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Indiana beer-maker brews up national recognition

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A local brewery is gaining worldwide fame. Indianapolis-based Bier Brewery and Taproom is one of only two breweries in the world to receive two gold medal at the World Beer Cup. Co-owner Jerry Connor said it’s enough to put Bier Brewery on the map.

“I picture it zooming into the United States, zooms into Indiana, zooms into Indianapolis, and then zooms into Bier Brewery. Right down to where we are from a world recognition stand point,” Connor said.

After the World Beer Cup, Bier Brewery co-owner Jerry Conner’s mood is as bubbly as a fresh draft beer.

“The Great American Beer Fest is like the Super Bowl every year and then the World Beer Cup is like the Olympics of breweries,” Connor said.

He and his sons run the business, led by brewmaster Darren Connor. But even with two gold medals added to their wall of awards, it doesn’t feel like a cavalier crowd.

Ken Stroker, a Bier Brewery regular said it’s more like ‘Cheers’ in the taproom. Everybody knows everybody.

“It doesn’t surprise me that they’re winning,” Stroker said. “My favorite beer is the Weizengoot and when I walk in they’ll have one sitting on the front counter for me, by the time I get up there.”

The Weizengoot is good, but it’s the ESB, an English-style extra special bitter, and Sanitarium, a Belgian quadruple, that took home the awards.

Connor called Sanitarium “a sipping beer.” The brew is about 12.5 percent alcohol.

The business itself sits in a community of cooperating entrepreneurs called Sector 65, just off 65th Street and Binford Boulevard.

“I’d like to see them be here for the next 20 years and continue thriving as a business,” Stroker said.

The only other Indiana brewery to take home a gold medal was Three Floyds Brewing Company in Munster. More than 6,600 beers from 55 countries were entered into the competition for the World Beer Cup.