Dribs and Drams – State Fair edition

The Indiana State Fair starts Friday and runs through August 17th. Beer and wine will be available for the first time since the post-WWII crowd got unruly in 1946 at the first post-war fair. In the statehouse, bill number 1 in 1947 was to dry the Fair.

So what goes? The industry has some friends and with the help of Fair officials there WILL be beer and wine although it’s not going to be easy on the fairgoer – or very available. Here’s the rules:

Where? in the Grand Hall (across from the Coliseum).
When? 1-9pm with last call at 8pm.
Only Indiana Beer and Wine.
A booth in the xxxxxxxxx building will hold all the alcohol. No roaming the grounds.
Everyone heading for that booth will be carded and get a wrist band.
Three drink maximum (of 3 sets of samples). Basically 36 ounces of beer or 15 ounces of wine.
Price: $5 per 12-oz glass (or 5-oz wine) or 3 samples,
What beers will be available? 3 different breweries per day. Here’s a schedule.

Tom Wallbank unearthed this picture from the 1946 Indiana State Fair. The Fair went dry in 1947.

The Billboard Mar 22, 1947

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Hoosier ciders lovers rejoice: Oliver Winery has brought out BeanBlossom Hard Cider. From “gently pressed Midwestern apples”. That’s good, we’d hate to think apples were abused. Hey, there’s also a peach blend in the lineup. 25oz bottles. 9%ABV.

Mother Jones says Bud and Miller Are Trying to Hijack Craft Beer—and It’s Totally Backfiring but they are using the number of breweries as a basis for success.

Andrew Luck thinks Indiana beer is just fine. Especially Sun King and Flat 12. articleSixty monks at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, MA is making “certified” Trappist Beers. They hope it goes well so they can pay the health bills of their average 70-year old brothers. article