If you are looking for something to do on a Thursday night but don’t have a lot of cash, there is only one place to be: Pikk’s Tavern in downtown Valparaiso. This past Thursday I spent an hour at Pikk’s tasting fine craft beer from Founders Brewing Company, eating fine food, and learning more about beer. What could be better than that? How about the fact that it only cost me $10.
That $10 allowed me to sample 5 different Founders brews and pair them with a caprese salad, a mini cheeseburger, ribs, and some complimentary popcorn. A great deal even if you are drinking low quality beer, but we weren’t. In fact we were sampling some of the best brews Founders has to offer. What brews you ask?
The brew descriptions are from Founder’s website
Founder’s Harvest AleThis liquid dream pours a hazy golden orange straw color with a white, two-finger head. Your first sip of this beer rewards you with a super juicy hop presence bursting with citrus, then finishes to introduce toasted malt undertones.
6.5% ABV 70 IBUs
Red’s Rye PASerious hop bitterness, along with an unyielding grapefruit bouquet from the Amarillo dry-hop, balances the malty richness of four varieties of imported Belgian caramel malts. Pours a spectacular crimson with a creamy tan head. A generous addition of rye malt accentuates a spicy, crisp finish.
6.6% ABV 70 IBUs
Dirty Bastard Scotch AleSo good it’s almost wrong. Dark ruby in color and brewed with seven varieties of imported malts. Complex in finish, with hints of smoke and peat, paired with a malty richness and a right hook of hop power to give it the bad attitude that a beer named Dirty Bastard has to live up to. Ain’t for the wee lads.
8.5% ABV 50 IBUs
2010 Nemesis Barley WineWhat you have here is a rarity. A special, one-of-a-kind ale that is only made once a year. Sometimes that’s all. Forever. No more. Nada. Limited-time only. You never know what you’re gonna get. But you can be sure it’ll be damn tasty.
12% ABV WOW IBUs
I actually left the tasting a few minutes early and didn’t taste Founders Breakfast Stout, but I have had it before and reviewed it on the site here. My wife, son, and a couple of friends arrived at 6:00 and I joined them at a table for dinner where the great food and drinks continued. In fact I stayed at Pikk’s from 5:00 until 8:30 at night dining, drinking, and socializing with the friends and the great people that work there.
Big thumbs up to Sam Maule over there he is doing an amazing job and you should all be sure to go check out there tastings on Thursdays. For more information go to their facebook page and see the tasting schedule.
