Lunch & Learn at the Carnegie Center: "Baseball in a River Town," presented by Justin Endres.

Justin Endres is going to be talking about the history of local baseball at lunchtime on Tuesday next week, and if you missed Justin at Pints&union in April, best RSVP the Carnegie Center immediately.

Lunch & Learn: Baseball in a River Town: From New Albany’s First Game to its First Superstar, presented by Justin Endres.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 ... Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Baseball, with its revered history of players, teams, and statistics, has early roots in Indiana. Justin Endres investigated the origins of the sport in the region. Learn about its local development, from the first pitch thrown on September 29, 1866 to New Albany’s first sports superstar, Jouett Meekin (son of the famous riverboat pilot James Meekin.) Lunch and Learn is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Actually Justin's appearance at the Carnegie is an encore performance. Previously he lectured there in April of 2016, and for all I know there may have been other times.

Tomorrow at the Carnegie: "Base Ball in a River Town: New Albany."

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Jouett Meekin and Kentucky Common at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

If our long-scheduled Saturday afternoon chat about baseball and beer were to have taken place outdoors, it probably would have turned into a rainout.

Consequently while not the ideal time to play two, it might be an excellent opportunity to drink two 12-ounce cans of Falls City Kentucky Commons (it's only 4% abv) while learning from Justin Endres about 19th-century baseball in New Albany and the important role played by big leaguer and native New Albanian pitcher Jouett Meekin.

We'll kick off at 2:00 p.m. upstairs. Here's a nicely written overview of Kentucky Common as a primer. Click through, read all of it -- and you'll be tested on Saturday afternoon.

Or not.

Kentucky Common: An Indigenous American Beer Style, by Nick Carr (Kegerator)

The History of Kentucky Common

As a beer style, Kentucky Common was a bright, but short-burning star. It is one of the three or four modern beer styles that the Americas can claim as indigenous.

Kentucky Common, also sometimes called “Common” or “Dark Cream Ale,” was once an extremely popular regional style centered around Louisville, Kentucky.

Its origin is rooted in the influx of German and Irish immigrants to the region in the mid 1800s. They came thirsty, keen for the beer of their homelands, and quickly began trying to reproduce it. And, like other immigrants, they adapted to the ingredients available in their new home.

They made a low alcohol thirst-quenching beer, basically a dark version of American cream ale. The grain bill was a mix of the protein-laden six-row malt, and some native corn to smooth the beer out. A dab of dark and caramel malts were added. The water around Louisville is alkaline, so the small addition of dark malt could have been to help acidify the mash. It also could have been added just to increase character ... 

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Check out these upcoming beer events, from St. Patrick's Day until Derby Festival time.

I've put together a few events at Pints&union between now and the end of April, and a couple other special occasions have popped up.

Before we take a look at these, be aware that brunch is being served each week at Pints&union on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Also know that there'll be the requisite St. Patrick's Day merriment on both Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17 (poster above). Brunch will proceed as planned, with fish and chips in the evening. In addition to "the Guinness" and Slane Irish Whiskey samples, there'll be draft Smithwick's and Harp.

You'll notice references to Pints&union Historical Society + Beer, which I'm hoping will serve as umbrella for numerous future ideas like these. Here we go, in chronological order.

BOCK of AGES: A GERMAN-AMERICAN BREWING TRADITION
Saturday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m.
My good friend Kevin Gibson, who you know as a writer, musician and beer, joins us for a refresher course on Bock. In the heyday of pre-Prohibition brewing in Louisville, the annual spring Bock beer release was a beloved seasonal event in the German-American community. I'll have a keg of Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock on tap, and if we get lucky, there'll be a glassware giveaway.

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CENTRAL STATE BREWING NIGHT
Thursday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Special Central State cans will be available all week (we serve Garden and Table year round), and then on Thursday the Central State crew takes over the upstairs room for a conspiratorial evening with draft Barrel Aged Bashi Farmhouse Barleywine, a selection of Smoked Goose meats, local artisan cheese and an homage to Underberg.

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INDIAN CURRY AND COMPLIMENTARY COCKTAIL WITH PINTS&UNION STAFF
Friday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. at Mesa, A Collaborative Kitchen

This one's at Mesa, located about 100 yards away on Pearl Street: "Join us at MESA to meet the talented staff behind our beloved neighborhood old world public house, Pints and Union. Owner Joe Phillips will bring his talented team to serve up 3 courses; featuring Indian Curry and a unique drink to pair! Detailed menu coming soon ... "

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JOUETT MEEKIN : NEW ALBANY’S 19th-CENTURY BASEBALL STAR
Saturday, April 20 at 2:00 p.m.
New Albany native Jouett Meekin (1867-1944) was our city's most renowned big league pitcher predating baseball's "modern" era. Local attorney and tireless Little League supporter Justin Endres has done research on 19th-century baseball in New Albany, and he'll chat about his findings while I introduce attendees to another old-school topic: Kentucky Common, our area's most popular beer during Meekin's prime (it's Louisville's only recognized, indigenous style. Thanks to Falls City Brewing Company for its support.

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CHEW ON THIS
Tuesday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m.
This is a meal and a conversation, with appreciation to Julie Schweitzer of the New Albany's ArtSeed collaborative. Julie spotted the opportunity and thought of us, and we love the idea. I'll be moderating the discussion. The meal costs $25 (alcohol extra) and is being organized by Indiana Humanities. Seating is limited to 15, so go here for ticket information and read more:

"Chew On This" -- a special dinner and discussion at Pints&union on Tuesday, April 23.

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Of course by April 23 it's Derby Festival season -- and that's a whole other story. Stay tuned.