Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA Recap

Last night I attended the Moerlein IPA tapping event in Over-the-Rhine. The beer? Very tasty. The event? Not at all what I expected.

The Beer: Since I'm no expert, I can't impress you with how the beer was made or what the ingredients were. I can tell you it had that familiar hoppy aroma of an IPA and bitter, but not too bitter, crisp taste. Not as pungent as Stone IPA, but still enough hop to let you know you're drinking an IPA.

The Event: Not what I expected. Hundreds of people attended, but what surprised me was the average age of attendees skewed closer to 60 than 21. I was expecting a much younger crowd, however, I hope the wife and I are still kicking in 25 years and attending beer events too.

Besides drinking with the blue-hairs, I was a little disappointed with the presence, or lack there of, of Christian Moerlein representation. Maybe they were there and I just missed them, but I don't think that's the case. I know the event was hosted by Cincinnati Magazine, but with all the talk of rebuilding Over-the-Rhine and bringing their brewing operations back to Cincinnati, I expected more. There was a brief announcement just past 6:00, but I wasn't able to get close enough to hear what was said or who was saying it.

The Future: I love the idea of rebuilding the Cincinnati brewing tradition and improving Over-the-Rhine. Once Moerlein rehabs the old Husman potato chip plant, plans are to move most brewing back to Cincinnati (currently brewed in WI and PA), along with the Moerlein Brew Pub near the river in the Banks project. Rebuilding that tradition is a daunting task, but I'm hopeful Christian Moerlein is just the beginning of something great.

Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster

Great Lakes to distribute the rare seasonal 4-pack, Lake Erie Monster IPA. This hoppy IPA was first brewed several years ago but only as a Brew Pub exclusive. According to the GLBC local distributor (thanks for the tip Dusty) the beer will be available in Cincinnati beginning May 11.

From GLBS's Facebook page:
"A beer this distinctively hoppy inspires many a tall tale. And they don't come taller than Bessie, the legendary monster that roams the shallow depths of Lake Erie."

Available only from May until July, the Lake Erie Monster is an unfiltered Imperial India Pale Ale with huge hop flavor.

Christian Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA

Christian Moerlein is teaming with Cincinnati Magazine to introduce their new Northern Liberties IPA at a tapping event in Over-the-Rhine.

WHEN: Thursday, May 6, 2010
TIME: 5:30-8:00 PM
WHERE: Rookwood Pottery Company
1920 Race Street in Over-the-Rhine's historic Brewery District
TICKETS: Available online for $20 http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/promotions/article.aspx?id=91409

Hors d'oeuvres will be available and guests will have an opportunity to tour the historic Over-the-Rhine Brewery District.

Who do you think you are???

Admittedly, calling myself the Beer Guy is laughable, at least as of April 2010. But hey, the blog name was available and it's a pretty cool name, so back off! Now I just need to live up to the self proclaimed title. I love beer, but have much to learn. However, over the past few years, my passion for beer has gone from drinking 8 to 10 Bud's while watching the Bengals, to spending $8-$10 for a 6-pack. Now, finding a new craft beer gives me the same feeling I had when I was kid and got my first G.I. Joe for Christmas. Not those tiny 3-inch figurines, either. I'm talking about the 12-inch, bad-ass Joe, with Kung Fu grip.

Until my beer status goes from Novice to something better than Novice, this blog will have little to do with educating others about beer itself. Instead, my goal is three-fold; 1) Meet other beer lovers, 2) Provide information regarding beer-related events in the city and 3) Provide a space to discuss craft beer, such as where to find rare beers and which pubs to frequent to find a favorite beer on tap.

The journey will be long, but many beers will be discovered and consumed along the way.