Those who admire beer with big body, assertive flavor and high levels of alcohol will have lots to sample at New Albanian Brewing company’s annual Gravity Head event, beginning at 7 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, with the tapping of the first group of kegs, which will be served with breakfast pizza and donuts at New Albanian, 3312 Plaza Drive, just off Grant Line Road in New Albany.
Through the end of March, themed events will continue, along with the tapping of more kegs (62 beers in all), ending with The Session Head, which involves the tapping of lower-gravity “session” beers.
A special Sunday brunch, “the Hangover Hoedown” is planned for NABC’s Bank Street Brewhouse taproom, 415 Bank St., New Albany, on March 1, noon-9 p.m.The vegan food truck V-Grits will be serving healthful food, there will be a bloody Mary bar, and more beers,including the release of NABC Oaktimus bombers. Portions of the Hangover Hoedown proceeds will benefit Uplands Peak Sanctuary.
One of the alcohol-heavy beers to be tapped on opening day of the festival will be Against the Grain/De Molen Bo & Luke, an imperial porter aged in Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels, a rich, complex and smoky brew that tests at 13 percent alcohol by volume.
Most of the beers offered at the fest will not be that top-heavy, averaging around 8 percent ABV; 20 of them will be barrel-aged. All beers are sold in 10-ounce pours, with no samplers. There will be beers from Flat 12, Founders, Sierra Nevada, Rogue, Dogfish, New Albanian and plenty of others as well, from all over the world. The full list is viewable online.
