When the news broke recently that AB InBev and SABMiller, the two largest beer companies in the world, were exploring a potential merger, it didn’t do anything for me. No short bursts of feigned outrage, like when a small beloved brewery gets bought up by a giant, no wanking-motion-in-the-air at the hypocrisy of what may be a sound but odd business move (cough Lagunitas cough), nothing. Not a thing will change about the quality of any of their beers made and sold around the world. Unless we’re sitting in the new AB-InBev-SABMiller-Presented By Coca Cola boardroom, it probably will have zero actual effect on any of us.
If you’re on this site, you probably don’t really care either. You probably gave up on macro water beers a long time ago, accepting them only at sporting events or concerts (and even then, MAYBE). Maybe you keep some Bud Light around for friends who stick to the lighter side of life, or enjoy a PBR tallboy at your favorite dive bar, but that’s about it. You’re a craft beer fan, and you’re better off for it.
No, the news of that merger didn’t shock or upset me. In fact, it wreaks a little bit of fear to me. Craft beer is a growing business across the nation: production volume posted a 16 percent increase from January to the end of July 2015 compared to the same time frame last year. Macro is beginning to lose its footholds, slowly but surely. That’s worth celebrating, right?
It’s also worth celebrating the little guys, your neighborhood brewers and owners who are doing things the right way. Those whose goals aren’t dollar signs and domination, but instead making great beer for good people. People who slave over their craft to get recipes right, who dare to experiment, and who try to tell you a story with their beer.
It’s worth celebrating the places like Indianapolis’ Indiana City Brewing Co., who on Thursday finished up their first ever canning run of their three flagship beers, Yacht Rock wheat ale, Tribute pale ale, and Shadow Boxer oatmeal stout. Founder Ray Kamstra extended me an invite to observe the brewery’s monumental day of work, which I jumped at, stopping by the brewery both in the morning to see the process begin and again in the evening to see the finished products.
To this day Indiana City tries to live by that proclamation, supplying craft fans with a diverse list of beers in their taproom along with a series of experimental, delicious bombers (personal favorite: Hellcat Maggie, a barrel aged Irish red).
And now anywhere you can find their bombers, you’ll be able to find Indiana City cans.
After a few pints of Black Lantern black IPA, I brought home a fresh pack of Tribute to drink while thinking through writing this. Tribute comes in at a balanced 57 IBUs and 5..7%, making it a very drinkable pale ale. It opens up with a piney dank smell on the nose that lasts from first crack of the can to the final sip. There’s nothing groundbreaking about the hop flavor, which comes exclusively from Eureka hops and is heavy on pine needles and a little grapefruit. Tribute is definitely a beer that should be pleasing both to hop heads and fans of the opposite beer spectrum.
So keep an eye out for Indiana City cans at your local bottle shop, crack one open, and celebrate the little guy doing things right.
You can follow Adam on Twitter at @Adam_On_Tap
