2nd Annual South Bend Brewfest at the Century Center

In October of 2011, Indiana Beverage (named  Indiana Beer at the time) sponsored the 1st

South Bend Brewfest.  It was a great day, with great weather, and with lots of beer drinkers on hand.  However, it was also the same day as the Notre Dame vs. USC home game.  Since the timing was not great, the 2nd annual event has been planned for Saturday, January 12, 2013.  And for obvious reasons, instead of being held on Island Park as the original event, it will be held inside the Great Hall of the Century Center (located at 120 South St. Joseph Street- click here for a map).  However, you will still be welcome to take your beer outside on the Island and enjoy it there if you choose.

Ben Amster (Indiana Beverage craft beer specialist) at the 1st Brew Fest

Ben Amster (craft beer specialist at Indiana Beverage) was the idea guy behind the first event, and this year John Lynk (craft brand manager), and Matt Johnson (craft beer specialist) have added their energy as well.  When asked why Indiana Beverage chose South Bend for this event, Ben responded, “Growth in craft beer sales in South Bend has just exploded over the past three years since he joined the company.”   For example, Bell’s Brewing which has been established in Michiana for 20 years, has seen 45% growth just in the last year.

Matt Johnson (Indiana Beverage craft beer specialist) pouring at the 1st South Bend Brew Fest

Iechyd Da Brewing Company at the 1st South Bend Brew Fest – Owners Chip and Summer in the background under the tent

South Bend is also located between many great breweries- some better known such as Bell’s (Kalamazoo, MI), Three Floyds (Munster, IN – which was invited but declined to participate), and Upland (Bloomington, IN), other newer breweries such as Evil Czech (Culver, IN), Triton Brewing (Indianapolis, IN), and Iechyda Da Brewing (Elkhart, IN) as well as two South Bend area breweries – Four Horsemen and Bare Hands.

Four Horsemen Booth at 1st South Bend Brew Fest

Also Ben told me that after the first event,  numerous people, vendors and participants alike, wanted another South Bend Brew Fest.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at MorrisCenter.TicketForce.Com (tickets are subject to a service charge).  Your ticket price will include a commemorative glass, unlimited 3 oz. pours, program and food coupon.  Designated driver tickets will be $10 and sold only at the door on the day of the event.

Chris Gerard (center) owner of Bare Hands Brewing at the 1st South Bend Brew Fest

Over 30 breweries will be offering more than 125 beers, including everything from your run of the mill Boston Beer Company Boston Lager and Leinenkugel Lemon Berry,  to some of my favorites such as Flat 12 Pogues Run Porter (5.5% ABV, IBUS 34.1), Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA (6% ABV, IBUs 50), Greenbush Apathy (oatmeal stout, (6.7% ABV, IBUs 47), and New Holland Dragon’s Milk (oak aged strong ale, 10% ABV, IBUs 27).

Here is the most up-to-date list of breweries and what they will be pouring:

1. Boston Beer-Lager, Alpine Spring, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea
2. New Belgium-Fat Tire, Snow Day, Ranger, Shift
3. Leinenkugel-Lemon Berry, Honey Weiss, Sunset Wheat, Creamy Dark
4. Henry Weinhearts-IPA, Amber, Private Reserve, Batch 19
5. Crispin-Original, Brown, Fox Barrel Pear, Foxbarrel Perry
6. Bluemoon-Belgian White, Valencia, Pale
7. Schlafly-Kolsch, Coffee Stout, Tasman IPA, Biere De Garde
8. Bells-Winter White, Best Brown,Two-Hearted, Midwestern Pale Ale
9. Global Beer-Gulden Draak, Gulden 9000, Piraat, Petrus Aged Pale Ale
10. Abita- Purple Haze, Turbo Dog, Jockamo, Amber
11. Flat 12 Bierwerks -Amber, Porter, Half Cycle
12. Upland Brewing Company -Dragonfly, Wheat, Komodo Dragon, Porter
13. Four Horsemen Brewing Company -Hop Rush, Stout, Irish Red, Pale
14. Brooklyn- Lager, Pilsner, EIPA, Brown Ale
15. Woodchuck-Amber, Granny Smith, Crisp, Seasonal
16. Triton Brewing Company – Railspliltter, Stout, Sin Bin, Amber
17. Dark Horse Brewing Company -Crooked IPA, Boffa Brown, Rasberry, Amber
18. Greenbush Brewing Company -Dunegrass, Closure, Red Bud, Apathy
19. Boulevard-Hoppy Wheat, Unfiltered Wheat, Single Wide IPA, Bully Porter
20. Victory-Headwaters, Hop Wallop, Golden Monkey, Storm King
21. Flying Dog-Underdog, Old Scratch
22. Barley Island Brewing Company -Barfly, Dirty Helen, Brass Knuckles, Sheet Metal
23. Harpoon-IPA, UFO White, Winter Cider
24. Magic Hat-#9, Heart of Darkness, Demo
25. Oaken Barrel Brewing Company -Gnaw Bone, Amber, Razz Wheat
26. Southern Tier-Pale, 2XIPA, 2XStout, Live
27. New Holland Brewing Company -Mad Hatter, Full Circle, Dragons Milk, Cabin Fever
28. North Coast Brewing-Red Seal, Scrimshaw, Brother Thelonius, Pranqster
29. Chicago Beer-Pale, Lakeshore Lager, Windy Wheat
30. Evil Czech Brewery -Cham Wheat, Lucky Dog APA,7AM, Que Eyed
31. Shiner Bock-Bock, Wildhare, Black Lager
32. Iechyd Da Brewing Company – Local Blonde, It’s Not A Skirt Scottish Ale, Revolution IPA, Boxcar Brown, Odd Job Series- Dragon’s Lair
33. Bare Hand’s Brewery – 574 Pale Ale, cask of Double 574 with extra hops in the firkin, and more.

Back Road Brewery will also be participating, but I don’t have a list of the beers they will be pouring at this point.

The Brew Fest will also include tasting with home brew club  MEGA (Michiana Extract and Grain Association), a home brewing demonstration by Chapin Park Brewer’s Association, and a homebrew competition coordinated by South Bend Brew Werks, South Bend’s home brew supply store.  You as an attendee will be able to vote on your favorite MEGA homebrew, and help decide the winner of this competition.

Details in a nutshell:   Southbend Brewfest :  Saturday, January 12, 1:00 – 5:00 PM, Great Hall at the Century Center.

Complimentary glass from the 1st South Bend Brew Fest

Other dates to save on your calendar:

Thursday, January 17 – Bell’s Hopslam (imperial IPA, 10% ABV, IBUs 100) release event at Fiddler’s Hearth.  This is a very highly anticipated beer released annually from Bell’s and there will be a firkin of Hopslam as well as regular Hopslam on draft this evening.

Wednesday, January 30 – Evil Czech tap take over at O’Rourke’s Public House

Thursday, January 31 – Fiddler’s Hearth – North Coast Old Rasputin (Imperial Stout, 9% ABV, IBUs 75) and North Coast Old Rasputin XV (15th anniversary bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, 11.9% ABV, IBUs 38) will both be on tap along with some great food pairings.

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