten more of these (and of course, sip on the Sun Light as well).  Hubs doesn't even like deviled eggs and he too said that he wanted more.  A little goat cheese always make it a tasty treat, and with perfectly spiced sausage?  You can't go wrong.



Second Course - Osiris Pale Ale served with Corned Beef and Cabbage
If you like hoppy beer, you will love the hop punch from this Pale Ale.  And if you aren't a hop lover, I still say give it a taste.  You will be surprised on the citrus element you taste.   Definitely give it a sample next time you head to Sun King's tasting room - or buy it in a can at a store near you.  The beer carried a back of the mouth taste with the hops which played well with the beef brisket we were served.  A surprise to me, the beef brisket was infused with citrus elements, and that acid was perfect in the dish.  It gave the expected fatty (but full of flavor) corned beef an extra burst of flavor, which subtly lightened the heavy flavor of the meat.  And it give it an even lighter characteristic, the citrus was carried through in the warm cabbage slaw accented with a variety of herbs.  This isn't your run of the mill heavy with mayo cole slaw, but instead, a delightful citrus salad.  And what is corned beef without mustard?  Bringing it together was the Fermenti Osiris mustard sauce (which you can buy at the Indy Farmer's Market downtown - check out Fermenti Artisan).  A slight touch of honey for some sweetness, a dash of heavy cream for some thickness, and you've got yourself the best accompaniment to this dish you could have possibly asked for.  More mustard please!

Third Course - Dominator Dopplebock served with Shepard's Pie
This strong lager was rich and malty, boasting a strong molasses flavor.  Around 8% ABV, you know you are getting a strong beverage with a simple smell of the rich, deep flavors the glass holds.  I loved this matching as the dopplebock was balanced well with the Shepard's pie.  Duck confit was earthy and fatty on the tongue - delicious all on its own (thank you Maple Leaf Farms!)  But what I really loved about the confit was the sweetness of the golden raisin and fig chutney.  I'm not normally a fan of sweet chutney, but the figs were a great addition to the rich meat.  Figs, carrots, onions, malt vinegar and touch of honey brought a sweet element to the dish as it cut the thick taste of the duck.  On top, an Irish cheddar potato fritter: crisp fried goodness on the outside, slightly salty cheddar cheese with a creamy potato filling on the inside.  I personally like the two separate more than together as I didn't want to mask either flavor.  However, those fritters were great finger food that I could have eaten through the evening.

Fourth Course - Ring of Dingle Dry Irish Stout served with Deconstructed Irish Stout Stew
Now, I love my stouts.  And if you haven't had the opportunity to sip and savor this delicious Irish Stout, you better get out and do so because it will not disappoint.  I was stoked with the taste of cocoa in the Ring of Dingle.  It had a dry cocoa taste to it making it extremely drinkable - glass after glass.  Hubs tasted more coffee than cocoa, but either way, we both tasted something pretty amazing in that glass.  The second best pairing of the evening (see below for the best), it was matched with a coffee-crusted buffalo strip loin.  I didn't get the coffee flavor from the crust, and the Though initially a bit tough to cut into, the buffalo burst in flavor and was perfectly cooked throughout.  I didn't get any coffee tones from the crust, but the piece of meat was slathered in a divine sauce.  Creamy, buttery and rich in all the best ways, the stout gravy was amazing on the meat.  Rutabagas, parsnips, potatoes and carrots were part of the root vegetable confit bed, slightly seasoned with thyme and pepper.  Caramelized onions, rich in sweet flavor, also had a subtle rosemary taste, perfect for the homey stick-to-your-ribs meal.

Fin - Buffalo Fest served with Bread Pudding
Now my friends, remember the fantastic Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale that I sampled at WinterFest?  Or the equally delicious Buffalo Mac from Sun King at the festival?  Though both were delish, Sun King's Buffalo Fest blew it out of the water.  Why was this beer epic you may ask?  Oktoberfest.  My favorite type of beer was aged in a Bourbon barrel.  Best. Thing. Ever. So not only do you have all those great flavors of an Oktoberfest, but now you have these great elements of a bourbon infused into the drink.  So many flavors were expressed (caramel, vanilla, coconut), everyone was loving this beer.  And it was paired to perfection with the toasted croissant bread pudding.  Rich in buttery, yeasty flavor, these croissants were baked in a pecan-brown sugar custard.  Sweet, it was elevated to perfection with a reduced Bourbon-Devon cream sauce.  Heaven.  Steven: must have more.  Sun King: I'll be by to fill my growlers with this beautiful beverage if you will let me.
 

It was a great evening of fantastic beer and food.  Pairings were great, and all those attending were having a good time.  After two successful tastings together, I look forward to seeing many more in the future.  Congrats for great products to all those involved, especially Dave of Sun King and Steven of Tastings.

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Winterfest 2011 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011 -
Brewers of Indiana Guild hosted Winterfest this past Saturday and hubby and I were lucky to get tickets to the sold out event.  Held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, we knew there were going to be a lot of people craving some craft beer, and we were two of them. 

The event began at 3:00 pm for general admission (if you purchased a VIP ticket, you got in at 2:00pm) and hubs and I were in line ready to indulge.  We met up with a variety of friends throughout the day, including some of the Hoosier Beer Geeks and ladies of Sun King Brewing.  We began in the middle and sampled many of the beverages on hand.  There were some great, some good, and some eh products out there - but of course, that is all about your own preference.

The place was busy and everyone was cheerful, nosing their way through 2 oz. pours and jumping from brewery to brewery for a taste.  The winter beer garden outside was a slight cluster, so we didn't stay out there for too long except to grab a taste of Bell's Hopslam Ale.  We tried many of the 150+ brews that were available, a few that really stood out to me were:


There were many others, as well as some I didn't care for.  In addition, many of the homebrewer clubs were also presenting their beers.  And of course, pretzel necklaces and food were also being sold to curb any appetite.

Props to HBG (I think it was Rodney?) for an amazing program - I was impressed not only with the layout, which I completely built my game plan around prior to arrival (thank you for posting early!), but also with the print quality.  A great souvenir to reference what we enjoyed and what we probably won't be tasting again.

Thank you to everyone who put on this amazing event.  Looking forward to the summer months when it is a bit warmer and we can continue to enjoy brews together.  Oh, and of course, I'm looking forward to the HBGCBMTCBL this Spring!

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Movember - A Gala for the 'Stache 

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 -
Thank you to all of my friends and family who donated to Tim's Movember fundraising!  Though itchy, he grew his 'mo through November in support of raising awareness for men's health.  We celebrated the 'stache with friends at the Indy Movember Gala.  It was an evening of great costumes (by us and a few others), great local craft beer at Tomlinson Tap in the City Market, and a few nibbles here and there.  Here is a photo recap (thank you to my extremely talented photographer friend, RMatthea, for allowing me to post her photos - she is utterly fantastic!  The only one that is mine is the group photo - you can see how talented she is!)


 
 


I'm also happy to report that though the 'stache was grown for a cause, it is no longer.  I am happy to have my hub's freshly shaven face back!  A big thank you to all the volunteers who put on this gala - a great cause that was supported by great people.  We enjoyed the evening and were happy to be a part!

Cheers to next year!

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