Beer Festivals

BREWERS OF INDIANA GUILD WINTERFEST

Hoppy attended the 14th Annual Winterfest yesterday and he had a fun time enjoying the party atmosphere, with thousands of others, while imbibing excellent craft brews from the largest selection of beers available at any Indiana brewery festival. (Some of the beers scheduled to be on tap.)

Pictures from the event follow:

WINTER WOODLANDS/WINTERFEST – INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS

Time is running out to purchase tickets, at advance ticket pricing, for the Winter Woodlands and Winterfest events.

What better time to show your support for the Brewers of Indiana Guild while also supporting Joy’s House and/or The Arts Federation, while having an enjoyable time sampling some of the best beers available anywhere!

The craft brewing industry has been severely hurt and is still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is evidenced by the closing of breweries such as Black Acre and Indiana City in Indianapolis. There have also been cancellation of beer festivals, including the Oregon Brewers Festival, recognized as one of the top beer festivals in the world.

As craft beer lovers, let’s get out there and show support for our beloved Indiana Breweries and the Brewer’s Guild of Indiana!

Christkindlmarkt – Carmel

Hoppy made a couple of visits to Christkindlmarkt in Carmel over the holiday season. It is described as a festive ambiance of an authentic German market, where guests can peruse a vast variety of products sourced from Germany and other German-speaking European countries. A blend of traditional German foods, drinks and gifts are sold from small wooden huts, and a beautiful outdoor ice-skating rink forms the center of the market.  It was named the best holiday market in the U.S. in the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards in 2019, 2021 and 2022! It also features the first Glühwein Pyramid of its type in the United States.

Also, you may purchase handmade steins made by Zöller & Born in Germany, that are only available at Carmel Christkindlmarkt. These include the City of Carmel, the State of Indiana, Indiana University, Purdue University and Butler University.

While there, Hoppy quaffed the following brews:

Christkindlmarkt from Bier Brewery in Indianapolis, made specially for Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt. It is a Dunkelweizen with orange peel and cocoa nibs. It is a dark wheat bier showcasing malts that display fruit characters reminiscent of plums, currants with toffee, and caramelized sugar notes. 5.5% ABV; 12 IBU.

Glühbier from Brouwerij Liefmans in Belgium. It is brewed with care for 6-12 months with real cherries in a barrel and described as full of cherry flavor and combined with fine spices such as cinnamon, clove and anise. Made exclusively for German Christmas markets, it is served hot. 6.5% ABV.

Pictures follow:

Entertainment

BEERCATION 2022 – HOPS & HERONS BEER FESTIVAL – SOUTH CAROLINA

Hoppy attended the 2022 Hops & Herons Beer Festival at the Conestee Nature Preserve in Greenville, SC. It took place in the scenic Henderson Meadow within the preserve. The following breweries were listed as attending: Eighth State Brewing, Tetrad Brewing Company, Birds Fly South, Carolina Bauernhaus, Liability Brewing, Brewery 85, Think Tank Brew Lab, Voodoo Brewery, Double Stamp Brewery, 13 Stripes Brewery and Grateful Brew.

Hoppy’s favorite brews at the event were not hop-laden brews, but a Marzen and a Sour.

These were as follows:

O-Fest Marzen from Think Tank Brew Lab which clocked in at a higher ABV than normal, for a Marzen, at 7.3%

An American Sour: Tart Cherry Ale from Birds Fly South Ale Project in collaboration with Thomas Creek Brewery. 6.8% ABV

Beautiful music was provided by The Well Drinkers, described as a progressive, original bluegrass and Americana band.

Pictures from the event follow:

FALL FEST – SUN KING BREWERY

Hoppy attended Fall Fest at the Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis, last Saturday. It was described as a celebration of Barrel-Aged and Sour Beers. All of the beers tasted were superb! If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the Hot Rod Lincoln – A Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Chocolate and Cherry. It is 11.4% ABV; 55 IBU.

This is a list of the beers that were offered:

The following are images from the Fall Fest.