How Sun King Brewery’s Tom Brady Can Prank Went Viral

When a Brewery Employee Made an Unscheduled Statement

In May 2015, an employee at Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis took matters into their own hands and created one of the most memorable—and unintended—moments in craft brewery history. What started as routine canning operations became a cultural phenomenon when thousands of beer containers bearing an unauthorized message made their way into stores and coolers across the region. The incident revealed the power of local pride, the importance of workplace culture, and the unpredictable ways that humor can resonate with consumers.

Understanding Sun King Brewery’s Background

Sun King Brewery stands as a significant player in Indianapolis’s growing craft beer movement. Located in Indiana’s capital city, the brewery has built its reputation on producing quality beverages while maintaining strong ties to the local community. The establishment reflects the values of its ownership, particularly co-owner Clay Robinson, who has consistently expressed his commitment to promoting Indianapolis-made products and supporting the region’s economy.

The brewery is known for its creative approach to marketing and brand expression. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising methods, Sun King embraces a more personalized approach to connecting with its audience. This philosophy extends to its production practices, where the company incorporates unique messaging into its products. The brewery’s willingness to support local pride and regional identity has helped it develop a devoted customer base that views the company as more than just a beverage producer—it represents Indianapolis itself.

The Wee Mac Scottish Ale and Its Role in the Incident

The product at the center of this story is Sun King’s Wee Mac Scottish Ale, a brew that represents the brewery’s commitment to diverse flavor profiles and quality ingredients. This particular beer became the canvas for an unexpected expression of civic loyalty. The Wee Mac line, like other Sun King products, featured born-on dates stamped on the bottom of each can—a standard practice in the beer industry that provides consumers with freshness information.

Born-on dates serve a practical purpose for retailers and consumers alike, helping people make informed decisions about product quality and shelf life. However, Sun King transformed this functional requirement into an opportunity for creativity. The brewery had developed a reputation for adding unusual phrases, witty comments, and local references next to these dates, turning the bottom of beer cans into a canvas for humor and regional expression.

Meet Biscuit: The Architect of the Viral Moment

The individual responsible for the unexpected labeling remains known primarily by the nickname “Biscuit,” a moniker that has taken on legendary status in craft beer circles. Working at Sun King in a position that involved operating the canning date coder—the machinery responsible for stamping information onto can bottoms—Biscuit possessed both the access and the technical capability to implement this unauthorized expression.

What distinguished Biscuit’s action from standard workplace pranks was the combination of precision, scale, and comedic timing. The employee didn’t simply make a few joking comments; instead, they orchestrated the stamping of over 20,000 cans with a unified message. This wasn’t a spontaneous act but rather a deliberate, sustained action that required commitment and planning. The fact that Biscuit managed to execute this campaign without immediate detection speaks to either the brewery’s trust in its employees or the lack of monitoring systems in place during the canning process.

The Context: Deflategate and National Sports Drama

To fully appreciate the significance of Biscuit’s action, understanding the broader sports context becomes essential. The incident occurred during May 2015, a period when the National Football League and sports media were consumed by what became known as Deflategate—a controversy involving Tom Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback, and allegations of improper football inflation during playoff games.

Brady’s suspension following the investigation had just been handed down days before the unauthorized beer can labeling occurred. This timing was no coincidence. The controversy dominated sports conversations, generated heated debates among fans, and created a cultural moment when expressions of team loyalty and criticism of opposing quarterbacks felt particularly relevant. For Biscuit, an apparent Indianapolis Colts supporter, the moment represented a unique opportunity to channel local passion into a visible, permanent form.

The Colts-Patriots rivalry provided additional fuel for this expression. Indianapolis fans had experienced their share of disappointment against New England’s quarterback, and the Deflategate scandal offered a culturally sanctioned moment to express frustration with Brady and his team. Biscuit’s action, therefore, wasn’t simply random vandalism—it represented a thoughtful intersection of workplace access, sports passion, and comedic timing.

How the Message Made Its Way Into the Wild

The mechanics of how 20,000 cans reached consumers without immediate intervention remains somewhat mysterious. The sheer volume suggests that the stamping occurred across multiple runs or an extended period, or that Biscuit coordinated the action during a shift when supervision was minimal. The cans then progressed through Sun King’s normal distribution channels, eventually reaching retail locations, bars, restaurants, and consumers’ hands.

Most people who purchased these cans likely never noticed the message on the bottom. The born-on date location—the underside of cans—isn’t something consumers typically examine carefully. Many purchasers would have consumed their beverages without ever seeing Biscuit’s commentary. This explains why the incident didn’t immediately become public knowledge. Only when curious consumers, eagle-eyed retailers, or engaged social media users began examining their cans did the message become visible and spread.

The Brewery’s Response and Internal Dynamics

When Sun King’s management became aware of the unauthorized messaging, their reaction reflected a company comfortable with its employees and confident in its brand identity. Rather than pursuing punitive measures or attempting to suppress the story, the brewery acknowledged the situation with transparency and humor. Sun King’s official statement recognized the employee’s passion for the Indianapolis Colts while gently noting that the company hadn’t formally approved the message.

Clay Robinson’s personal response revealed the brewery’s workplace culture. His initial shock—”What the hell were you thinking?”—gave way to genuine appreciation for the audacity and humor of the action. Robinson acknowledged finding the situation funny, which speaks to a management philosophy that values employee autonomy and recognizes the occasional value of breaking the rules in service of a greater comedic or cultural moment.

This response contrasts sharply with how many corporations would handle such situations. Rather than treating the incident as a brand crisis requiring damage control, Sun King leaned into the narrative and allowed the story to develop naturally. This approach ultimately strengthened rather than damaged the brewery’s reputation, positioning the company as approachable, honest, and genuinely connected to its community.

The Broader Impact on Craft Beer Culture

Sun King’s approach to the incident influenced how other breweries and companies view employee expression and brand flexibility. The situation demonstrated that authenticity and humor could coexist with professional business operations. The viral nature of the story—spreading through social media, news outlets, and word-of-mouth—provided Sun King with marketing exposure that no traditional advertising campaign could have achieved.

The incident also highlighted the role of local sports rivalries in creating cultural moments. Biscuit’s message resonated with Indianapolis residents who felt a connection to their home team and a competitive spirit against other franchises. The beer cans became tangible representations of civic pride and sports passion, transforming a routine product into a collectible item with cultural significance.

What Became of the Cans

Most of the 20,000 affected cans were consumed and recycled without their recipients ever noticing the message. According to brewery leadership, this was the likely scenario for the majority of the production run. However, some cans undoubtedly reached collectors and enthusiasts who preserved them as novelty items or evidence of the incident. These surviving examples represent a unique snapshot of a moment when workplace expression intersected with sports culture and brand strategy.

Key Takeaways and Legacy

• The incident demonstrates how workplace culture influences employee behavior and company reputation
• Local pride and sports rivalry can create powerful moments of cultural expression
• Transparency and humor in responding to unexpected situations can strengthen brand loyalty
• The story illustrates the unpredictable ways that viral moments emerge in the digital age
• Sun King’s approach showed that companies can maintain professionalism while embracing employee autonomy

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