I Knew It Was Good, But...

The Nov/Dec issue of Zymurgy magazine has arrived. Zymurgy is the official publication of the American Homebrewers Association, the national organization for homebrewers and the sanctioning body for AHA competitions.

In this particular issue was the listing of all the Best of Show winners in the AHA sanctioned homebrew competitions in the country this past summer. Anxious to find my name listed in the magazine, I was quite surprised to find that the Indiana Brewer's Cup is the largest competition in the country! 732 beers were entered this year.

To receive top honors in any competition is exciting but then to find out it is the largest event in the country just really puts it over the top!

For the Kokomo locals, Jon at the Half Moon has put Susie's Sweet Stout on the list to be brewed in January. Meanwhile, I will continue to practice making it here at the Tin Whisker in preperation for next year's Indiana Brewer's Cup dinner when I will have to supply 10 gallons of it as the featured beer of the evening.

Tapping Party of Susie's Sweet Stout

It was a record for the Broadripple Brewpub for the tapping of a Best of Show beer! As best as we could count, 48 people attended the event. Coming from as far as Wisconsin to help Larry & Susie celebrate the tapping of Susie's Sweet Stout, this year's Best of Show award winning beer from the Indiana's Brewers Cup.

As the first pint was pulled from one of the brewpub's two beer engines, a steady stream of people began to arrive. Kevin, the head brewer of the Broadripple Brewpub, provided a complimentary pint to everyone to kick off the festivities and then brought out a fine assortment of munchies for the growing throng.

The biggest surprise of the day was when Susie's brother Rick, his wife and two of their friends walked in after making the drive from Waterford, WI. that morning.

In addition to the Wisconsin group, 4 members of the Howard Co. Homebrew Club, 3 past co-workers (including Nick their boss), 2 Break Away Bicycle Club members, the majority of the Barnhart Barista & Group Therapy and several Indiana Beer dignitaries were in attendance.

The stout brewed by Kevin & Larry turned out fantastic, especially when served through the beer engine. It gave the beer a smooth creamy quality that can't be duplicated with the traditional method of serving with just CO2.

Thanks to all who came out to make this one of the high points of the year for me. I was surprised by the turnout and hope you enjoyed the beer and had a good time. Thanks to Kevin and the Broadripple Brewpub for providing this experience and for those of you who couldn't be there, I highly recommend you get to the Broadripple Brewpub and have a Susie's Sweet Stout before its all gone! I know quite a bit of it disappeared yesterday.