Hundreds attend Purdue tailgate on Monument Circle
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Hundreds of Purdue fans attended a tailgate on Monument Circle Friday afternoon to kick of the football team’s season opener against Louisville at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday.
The tailgate was free and started at noon and lasted until 2:30 p.m.
The team’s football players, pep band and cheerleaders were there as well as former Purdue athletes, Purdue President Mitch Daniels, football coach Jeff Brohm, and Athletics Director Mike Bobinksi.
The Boilermaker Special gave rides around downtown and food trucks will also be set up.
Beer was also available, including a new Boilermaker beer.
Purdue University partnered with former Purdue student Chris Johnson to create the Boiler Gold-American Ale.
The beer will initially be available at Ross-Ade Stadium and the 1869 Tap Room in the Memorial Union. It will eventually be sold at stores in Indiana and the Chicago-area.
“Boiler Gold ale is an expression of Boilermaker pride, and university proceeds from sales will support agricultural research, including in areas that support the state’s and nation’s growing craft beer industry through hops and fermentation sciences research,” Purdue President Mitch Daniels said in a press release.
According to the release, Purdue works with the Brewers of Indiana Guild and there is a Hops and Brewing Analysis Lab in the Department of Food Science that works with the agricultural and craft brew industry to test hops, malted grains and finished products.
The university plans to begin offering a minor in fermentation sciences in the fall of 2018, with the long-term goal of making it a major.