Hoosier Histories
All Beers Considered
By Hillary Tribbett
Ball State Business Fellow
Hoosiers have been refining their beer brewing craft as far back as 1807, according to the Brewers of Indiana Guild. The microbrew movement took off in Indiana in 1989, and today there are approximately 22 microbreweries operating in Indiana.
To celebrate the tasting of regional and local beers, "All Beers Considered" was sponsored as a fundraising event that benefited Indiana Public Radio the fall of 2007.
Businesses in downtown Muncie banded together and featured 10 regional and local breweries with a focus on Indiana beers. Three Indiana breweries were showcased. They were Three Floyds Brewing Co. in Hammond, Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington, and Warbird Brewing Co. in Fort Wayne. Each brewery brought its own micro and craft brews for the public to experience.
Three Floyds Brewing Co. brought the American Pale Ale Alpha King to the “All Beers Considered” event. Pale Ales are generally pale in color and have a citrus aroma. The Pale Ale Alpha King is no exception. The Alpha King earned its name winning numerous awards, such as a Gold Award at the Indiana State Fair. The “King” is the Three Floyds’ flagship beer.
Warbird Brewing Co. presented its Mustang Gold Ale to the taste. Warbird describes the Mustang as “ultra-smooth” with a malt flavor. The all-malt flavoring is not necessarily typical of golden ales. According to the brewery, golden beers often have an aftertaste of corn and rice, but the Mustang is not made with these typical ingredients.
Other beers savored were the Wheat Ale and Ard Ri from Upland Brewing Co., Bloomington, Ind.
“We're always looking for exciting ways to bring people together, and the idea of having a beer tasting was a great one because there are so many Hoosiers who already appreciate or are coming to appreciate craft beers and microbrews,” said Marcus Jackman, Indiana Public Radio general manager. "The beer tasting proved to be a successful way to bring people together for a very enjoyable afternoon."
Each beer was paired with organic, grass fed cheeses. Additional snacks were provided by Cassella’s Kitchen. Warbird’s Mustang Gold Ale paired with Swiss Connection Horseradish Cheddar cheese, and Swiss Connection Sage Kaese cheese complemented Three Floyd’s Alpha King.
The breweries donated items for a silent auction to benefit Indiana Public Radio. Bids were made on gift certificates, day trips to breweries and gift packages.
Microbrewery whips up
potions for special palates
By Amanda Getchel
Ball State Business Fellow
Mad Anthony’s co-founder Blaine Stuckey said he started the company after asking his partner, Todd Grantham, who was a home brewer and worked in the restaurant business already, if he wanted to own a craft brewery and brewpub with him.
Ten years have passed since that conversation, and Mad Anthony Brewing Co. celebrated its 10th anniversary in April 2008 with three Indiana locations – Fort Wayne, Auburn and Warsaw. Stuckey and Grantham are in the middle of opening a fourth location in Elkhart, IN.
The two began thinking of ideas about different business plans and locations, which changed about two dozen times, he said. They did market research by drinking different craft beers and looked into different ways to finance their business, Stuckey said.
“It was intense for a while,” he said. “It took three years before we officially opened. Of course, neither of us had owned our own business prior so it took some education.”
In 1998, Stuckey and Grantham opened Mad Anthony Brewing Co., in Fort Wayne, Ind. The location is the only production facility and has two breweries.
The first was a seven-barrel system, Stuckey said, which produced about 13 kegs every time it is used. The second was a 15-barrel system, which produced about 30 kegs every time it is used.
Stuckey said it took about two weeks to brew beer. About 432,000 pints of beer are produced a year, he said.
“In Fort Wayne we have a huge history in the brew tradition and with breweries,” Stuckey said. “Our town was big enough and had history for it. It was a great spot to open.”
The 40-some specialty and classic beers produced in Fort Wayne are then distributed to the other Mad Anthony locations in Auburn and Warsaw as well as more than 200 customers throughout Indiana, he said. The beer is sold to grocery stores, liquor stores, hotels and more, he said.
Stuckey said Mad Anthony self-distributes it products in its immediate area so it does not have to increase prices for its consumers; however, he said, from Muncie to southern Indiana another company distributes the beer.
The revenues that Mad Anthony generates each year are not known, but Stuckey said the beers are well liked.
In 1999, its Auburn Lager received second place in the All-American Beer Festival, which put Mad Anthony on the map, Stuckey said. In 2000, the same beer won third place at the international World Beer Cup. The company also enters the Indiana State Fair, where brewers throughout the nation come to compete. Last year, it won a Gold Award for its Ol’ Woody Pale Ale.
“We won an international award for the same beer within two years,” he said. “It was pretty spectacular and we were pretty pumped. It’s great to win those [awards], but we don’t wear those medals around our neck everyday.
“Honestly, you get more satisfaction out of your local community coming over to buy your beer at the brewpub or store. That’s where the satisfaction really is. It’s not in the awards. It’s in the local production and having it in your town again.”
April 6, 2008
