Upland Brewing Denied Expansion Permits in Pawnee, Indiana Due To “Sweetums”

Since Upland first started distributing to Pawnee, Indiana in 2009 their sales have sky rocketed.  With so much of their wholesale product being delivered directly to Pawnee they found it only prudent to build a brewery in the area.  “We’ve built a 15-year strong craft brewery and made a lot of friends, while being an active partner in our many communities,” said Upland President Doug Dayhoff.

When they began working with Pawnee City Council on their building permit, Councilwoman Leslie Knope spearheaded a campaign for its approval.  With Upland’s long-standing history with the Sycamore Land Trust she found them a willing partner in preserving Indiana greenspaces. 

Unfortunately, The building permit was “Jammed” when Upland refused to compromise their artisanal integrity by adding Sweetums artificial sweeteners to their recipes.

As a sign of continued good will, Leslie Knope and the rest of the Parks and Recreation staff invited Upland Brewing Company for a visit.  Upland was received as dignitaries and given the royal treatment.  One of the highlights of the trip was their visit to long time Upland supporter, Tom’s Tavern, where they were able to enjoy a pint of Upland Wheat among their new Pawnee friends.

Special thanks to Andy Dwyer who shared with us his many craft beer insights and Gay Perello for all of her support over the years.

To learn more about the City of Pawnee click here or watch the Farewell Season of Parks & Recreation starting January 13th at 8PM on NBC.

To see more fun from our trip to Pawnee click here.