It is a roster destined to remain in flux, because beers will be added to it, and although it is unlikely we’ll brew any of these again, far stranger things have happened. The Publican is especially predisposed to reassign use of some of these names. You just may see them again, perhaps used for a completely different beer, or perhaps there’ll be an archive series some day. Retirees are tagged according to the primary era of brewing:
Michael Borchers era, 2002-2005
Assistants: Joey Burns, and then Chris Spellman
Tag: MicB
Jesse Williams era, 2005-2009
Assistants: Chris Spellman, and then Jared Williamson
Tag: JesW
Jared Williamson era, 2008-2011
Assistants: Kyle Tavares, and then Ben Minton
Tag: JaW
Ben Minton era, 2011-
(The) Black Hand
David and Beth Howard’s robust porter recipe won the 10th annual FOSSILS homebrewed porter competition in 2002, and was brewed by NABC for release the same year. In 2003, Bob Capshew’s recipe won the competition, and permanently altered the course of NABC Porter production.
MicB
Bourbondaddy
“Go forth and proceed”
Haggisdaddy, as aged in Woodford Reserve barrels in 2003 and 2004. At the time, we said that, “Batches (are) released periodically so we can gauge the progress of the experiment.”
MicB
Bush Hog
Floats over the yearning palate as a ship rides the waves
Billed as “The greatest lawnmower beer on earth; cuts a swath 86 IBUs wide,” with tap handle art culled from century-old, heavy-duty, grass-cutting clip art.
MicB
Elector Select
Democracy’s ultimate pointlessness
Elector on steroids … whether intentional, or not isn’t known, but it’s a nice riff on Budweiser Select.
MicB
ELI
Not only is ELI coming … it’s already gone
It was a Sour Hoppy Red Ale, and the final keg of an in-house improvisational legend.
JarW
Flat Tyre
Rocky Mountain spring water is overrated
Newly minted brown ale unexpectedly gone amber, and an improvisational pun on a popular Colorado craft beer. When Fat Tire began being sold in Indiana, the joke got old, and quickly.
JesW
Haggisdaddy
“Go forth and proceed”
Dry stout base for Bourbondaddy, with only few kegs sold of this unalloyed variety.
MicB
Happy Helmut
Souvenirs, Novelties, Party Tricks
An homage to Franconian beer making, with smoked malt and lager yeast. Helmut later was merged into Smoked Abzug.
JarW
Hopscotch
The plan was to brew a Wee Heavy first, then use the second runnings for a small ale. The mash got stuck, and after a laborious rescue mission, a single batch of heavily hopped Scottish ale was the final result.
MicB
Merckx
Belgian-style pale ale, inspired by De Koninck of Antwerp and the exploits of Eddy Merckx – competitive cycling's greatest all-around performer.
MicB
Noble Smoker
Next best thing to being in Bamberg
It was based on the original ConeSmoker, but with a bigger Beechwood-smoked malt grain bill, and all "Noble" German hops. In turn, a slightly revised ConeSmoker was spawned.
MicB
Saison, Farmhouse Saison and Saison III
Initial experiments with Belgian Saison yeast. Because this yeast is still in use, variants may return, and if so, annually in late summer.
JesW and JarW
Saison Scalawag
Cooler check!
Only a scalawag would refuse a cooler check. Brewed with Belgian pale malt, English crystal malt, wheat, honey, East Kent Goldings, Cascades, and Spalt. OG 1072; FG circa 1020.
MicB
Saison de Houblon
Happiness is a hoppy farmhouse
Spicy hop notes abound in this, a Dry Hopped Belgian Saison.
JaW
Silent Oath
The joy in Belgium
Drawn from an episode n Hugo Claus’s novel, “The Sorrow of Belgium,” it was Belgian-style Brown, perhaps with a hint of intentional sourness. A portion was aged in oak chips.
MicB
St. Alfonzo
Pancake breakfasts purely optional
This Belgian strong ale with quasi-Trappist predilections incorporated simple ingredients: Belgian two-row pale malt, rock candy, brewer’s crystals (fermentable sugar), Spalt (German noble) hops and Abbey yeast.
MicB
St. Radegund
Get thee to a nunnery … but not quite yet
It was a reformulated variant of Beak’s Best, and a nod to Terry K. at the St. Radegund pub in Cambridge, United Kingdom.
JesW
Stumble Bus
Along with Bourbondaddy, surely the most fondly remembered ale by NABC’s founding brewer, Michael Borchers. Was it Imperial IPA, or was it Barleywine? Brewed with English malt, and hopped with Galena, Cascade, East Kent Golding, Amarillo and Hallertau hops. Stumble Bus was dry-hopped with East Kent Golding and Cascade. 1056 (Chico) American yeast was used (OG 1.100).
MicB
Single Hop APA (Palisades)
Summerfest ReplicAle 2011, brewed by Hoosier brewers for the Brewers of Indiana Guild festival.
JarW
Turbo Hog
The finest malt liquor yet devised by man
Bush Hog’s logical culmination, sans paper bags. Augmented with corn, boosted in strength, and refashioned as a malt liquor, it was a briefly invigorating experiment.
MicB
V Fifth Anniversary Ale
Strong ale brewed in honor of the New Albanian Brewing Company's first five years, V (fifth anniversary) was Jesse's and Jared's contemporary contribution to NABC myth and legend.
JesW and JarW
VII Seventh Anniversary Ale
Dark IPA, and as with the 5th Anniversary’s reliance on the number five, the 7th anniversary ale utilized the number seven as much as possible. In case you’re wondering, there was no 6th anniversary ale.
JarW
VIII Eighth Anniversary Ale
IPA, explained in Jared’s notes: “VIII celebrates the passage of an historic year in NABC's short brewing history. Continuing the tradition of featuring the anniversary year number in the beer as much as reasonably possible, VIII features four base and four specialty malts, eight total, that build a rich golden hue and depth of flavor, defying the lightness of its appearance. The eight hops used are familiar "foes" from the competitive Single Hop APA series, and each boil addition was a reunion of the previous head to head match ups, added in reverse chronological order. VIII is dry hopped with the eight hops to bring the aroma a complex boutique of the beautiful cone's best Pacific Northwest varietals.”
JarW
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