By Amanda Junk
For The Herald Bulletin
MUNCIE — Fickle Peach co-owner Chris Piche knows what good beer tastes like, and what it’s worth for spending time with friends.
“The better the food, the better the mood. The same goes for good beer,” he said. “Sitting in a social setting, enjoying a pint for what it’s worth and enjoying it with your friends — that’s what it’s all about.”
More than 200 friends and supporters of Indiana Public Radio enjoyed a pint at Cornerstone Center for the Arts in Muncie on Sunda. They were a part of the third annual All Beers Considered brew and cheese tasting event.
When it came to selecting 10 beers for a tasting like All Beers Considered, Piche said he looked for things not normally served in his downtown Muncie bar.
He said one of the biggest factors in choosing beers for the event was that he didn’t repeat selections from the previous two years.
A standout was the Founders Old Curmudgean Ale, from Grand Rapids, Mich.
“It’s brewed with molasses and with a focus on malt and aged oak,” he said.
Two Brothers Moaten Flemish Red Ale, brewed in Warrenville, Ill., takes on a lightly malty, tart cherry and oak taste and is more reminiscent of a complex wine, he said.
As for pairing beers with cheeses, Piche worked closely with Dave Ring of Muncie’s Downtown Farmstand to make the selection for the past three years.
Ring chose a variety of nine cheeses for the event, ranging from aged goat cheese to Vintage Mayberry.
“People should come to (tastings) with an open mind and have fun, because cheese is such a celebratory food,” he said.
Ring said because cheese is usually fresh during the spring, a lot of cheeses served in winter are ones that have been stored.
Aged Swiss cheeses, for example, range in taste from sweet to sharp and go well with Belgian beers because both have such bold flavors, he said.
Moaten Flemish Red pared with strong cheeses like Vintage Mayberry and sharp kase, and Old Curmudgean pairs with Swiss and gouda cheeses.
The breweries also donated items for a silent auction to benefit Indiana Public Radio. Bids were made on gift certificates, day trips to breweries and gift packages.
Jan Miller, an IPR underwriting adviser for Madison County, poured the Punk IPA, a light golden beer with a tropical fruity taste, at the event.
All Beers Considered was her first beer-tasting event and she compared her learning experience at the event with public radio.
“Hearing about the different complexities in beer, learning what everyone’s favorites were … there was just so much about beer palates I didn’t know,” she said. “It brings out people who haven’t attended other events and draws such a wide demographic and it’s great to see so many people come out and support public radio.”
As he sipped from a sampler glass of Moaten Flemish Red, IPR supporter and Anderson resident Dave Webb said he wasn’t incredibly picky when considering what beer to drink at the All Beers Considered event.
“Beer is always a good draw, and having a beer tasting as opposed to wine is connecting to a broader audience,” he said. “And besides, beer is good.”
