TERRE HAUTE —
Jugs full of recipes for potential Champagne Velvet styles sat on a table inside The Copper Bar on Thursday evening, and beer enthusiasts were welcomed to a sampling by the brand’s owner and developer, Upland Brewing Co.
Copper Bar owner Rob Lundstrom pointed to an old Champagne Velvet sign displayed in his bar, noting its history dating back to the original brew.
“We had it on tap,” he said, recalling his own dismay when the local brand was discontinued.
But with the Bloomington-based Upland Brewing Co. having secured the rights to resurrect it, Lundstrom said he looks forward to once again serving a historic beer in a historic bar.
“We’re really excited about them taking an interest in it,” he said amid a rush for samples. “We know they’ll do it right.”
Doug Dayhoff, president of Upland Brewing Co., said the return of Champagne Velvet is being coordinated alongside his own company’s 15th anniversary. A full 150 years of Indiana brewing heritage is involved, and Dayhoff said his team takes the history seriously.
“Here, try some,” he said, offering samples of each of five different batches of potential Champagne Velvet.
Dayhoff’s “Brew Crew” has been experimenting with the recipe for some time, and brought their options to Terre Haute for taste trials by locals. From The Copper Bar to Speak Easy, Friday’s, Mogger’s and Sonka’s, the group wanted Champagne Velvet’s hometown to have a crack at determining its flavor. Each of the variations include “heritage German yeast,” and different combinations of malt-to-corn ratios and hopping techniques.
Champagne Velvet was the flagship brand of the Terre Haute Brewing Co. from the early 20th century through the 1950s, brought to America from Germany by brewer Anton Mayer.
Matt Wisley, assistant brewer of Upland Brewing Co., said Mayer was from southwestern Germany, and as part of the team’s research, they have included the “Tettnang Hops,” which originated there. Inspired by the old notes of brewing assistant Walter Braun, circa 1901, the group has managed to stay true to the style that might have bubbled up from its creators.
“It’s a pre-Prohibition pilsner,” Wisley said, explaining that it is slightly bitter with a taste of corn, robust and light in color. These recipes are what American beer would taste like today had Prohibition not radically changed the industry, leaving it open to what would eventually become known as macro-brews, he said.
Dayhoff said the flavor of American beer has been “ratcheted down” since the 1940s and 1950s as brewing companies became larger and sought to appeal to universal tastes.
But that’s just not how beer is everywhere, he remarked. European brewing is still a local and regional process, with unique flavors and styles throughout the continent. America too once had a wide diversity of beers as immigrants moved westward, changing their recipes along the way. And with the return of Champagne Velvet, Dayhoff said he hopes to bring some of that heritage back to life.
In addition to its restaurant and brewery in Bloomington, Upland Brewing Co. distributes product throughout Indiana, into Louisville, Ky., Cincinnati, Ohio, and southern Wisconsin.
The samples offered Thursday evening included “Batch 1” and its Czech Pilsner strain of yeast, a 60-40 barley-to-corn ratio and a late boil addition of Mt. Hood Hops. “Batch 4” featured a Bohemian Lager strain of yeast, an 80-20 barley-to-corn ratio, and First Wort Hopping with Tettnang.
“So we took a little liberty with the recipe,” Wisley said, pointing out the original notes found referenced a 60-40 ratio of barley to corn.
Dayhoff said the group will continue soliciting feedback on the styles before hosting another tasting event at the brewery in Bloomington Sunday. Passing out T-shirts inside The Copper Bar that evening, he said the company hopes to have a commercial launch ready by April.
Terre Haute businessman Mike Rowe was among the tasters with a savor for the history. As owner of the Terre Haute Brewing Co. beginning in 1999, he secured the naming rights to Champagne Velvet from Pabst and made the product locally for about six years before ultimately selling it to Upland Brewing Co.
“Oh, I’m enjoying this a lot. They’re doing a great job,” he said, samples in hand.
Rowe donated old brewing records to the process in an effort to help Dayhoff’s team stay true to the history. Upland Brewing Co., he said, is among the larger producers in Indiana and has a great shot at resurrecting the brand.
“And they care about the history and the legacy,” he said.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
News
Related Photos
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Support staff: Matt Wisely is the assistant brewer for Upland Brewery, Joe Boers is the purchasing manager and Adam Covey is in charge of quality control. They are pictured in Moggers Thursday night on their pub crawl, offering taste tests of the re-introduced Champagne Velvet brand.
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis The district: Mike Rowe talks with Upland Brewery's Doug Dayhoff outside Moggers Restaurant and Pub Thursday night. Dayhoff's Upland Brewery in Bloomington is reintroducing the Champagne Velvet brand with five variations.
Discussion
Champagne taste comes home again
Upland Brewery stages Champagne Velvet beer sampling
- News
-
-
Relic from another age: Massive find
A mastodon that lived in the Wabash Valley thousands of years ago is making big news today.
-
Game Over: Financial tightening causes VCSC to drop St. Patrick’s from athletic schedule
St. Patrick’s School athletic teams will not have an opportunity to compete against their Vigo County School Corp. middle school counterparts next year.
-
Katelyn Newell finally at home
After nearly five months, 8-year-old Katelyn Newell finally returned home Thursday evening — with a new heart.
-
Indiana State U. Police officer honored with Artz Award
Thursday was a special day for Indiana State University Police Officer Christopher Heleine in multiple ways.
-
City Council considering three for consultant
Three different tax professionals vied Thursday for a chance to become a “financial consultant” to the Terre Haute City Council.
-
Clay County sheriff warns of bank card scam
The Clay County Sheriff’s Department has received information regarding a scam targeting residents, according to a news release from the sheriff’s department.
-
State Police seek help with Sullivan County homicide
Indiana State Police detectives from the Putnamville Post are seeking help from the public with the nearly six-month investigation into the death of 85-year-old Lowell R. Badger, a rural Sullivan County farmer.
-
Man who attacked Vigo deputy arrested
A Terre Haute man accused of attacking a Vigo County sheriff’s deputy earlier this week is facing felony charges in the Vigo County jail.
-
INDOT to bid final 641 phase
The final construction phase of the 641 bypass is scheduled to let for bids on Dec. 11, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.
-
District office moves north
The Southwest District office of the Purdue Extension service has been moved north from Vincennes to Terre Haute.
-
Day is done…
The sun sets Thursday evening as seen from south of Terre Haute.
-
Banks of the Wabash Festival is more than just yearly entertainment
Pioneers think counterintuitively. Where others see widespread apathy, they focus on the possibility for progress. In a way, the 2013 Year of the River celebration began in the 1970s.
-
Planning session aims to better Terre Haute
It’s not yet clear what will come of it, but dozens of community leaders spent the whole day Wednesday trying to develop a plan – or collection of plans – to make Terre Haute “a better community.”
-
Education funding boost won’t benefit all schools
In the budget bill passed by the General Assembly last month, there is more money allocated for K-12 education over the next two years, but that doesn’t mean every school will get more dollars.
- Day of Action job options open
-
Park Board renames land around Memorial Stadium
Land surrounding Indiana State University’s Memorial Stadium on Terre Haute’s east side has been designated as Veterans Memorial Park, following a unanimous vote Wednesday from the Terre Haute Park Board.
-
Deputy suffers minor injury during incident
A Vigo County Sheriff’s deputy received a minor injury to his hand Tuesday night while subduing a drunken driving suspect who fled behind a North Terre Haute business.
-
Man accused of child neglect gets new trial date
An Oct. 15 trial date has been set for a Terre Haute man arrested in November for child neglect after he and his wife allegedly tied up and confined their adopted children in the family home.
-
Police find meth labs, arrest Pierson Township man
Police uncovered two active methamphetamine labs in southeastern Vigo County on Monday, leading to the arrest of a Pierson Township man.
-
New date set for attempted murder trial
A new trial date has been set for a Terre Haute woman charged with attempted murder.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
- More News Headlines
-
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned
Officials: Truck Hit Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers
Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
Boy Scouts Decision "First Step" Say Activists
Obama Defends Drone Strikes, With Limits
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Two Suspects in Murder Known to London Police
Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death
Boy Scouts Mom Supports Gay Inclusiveness
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo
Obama Renews Call to Close Gitmo
SeaWorld: Penguins Are Coolest Thing in Florida
Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Trout's cycle a boost for Angels
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece
NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery
Shakira's Shocking Talent
Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape
Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public
Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls
Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
