'Best beer I've ever had in my life': Upland Brewing Co. gifts lifetime supply to Cignetti after CFP shoutout

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After delivering a national championship to Indiana, Curt Cignetti won’t have to pay for his own beer ever again.

Upland Brewing Company said the next one is on them. And the next one. And the one after that. In fact, the Bloomington brewery is gifting the coach beer for life to thank him for raising its national profile.

Cignetti referenced Upland and its beer during IU’s national championship run.

“Coach Cignetti’s national shoutout was more than we could have dreamed of and it means a lot to us that he chose to support a local, independent brewery on that stage,” said Samantha Marr, VP of sales and marketing for the brewery. “To say thank you, we’re giving Coach Cig free Upland beer for life. It feels like the right way to celebrate a coach who has energized IU Football and brought so much pride back to Bloomington and the state of Indiana. Go IU!”

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti smiles after their win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Let’s just say Cig is a fan.

After Indiana defeated Miami 27-21 to win the school’s first-ever national championship in football, an ESPN reporter asked Cignetti how he was going to celebrate.

“I’m going to have a beer,” the coach quipped.

He made a similar comment two weeks earlier after the Hoosiers beat No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl, telling a reporter he wasn’t quite ready to watch film ahead of the championship game.

“I’m not thinking about the next game,” Cignetti said after Indiana’s dominating 56-22 win over the Ducks. “I’m thinking about cracking open a beer.”

Clearly, the coach likes to enjoy a cold one when the Hoosiers win a big game. He conceded he limited himself to a single celebratory beer.

“At my age, you drink two, you fall asleep,” he said after the Peach Bowl.

Cignetti revealed his brew of choice was “Hoosier Beer.”

He was referring to Upland’s Hoosier Gameday Lager, which launched in 2023. The can features the distinctive candy stripes made iconic by IU basketball’s warmup pants. The collaboration marked the first-ever Indiana University Athletics branded beer. Upland said a portion of the sales go to support IU student scholarships.

Image via Upland Brewing Company

After IU’s monumental win over Miami, Cignetti faced the media to discuss the championship and what it meant for him and the university. One of the questions involved his celebratory beer of choice.

His answer included a shoutout to Upland.

“Hoosier Beer from Upland Brewery, okay, a big brewery in Bloomington. Throw a little bouquet out to them,” Cignetti said. “It was the best beer I’ve ever had in my life and made me want to have another.”

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during the champions news conference after their win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

The brewery said Cignetti and his staff have celebrated wins with Hoosier Gameday Lager at home and on the road. The tradition started after the brewery heard Cignetti enjoyed a beer after a win and delivered some to him and his staff.

His shoutout further helped raise its profile.

“Social media has been a huge part of this season for us,” said Isaiah Cox, marketing manager for Upland. “Seeing students, alumni, and IU fans across the country celebrate wins with Hoosier Gameday Lager made the beer feel like part of the culture around the team. When Coach Cig mentioned it on the national stage, we couldn’t believe it!”

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