28 May Thicc Bois Glassware of Noblesville – “A Great Beer Deserves a Great Glass” Goes National
by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap
Drinking a beer is a sublime experience, one that invokes all the senses except maybe hearing (which is one explanation for the glass clinking during a toast – so we could add the fifth sense). Beer out of a can or bottle robs you of much of the visual aspect of beer, and most of the aroma. Therefore, glassware is an important part of craft beer.
In our continuing series on people who have carved out a special niche around craft beer, toady we talk to Logan Benson, founder and owner of Thicc Bois, an art glass cooperative specializing in beautiful and functional beer glasses. The company is based in Noblesville but uses the talents of glass artists from around the country. They have already made a name for themselves and sell their unique glasses nationwide, so it is a great feather in Indiana’s craft beer cap that they call Indiana home.
image credit: Thicc Bois
Just as making beer is equal parts science and art, so is making a great beer glass. You must consider the size, shape, thickness, material, and how all these things work together to show off the beer’s qualities, while at the same time invoking a sense of creativity and the artist’s and consumer’s personality. Thicc Bois has developed their techniques to heighten the special sense of drinking a beer and make a craft beer even more personal.
We talked to Logan a couple of days ago and were impressed with his enthusiasm and dedication to art and craft beer, but also with his love of beer itself. The idea that we would take his words and push them into an article format didn’t make sense, so we’re just going to give you the interview as it took place. Keep reading to learn more about the history of Thicc Bois and their close and growing identity as a major player in the US craft beer scene.
Indiana On Tap – When did you start Thicc Bois? How did it come about?
Logan Benson – My ex-business partner and I first met through the beer community. We noticed a lack of availability of heady glassware and when we could find unique glasses, they weren’t the most affordable. We wanted to make the glassware more accessible to everyone everywhere, so we came together to create Thicc Bois. We are proud to say Thicc Bois is part glass distributor, part artist collective. Thicc Bois came about during the pandemic last year when we both had the extra time on our hands. We knew people had been negatively affected by the pandemic and we just wanted to bring something new and positive to people. We started by just reaching out to different glassblowers on Instagram to build the team we have today.
IOT – Who are the people involved in Thicc Bois, what are their roles and what are their backgrounds?
image credit: Thicc Bois
LB – Shortly after founding Thicc Bois, my ex-business partner had to step down, so I am now the sole owner of Thicc Bois. I have started building relationships with our glassblowers and some breweries around the U.S. and continue to reach out to new breweries in order to build more partnerships. I have a background in social media marketing, so I take pride in designing the promotions, social media posts, and emails we send out to get more eyes on the product. I also have a close friend who assists in managing the day-to-day operations as well as vending responsibilities.
IOT – How do you come up with glass designs? Are they beer style driven or art driven? What technical aspects do you have to take into account?
LB – Each glassblower has free range when it comes to creative control and new styles. I always encourage them to push the envelope of what makes a beer glass and get creative with their styles. The glasses aren’t necessarily beer style driven and I personally drink any style of beer out of my collection. The only technical aspect they take into account is that the glass is aimed to be at least a pint, but other than that, they are free to create whatever style they want.
IOT – Are most of your designs made at the request for people or breweries, or are they made on speculation?
LB – Each glassblower has a number of designs in their wheelhouse they have spent time creating and perfecting that we present to the consumers and breweries. We are consistently adding new designs to the website for the ever-evolving market. There are times that consumers and breweries both will request a custom glass that we always do our best to accommodate to bring what people envisioned to life.
IOT – Did you make glasses first and then get into beer glasses, or did a love of beer precede the beer glass making? How did you get into craft beer, and what styles/breweries do you particularly like?
image credit: Thicc Bois
LB – I myself do not actually blow glass, but I have had several offers from members of the team to teach me the craft. Each of the glassblowers have a diverse background but they all have a love of beer that drove them to begin to make beer glasses. Personally, I had a love of craft beer and a small glass collection, which then led me to creating Thicc Bois to make these craft beer glasses more accessible as they started to gain popularity. For many years, I was mainly a double or triple dry hopped IPA guy, but much like many others, in recent years I find myself drawn to sours as well as the occasional BA stout. Choosing my favorite breweries is hard because there are so many out there putting out amazing beer, but a few of my favorites are Tripping Animals, Mortalis, and Wiley Roots. For anybody who has not had a chance to sample anything from these breweries, I would highly recommend giving them a try!
IOT – Tell me about the festivals at which you have participated with your glassware?
LB – So far, we have had the amazing opportunity to vend at the Tripping Animals Irie Jungle Beer Fest and the Oozlefinch Friends with Benefits Sourfest. We also had a pop-up event at Mortalis Brewing at one of their BA releases. We still have a number of events on the horizon in 2021, but we are always open and look forward to other events that we may come across.
IOT – Do most people use your products or are they scared they will break them? They are definitely pieces of art.
image credit: Thicc Bois
LB – Though we’ve heard from many people that with glassware from other artists they are afraid to use it to have a beer, but as our name implies, we pride ourselves on thick and durable glassware. We love seeing our glasses being used and always encourage people to share and tag us in their pictures and videos of the glasses in action! We do our best to repost as many as we can. We can be found across many social media channels at @ThiccBoisGlass.
IOT – Where do you see the business going in the next year or two? Do you want a brick & mortar store, would you like to expand into bourbon tumblers, shot glasses, wine carafes? You want to be national?
LB – Honestly, to answer your question, a little of column A and column B. A brick and mortar store is definitely something we’ve considered, however I’m not sure of the necessity with today’s online shopping climate. Expanding into other types of glasses is something that continues to be discussed and only time will tell where we go from here. As far as growing in range – we’re already national! We have worked with several different breweries across the country and have traveled to and vended at many different events across the states. Though our roots are in Indiana, we sell glasses nationwide and have big plans for the future of Thicc Bois. One of our goals of 2022 is to begin offering international shipping options.
IOT – What haven’t I asked you about that you would like people to know?
LB – All of our glassware is available on www.ThiccBoisGlass.com and follow us on Social Media @ThiccBoisGlass. We have one simple motto: Craft Beer deserves Craft Glass!
Look for Thicc Bois to make appearances at several Indiana craft beer festivals this summer and fall, including Tipton On Tap, Rushville Libations by the Levee, and the Way Out Beer Fest. Keep your eyes on their social media for additional chances to see their products and to meet Logan and check out their website (https://thiccboisglass.com/) to pick up a glass now.
No Comments