Old Lightning Rod Day 2012

Sunday, January 15

Old Lightning Rod Day 2012 Poster

Old Lightning Rod
Let thy discontents be thy secrets …

An annual January release commemorating the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, Old Lightning Rod is a throwback strong ale from Colonial American times, incorporating “triangular” molasses as an adjunct, and encapsulating Franklin’s sly founding wisdom.

This year, we’ve moved the celebration back to proximity with Benjamin Franklin’s actual birth date of January 17 (in 1706), and changed the day to Sunday. It will be the first chance to get a feel for the new enclosed/former patio.

In addition to Bank Street Brewhouse’s normal offerings on Sunday, January 15 — including Brewhouse Brunch until 2:00 p.m and the normal menu of food — there’ll also be a special Old Lightning Rod Day Menu.

Polska Kielbasa … slow smoked in Old Lightning Rod, grill seared, and served on a toasted Tribeca Hero Roll, topped with House Pickled Onion and
Apple Relish and House Honey Mustard.

Northern Bean Soup … with Smoked Virginia Ham.

Either with a brunch item or one of these two special culinary offerings, we recommend pairing with an Old Lightning Rod, and be sure to bring your growlers for an OLR fill. Wear something remotely Colonial, and win an OLR poster signed by the brew team.

Benjamin Franklin was a multi-talented Colonial-era creative legend who brewed beer and drank beer. In his writings, Franklin referred to various types of ale and concluded that its consumption was healthy in moderation – an observation with which modern medical science concurs. What did these ales of old taste like? Six years ago, as part of a nationwide promotion on the occasion of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, NABC’s brewers tweaked a Colonial-era recipe provided to members of the Brewer Association, and the result was our first ever batch of Old Lightning Rod. We’ve repeated the experiment every year since, and the ale keeps tasting better and better.

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

Patio build-out continues at Bank Street Brewhouse

We’re expecting the garage doors on the 4th or 5th of January. After they’re installed, the main work will be finished. All we’ll have to do then is furnish the new room.

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

Menu changes at the BSB

Bank Street has rolled out a few menu changes. Our 3d Valley Farms Angus Burger is now only $10, Our Community Dark beer battered onion rings are a permanent fixture, and wings can now be had with Spicy Asian, BBQ, or Honey Mustard Sauce.

New Year’s Weekend Hours

When we'll be here, and when we won't.

New Year’s Eve
Saturday, December 31
Pizzeria & Public House will be open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (pizzeria side only)
Bank Street Brewhouse will be closed

New Year’s Day
Sunday, January 1 (2012)
Both NABC locations will be closed

Monday, January 2
Pizzeria & Public House will be open or normal hours (both sides)
Bank Street Brewhouse will be closed (as always on Monday)

This week at NABC’s Bank Street Brewhouse

    Patio conversion is under way
    Gumbo trial
    “Soft” 11 am – 5 pm hours on Christmas Eve
    Solidarity Baltic Porter bottled

Our friends at Resch Construction have started on Bank Street Brewhouse's long-anticipated patio build-out, and to say that we’re both excited and grateful is a profound understatement. Thanks again, Steve.

Bank Street Brewhouse will remain open throughout the process of converting our current patio area into an all-weather facility with garage doors opening into what will become a beer garden in time. Much of the work will be completed within a couple of weeks, but the new roof will have to wait for installation during warmer weather.

The wall stones were being stacked on pallets yesterday, to be put into storage and returned when the future beer garden is landscaped next spring/summer. Since the outdoor area isn’t being used very much during cold weather, this patio work will have the minor effect of causing a bit of a mess, but it will not stand in the way of doing business in the customary way.

Picture this Bank Street Brewhouse

Tuesday night was the first sighting of gumbo on the BSB menu. We’re thinking about making this a regular Tuesday food special, along with the reduced price session ales. Wednesday remains growler discount day. Remember that Bank Street Brewhouse now opens for lunch at 11:00 a.m. from Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday Brunch begins at 10:00 a.m., but because of this year’s dates for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the next brunch date is January 8.

We're also bottled Solidarity on Tuesday and it headed to the wholesalers Wednesday.

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

Picture this: Bank Street Brewhouse’s patio build-out

Imagine the BSB north patio “finished,” with real walls and access doors, and also garage doors for opening in nice weather just like the ones already facing Bank Street.

The plan is in place, and (re)construction will begin within the next two weeks. Our landlord Steve Resch and his construction company is doing the work; they’re keeping busy on Main Street, too, with the Feast BBQ project across the street from the YMCA. The BSB plan will be completed in two stages, with the walls and doors going up first, and then the roof being replaced when the weather gets warmer.

We’ll be able to use the year-round space for big parties, music and events, and by making the patio into an extension of the building, the state-mandated floor plan rules will permit the use of the taps attached to the big brewery walk-in, and the current parking area to be converted into a landscaped patio. Think in terms of a beer garden, with the garage doors opening into it from the former patio.

I want to give a huge public thanks to Steve Resch and the people who usually help him at places like PC Building and Sprigler Door. This “finishing” has been a long time coming, and will leave us with a one-time brewery expansion option, to be exercised at some point in the future, before BSB becomes the way we first envisioned it — without the green rooftop, to be sure, but who knows?

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

Opening of Sunday brunch

Thanks to everyone who patronized BSB last Sunday, and to our staff for hoofing it. Brunch got off to a wonderful start!

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

Naughty Claus 2011 is on tap now …

…  at both NABC locations

Santa needs daze off, too

A rich, full-bodied holiday spiced seasonal that changes wardrobe a bit each year as we experiment with festive additives. Usually unveiled for Saturnalia, NABC’s annual observance of Christmas’s pagan roots.

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

Malts: US Pale Ale Malt (Rahr), Belgian Aromatic Malt,
Simpsons Crystal Medium

Sugar: Hosey Honey … http://hoseyhoney.com

Hops: German Hallertauer Magnum

Spices: Orange Peel, Sweet Ginger Root, Cinnamon, Nutmeg (dry-gingered in the Brite tanks)

Yeast: Chouffe (House Belgian)

OG: 19 degrees Plato
ABV: 8%
IBU: 20

Sunday Brunch Grand Opening

Please join us for our Sunday Brunch Grand Opening! We're going to have a new Brunch Menu, take away growlers, 22 oz. Bombers, Our Famous Bloody Mary Bar, Mimosas, Regional Bourbons and other spirits, and Hand-Crafted New Albanian Beers on tap like Elector, Hoptimus, and Quakerfoot Stout – all beginning at 10:00 am, three hours before Louisville can serve drinks! It's worth the 10 minute drive across the river, folks! See you at Bank Street on Sunday the 27th … and tell your friends!

Kentucky Eggs Benedict
Two Poached Eggs, Applewood Smoked Ham, Topped with Mornay Sauce, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Applewood Smoked Bacon, and served on a Tribeca Bakery Hero Roll, And A Side Of Hash-Brown Potatoes
11

Steak and Eggs
Steak Selection Varies, Ask Your Server For Details
Market Price

New Albanian Eye Opener
2 Eggs Any Style, Toast, Fiedler Farms Sausage, or Applewood Smoked Bacon, Hash-Brown Potatoes, Baked Apples, or Grits
10

Croque Madame
Black Forest Ham, Prosciutto, Emmentaler Cheese, Mornay Sauce, Sunny Side Egg, Blue Dog Bread
Served with Pommes Frites and a Side Salad
13

3D Valley Farms Angus Burger
10 oz. Burger, White Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon
Served with Pommes Frites
12

Chorizo Hash
Russet Potatoes, Fiedler Farms Chorizo, Sunny Side Egg, Pickled Red Onion, Crème Fraiche
13

Ala Carte
Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, Toast, Grits, Baked Apples, Beignet

Specialty Drinks
Mimosas and Bloody Marys
7

Locally Roasted Starlight Coffee
2.50

Eggs Benedict with sun-dried tomatoes, apple wood smoked ham and bacon …

All bottled up, coming down.

Friday was the sad but necessary decommissioning day for "All Bottled Up," Leticia Bajuyo's New Albany Bicentennial Art installation in the Bank Street Brewhouse parking lot. Follow the link below for coverage. It's my goal to devise a plan to replace Leticia's memorable piece with something else perhaps more permanent, as I've grown accustomed to standout art in that otherwise unused corner space. Do you have an idea? Local artist Dave Thrasher already has suggested a 20-ft high bomber bottle boasting Tony Beard's label art. Sounds like a plan … at least until a better one comes along.

Roger A. Baylor, NABC

View in: Mobile | Standard