Vol. 10 No. 23
9 Nov 22 - Dec 5, 2013
The Broad Ripple Gazette
The Wine Scene
Darrin Combs, DMD, MS
as seen by The Broad of Ripple (Jill A. Ditmire)
Andrea Ball, DMD Ghiath Halwani, DDS
Fermentation Contemplation
Invisalign Fall/Winter Special
I used to drink beer. Florida Spring Break meant Busch Light. (Yes- there was such a thing) Post college I put a lime in a Corona before it was the cool thing to do. When I lived and worked in Lafayette in the late 80's, the Knickerbocker offered up Watney's and Samuel Smith long before they became retail staples. Then I moved to Detroit where you could find plenty of old world German and Polish brews. When you crossed the river to Windsor there was an array of dramatically delicious Canadian ales to drink. And Ann Arbor had a fabulous bar that offered over 50 craft style beers most of them from the western US where craft beers were already creating a buzz, so to speak. When I moved back to Indianapolis, there was the Broad Ripple Brewpub. Heck, I even named my two late great doggy boyz after beer- Guinness and Harp. But somewhere along the way my palate preferred wine and it hasn't wanted to go back to beer. Until now. It's taken Indiana (and me) almost 20 years to catch up with the craft beer movement but it is doing so with a vengeance. There are now 75 microbreweries in the state with 35 more waiting to open. Beermaking and wine making are similar. Though I am starting to think that making beer is much more like baking bread or cakes. You can't just "double" a recipe and expect similar success. Wine making in that respect is much simpler. Grapes, yeast, GO. My first out-of-Indianapolis microbrew experience took place a few weeks ago in Hope, Indiana. I thought that was a good sign. I was right. Brother and sister Josh Bontrager and Jacquie Bontrager Carmen along with their spouses, Nicole and Abram Carman are taking their hobby and making it a profession. This is not an uncommon dream or theme among the Hoosier brew maker wanna be's. But more than likely, it is the recipe for failure. Not many home brewers really have the technique, patience and financial ability to make something they like to do into something they can actually make money doing. Tucked away off of SR 9, just south of Shelbyville and north of Columbus, is Hope, Indiana. And the infamous Haw Creek. The Bontragers say the secret to their beer is the water. Makes sense. Water is a KEY ingredient in beer making. And as I am learning, the water we drink on a daily basis helps our own palates like or dislike the beverages we drink. Especially beer. Haw Creek water is fresh and minerally. The brewers had it checked to meet safety guidelines but they don't remove or add anything to it. Other than their "recipe" ingredients. That means hops, barley, malts, etc. The results are refreshing. The tasting room is a simple warehouse/garage. Well kept and cheerfully appointed. It's small but production is small as it should be. Eight styles on the tasting list. The brewers are more interested in creating quality product than quantity. That means maybe only a batch or two of a style. So you have to get it while they've got it. Right now you can bring or buy a growler to go. Or just come to the tasting room and buy a glass to sit, sip and savor. Down the road the foursome hopes to quit their full time jobs and make Hawcreek Brewing Company their one and only business. I hope they can do so as they are off to a good start. Beers tasted: Four Founders Wheat–notes of almond nuttiness on the nose and palate, light, clean, very dry finish Chaos IPA–pronounced and perky nose and notes of white grapefruit and lime. Fun! Doghouse Pale Ale–Josh and Abram say this was the first beer the two made at home and today's recipe hasn't changed much. Malty with hints of cocoa on the finish. Night Owl Porter–light creamy with smooth notes of mocha from sniff to savor. www.hawcreekbrewingco.com
Now through Dec 31st - Receive the following with your Invisalign treatment:
Jill A. Ditmire is an Omnimedia Wine Specialist who shares wit and wisdom nationwide in print, TV and radio, and is also an AWS-certified wine judge. Jill and doggyboy Harp live in Warfleigh, where she also consults and teaches in an effort to keep the doggyboy’s treat jar filled with biscuits and her freezer stocked with ice cream. Send your questions and comments to Jill at jill@broadripplegazette.com
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www.broadripplegazette.com This is a column with items of interest to our readers pulled from the daily announcements at Broad Ripple Magnet High School.
From the BRMHS Announcements • Congratulations to BRMHS Seniors Miranda Murray, Karla Nerio, and
Shawna Williams, participants in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Debutante Cotillion and Scholarship Ball on November 10th at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Each of the ladies represented themselves, their school, and their communities with grace and dignity. Congratulations again Miranda, Karla, and Shawna!
•
Congratulations Rockets on winning the Spirit Award at last night’s BOA competition! Rockets Rep!
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Congratulations to Ruby Smith and Ashley Dentis for finishing in the top ten of the Slammin’ Rhymes Challenge this past weekend. They performed their original poetry for a large crowd, including M.C. Lyte! Additional congratulations to other Broad Ripple participants: Michaela Lang, Cierra Morris, and Patricia Perry, and to their teacher, Carrie Calloway! Way to go!
•
Our robotics teams competed in the City of Indianapolis Vex Robotics Competition last weekend. The Middle School team placed 16th out of 40 teams and the High School placed 31 out of 48. The High School team received the Energy Award for Spirit. We were the only school to have our mascot there. Thanks Rocky!! And well done, teams!