Indiana Beer love

My problem with some Indiana beers is the price. New breweries try to price their beer above more established brands. So I go to the store and consider a new beer and I can try a new Founders release for $12.99 or an Indiana beer for $14.99 or in the case of 18th St. $16.99. I find myself going with the established brand at a lower cost with the confidence I'll get a good brew. I'm thinking these new Indiana breweries should price their beer under established brands so they can develop a brand of their own then increase price incrementally as they grow.

 

You could dedicate a thread to all the shit breweries popping up around northwest Indiana too. Bad homebrew swill. Just sayin.

 

There could be a thread specifically for NWI breweries. I have considered starting one. With fff and 18th Street, a lot of NWI breweries go unnoticed. Four Fathers, Burn'em, New Oberpfalz, and sometimes Crown does some great stuff.

 

Thought about it and my previous post is pure trolling and not in the spirit of what the OP had in mind. So beyond the obvious 3F love, props to 18th Street. For me there was a time when their stuff was rivaling 3F but they seem to have slipped back some since the expansion to Hammond. Still good to great but not quite where they were maybe 12-18 months ago. I've also had stuff I like from Burn 'em, Four Fathers and New Oberpfalz.

 

Beat me to it..

 

Great minds think alike.

And so do ours.

 

Well then I guess you should've specified "Southern Indiana Beer Love".

 

People's Brewing Company in Lafayette has a nice IPA called Mound Builder, and their seasonal IIPA, Space Cowboy, with galaxy hops is good on draft.

 

I learned way back in middle school that anything south of US 30 is Southern Indiana. I still believe that to be factual. But enough geography, let's advocate for Indiana brewers.

 

I couldn't agree more. The Tales From the Crypt situation is the definition of someone trying to generate hype based on price. Indiana city wants 50 bucks to just have the right to buy a few bombers? If you want one bomber of BA Double Uddercut you have to pay 50 bucks for a ticket plus 25 for a bomber. $75 to try a beer that has never been released from a brewery that doesn't have a long line of history in BA beers. Few places in the entire country could demand that price and get away with it. Indiana city isn't one of them, and not surprisingly they can't sell 140 tickets. Mimi's breakfast Stout costs more for a bomber than a four pack of Founders Breakfast Stout. It seems like they are trying to immediately price their way in to high end craft status. Don't get me wrong I'd love to support the local brewery but at these prices it's difficult to justify.

 

My thoughts exactly on Indiana City. I've only been there once and thought it was fine, but nothing special (Black Acre is much better, and just down the street). I enjoyed their taproom more than the beers themselves. (They weren't bad, just not really noteworthy).

They describe and label their oatmeal stout as "Indy's premier stout" (when did that vote take place lol)? Also, someone from the brewery started a thread in this forum about one of their special releases and urging people to get their tickets early because of how quickly they expected them to sell out. The responses from some Indy folks weren't very kind. I don't remember seeing them post in here again.

Ok, so on a positive Indiana beer note, I went to Daredevil Brewing for the first time yesterday. I've always enjoyed "Lift Off IPA" and "JWP Stout", but had just never been there. Fun visit. Had a nice flight of beers and a full pour of JWP. Also picked up a crowler of their DIPA, "Rip Cord", for the game tomorrow. Good stuff.

 

Wow hadn't heard the Indiana City story. That's absurd.

Sounds like they're just trying to take advantage of the craft beer craze and think people are suckers for anything that's limited release and barrel aged.

I'll continue to visit breweries like Indiana City and try their beer and enjoy the brewery experience but I'm also going to continue to scrutinize lndiana beer in stores until they get real with their prices.

 

Breweries with small followings are destined to fail at ticketed events. A few NWI breweries have tried this (Devil's Trumpet comes to mind) and I have fallen on their face. One must remember but even the first Dark Lord Day was not a ticketed event. And fff was the only show in town at that time. Now there are way too many shows competing for the same dollar without being very good.

 

I'm glad someone else brought up the Indiana City thing. I'd love to try those beers, and have even looked for someone to split the cost with, but I just can't justify a $50 ticket for beers when no one can even tell me if they're good or not.