Across the Ohio River from Louisville, KY is a quaint town known as New Albany, IN.  The New Albanian Brewing Company (NABC) started brewing in 2002, becoming New Albany’s first working brewery since 1935.  The original NABC Brewery, located at the NABC Pizzeria, started with a small 4-barrel brewing system salvaged from two defunct Indiana breweries.

NABC’s main production brewery, known as the Bank Street Brewhouse (BSB),  opened in 2009 and is located in the heart of downtown New Albany at 415 Bank Street.  At BSB, David Pierce and Josh Hill brew, keg and bottle NABC’s biggest selling and seasonal beers for both on-premise consumption and local distribution.

The Bank Street Brewhouse is the location my family and I visited for lunch.  The atmosphere was casual and fun.  The service was excellent.  I sampled nine beers during our visit.  My tasting notes follow.

 

Phoenix Kentucky Komon (5.0% ABV / 25 IBUs): This ale is NABC’s homage to Kentucky Common Beer.  Kentucky Common Beer is a distinct beer style that originated in Louisville and was popular in the area from the 1850s until Prohibition.  It was usually made with barley, approximately 25 to 30 percent corn, and a percentage of rye with some artificial coloring, caramel, or roasted malt to give it a dark color.  Brewers basically inverted a bourbon grain bill, conducted a sour mash (similar to bourbon) and instead of distilling the mash, they ran off the sweet and sour wort and boiled it with hops. When cooled, brewers yeast was pitched and within a few weeks they had an easy-drinking, slightly sour brown ale.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon poured a very dark brown color with off-white foam.  The beer had a malt and tart aroma with hints of caramel malt, cocoa, pear and crab apples.  Phoenix Kentucky Komom was light to medium-bodied with very mild carbonation.  The beer tasted of caramel malt, mild chocolate, pear, apple cider, and slight green apple or crabapple tartness.  The sour or tart nature of this beer is very different from Belgian lambics or Flanders sours.  There is nothing common about this delicious sour beer. I’m ready to rise from the ashes and have another pint!

• Suggested Pairings – Tangy Cheeses; Rich Beef or Rabbit Stew
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Houndmouth American Wheat Ale (4.5% ABV / 28 IBUs): This hopped up American Wheat poured a slightly hazy light gold color with white foam.  Houndmouth had a hop floral aroma.  Houndmouth was light-bodied with mild carbonation.  The beer has a flavor of wheat malt and grain with some mild pine and a nice hops bitterness.  This is a very good beer, especially for a session beer.

• Suggested Pairings – Salad; Fish Tacos
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Weizen or Pint Glass

 

Tricentennial Ale – American Brown with Sorghum (7.5% ABV / 33 IBUs): This beer poured a clear copper gold (amber) color with white foam.  There was a mild aroma of malt and smoke.  Tricentennial was medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  The beer tasted of malt, mild smoke, and sweet sorghum, and licorice.  The beer finished wet with a mild bitterness.  This beer packs a lot of flavor.  I liked the smoke aspect but the sweet sorghum component didn’t turn me on.  I’d pass on a second glass.

• Suggested Pairings – Vanilla Ice Cream
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

 

Hoosier Daddy Crimson and Cream Ale – Imperial Red (7% ABV / 50 IBUs): This beer poured a crystal clear dark amber color with off-white foam that left a nice lace.  Hoosier Daddy had a malt caramel and predominant toffee aroma.  The beer was medium-bodied and rich with mild carbonation.  Hoosier Daddy tasted of caramel malt and toffee with a well-balanced assertive hops bitterness on the finish.  This is a very good beer with obvious attitude.

• Suggested Pairings – Cheddar Cheese and Crackers; Chicken Fried Steak and Mashed Potatoes
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

 

Strassenbräu Märzen / Oktoberfest (6% ABV / 32 IBUs): This beer poured a clear orange brown (amber/copper) color with white foam and active bubbling.  Strassenbräu had a caramel malt aroma.  The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  Strassenbräu had a smooth and rich sweet caramel malt flavor with mild hops bitterness to add balance.  Prost!

 

Bob’s Old 15-B Porter (5.5% ABV / 35 IBUs): This beer poured a red-tinged dark brown that was basically black with a beige foam that left a wonderful fractal lace down the side of the glass.  15-B Porter had an aroma of roasted malt and dark coffee.  The beer was medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  Bob’s Old 15-B Porter tasted of roasted malt, espresso coffee and subtle dark chocolate.  The beer was smooth and had great, well-balanced flavors.  This is an excellent porter that I could drink often.

• Suggested Pairings – Grilled Steak; Chocolate Desserts
• Serving Temperature – 45-55 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

 

Cask Conditioned QuakerFoot Oatmeal Stout (5.7% ABV / 26 IBUs): This beer poured a dark black color with light beige foam.  QuakerFoot had an aroma of espresso coffee.  The beer was medium-bodied and smooth with very mild carbonation.  QuakerFoot tasted of espresso coffee, roasted malt, and subtle chocolate.  The beer had a well-balanced, mild hops bitterness.  This is a good oatmeal stout but didn’t really get me excited.

• Suggested Pairings – Chocolate Desserts; Vanilla Ice Cream
• Serving Temperature – 45-55 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

 

Wet Knobs Harvest Hop Ale – American Pale Ale (5.7% ABV / 50 IBUs): This beer poured a clear reddish amber color with frothy white foam that left a great fractal curtain of lace.  Wet Knobs had an aroma of pine resin and citrus pith.  The beer was medium-bodied and creamy with mild carbonation and a light coating mild hop oils on the tongue.  Wet Knobs tasted of sweet malt up front followed by pine resin, grapefruit, and grapefruit pit.  The beer had a dry finish with lingering hops bitterness.  This is a very good Midwest-style IPA (not to be confused with a West Coast-style IPA).

• Suggested Pairings – Beer Can Roasted Chicken with Corn and Mashed Potatoes
• Serving Temperature – 40-45 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

 

Hoptimus Imperial India Pale Ale (10.7% ABV / 100 IBUs): My final beer for my visit and I have been salivating to get to this Imperial IPA.  Hoptimus poured a clear copper gold color with rich, off-white foam.  The beer had a hops floral nose with pine resin oil, oranges, and orange pith.  Hoptimus was full-bodied and smooth with mild carbonation.  The beer tasted of malt, oranges, and orange pith.  There is a hard-driving assertive hops bitterness and a dry finish.  All the flavors are well-balanced and sophisticated (not over the top).  The alcohol is integrated well.  Hoptimus was excellent, different, and a pleasure to drink.

• Suggested Pairings – BBQ Ribs, Beef, or Chicken
• Serving Temperature – 50-55 degrees F
• Glassware – Snifter or Tulip Glass

 

 

The New Albanian Brewing Company Bank Street Brewhouse was a fun visit.  The food and beers were very good.  I highly recommend stopping there if you are in the area.

Stay tuned for my next blog post which will not be about beer.