PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Harvest Farewell Party on Sunday evening, 6:00 p.m. - Midnight.

Last year's Harvest Homecoming was our first at Pints&union. We'd been open only two months at that point, and it was a guessing game as to how the weekend would go. This year we made a few calculations and went diving straight into it, and have continued to make adjustments as we've gone along.

Consequently there'll be Sunday hours after all (6:00 p.m. - Midnight); tear down your booth, then come have a beer. Here are the hours of operation for the next few days.

Saturday: 3:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
Sunday: 6:00 p.m. - Midnight
Monday and Tuesday: Closed for cleanup
Wednesday: 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. (resume regular hours)

"Aladdin's and all the merchants at the Underground Station will be open regular business hours during the complete reconstruction of Bank St. in front of the Underground Station."

Previously we examined another in a series of oblivious Gahan street grid errors.

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Main and Bank work to begin on Monday the 13th -- or was that Friday the 16th?

As usual, indie businesses bear the brunt as the Democratic Party's patronage imperatives enrich campaign donors.

Dear friends.

Aladdin's and all the merchants at the Underground Station will be open regular business hours during the complete reconstruction of Bank St. in front of the Underground Station. We appreciate everyone's patronage and understanding while this project is underway. And please keep in mind that all parking behind the Underground Station is open and all sidewalks are accessible as well.

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Harvest Homecoming hours at Pints&union, plus the theory and practice of draft beer at the pub.

This week at Pints&union we'll be navigating our first Harvest Homecoming. Tuesday and Wednesday should be normal days, and the pub's "booth days" hours look like this, with a scaled-down food menu:

Thursday, Friday and Saturday 1:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m
Closed Sunday

Here's an overview of the theory and practice of draft beer at Pints&union. We have ten draft lines in all, pouring according to plan.

The larger grouping is called EVERYDAY DRAFTS (6 in number), which represents a cross-section of traditional brewing culture. These are intended to remain fixed. We serve them in imperial pints, with half –size pours also available.

Four "everyday" beers have been constant since we opened.

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (IPA)
Falls City Classic Pilsner (American Pilsner)
Guinness Stout Irish (Dry Stout)
Pilsner Urquell (Bohemian Pilsner)

Two others were intended to be constant, but fell victim to wholesaler outages.

Fuller's London Pride (English Pale Ale) has returned as of last Friday, and Wychwood Hobgoblin will return some day as a seasonal (below).

Anchor Porter (Robust Porter) temporarily was replaced by Bell’s Porter, and the latter remains on tap. Anchor is back in stock at the wholesaler and will resume its place as soon as I can make it happen, perhaps as early as the week of October 15.

I've divided the four remaining taps into concepts.

SEASONAL (2) taps generally will reflect the weather, with lighter beers in summer and heavier choices in winter. The idea is to rotate through them slowly; weeks at a time, not days.

Paulaner Oktoberfest (Märzen) ... We depleted a half-dozen Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest kegs and then turned to Paulaner for two more; now it transpires that the Paulaner currently on tap is the last one to be had this year. It should last for a few more days, then we'll switch to two kegs of Revolution Oktoberfest, a traditionally crafted example from Chicago. At some point after that, my hope is to begin a lengthy run of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier (Bavarian Wheat) ... When the weather finally cools, I'd like to keep this one in the family and begin a run of Weihenstephaner Dunkel, which is much the same as Hefe Weissbier but with darker malts. As the holidays approach, this tap probably will feature Christmas ales.

HERITAGE (1) is about quirky runs of Old World classics. Right now it's St. Bernardus Tripel, a Belgian abbey ale, and we're about to tap the third keg. My only restriction in this slot is that kegs must be the small 1/6 barrel size.

SERENDIPITY (1) was inaugurated with Sierra Nevada's Narwhal Imperial Stout, since supplanted by Founders Harvest Ale, a wet hop IPA. This tap will be the exception to the rule, rotating American craft beers constantly, a sixth barrel at a time. On the list to replace the Founders when the time comes are North Coast Le Merle (Saison); 18th Street Brown Ale (English Brown); and Sun King Wee Mac (Scottish Ale).

There's also one sixth barrel of Dogfish Head Punkin, arrival to be announced. We've agreed to wait until it's cold, nearer to Thanksgiving.

Pints&union has been open for 11 weeks, and we've been crushing kegs. Thanks to everyone who has come downtown to see us, to have a beer and a bite. 

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: Revised weekend hours, with a noon opening on Saturday and hangover relief on Sunday from noon - 4 p.m.

Noted local raconteur and occasional artist David Thrasher's pub sign for Pints&union is coming soon to a facade on or near 114 E. Market. Note the city branding mechanism at the top.

Nice touch, Dave. Have I mentioned the pub is carrying ANCHOR Steam (bottles) and ANCHOR Porter (draft)? You'll be reminded every time you cross a downtown street.

Extended Saturday hours at Pints&union begin on August 25th at 12 noon. On Sunday, August 26, hangover relief debuts from noon to 4:00 p.m., short and sweet.

Tuesday - Friday: 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

Saturday: 12 noon to 2:00 a.m.

Sunday: 12 noon to 4:00 p.m.

Closed on Monday 

Fans of Woody's Roadhouse will be happy to learn that "Woodrow on the Radio (above) spins fine 45rpm wax for your hangover recuperation and enjoyment in New Albany's newest and hippest tavern."

It's slated to happen each Sunday.

There'll be a unique Sunday menu: Croque Madame (above), Tikka Poutine, French Toast, Scotch Egg (below), Shrimp Cocktail, and Beer & Grapefruit Salad.

Otherwise, the daily food menu will change often. The best way to keep abreast is monitor Facebook.

This one is a top-level state secret.

Bottles of La Trappe Quadrupel, a classic Trappist ale from the Netherlands, have been added to the Pints&union beer list. As noted, it is my intent to have a strong core of Belgians (and affiliates).

For those who have enjoyed the exemplary draft Daredevil Munich Dunkel Lager, the third of our allocated three kegs was tapped earlier this week. When it's gone, probably early next week, it will be time for Oktoberfest season to begin.

The final decision has yet to be made, but I'm leaning toward a traditional Munich interpretation. Also, Wychwood Hobgoblin continues to stand in for Fuller's London Pride, and probably will remain pouring through September.

See you Sunday.

PINTS & UNION PORTFOLIO: The weekly schedule adds Sunday afternoon hours -- and some small plate photos.

The first "full" business week at Pints&union begins today at 4:00 p.m., and Joe has published a schedule (below), followed by some food views.

As a side note, yesterday I floated a trial balloon about the possibility of resurrecting my IU Southeast "Here's to Beer" class of old for Tuesday evenings at the pub, and there was a positive response on social media, so I'll continue working on the plan.

I'll also be devising a program for Thursdays, having waited for a routine to settle into place. My regular "beer evenings" will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, with other nights as serendipity dictates. I'll almost surely be at the pub for the beginning of Sunday hours later this week.

Speaking of which, if I'm calculating correctly, Pints&union hours are 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday; 12 noon to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday; and 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Tuesday: Industry night with $3 whiskey shots and $4 imperial pints of Falls City, plus Game Night upstairs at 8:00 p.m.

Also, tonight is the collective downtown restaurant and bar fundraiser for the family of Matt Brewer, and 10% of today's sales will be donated.

Wednesday: Bike Night. Non-motorized bikes welcomed.

Thursday: Acoustic open jam upstairs.

Friday: Ladies Night, $1 off champagne cocktails.

Saturday: Opening at 12 noon.

Sunday: "Hangover Menu" 12 noon - 4:00 p.m. with Woodrow (on the Radio -- Woody's Roadhouse) spinning records.

Following is a collection of small-plate food views from the past couple of weeks, as the kitchen gradually has escalated. I don't have a menu to show you, at least not just yet. The kitchen is small, the flavors international, and to program evolving as I write. Pints&union is a pub with counter service, not a full-service restaurant, and these dishes are twists on pub grub.

And they've been well received, so stay tuned for further details.

The pub has gotten off to a very good start, and the list of 1,001 necessary details has been reduced to 250, which are being dialed in each business day. In my capacity as beer director, kindly allow me to express how much your support is appreciated.

The beers are moving all across the list, and that's all one can ask at the start. As the weeks pass, a gradual notching-up of the beer program will take place, and I'm looking forward to it.

Public service announcement for fans of Quills, which will be closed for a few days for the alley move.

Get ready.

Quills wants you to know the schedule as the coffee shop moves to a different portal in the same building.

"As you may have heard and seen, we are relocating our New Albany café to the back alley. With that, this is our last week of service in our current space, and we will be closing at 2pm on Sunday June 17th to begin tearing down the old bar. We will be re-opening in the garage the following Monday June 25. Swing by one last time(s) this week, and see you in the new space soon!"

A couple months ago.

LIVE TO EAT: Lunch hours at the Redmen Club and new hours at Taco Steve, where Eh Cumpari Pizza popping in on weekends.

The Redmen Club (211 E. Main, next door to Gospel Bird) now is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The link to the Redmen at Fb currently is active, and you can check it for updates.

Meanwhile, Taco Steve's new hours (inside Destinations Booksellers at 604 E. Spring) are Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Keep reading for the weekend twist.

Beginning this weekend (Friday, January 12 and Saturday, January 13), Eh Cumpari Pizza's mobile wood-fired pizza oven will be at Taco Steve's from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

My friend Taco Steve has invited me to bring the pizza wagon to New Albany! I'll be firing fresh pies Friday and Saturday evenings and will be available for both dine in and carry out. I look forward to bringing some pizza love to the Sunnyside!

Note: BYOB is again legal at Taco Steve's, as he did not renew the ATC permit.

Downtown NA: Lady Tron's is open for regular business hours, and Taco Steve has resumed them.

When to visit Lady Tron's.

In the former Little Chef space, corner of Market and Bank.

Lady Tron's is a quirky soup and sandwich shop with a retro outer space vibe! We have a hip atmosphere and also specialize in speedy carry out orders.

As you can see, regular hours have been posted and Lady Tron's is open (as the Germans would say, Ruhetag is Wednesday). Go to the Facebook page for updates and details.

Also, Taco Steve will be back on duty as of Tuesday morning. He was temporarily closed owing to a family emergency.

Whoa.

For updates and information, you know the drill: Taco Steve at Facebook.

Drinking Progressively on Tuesday at BSB, and NABC's holiday hours this week.

On Tuesday evening at Bank Street Brewhouse, we'll be drinking progressively and chatting about local politics in the run-up to 2015.

Drinking Progressively returns tonight to Bank Street Brewhouse at 6:00 p.m.

NABC's business hours for the holiday are as follows.

Wednesday, December 31 (New Year's Eve)
NABC's Pizzeria & Public House will open for daytime hours of 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Bank Street Brewhouse will be closed on New Year’s Eve.

Thursday, January 1 (New Year's Day)
Both NABC locations will be closed on New Year’s Day. Regular hours return on Friday the 2nd.

On Friday, January 2nd, we'll be holding the second annual Hoptimus Inception Reception at Bank Street Brewhouse. It's the birthday party of Hoptimus, NABC's classic Imperial IPA. Stay tuned for further information on special tastings.

Taco Punk will be serving at BSB on Friday and Saturday, January 2 & 3, beginning at 5:00 p.m. both nights.

Sam's at The Montrose extends business hours: Now open from Tuesday through Friday.

Straight off the wire. I'm delighted to see an institution back on its feet, and making use of a great property.

We at Sam's Food & Spirits want to thank our loyal customers for their patronage. Our Highlander Point location is thriving and we have enjoyed serving you Fridays at The Montrose.

We're pleased to announce that Sam's at The Montrose will extend our restaurant hours to Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Enjoy your Sam's favorites at 318 W. Lewis and Clark Parkway, Clarksville, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 30!

The Montrose, a Clark County historic gem, is also available for special events Saturdays and Sundays. We also offer full service catering at our place or yours and licensed bartending.

Call us at 945-9757, or come see the new Sam's Tuesdays through Fridays.

For reservations or carry-out at Highlander Point, call 923-2323.

New Cafe 27 business hours.

From the Cafe 27 Fb page comes notice of changing hours at the Main Street eatery. Rest assured that having just emerged from a lengthy period of business introspection, I'm feeling much solidarity with Cafe 27. The words "tough economy" are being repeated all over; just last week, a downtown retailer observed to me, "If anyone says they're doing well, they're lying."

And if anyone in city government says that downtown has been a conducive spot for doing business these past few months, he's lying, too. But let's leave that for another time.

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WE want to thank each of you for making Cafe 27 your destination for a great meal, fun and entertainment for the last year. We have been struggling to find a way in this tough economy to provide you with the quality and service that you have come to love. However, with recent street closures, Main Street improvements and fluctuating costs ... we have determined that we must restructure in order to stay afloat and continue to provide our guests with the highest quality dining and entertainment experience possible. So, effective immediately, Cafe 27/Liquidz will ONLY be open Thursday through Saturday evenings for dinner service from 5pm to 11pm, serving our full cafe menu. We have also added a late night bar menu that will be served from 11pm until 2am for all our night owls. We will continue to offer our great entertainment: DJ SDot, Linda'z Lazer City Karaoke and Amazing Live Music. We will also be adding a couple of pool tables.

We hope these changes will help us thrive, and that we will continue to earn your business. Please continue to make Cafe 27 your destination for all your dining and entertainment needs. Make your reservations for a great night out on the town. Change is hard ... for all of us! But with our community's support, we will be packed every weekend. Hope to see you here soon.

Attention: Destinations Booksellers "Open Sunday, Ordering Monday for Delivery Christmas Eve."

That's right now, people.

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We’re Open Sunday, Ordering Monday for Delivery Christmas Eve

In case you were wondering, we ARE open Sunday from 10 to 5. It's a great time for a no-rush, no-hassle shopping experience.

We're building our last pre-Christmas order right now for 1-day delivery. I'll place that last order on Monday morning and by Tuesday afternoon, your currently out-of-stock book will be in your hands.

Some of you will be getting new tablets this year. This week would be a great time to switch your e-book reading to your local bookseller. Simply download the app for your phone or tablet from kobo.com/indieapp and choose Destinations Booksellers as your preferred vendor. Prices and selection are the same as or better than any other e-book outlet and the app works with any smartphone or non-disabled tablet.

Come by today, Monday, and Tuesday for last-minute stocking stuffers, Christmas CDs, and those books you've been meaning to read. Call or text us at 812.944.5116, e-mail us at destinationsbooksellers@gmail.com, We'll add your selection to Monday's order and call you on Tuesday when the big brown truck pulls up with a load of Christmas gift-giving joy.

We traditionally close on Christmas Eve at about 4 p.m. Call if you need us to stay until 5. Ann and I hope you all have a safe and peaceful Christmas Day and a fruitful new year. This is our tenth Christmas in New Albany. We're very grateful for your support of the only independent full-service bookstore in our area and look forward to serving you for the next 10 years.

Quills Coffee is open today, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The physical space is beautiful, and I'm delighted Quills is here in New Albany.

Quill's on Facebook

I know it, you know it, and the Quills ownership knows it: For Quills to become the "third space" option downtown New Albany so desperately needs, its hours of operation will have to extend further into the evening; the Baxter Avenue location is open until 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday (6:00 p.m. on Sunday). By contrast, in New Albany the hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., seven days a week.

My (and their) opinion is that they'll get there soon enough, and by mentioning it, I'm merely pointing to the obvious. We have numerous fine dining establishments downtown, but few (perhaps none?) offer an evening coffee option beyond the standard drip. Much to my regret, my own establishment does not. Also, a coffee shop like Quills can be a huge factor in training the next generation to look downtown; if this seems odd, consider the demographic inhabiting Coffee Crossing on the north side. Those too young or disinclined to hang out in bars find a home at coffee shops.

Later this morning, I'm heading to the newly minted New Albany Quills to sample the espresso, which remains the true test, sans milk, cream, sugar and all the other extraneous substances. Is Billow, the cigar dispensary next door, open mornings? I'm already seeing a decline in disposable income -- and I'm loving it.

Bank Street Brewhouse today: Open for beers at 11 a.m., no food until 5:30 p.m.

I just received word from Chef Josh that the small walk-in at Bank Street Brewhouse shut down overnight, with all contents lost. We'll be replacing the foodstuffs stored therein, and repairing the malfunction, and so although we'll be open at 11:00 a.m. to serve beer, there will be no meals at BSB today until 5:30 p.m. dinner service. Hopefully we'll be unaffected after that.

As during other unexpected outage occurrences previously, it's a great opportunity to explore the other restaurants in downtown New Albany. Good tidings for the future: I spoke with Israel Landin last night, and it appears that the Rosita's move to Pearl Street is back on track. More later.

Usual hours at both NABC locations. Who else?

As of now (11:00 a.m.) it's NABC business hours as usual today: 11:00 a.m. at the Pizzeria & Public House, and 2:00 p.m. at Bank Street Brewhouse. We're playing it by ear, and I'll keep you posted if anything changes.

Anyone else like to tag in? Who is open? Who is closed?