Upland to distribute pre-prohibition classic

Bloomington’s most popular brewery will start serving Indiana’s most popular beer of all time.

Champagne Velvet, a now-defunct pre-Prohibition classic from Terre Haute, will be revived by Upland Brewing Co.

“We think the best way to celebrate the success that local breweries like us are having is by paying tribute to Indiana’s most successful local beer in history,” Upland President Doug Dayhoff said in a press release.

To celebrate their 15th anniversary, Upland bought the rights to the Champagne Velvet brand from a Terre Haute businessman and Champagne Velvet collector. Along with the rights, he gave Upland notes on Terre Haute Brewing Co. letterhead from 1901, one of the original recipes of Champagne Velvet.

“We’re making it as authentic as we can.,” said Charles Stanley, Upland’s strategic projects manager. “It was a German-inspired lager that did use flaked corn, and we will be doing that, as well. It’s really keeping with that drink local idea and paying homage to the most popular beer in Indiana history.”

But times have changed, Stanley said. New brewing techniques and equipment means the century-old recipe needs a 21st century update.

To do that, they’ll brew a few versions of the original recipe and bring in a taste test panel to pick the final brew.

“The variables will be yeast, amount of flaked corn used and the hop varieties,” Stanley said.

The German-inspired lager was first sold by the Terre Haute Brewing Co. in 1906.

In a time when shipping beer long distances was uncommon, Champagne Velvet quickly became an Indiana staple before prohibition laws took effect in the state in 1908.

The brewery was reopened in 1934 and within a year was producing 400,000 barrels annually. The Terre Haute Brewing Co. had the world’s largest bottling line at the time with twist-off caps and cap-sealed cans.

In 1957, the brewing company was sold to a regional conglomerate and lost local ownership. Soon after, the Champagne Velvet brand stopped production.

Champagne Velvet was last brewed Nov. 1, 1958.

The beer was a casualty of increased corporate ownership of beers. Mid-20th century consumers valued cheaply mass-produced American adjunct lagers like Budweiser and Coors. Though Champagne Velvet had similar style and taste, the pride in local breweries faded as national brands became more popular.

Today, craft breweries like Upland have put more focus on the “drink local” concept. Founded in 1997, Upland is now the second-largest brewery in the state.

Upland just completed a $3 million expansion that included a new brewery located on Bloomington’s west side. They now brew more than 18,000 barrels of beer at a time.

The brewery is inviting the public to help decide the direction for art on the new Champagne Velvet bottles and for the recipe selection. To be considered for the panel, go to idsn.ws/YRz9Zj and fill out Upland’s survey about bottle art.

Champagne Velvet will be available in Bloomington, Indianapolis and Terre Haute starting in April 2013, Stanley said.