Beer Buzz: A visit to Aurora's Great Crescent
by Rita Kohn
The road buzz
Recently Beer Buzz visited owners Dan and Lani Valas at the Great Crescent Brewery in its historic Aurora building to sample pulls from the equally historic Brunswick-Balke-Collender bar. With a nod to the mid-19th century breweries in Aurora and adjacent Lawrenceburg, brewmaster Dan Valas's signature approach sticks to traditional recipes, with a perfect balance of malts, hops and yeast making distinctive flavor profiles.
Valas isn't into bigness, newness or flashy names. His new Belgian Style Wit draws you in with an expected fresh field nose, palate-quenching first sip and layers of herbal flavors for a clean close. Bourbon's Barrel Stout, aged in Maker's Mark bourbon barrels, blends yeast aroma and malt flavor with the rich aroma and flavor imparted by the bourbon and oak from the barrels for an evening of sipping discoveries.
The Cherry Ale, which sadly will have to wait out a year of damaged cherry crops before it will be brewed again, delivers a tantalizing tartness. Aurora Lager intermingles malt and yeast flavors to couple with the singularity of Perle hops rainbow of taste colors from green-minty to earthy-spicy.
Learn more at gcbeer.com and 812-655-9079; plan a road trip to 315 Importing St., Aurora, Ind., on the banks of the Ohio River, with stops at pre-statehood towns and visits to Aurora's other historic sites. And give it a try before you go: Great Crescent beers, in four-packs of 16 oz. cans, are now are available statewide, including at all Kahn's locations locally.
News
Bier Brewery is newly on tap at Corner Wine Bar and Wellington. Bier continues to be on tap at: Tomlinson Tap Room, Twenty Tap, Flatwater Restaurant, Sahm's Place, Black Acre Brewing Company.
Black Acre Brewing Company in historic Irvington reports, "Our beers are now on tap and growler fills will follow shortly. They focus on unique, specialty beers along with a few traditional favorites."
The daily buzz
June 20-30
Thr3ewisemen, Scotty's Lakehouse, Scotty's Brewhouse: Bring a new unwrapped toy to be delivered to Riley Hospital for Children; receive a free order of dill chips at your next visit as a thank you.
June 21
Flat 12 Summer Cycle IPA tapping @ Chatham Tap at sunset (approx 9:16), celebrating the summer solstice; a big citrusy take on the Half Cycle.
June 22
Pint Night Friday @ Bier Brewery, 3-9 p.m.; fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
June 23
Phoenix Theatre Brew-Ha-Ha @ 700 Block of N Park Ave., 3 p.m; $30 advance, $35 day of event.
Release of Wee Fatty and first release of DFG IPA Bier Brewery @ Bier Brewery, 1 p.m.
New on Tap
The RAM: Endgame Russian Imperial Stout, 2nd release in the RAMAGEDDON 2012 series served in a tulip glass. Also new: Bayside Steam, a California Common, Ghost King IPA, Barefoot Wit. Summer specials on growler refills.
Half Moon: Summertime Blonde, refreshing with 100% Golden Promise Malt imported from the U.K.; Stoplight City Red, easy drinking amber ale.
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