“An FBI story…Way back in the early 1990s, a small group of us pioneering homebrewers used to meet at the Broad Ripple Brewpub on Sundays when it was closed (back in those days no pubs were by law not open) to sample each others beers and discuss brewing. John Hill, the owner, was always there.
With little information and no internet, we were experimenting and learning together. The club was called Hoosiers Organized to Produce Suds (HOPS) then, and later changed to the Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI). I think it was John Hill who told us about a group back in England called the Royal Order of Foam Blowers. I took the Foam Blowers part and came up with a new name, created a logo, presented it to the group. (1998) Someone said We Tap Kegs, not Phones! … and it stuck.
It was an exciting time in brewing, and we knew it was going to change things, but I didn’t think any of us could have even begun to imagine the worldwide craft beer industry of today. What a ride it has been! 🙂
At our first meeting I meet Paul Edwards, Stu Pedasso (Tom Stilabower), Jim Kirk and others that became lifelong friends (even though my first homebrew was skunked and phenolic). Some of the people got their feelings hurt and they never came back to another meeting. Others embraced that feedback, appreciated it, and wanted to learn.”
