Three Floyds Brewing
Munster, IN
Start Date: 1996
Signature Metal Beer: Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout
The bands that will be performing at the upcoming Decibel Metal & Beer Fest on April 22-23 in Philadelphia are no doubt familiar to Decibel readers, but we wanted to shine a little light on the craft beer underground by spotlighting the breweries that will be pouring their beers at the festival. Next up we check in with Three Floyds head brewer, Chris Boggess.
Three Floyds is known for, among other things, its many collaborations with metal bands. How do those come about? Do you guys go to the band with an idea for a specific beer, or just the idea to work together on something?
The band collaborations started happening when we started booking metal bands for Dark Lord Day. I think Pelican approached us for our first collab. Since then we get word from the grapevine (50% of the time from Dave Witte) about bands that want to do a beer and we go after the bands we like best. Usually once we contact the band we will ask what kind of beers they like. Then we talk beer names and logos and release dates and go from there.
Some bands are more into the fact that they are getting a beer on the shelf and others get really stoked on the beer itself. The process is always fun which is why we do them! My favorite part is getting the band beers to venues during shows. We had a double whammy last year when Cannibal Corpse and Obituary played in Milwaukee and we had both beers at the bar.
Did Dark Lord Day, when you release your Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout, always include metal bands or did it grow into that?
No, it grew into a metal fest. Mostly spearheaded by our former VP Barnaby Struve and [co-owner] Nick Floyd, too, of course. The first few didn’t have bands at all. I think 2007 was the first year with bands. We had a more mixed lineup for a couple of years then went pure metal for several years until Big Freedia played two years ago.
What’s the most metal beer Three Floyds brews?
That’s a great question. Immediately I think of Pig Destroyer’s Permanent Funeral. It’s a massive double IPA that we make year round. Of course Dark Lord is extremely metal, too. We’ve made a couple of sour beers that are more Power Violence—Skull ’Ole and Icelandic Pants of the Dead. These were both intensely sour beers that people loved or hated.
How much more metal is Three Floyds now that Powermad guitarist Todd Haug is part of the team? It’s like Iron Maiden adding Janick Gers.
Haha! Addition by addition! Not only is he metal AF, he’s extremely talented. We are lucky to have him in the fold.
Anything you’d like to add, any upcoming projects?
We’ve got an Exodus beer in the works that I’m super stoked about. But most importantly, the pending opening of our distillery is by far the biggest project. It’s been a few years in the making and we are itching to fire up our stills.
To get tickets to the Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, go here.
