Thank You!

I just wanted to thank everyone that has supported BIMP from the beginning. Beer Is My Passion has been such an exciting challenge for me. Writing about beer, participating in tastings and beer festivals, and sharing my development as a homebrewer has been a truly rewarding experience. I’ve taken some much needed time to reflect on where I felt the future of Beer Is My Passion would take me/you, and I have some exciting news. Beer Is My Passion will be combining efforts with a fellow homebrew club (Krausen Growers Bureau) to form a brand new homebrew club. The Circle City Zymurgy club has officially filed with the American Homebrewer’s Association, and as of today I will be focusing my attention on making CCZ the best homebrew club it can be. Make sure to visit us at circlecityzymurgy.com for events, tastings, and news on all things fermented. Thanks again for the ride, and I hope you continue to make beer your passion!Circle City Zymurgy - Indianapolis Skyline - Beer Background

Triumph the Comic Insult Dog Visits GABF

Triumph the Comic Insult Dog got an all access pass to the Great American Beer Festival this year (Man I knew I should have pursued puppetry further). Either way, he got a chance to cut down craft beer enthusiasts, judges, and brewers alike. Enjoy!

“A microbrew connoisseur walks into a bar and he says to the bartender, “Give me your finest pumpkin ale, but make sure it’s not too hoppy.” So the bartender takes out a baseball bat and beats the man senseless while everyone cheers.”

The Magnificent Multitude of Beer

MegaBeer

Pop Chart Lab has created the mother of all beer taxonomy posters! The aptly titled “The Magnificent Multitude of Beer” is incredibly detailed. Each beer style is linked divided into Ale and Lager, then to individual style, an example, and finally the glass it should be served in. Well done! It looks like they took their original “Very Many Varieties of Beer” and continued to add to it. This 60″ x 40″ poster will surely be the envy of your beer enthusiast friends. Check out our previous post on Pop Chart Lab here.

Indy Beer News, You Stay Classy Indianapolis

Indy Beer News is a great podcast/blog for upcoming beer events in Indianapolis and surrounding areas. If you haven’t seen this before, it is a great resource for tap takeovers, special events at breweries, and all things beer. IBN also has a pretty comprehensive calendar page. Founder Bill Jimerson, is a blogger/podcaster and also just happens to be the manager of Indianapolis’ flagship homebrew shop Great Fermentations. Follow IndyBeerNews on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s this week’s podcast.
Indy Beer News

The nICE Mug

nICE Mug - 1

Inventor Glenn Auerbach and his group of friends have developed a reusable mold that creates a drinking mug made of ice. I can’t think of a better way to keep your beer cold. These glasses are a great idea, however there are some caveats. Air bubbles created during the freezing process can cause weak spots in the final product. Luckily, the makers of nICE mug have tips on making “clear” ice using distilled or reverse osmosis water, lemon oil drops, and/or the “double freeze” method. Glenn is raising funds on Kickstarter for its production, and you can also visit the nICE mug webpage here. A $20 pledge to their kickstarter page (between September 5th and October 8th) gets you an “Early Adopter Kit” including two molds and four nICE holds at half price. Best of luck Glenn!

Dude With Knit Hat At Party Calls Beer ‘Libations’

Dude at the party in wool capFrom The Onion

PROVIDENCE, RI—Sources attending a house party on Governor Street confirmed that the dude with the knit hat has been referring to the supply of beer as “libations” throughout the night. “The night is young, my friends—enough libations for everyone,” said the guy whose sideburns poked out from beneath the wool cap and whose name may have been Jordan or Jay—or possibly Kyle—before raising his red plastic cup to eye level, nodding his head slightly, and urging the assembled partygoers to “imbibe.” “We’ve got some fine spirits in the kitchen, too, if anyone’s interested.” The dude, who also wore tight brown corduroy pants, then reportedly circulated among the partygoers, describing his recent “unreal” trip to Colorado.

Big Brew on National Homebrew Day

Big-Brew-13Come celebrate National Homebrew Day with us at Great Fermentations on May 4th. The Big Brew event looks like it is going be a great time. The event will include a Homebrew Garage Sale, Cheesemaking Class, Off Flavor Seminar, Sour Brewing Class, Ask A Judge, and a Worldwide Toast at 1pm. Beer Is My Passion will be there and plan on brewing two all grain batches. You can register for any of the events on GF’s Big Brew Registration Page.

Bloomington Craft Beer Festival Revisited

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We had a blast at this year’s Bloomington Craft Beer Festival. The Woolery Stone Mill could not have been a better venue for this event. So many great beers, beautiful weather, and an awesome crowd. You can bet I’ll be back there next year. Thanks to everyone that dropped by to try our brews. These pictures, as well as updates on other beer festivals can be found at the Brewers of Indiana Guild’s website. Cheers!

Upland Looking To Fill An Open Brewing Position

 

Upland+Logo_New+Horizontal+copyNLUpland Brewing Company is searching for an experienced brewer to join their team in Bloomington! This is awesome news for homebrewers interested in moving to commercial brewing. Although Upland is looking for someone with at least 3 years of brewery experience, it is great to hear that the industry is thriving. Here’s the original posting:

Upland Listing for Additional Brewer

2013 AHA National Homebrew Competition

AHA National Homebrew Competition - GoldIt’s time to start thinking about what you are going to brew for the American Homebrewer’s Association National Homebrew Competition this year. Which of your favorite beers take the longest to mature? What styles do you currently have conditioning? What beers can you have ready in one month’s time? These are all good questions to ask, but the most important thing you can do now is GET STARTED! Online registration for the AHA National Homebrew Competition begins Tuesday February 26th. All entries are due between March 18th and March 27th. First Round Competitions begin March 29th and come to a close on April 21st. If you haven’t submitted a homebrew to a competition in the past, this is an excellent way to improve your brewing skills! A BJCP certified judge will rate your brew according to style on appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. This is a valuable tool that I’ve found can break a brewer’s ego, while at the same time help guide brewers toward honing their craft. I’ll post more information as it is available, but you can always stay up to date on this competition at the AHA website.

Online Registration 1 p.m. MST, Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Entries Due March 18-March 27, 2013
First Round Competitions March 29-April 21, 2013