Monday, December 26, 2005

Militaristic microbrewing in Northern Indiana.


First there was Warbird Brewing Company (“Above and Beyond”) in Ft. Wayne, whose original claim to Indiana microbrewing fame was T-6 Red Ale in a can that features appropriate fighter plane graphics.

A second airplane-based microbrewery, Nine G (“Taking Craft Beer to New Heights”), recently began distributing its wares in Indianapolis, and plans to open a taproom in the brewery’s hometown of South Bend in the spring of 2006.

According to Nine G’s web site, its founders “share two passions: flying fighters and enjoying great beer.” The site includes a description of Nine G’s Infidel Imperial India Pale Ale that incorporates a poem about Osama bin Laden and American warriors.

Meanwhile, Warbird has introduced a second beer, P-47 Warbird Wheat, which is being billed as a German-style Hefe-Weizen.

The Curmudgeon hasn’t tasted these beers, and as a staunch supporter of Indiana brewing, I wouldn’t think of criticizing the military imagery ... by the way, has anyone seen that bottle of London Blitz Bock I’ve been saving for Thunder Over Louisville?

Wait!

Come to think of it, what a great idea … all those people, annual air show, marketing opportunities ... more on that later.

(See also this article about Warbird at Indiana Beer. Photo credits: Warbird and Nine G, respectively)

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