Photography courtesy of Sudwerk Brewing Co.
Sudwerk label
The "Hindman Junction" Session IPL is the newest product of the Sudwerk Brewing Co.-PedNet partnership.
The latest concoction from Davis, California-based Sudwerk Brewing Co. is sure to catch every beer connoisseur’s eye, from the packaging (which includes a vibrant sunset overlooking cyclists’ favorite spots in Columbia, Missouri) to the unique blend of hops. But beyond the surface, the Hindman Junction Session IPL carries a story as interesting as its eclectic packaging and taste. The new brew will make its way to St. Louis through ShowMe Beverages beginning July 2.
The brew was created in collaboration with the PedNet Coalition, a Columbia-based nonprofit that advocates for safe walking, biking, and public transportation options across communities. Portions of sales will go directly to the “pedestrian and pedaling network.” While some may say the California brewery and transportation organization make a strange pairing, Jason Gregory, Missouri sales representative for Sudwerk, says the partnership makes perfect sense.
“Their mission is identical to what we do in Davis,” Gregory says. “Davis has been deemed ‘Bike City USA’ for the past 22 to 23 years, and the entire infrastructures are built around bike paths. It’s really an amazing place.”
Missouri also holds a special place in the heart of the brewing company: Seven of its owners are from the state, three are from the St.Louis area, and two are proud Mizzou alumni.
“Because of their belief in the power of the bicycle, they’ve been supporters of bicycling, trails, and safe routes,” says Lawrence Simonson, chief strategy officer of PedNet. “When we found out about each other, it was a natural connection, because of their support for biking and their connection to Missouri and Columbia.”
Throughout the three-year partnership, Sudwerk has handed out its brews along Columbia’s Katy Trail, which intersects with the MKT Trail at Hindman Junction, the new IPL’s landscape. When crafting the commemorative IPL, Sudwerk brewers knew they wanted the brew to be refreshing after a long bike ride.
Photography courtesy of Sudwerk Brewing Co.
Katy Trail beer
Cyclists can enjoy the refreshing new brew after a long ride along Columbia's Katy Trail.
“Citra, simcoe, and mosaic are really popular hops,” Gregory says. "That combination is going to be a nice, bright, citrusy, pine-y taste."
The ability to provide a refreshing finish without sacrificing flavor is attributed to the brewery’s use of lager yeast, a signature that Sudwerk prides itself on. "Since 1989, we did something that no other craft breweries have done: We used a lager yeast and all of our craft style beers,” Gregory says. “On the West Coast, all of these breweries are doing West Coast–style IPAs, and so our brewers decided at that time to do something that would set them apart and be different from what's out there.”
Given the uniqueness of the new brew, it’s only fitting that it be named after a dynamic individual. The intersection of the Katy Trail and MKT Trail was named after former Columbia mayor Darwin Hindman Jr., who was a champion of biking and hiking. In addition to advocating for the Katy and MKT trails, Hindman was among PedNet’s founders, serving in the Air Force, and was Columbia’s longest-serving mayor. With this year marking the one-year anniversary of Hindman’s death and the Katy Trail’s 30th anniversary, Sudwerk approached PedNet with the idea of a celebratory brew.
Photography courtesy of Sudwerk Brewing Co.
Beer
The new brew will make its way to the St. Louis area in early July.
“He was such a great man, and to know him was to love him,” Simonson says of Hindman. “He was so sweet and humble and kind. I’ve often said that he was Columbia’s Mr. Rogers, in the sense that he was so kind and giving. So the fact that we can do this one little thing to honor him in namesake is the least we can do.”
Hindman Junction will be available in 16-ounce cans at Beer Sauce Shop, Saint Louis Hop Shop, Craft Beer Cellar, Parker's Table, Randall's Wines & Spirits, Friar Tuck, Lukas Wine & Spirits, Schnucks, and Total Wine & More.
You will be able to find it on tap at Shamrocks Pub, iTap, Hwy 61 Roadhouse, Three Kings Public House, Crafty Chameleon, Barrels Taphouse and Grill, Llywelyn's Pub St. Charles, Hendricks BBQ, Prasino, Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar, Brick House Tavern + Tap, EdgeWild (Creve Coeur and Chesterfield locations), and 21st Street Brewers Bar. A rolling list of locations will be posted on pednet.org.
