Tap Handle #752: Industry Brewing

June 18, 2020

Tap Handle #752: Industry Brewing

Tap size: 9"
Rarity: less than 10 seen
Mounting: internal 3/8" nut

Many thanks to Industry Brewing's VP, Christa, for selling a tap to me for entry into the museum. And this is one freaky tap! An arm holds up a small tray, and a skull sits on top of the tray. The name of the brewery runs along the arm in large, raised red letters. At the base, both front and back, is an area where a decal can be placed to indicate the name of the beer; the tap is used for all of the brewery's beers and the decal indicates the beer variety (I'll be profiling their No Call No Show APA, which has a label that goes well with the tap). The tap design very closely resembles the brewery's logo. Why did they choose such a strange and unique design? I have no idea, but if I find out later I will update this post. I've only seen one of these on the secondary market, where it was incorrectly identified as belonging to a different brewery.

Click through to read more about Industry Brewing and to see more photos of this imaginatively Gothic tap...

Industry Brewing was founded in Peoria, Illinois in 2017 by Travis Mohlenbrink. Graduating from the University of Illinois in Chicago with a degree in elementary education, Mohlenbrink had started working in the food business while he was still in school. He also taught in the culinary arts program at Illinois Central College. In 2005, Mohlenbrink opened his Cracked Pepper catering business. Due to high demand, he opened 2 Cracked Pepper Bakery & Café locations within 3 years. Then, over the next 7 years, Mohlenbrink continued to expand by opening 5 more restaurants. Mohlenbrink’s drive for excellence led to numerous awards for his restaurants, including the Peoria Journal Star’s Reader’s Choice Award, Peoria Riverfront Museum’s People’s Choice Award and a range of awards from the Heart of Illinois Hospitality Association. In 2017, Mohlenbrink decided to open his own brewery by purchasing the former Peoria Brewing Company.

The setting itself remained the same, with cement floors, high ceilings, wood planking on the walls, and a large number of tables. A thorough cleaning was followed by the addition of video games, darts, ping pong, and other forms of entertainment. Live music is featured on Saturday nights. An added focus on the quality of food and beer was a priority, so Mohlenbrink recruited a local homebrewer as head brewmaster. The new head brewmaster had been homebrewing for years, and had reached a cult-like status among the beer nerds of Peoria. With his extensive background in the food industry, Mohlenbrink's menu at Industry Brewing contains appetizers, pizza, soups and salads, sandwiches, burgers (including the highly regarded "Horse Shoe"), chicken strips, mac and cheese, wings, and desserts. Additionally, hot dogs and s'mores "kits" can be purchased for roasting in the brewery's outdoor fire pit. There is also a Sunday brunch menu featuring biscuits and gravy, french toast, chicken and waffles, burritos, breakfast pizza, and omelets. The brewery has 10 beers on tap, as well as a tangerine hard seltzer and a non-alcoholic house-brewed root beer. Industry Brewing offers crowlers to take home, which are filled on site in 100% recyclable cans.

No Call No Show is Industry Brewing's take on a New England American Pale Ale. Too many of this beer on a weekday night and you might not be showing up to work the next day. You can blame it all on the juicy hop aroma and flavor with the perfect touch of bitterness, or perhaps the hazy yet full body...