DIG-B VACATION!

Despite record gas prices and crazy baggage charges by the airlines -- luckily, I'm slipping on American before their new first bag charge takes effect -- it's time to get out of town for a while. I'll be out in lovely San Francisco for a little over a week, including a side trip up to Sonoma County. The main goal in Sonoma is wine tasting, but I'm going to try to plug in some quick stops at Russian River Brewing Company and Bear Republic Brewery.

So, unless the mood really strikes me, DIG-B will be on hold for the next week and a half. I should be back with a brand new topic area to talk about on June 16th.

Beer: Rathskeller Wine & Brew Fest

Description: Indy’s Wine & Brew Fest at the Rathskeller. Sample from over 200 of the world's finest wines and beers. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at any United Package Liquor location.
Date: Friday, June 20, 2008
Time: 6:00pm-10:00pm

This is getting absurd...here's a list of beer events in Indianapolis in June (that I know of):

June 4th McCormick & Schmick Seafood and Beer Tasting
June 5th Rock Bottom American Dream IPA Tapping
June 11th Rock Bottom North Brewmaster's Dinner
June 11th St. Elmo's Anheuser-Busch Brewmaster's Dinner
June 19th Ales for Adoptable Tails (Humane Society)
June 20th Rathskeller Wine & Brew Fest
June 21st Brew Ha-Ha (Phoenix Theatre)
June 28th Indy Pub Crawl
June 28th Hops for Pops

Photo: Old Indianapolis Peaks Out

Beer: St. Elmo's Anheuser-Busch Brewmaster's Dinner

From Indianapolis Monthly's The Dish:

Wednesday, June 11
St. Elmo Steak House (127 S. Illinois St., 635-0636) hosts an Anheuser-Busch Brewmaster's Dinner, with passed hors d'oeuvres; a first course of pan-seared applewood-smoked Dueske bacon with baby spinach, gouda crisps, and cider dressing, paired with Beach Bum Blond Ale; a second course of Main lobster with roasted corn and potatoes, paired with Budweiser; a third course of marinated hanger steak with roasted garlic-and-mushroom polenta, and grilled carrots, paired with Michelob AmberBock; and vanilla bean shortcake with fresh blueberries, peaches, and lemon whipped cream, paired with Wild Blue lager for dessert. Reception at 6:30 p.m. $75. Call for reservations.

(Biting tongue...)

Beer: Bell's Harry Magill's Spiced Stout

Has anybody ever heard of Harry Magill's Spiced Stout?
I was in J. Gumbo's over the weekend and the bartender slapped down a Rate Beer printout with a description of this beer. He said some guys were checking out Mike DeWeese's basement stash recently and came across some bottles of this beer. They estimated that it was 2-4 years old, but looking at the reviews on Beer Advocate, I'd estimate more like 6 years (the label certainly looks it, though unfortunately it doesn't have a back label with a batch number). There are a couple reviews from 2001 to early 2002, but there are a flurry of reviews starting in November 2002 that probably indicates the official release (or maybe a second, larger release). My lovely wife decided that we had to try it and surprised me by ordering a bottle while I was in the bathroom.

The smell of the beer was all chocolate and raisin and those characteristics followed through in the taste. The raisin/dark fruit flavor was pretty dominant and in my limited experience, this seems to be a very common flavor in aged beers. In the aftertaste I got some caramel and then a creamy/vanilla flavor right at the very end. It was pretty tasty and easy to drink, though honestly, I didn't find any of the spice that the name (and BA reviews) indicate. Those flavors must have faded out to nothingness over time.