As I write mid week, I’m still elated about the awesome taprooms I experienced last weekend. Lance’s place(5’s) is brand new, and I’d like to visit him again soon! A friend of mine brought me back some awesome beer from Texas including an aptly named Yellow Rose Smash IPA from the Lone Plant Brewery. I have a few tap rooms nearby that I haven’t had a chance to visit, as well as several breweries. And as football season is starting, I am excited to see what craft beer selections will be on at my local football watering hole. And I get to take part in a podcast this weekend discussing Oktoberfest beers. I guess what I’m trying to say is I think I gave my blog the right name!
Despite all that’s going on this year, it truly feels as if craft beer has had a good year so far. While lots of events and festivals were no doubt canceled, and postponed, one only had to go to the grocery store to see how much craft beer was coming from production breweries which no doubt helped many people during turbulent times. And from my experience in Plainfield, Indiana, smaller non-production breweries were readily offering growler sales even while their taproom‘s were closed. Things are certainly getting back to normal, and you only has to visit a taproom or brewpub to see this. I don’t have any statistics to back this up, but when they are available, I feel they will validate what I said!
My own personal journey has taken me to 10 states so far this year, and I have experienced some part of the craft beer culture at every stop. I particularly enjoyed my trek to the Michigan upper peninsula where I was able to try beer from all but two of the breweries way up there. At home I’ve had beer from 70 different Indiana breweries this year, and I’m striving to try beer from all the rest as well. Promoters are trying to jam in as many beer events as possible this fall, and we have many opportunities to choose from. The fall seasonal beers that have been out so far been wonderful, and it bodes well for the winter seasonal beers which are some of my favorites.
The healthiness of the craft beer industry is a subject that is dear to my heart. I have been able to write several articles about it in other publications, and generally look at the bigger picture when considering where we are going as an industry. I think this fall is crucial for the craft beer industry and I’ll be watching it very closely. I think craft beer is nearly everywhere, and in a few upcoming articles I will look at the interesting places where craft beer is available beyond the tap room and brewpub. I am particularly excited by the success of the beer arcades, and their types of establishments.
As I write this article, I am sitting in Mr. B’s Cigar Box in Avon. I’m having a Lost Palate from Goose Island which is a special brew made for a employee of Goose Island who had cancer and lost some of his taste buds. The beer includes cinnamon, oatmeal and some other things that he was able to taste after his recovery. A portion of the proceeds from this beer is going to be given to cancer research. It’s a tasty beer, and I recommend trying it if you like IPAs.
Mr. B’s is a craft beer Mecca. They have excellent rotating tabs which often include barrel aged and beers on nitro given the fact that these beers are paired with cigars. They also generally have 15 to 20 excellent beers in cans and bottles. I have been friends with the manager for several years, and often stop in to have a craft beer among friends. We do our podcast here, and even though I’m not a cigar smoker, this is definitely one of my neighborhood spots to get craft beer! The two go together often and Brooklyn New York, the Craft Beer & Smoke Shop is highly touted for the excellent selection of beer. I’ll be in New York later this year, and I am definitely looking forward to visiting this place.
Back at Mr. B’s, I am enjoying my beer and looking forward to an excellent weekend. Pic Is bring me back growlers from New Albanian, and I’m sure they’re going to be enjoyable. And I plan to be visiting the Guggman Haus on Saturday. I’ve never been there and looking forward to it. So I hope you have a good weekend and if I see you we’ll have a beer together!
So Much Beer So Little Time 