GRAVITY HEAD 2005 AT RICH O’S PUBLIC HOUSE: “IT’S A WHOLE NEW DEMENTIA” AS THE LOUISVILLE METRO AREA’S MIGHTIEST DRAFT BEER FESTIVAL READIES FOR KICK-OFF ON MARCH 11, 2005.
On Friday, March 11, Rich O’s Public House again plays host to Gravity Head, the region’s foremost annual celebration of strong ales and lagers.
It will be the seventh edition of Gravity Head, a month-long draft beer festival that stands to last well into April, 2005. Rich O’s Public House co-owner and publican, Roger A. Baylor, has gathered 44 special kegs of the finest “big” beers in America and the world, representing legendary styles like Barleywine, Imperial Stout and Doppelbock.
Many of these hard-to-find beers will be appearing in draft form for the first time ever in metropolitan Louisville, as is the case annually during two other renowned draft festivals at Rich O’s: Lupulin Land (harvest hops; begins October 7, 2005) and Saturnalia (seasonal and festive holiday fete; begins December 16, 2005).
When the doors open at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11, the first 15 Gravity Head selections for 2005 will be tapped. The rest will follow one at a time as the first wave disappears. Pricing and portion sizes vary according to alcohol content and style, but most will be available in 8- to 10-ounce pours.
Because Gravity Head beers are by nature strong, we insist that session-minded customers have designated drivers and/or alternative travel arrangements. We’re happy to call a taxi for you.
Selections marked with an asterisk * are appearing on draft for the first time at Rich O’s Public House.
AUSTRIA
- Samichlaus 2003 - 14%, the world's strongest lager
BELGIUM
De Dolle Brouwers - scroll to bottom of these pages for English
- Arabier - 7% all malt
- Boskeun - 8.9% special Easter beer
- Dulle Teve - 10% unfiltered, unpasteurized blonde ale
- Oerbier - 7.5% Spring beer
Brouwerij De Ranke
- De Ranke Guldenberg - 8.5% blonde tripel. "Too good to be beer."
- Fantôme dÉté - 8% amber saison
- Fantôme Saison - 8% golden saison
- Goliath Tripel * - 9% Belgian tripel
- N’Ice Chouffe - 10% Belgian strong ale
Brasserie Artisanale de Rulles
- Rulles Tripel * - 8.4% Abbey tripel
GERMANY
- EKU 28 - 11% Eisbock
- Mahr’s Weisse Bock - 7.2% weisse bock
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
- Korbinian Doppelbock * - 7.4% double bock
JAPAN
- Hitachino Japanese Classic Ale * - 7% using 3 malts
- Hitachino Celebration Ale 2005 - 7.5% with 5 spices
UNITED KINGDOM
- Tally Ho Barley Wine * - cask-conditioned firkin, based on a 19th century recipe.
- Gale’s Millennium Brew - 10%, complex and fruity
- Gale’s Prize Old Ale 2003 - 9%, keg and cask-conditioned versions
- Vintage Harvest Ale 2003 - 11.5% barley wine; Lagavulin-primed
USA
Anchor Brewing Company - San Francisco, California
- Old Foghorn Ale - an 8-10% highly hopped barley wine
Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, Colorado
- The Beast * - 18.1% (not a typo) Belgian Grand Cru
- Hog Heaven - 9.2% American barley wine
- Maharaja Imperial IPA * - a brand new hop monster
Bluegrass Brewing Company - Louisville, Kentucky
- Mephistopheles Metamorphosis - 11% tripel from a local fav!
Kalamazoo Brewing Company - Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Bell’s Batch 6000 - 10.5% barley wine
- Bell’s Expedition Stout - 11.5%; one of the best Imperial Stouts you'll find
Great Divide Brewing Company - Denver, Colorado
- Hercules Double IPA * - 9.1% and 85 IBUs ... oh my!
- Oaked Yeti Imperial Stout * - 9.5% aged on French and toasted oak chips
Great Lakes Brewing Company - Cleveland, Ohio
- Great Lakes Blackout Stout * - 9% Imperial Stout, multiple medal winner
New Albanian Brewing Company - New Albany, Indiana
- NobleSmoker * - debut batch! A kicked up version of their ConeSmoker - circa 7.5%.
New Holland Brewing Company - Holland, Michigan
- Black Tulip Trippel Ale * - 10% Abbey-style trippel
- Pilgrim’s Dole Wheatwine Stye Ale (2004) * - 10% barley wine brewed with wheat
Ringneck Brewing Company - Strongsville, Ohio
- FOTB Barley Wine * - 11.5% barley wine
Rogue Ales - Newport, Oregon
- Fresh Hop Harvest Ale * - circa 7% American strong ale, brewed with wet hops
- Morimoto Imperial Pilsner - an 8.8% pilsner - yee haw!
- Old Crustacean Barley Wine (Vintage 2000) - 11.5% and 120 IBUs!
- Roguetoberfest * - unknown %, kicked up Octoberfest
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, California
- Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale (Vintage 2004) - 9.6% an American classic
Stone Brewing Company - San Diego, California
- Double Bastard Ale - 10%, "Liquid Arrogance" - the Bastard shall set you free!
- Imperial Russian Stout - 10.8%, Bogartski while you can...
- Stone Old Guardian Barleywine (2004) - 10%, aggressively hopped
Three Floyds Brewing Company - Munster, Indiana
- (mystery ale - to be announced) *
Two Brothers Brewing Company - Warrenville, Illinois
- Bare Tree Weiss Wine - 11% barley wine using Scottish ale yeast and 57% yeast
March/April 2005: Gravity Head Schedule:
- Friday, March 11 Gravity Head 2005 opens at 1:00 p.m. Cask-conditioned Gales Prize Old Ale will be served from the hand pump.
- Saturday, March 12 We extend a hearty welcome to Pat, Larry and their wild & crazy retinue from Dayton, Ohio, who once again are making the long trip down to visit. In honor of these loyal Gravitarians, our lone pin of J.W. Lees Vintage (2003) Harvest Ale (Lagavulin-conditioned) will be tapped at 1:00 p.m.
- Sunday, March 13 FOSSILS meeting at Rich O’s Public House, 6:00 p.m. Consider it a chance to recuperate from gravity-induced mania. FOSSILS members and their guests only, please.
- Wednesday, March 17 St. Patrick’s Day. In honor of real (just say no to “faux”) Irishmen everywhere, we refuse to embrace the lowest common denominator of “green beer” and “kiss me, I’m Irish,” preferring instead to conduct business as usual. This year, we’ve ordered two kegs of Conway’s Irish Red Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, and they’ll be dedicated to the holiday.
- Friday, March 18 Cask-conditioned Adnam’s Tally Ho Barley Wine will be served from the hand pump.
- Saturday, March 19 Indiana/Kentucky Beer Advocate gathering at Rich O’s Public House. At 6:00 p.m. in Rich O’s, music by George Schroeder, with keyboard renditions of standards from the 40’s through the 70’s.
- Friday, March 25 We extend a hearty welcome to Rick Kennedy’s posse … thanks for coming!
- Saturday, March 26 At 9:00 p.m. in Rich O’s, music by renowned local artist Misha Feigin.
The New Albanian Brewing Company, Inc., comprises Rich O’s Public House and Sportstime Pizza, with pub, pizzeria and brewery all located in the same building at 3312 Plaza Drive in New Albany, Indiana.