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!
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
Enjoying the MarketChristmas TreePopular Raclette Cheese HutMarkus Wagner, visiting German artisan from world-famous woodworking community in Oberammergau,making Jumping Jack toysOops! Ice RinkZöller & Born IU steinSignage and visitors in front of Carmel’s Palladium
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.
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:
Fall Fest Draft List
The following are images from the Fall Fest.
The event coincided with the first snow of the season.Waiting Line for SamplesOutdoorsFood BoothFestival Goers InsideFestival AttendeesFestival AttendeesFestival Attendees
Yes, Hoppy made it to the Brewers of Indiana Guild Winterfest. He enjoyed sampling many of the brews available at the fest including the cask conditioned ales, the Sun King Reserve Barrel-Aged and Sours and Metazoa’s GABF gold award winning Trash Panda Blonde Ale made with coffee from Blue Mind Roasting.
As usual, it was good to see a large number of breweries from all areas of the state, as well as a large number of beer lovers. It was disappointing that Three Floyds did not attend the event this year.
The waiting lines seemed longer than ever. Mayber it’s time for the organizers to think of moving the VIP session to Friday evening or splitting Saturday into two separate sessions.
There are only a few pictures of the attendees below. This is because the purpose of a beer festival is to sample the beers and engage in revelry with others, not picture taking. However, if you took a picture of, or with, Hoppy and email it to gary@beerblogIN.com with your mailing address, he will send you a “Hoppy” sticker for your collection, or to ward off evil spirits!
OCTOBER BEERCATION – ASHEVILLE – CELLAREST BEER PROJECT
The second stop on the beercation was in Asheville, NC at Cellarest Beer Project, where I had the pleasure to attend their first annual Cellarfest. I drank three tasty beers, of which my favorite was the Hellion. The description of each are as follows:
Xanadu Oak Aged Festbier – Brewed with Zillicoah Beer Company, this fest style lager was made with German grown but NC malted Ursprung Grain and Crystal Malt from Epiphany malt house. Hopped with Northern Brewer hops and fermented in stainless steel before being lagered in our American oak puncheons with French oak heads for 16 weeks. Notes of baked rye bread, honey and woody spice. 6.5% ABV.
Etiolation IPA – Fermented in cherry wood with our house wild yeast caught on Haywood Road. Made using our custom single source NC malt and Streaker Oats from Riverbend Malt House and Idaho 7 and El Dorado hops. Notes of pineapple, grapefruit and papaya. 7% ABV.
Hellion Oak Aged Helles Lager – Brewed using Riverbend Southern Select and Mt. Hood hops and fermented with our choice lager yeast. It was then lagered in our M+ American oak puncheons with French oak heads for 19 weeks. Notes of wood vanillin and spice, soft dough with a noticeable tannin structure. 5.5% ABV.
Other trips to Asheville have included visits to these breweries: Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Burial, Greenman and Wicked Weed.
The following are pictures from the 1st Annual Cellarfest:
Mural on BuildingReady for Cellarfest!Otdoor SeatingBreweryCellarfest Draft ListCellarfest Draft List ContinuedTap AreaBreweryBrewery
