Indiana Beer love

I definitely agree with most of the comments in this thread. I have passed on many a $15 sixer of Indiana beers. Who is Devil's Trumpet anyway and why am I forking out $18 for a freaking Milk Stout? I still haven't figured out the love for 18th Street yet either. I've had 6 or 7 beers from them and found them all average at best.

With that said, I picked up a couple beers today that I thought are excellent. Downtown Tinker Brown from Flat 12 and Backpacking Brown Porter from Bier were both good beers and I would definitely buy again. I also stopped in Books and Brews today and enjoyed the Pale they had on tap. By the way, B & B, $6 for a pint seems a little steep, but I digress.

 

Black Acre starts their 5th anniversary festivities on Monday running through next Saturday. Looks like they are having an infusion night, a barrel-aged night and a sour night. I've never been to their Saturday anniversary party but I've heard great things. Definitely going to try to get there at least one night.

From their twitter:
Mon. 13th - Infusions
Tue. 14th - New Day Tap Takeover
Wed. 15th - BBL Aged
Thu. 16th - Hop Night
Fri. 17th - Sours
Sat.18th - New Tappings Every Hour

 

The only 3 Indy breweries I need:

Bier - Make great beers to style. ESB is damn near perfect.
Deviate - Incredible beers and know how to properly integrate adjuncts.
Central State - Cranking out great gose's and lighter sours.

 

It's not whether or not it is good. It's limited!

 

Have you tried any of their rarer stuff? I find myself kind of underwhelmed by the regular releases, but I loved things like Bitches' Bank and Grapefruit Dead.

 

That stuff is pretty decent, but definitely not worth $25/4pk.

 

Just had Selfie Entitlement DIPA & Twisted Engagement Russian Imperial Stout on draft at the Hammond 18th Street location Thursday; both were excellent, as was my Cuban sandwich. There, I can be positive...

 

I was happy with the 2 singles I picked up for $4\can.

 

Probably not. I've had Black Exodus, Hunter, Jade, Devil In The Rye and Steel Hands, which are most of the reasonably priced six packs in the Indy area. Why put out mediocre beers, my opinion, in wider distribution? It doesn't make me want to buy higher priced products when the lower tier items aren't hitting the spot.

 

I had Boom Juice the weekend before last. I actually really like it. My problem is with how they market it. They call the NE Style "The new style" and this beer doesn't really seem to be a NE Style IPA. I said something to them on twitter about it and they say that Volume 1 of Boom Juice was meant to be a throwback to the originals of "this broad style" and they cited Focal Banger and Sip as those originals. Except they didn't really market it that way in the beginning and I don't really think Focal and/or Sip are "throwback" beers. I guess from what I have experienced, the NE Style is pretty specific in its characteristics and I wouldn't consider the style to be "broad". I also didn't find Boom Juice to be really close in comparison to either Focal or Sip. I think they were going for the actual NE style and it didn't turn out the intended way and now they're just trying to figure out a way around their poor marketing of it. There are a lot of Indiana beer consumers who will take that beer home and believe that it's a true NE Style IPA....which is really unfortunate...and just perpetuates the problem of having an ill-informed Indy beer consumers. A problem that is more rampant than it should be. I also really hate how they hype their own beers to take advantage of the craft beer craze. They hyped this release as limited, likely trying to get a line at their door, and then they sent it out to liquor stores throughout the city. My guess is that it's still available in stores. Most of the beers I've had from them are in the "average" range IMO. Boom Juice is something I'd drink again....which is more than what I can say for their other beers.

 

Far too many breweries are calling their beer NE style IPA's when really they are nothing close.

 

Dollar, dollar, bills y'all.

 

It's pretty sad.

 

@myersk27 Did they really send it out to liquor stores? I missed on the release, but would actually at least like to try a can of it.

 

yes...i think the list was like 10-15 shops....can probably find the info on their FB page as to where it went. $18-$20 per 4 pack.

 

You could volunteer to judge this year and teach all of those BJCP and professional Brewers that judge that competition how to do it.

 

Dude get over yourself. Have you had their beer? It's bad. Nobody likes it. You can see through their porter and it won a gold metal. Personally I don't give a shit who wins what. I drink what I like. It's just some of us here, and others I know just find it odd that their beer won anything.

 

Every years people complain about what wins at GABF.
The beers that won were the best beers on the table that day, In the style they were judged against.

Volunteer. They always need more help.

 

GABF? Really? Try Indiana Brewer's Guild. If you're going to add something snarky at least pay attention.

 

I wasn't being snarky. Go back on this site and you can see that every year there are comments on breweries winning medals at GABF, as they are deemed to be terrible. The point is that someone always complains. Some will say the competition is fixed. Some impugn the judges.

Yeah, I am familiar with the Indiana State Fair's Brewers Cup, which is a competition for pros and hombrewers that gets outstanding support from the State Fair. The Brewers Guild of Indiana is a second tier sponsor.

My next line has to do with how competitions work. Entries are judged to style. The best beer without flaws and brewed to the style guidelines wins the category. That how judging works, in brief.

Breweries can do well if they brew good beer in a style with few entries. Do that a few times and they can take the top award. Sometimes breweries get lucky.