Indigo Imp Brewery changes packaging

by Lucys Xig lucysxig

Indigo Imp Brewery changes packaging

It’s not just the way that Indigo Imp owner Matt Chappel crafts ale that is unique. The downtown Cleveland brewer is one of only a handful of brewers in the state now packaging ales with a special, eco-friendly plastic holder. Chappel is shifting from using four- and six-bottle cardboard boxes to new recyclable plastic ring holders designed for 12-ounce bottles. This allows two things:

First, no more box assembly for Chappel and his wife, Kathy, who work together at the brewery nestled within the Tyler Village area of Superior Avenue. And – unlike the old plastic six-pack holders so prevalent in the 1970s, and which often seemed to find their way into creeks and onto roadsides - the new holders are reusable. Bottles can be slipped back in to be carried – say, full to a party or empty to a recycling bin.

The brewer says the eco-friendly handle, made by Eugene, Ore.-based PakTech, weighs at least seven times less than its original paperboard six-pack carrier. Less shipping weight helps in reducing fuel consumption.

Amie Thomas, marketing manager for PakTech, says her company has two other brewery clients in Ohio. Both use the ring holders for cans; Indigo Imp, she believes, is the only one using the bottle holders. They already are on some store shelves in Northeast Ohio.

“The bottle carrier is a newer product for us,” she said. “They are one of the few breweries [in the country] using the carrier for bottles. We’re seeing a lot of craft brewers use the rings for cans because cans are becoming more socially acceptable [in the craft-beer community].”

She said her company has been adding brewery clients on a regular basis because the product is “cost efficient for small brewers.”Chappel said he is considering offering a small token of appreciation such as a T-shirt for people who bring back stacks of the holders. But he said he wants to make sure they can handle repeated use before offering that.

Chappel seems to enjoy unique touches on his product. Indigo Imp uses open fermentation to make their ales. This yields a distinctive taste, similar to many of the styles made in old farmhouses of Belgium. He also dips one bottle per pack in wax, which drips partway down the bottle before drying. It’s more for dramatic effect than anything else.

“We were looking for something different,” he said recently in his brewery. “We thought of foil, at first,” but that had been used by many brewers. Then, at a home-brew store, he saw some wax beads. After “we had our own fun brainstorm,” the melted wax tops were created. You'll see them in a variety of colors.

"The hand-dipped bottle in every six pack is always the same for each style," Chappel said. "Blonde Bombshell [American blonde ale] is always blue, Jester [pale ale] is red, Gatekeeper [porter] is gold. ... With all the seasonals and special-release beers we have produced, we have resorted to blending our own colors to keep each new style unique."

Amy Anderson learned to cross-stitch in fourth grade. She later graduated from Carroll College with two degrees, but her life ended too soon at age 26. Amy had a life-long physical disability that prevented her from finishing the cross-stitch quilt pieces she started as a 4-H project. So her school secretary finished the cross-stitch pieces, and the secretary’s mom sewed the blocks together and hand-stitched the entire quilt before returning it to Amy’s family. The quilt became a family heirloom.

Last weekend the treasured quilt hung as testimony of love during the Mission Mountain Quilt Guild show, boasting a first-place People’s Choice ribbon for hand-quilted entries.Ribbons were awarded in 15 categories, including a fan favorite. The menagerie of colorful quilts enticed visitors to stroll slowly down hallways of fabric, peer closely at meticulous detailing and step back to grasp the overall beauty.

Jeriko Sias and her grandmother, Ann Sias, came to view the quilts together. Ann taught Jeriko to quilt while she was young. Jeriko also beads and sews powwow dance outfits, but mostly, “I’ve made lots of quilts,” Jeriko said. One of her first quilts was a family tree, and she designed her own star quilt with John Deere camouflage in yellow and green while a student at Two Eagle River.To raise money for the Quilt Guild, members worked together to create a scalloped-edged floral quilt, and sold raffle tickets for a buck a piece at the three-day show, held in conjunction with the Lake County Fair.

On the Mission Mountain Quilt Guild page, the organization describes themselves as “a group of friendly, fun individuals who like to quilt, share ideas and tips on quilting and related items.” They meet at 7 p.m., the first Tuesday of the month, at the Terrace Lake Community Church in Ronan. Guests are always welcome.

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