Beer aficionados gathered on Lake Michigan’s southern shore to enjoy a feast of the senses this past Saturday. Warmer than expected weather, live ice sculpting, the rhythmic stylings of the Bucket Boys, and the tastes and aromas of hundreds of beers highlighted the first Shelf Ice Brew Fest, hosted by the Michigan City Mainstreet Association in the city’s downtown.
Roughly 1,000 attendees of the sold-out event – including VIPs who got in an hour early and received limited edition “Shelf Ice Brew Fest”-emblazoned stocking caps – embraced 40-degree temperatures to enjoy offerings from the nearly 30 breweries. With a clear sky all afternoon, conditions were perfect for shelfies, and there was no shortage of amateur photographers in the crowd!
The inaugural festival, planned by the Mainstreet Association in conjunction with local brewers, was impressively well run. The festival grounds spanned roughly four city blocks, providing ample space for attendees to move about freely; crowds congregating in the tents was not an issue. The ratio of attendees to brewers was perfect – rare was a line longer than two minutes. Picnic tables and outdoor heaters provided a gathering place at the center of the grounds. The logo, pint glass, and stocking caps were first-class. Ice sculptors impressed with their chainsaw-wielding skills, crafting everything from beer mugs to Disney’s Frozen characters. There was a wide variety of food vendors who continued serving throughout the festival. Coolers of ice water for rinsing and rehydration were plentiful and frequently refilled, though the ice wasn’t really necessary. For recycling, port-a-potties were in somewhat short supply.
One might expect an outdoor beer festival on the shores of Lake Michigan in early February to boast beers with natural warming properties, and the Shelf Ice Brew Fest did not disappoint.
La Porte County’s four breweries shared an impressive array at their hometown festival. La Porte’s veteran brewer, Back Road Brewery, featured Red Rye Bacon Spiled, a tasty, subtly smoky ale infused with 10.5 pounds of apple wood smoked bacon. Newcomer Twisted K-8, also of La Porte, offered VIPs Holiday Sex – an 18.5% IPA. Among their more sessionable offerings was Sarcasm, an apple ale.
Michigan City’s Shoreline Brewery, whose brew opened up their cellar and shared multiple vintages of their barrel-aged beers, including vintages of Bella Scotch Ale, Discombobulation Celebration Barleywine, and Lost Sailor Imperial Stout dating as far back as 2010. Located just a few blocks north of the festival grounds, several attendees found their way to Shoreline in the evening to warm up with a hearty meal.
Granger’s Bare Hands Brewery followed up their unforgettable 31-flavor Brewers of Indiana Guild Winterfest with “only” 24 beers on their ski-adorned festival tap system – a diverse array that included their signature Thai PA and Mail-Order Bride stout as well as rare offerings like Black Thai, a Cascadian ale infused with lime, coconut, and Thai spices.
Perhaps even more impressive as the offerings from local brewers was the variety of Indiana beers rarely found north of Indianapolis. Upland poured rate bottles of their Dragonfruit and Rambutan lambics. Fellow Bloomington brewer Function added such tasty brews as Hyperbolic porter and Bisect IPA to the equation. Evansville’s Carson’s Brewery made the longest trek of the day; their award-winning Eville Wheat and RIPA were enjoyed by many. Bargersville’s Taxman Brewing Company has us re-thinking our route for our next trip to Bloomington – Frozen Assets was not only a reminder of why to dress appropriately for five hours of outside in February, but a great Belgian chocolate-infused milk stout. Dorian stout, from McCordsville’s Scarlet Lane, was another crowd favorite. Staff – in several cases owners – represented each brewery. The Mainstreet Association and the brewers who helped plan the event should be commended — Saturday presented an opportunity to interact with the brewers; this was not your typical distributors-pouring-bottles affair.
#Shelfie time
Hailing from beyond Indiana’s borders were Michigan’s Founders, Bell’s, and Greenbush – the Sawyer, Michigan, brewery located less than 22 miles from Michigan City. A fresh keg of Bell’s Hopslam was a magnet for hopheads all afternoon. One Trick Pony from Lansing, Illinois – just two miles from Indiana’s western border – was the lone representative from the Land of Lincoln. Their high-gravity offerings, including Warlander Triple IPA, helped fend off the chill as the afternoon wore on.
With an amazing selection of rare beers, a fun crowd, entertainment, and as tolerable weather as one could hope for on February 7, the inaugural Shelf Ice Brew Fest set the bar high for years to come!
Noah’s Favorite Beers
Bare Hands Black Thai
Upland Dragonfruit Lambic
Jennifer’s Favorite Beers
Taxman Hop Collector
Function Bisect
