Catching a buzz, 1 ounce at a time
The first time I went to a beer-tasting event, I thought it was impossible to catch a buzz while drinking from 1-ounce cups that looked more suitable for urine samples than beer samples.
Several hours later, sprawled on the dew-soaked lawn of the host museum, I had to admit my error. By golly, it was possible after all, a feat I attributed to all the oxygen one gulps while downing 30 to 40 tiny glasses of beer of various styles and strengths on a hot, summer’s night.
By the time I attended the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, I knew better than to try to sample all 1,800 beers on premises. Even spread over three days, that would mean drinking more than 4.5 gallons of beer per day, which I haven’t done since attending a friend’s wedding in South Bend a couple of decades ago.
Upland Brewery’s upcoming Radfest isn’t on that kind of scale, but the Bloomington craft brewery has assembled a sufficient cast of Indiana brewers to suggest the advisability of designated drivers or public transportation.
The lineup for RadFest includes a brand new commercial brewery in Indianapolis — Sun King Brewing Co. The June 13 event will offer a chance to sample the new brewery’s wares before the Indianapolis Brew Ha Ha on June 27 or the Indiana Microbrewers’ Festival on July 11.
According to an article on the Hoosier Beer Geek blog, Sun King intends to produce a regular lineup of three beers (a wheat, a pale and a malty something-or-other), along with seasonal and speciality beverages. Get the 4-1-1 straight from the Geek at http://hoosierbeergeek.blogspot.com/2009/04/sun-king-rises-over-indy.html.
Here are other out-of-town breweries scheduled to have tables at Upland’s RadFest: Alcatraz Brewing Co., Indianapolis; Barley Island Brewing Co., Noblesville; Brugge Brewing Co., Indianapolis; Mad Anthony Brewing Co., Fort Wayne; and Shoreline Brewing Co., Michigan City.
Of course, Upland and Bloomington’s other craft brewery, the Bloomington Brewing Co., will be fully represented, as will the Bloomington Hop Jockeys Homebrew Club. Don’t pass up the Jockeys’ table, thinking homebrew can’t be as tasty as brewery fare. Homebrew clubs at tastings I’ve attended have never failed to offer some of the most interesting and exotic malted beverages on the grounds.
Upland also will be releasing its new Rad Red Amber Ale at the event, which head brewer Caleb Staton says is a reformulation of Upland’s previous amber ale.
And if a smogasbord of Indiana-made beer wasn’t enough to draw a crowd, RadFest also will have food, music and a costume contest.
Sounds like a party to me. You can find more details, including how much and where to buy tickets on the home page of Indianabrew.com
2 comments
Waht kind of beer does Jackson Browne drink?
A nice, cold beer (or two) on a hot summer night sounds good to me!