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Signature ingredient: A craft beer maker’s spent brewing grains are used in the production of I.P.A. Bites dog treats. In this case, I.P.A. doesn’t signify India pale ale. Purple Shamrock Farm owner Stephanie Strothmann said the name abbreviates “Incredible. Pupper. Appetizers.” No alcohol is present in the dog treats.
Source material: Strothmann made her first batch of I.P.A. Bites in 2017, the same year Seymour Brewing Co. debuted in her hometown. The beer company supplied its spent brewing grains—what’s left over in barley or oats after the grains are boiled—to Strothmann for a supplemental food source for chickens on her farm. When more spent grains arrived than she needed for the chickens, Strothmann devised a plan for dog treats.
Chickens came first: Purple Shamrock Farm has grown from being home to four egg-producing chickens to a place where 60 chickens roost. Strothmann also devotes part of the year to meat-producing breeds.
Complete recipe: Four ingredients are combined for I.P.A. Bites: spent brewing grains, eggs from the farm, peanut butter and flour.
Waste not: Strothmann emphasizes the upcycling aspect of making I.P.A. Bites from spent brewing grains. “It keeps it out of the landfill and turns into a great treat for dogs and also the chicken feed,” she said.
The process: Strothmann is the sole staff member behind I.P.A. Bites. Each treat is pressed by hand after being dehydrated for more than 10 hours and baked for 30 minutes. She said around 1,200 bags of treats will be sold this year.
Where to purchase: In Indianapolis, I.P.A. Bites are available in the gift shop of the Hampton Inn, 105 S. Meridian St. In addition to other Indiana shops, I.P.A. Bites can be purchased at ipabites.com.
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