A wrap-up of the second annual Indiana Craft Brewers Conference and 2016 Brewers of Indiana Guild board elections

Event offers educational and networking opportunities in Fort Wayne

Brewers of Indiana Guild held our second annual Indiana Craft Brewers Conference this weekend in Fort Wayne.

Rita Kohn, author, Indiana beer expert, and conference panelist, offers cheers to John Hill, founder of Broad Ripple Brewpub, Indiana's oldest continuously operating brewery.

Rita Kohn, author, Indiana beer expert, and conference panelist, offers cheers to John Hill, founder of Broad Ripple Brewpub, Indiana’s oldest continuously operating brewery.

Brewing professionals kick off the weekend at Mad Anthony Brewing Company.

Brewing professionals kick off the weekend at Mad Anthony Brewing Company.

More than 250 brewers and industry professionals attended the event, which kicked off on Friday night with a mixer at Mad Anthony Brewing Company and concluded with the Guild’s annual meeting and board elections on Sunday.

Dick Cantwell of Brewers Association speaks about quality in craft beer.

Dick Cantwell of Brewers Association speaks about quality in craft beer.

On Saturday, brewery owners and staff attended educational sessions focusing on business operations and technical brewing with speakers such as Dick Cantwell, Quality Ambassador for the national Brewers Association, who spoke about the importance of principle and innovation in producing quality beer.

The event, held at Hotel Fort Wayne, also featured a trade show with nearly two dozen exhibitors representing a range of products and services including solar power, draught systems, ingredients, insurance, and packaging.

“The conference is an exclusive opportunity for our member breweries to connect with each other and world-class industry professionals in a unique setting while learning a lot and having fun, too,” said Rob Caputo, Executive Director for Brewers of Indiana Guild. “This annual event is a key element of driving the quality and variety of locally brewed beer forward in Indiana.”

Brewery owners and staff attend the annual meeting and elections.

Brewery owners and staff attend the annual meeting and elections.

On Sunday, the Guild held its annual meeting and board elections. Shane Pearson (Owner, Daredevil Brewing Co) returns to the board of directors, while Kaitlyn Hendricks (Quality Control/Public Relations, Three Floyds Brewing Company), Brian Nentrup (President, Hoosier Brewing Company), Will Moorman (Assistant Brewer, Tow Yard Brewing Company), and David Yancey (Head Brewer, Taxman Brewing Company) join the board. Roger Baylor (New Albanian Brewing Company) and Jeff Mease (Bloomington Brewing Company) stepped down from their positions on the board. Roger served on the board for seven years as a self-described agitator and guinea pig for future legislative fixes. Jeff was instrumental in establishing the Indiana Craft Brewers Conference and the Bicentenni-Ale program. We thank them for their dedicated service to the Guild and Indiana’s breweries.

The next Brewers of Indiana Guild event is the 6th Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Historic Woolery Mill in Bloomington, Indiana. Along with Winterfest and Indiana Microbrewers Festival, the Bloomington beer fest is one of the only events in the state that directly benefits Indiana’s brewing community.

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Indiana Brewers Guild