Metromix 2010 Local Brewing Guide: New and Proposed Breweries in the Indy area

Hoosier Beer Geek worked with Metromix to create their 2010 Local Brewing Guide. It was published in the November 18th issue and we are republishing the articles we wrote. Enjoy!

NOW OPEN:
Bier Brewery & Taproom
5133 East 65th St., Indianapolis
Website: www.BierBrewery.com

Bier Brewery owner and brewer Darren Connor was most recently working at Great Fermentations, a homebrewing supply store. His new brewery will produce small batches and sell them in-house only. They hope to have six to eight beers available at a time with a focus on seasonal beers. According to their website, they hope to open by Thanksgiving.


Flat 12 Bierwerks
414 N. Dorman St., Indianapolis
Website: www.Flat12.me
Ph: 317-635-2337

Another production brewery is opening up in downtown Indianapolis, this time in the Cottage Home neighborhood. Rob Caputo, director of brewing, is teaming up with Steve Hershberger and Sean O’Conner. They have already been spreading the word about their operations through social media and their “Hopstar” fan program. Their goal is to have beer available yet this year.


Scotty’s Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company
1021 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis
Website: www.Thr3eWiseMen.com

Owner Scotty Wise (of the local Scotty’s Brewhouse chain) has hired Omar Castrellon (formerly of Alcatraz Brewing Company) as head brewer. The brewery is currently under construction in Broad Ripple and will have a tasting room as part of their operations. The Scotty’s Brewhouse and Lakehouse restaurants will have the beers on tap as well. They are hoping for a January opening.


Triton Brewing Company
Fort Benjamin Harrison, Lawerence
Website: www.TritonBrewing.com

Head brewer Jon Lang was most recently at Barley Island Brewing Company but has partnered with Michael DeWeese and David Waldman on this new production brewery. They hope to have their beers available in kegs and bottles in January with their tasting room opening soon after.

Black Swan Brewpub
2067 E. Hadley Rd., Plainfield
Website: www.BlackSwanBrewpub.com

The Black Swan Brewpub is open as a restaurant and bar, serving 15 different beers on draft from Indiana breweries. Owner and brewer D.J. McCallister has worked previously at Oaken Barrel and Lafayette Brewing Company. They hope to open their brewery in 2011.


Three Pints Brewpub
5020 Cambridge Way, Plainfield
Website: www.ThreePintsBrewpub.com
ph: 317-839-1000

Tom Hynes has been homebrewing for twenty years and hopes to make his professional brewing debut in January. The restaurant is now open and will start off serving Indiana craft beer until their brewing operations are on line.


Brownfield Brewing Company
Fountain Square neighborhood, Indianapolis
Website: www.BrownfieldBrewing.com

Kenny Allen, formerly from Delaware’s Old Dominion Brewing Company, is working with Ken Warren and Arifah Aronson to open a brewery that is sustainable and organic. A location and opening date have not been announced.


Blue Republic Brewing Company
Shelby County
Website: www.Facebook.com/BlueRepublic

Award-winning homebrewer Bill Ballinger is looking to go pro with a new production brewery. A location and opening date have not been announced.

KOTBR #116 - Hop Kizzle, fo shizzle

Black Swan Brewpub
2067 E. Hadley Road
Plainfield, IN  46168
facebook / @BlackSwanBP on twitter

This recently opened pub in Plainfield brings Westside residents a fine selection of local craft beer.  Their website boasts "16 taps and no crap", a sentiment we can wholly support.  DJ and crew are currently prepping their space so they can start brewing early 2011, but for now their taps house 15 local beers and 1 delicious cider from Minneapolis.  They also have a wide selection of meads from Indiana's own New Day Meadery.  Not only is the selection varied, but they offer half pours, allowing patrons to explore a variety of local beer.

To wash down that fine selection of beer is an equally fine food menu.  Chef Nick Carter has some exciting things on the menu like Pan Fried Chicken, Brewpub stuffed peppers, and frites with a variety of tosses and dips (Bacon Aioli!).

Saturday, December 4th will be Black Swan's official Grand Opening celebration.  They will be tapping Three Floyds Alpha Klaus and Poppaskull around 5pm.

By the way, did I mention we put the hip in HopKilla?

People's Hopkilla (Beastie Boys - She's Crafty)

Well we heard about a beer - it's dark, but not brown
The knights said they have seen it in town
I thought they were right but "Where?", I wanna know
The Black Swan was where we needed to go
The beer from People's, we were quick to choose
The waiter said "you want food with your booze?"
The next think he said, "Half or Full pour?"
I couldn't wait to give it a score
Pine and citrus nose with a light colored head
A couple of these and it would be time for bed
Looking at the glass it looked to have nice lace
But the best part about it, of course was the taste
I should've have another, man I'll always regret it
If they make more, I'll be first in line to get it
This beer was awesome - crazy yum
It's just too bad this beer is done.

Hopkilla - it does astound
Hopkilla - it was in town
Hopkilla - I've got no gripe
Hopkilla - and it's just my type
Hopkilla

I used to spend my dollars on cigarettes
I got pleasure from the feeling I would get
Now I had forgotten why I thought it was worthwhile
But the beer reminded me, and it made me smile
What would make it do that, I'm afraid I don't know
I would ask for another but I should say, "No!"
I'll ask the next time we are at the brewery
Last time we talked other stuff that was newsworthy
I said, "I've got a score that is good tonight."
And Mike calculated the rest from the Knights
A rather high score for you to behold
4.38 mugs from what I'm told
The beer is tasty - I can see why it moves
Obviously, I'm not the only one who approves
I'm glad it was on when we were there that night
It was delicious, filled me with delight
Each drink of beer cannot come too soon
I wish they could make this into a perfume
You may see this beer in a bar not a store
This Double IPA is one you'll want to ask for
We were lucky to find it on the draft board
This Imperial brew left me feeling floored
Sorry this review was late, that it was postponed
The beer was good, turned our brains to foam.

4.85 Mugs





(Cop Killa by Ice-T)
By J-Sun with some help by Ice-T

I got my brain on crass.
Tonight'll be my night.
I got this tall-assed glass.
And your head looks just right.
The first taste is sweet fruity,
Which is followed by piney,
The last taste is bitter bitey,
With a dry mouthfeel all nighty!

Drinkin’ Hopkilla, better me than you.
Hopkilla, time to give People’s their due!
Hopkilla, you know that Black Swan is servin’,
(join 'em!)
Hopkilla, tonight we all be drinkin’, ha ha.

4.5 Mugs

I don't care much for hip-hop, so I will give my Hopkilla writeup in the musical styling of what I have to hear most these days, and that is Dora the Explorer, and her friend.....the map.

I'm Hopkilla, I'm hopkilla, I'm hopkilla, I'm hopkilla, I'M HOPKILLA!!!!

What a great beer from People's brewing in Lafayette. This was about as easy drinking an smooth a beer as I could have asked for. I didn't know much about the beer, but when I was told it was a double IPA my first thought was "bullshit Walter." I don't care what style they call it it is a damn good beer.

4.5 Mugs

before Four Loko

(From Tone Loc - Funky Cold Medina)

Cold coolin at a bar, and I’m looking for some action

But like Mike Jagger said, stouts won’t give you satisfaction

The girls are all around, but none of them drinkin’ Mickey’s

Malt liquor’s fresh and I’m buyin’ peche, yo, what’s up with H-o-p?

The girls is all drinkin’ at the other end of the bar

Havin’ drinks with some no-name chump, when they know that I’m the star

So I got up and strolled over with my Bourbon County Vanilla

I asked the guy, “Why you so fly?” He said, Peoples’ Hop Killa

Peoples’ Hop Killa

This brother told me a secret on how to get more chicks

Put a Hop Killa in your glass, and the girls’ll come real quick

It’s better than any imperial stout aged in Jack

A couple sips of this hop potion, and she’ll be on the hop track

So I gave some to my friends when they came for dinner

Between the caramel balance and the grapefruit hops, they said they loved the bitter

They used to joke and tease me, about how I drank stouts like Godzilla

But how I’m hooked on the hops all thanks to the Peoples’ Hop Killa

You know what I’m sayin?

I’ve given up all other beers, I don’t need no more

I got Spuds McKenzie

Alex from Stroh’s

They just want a taste of that Hop Killa, pal

4.1 Mugs

 

after Four Loko

Scores:

Mike: 4.44 Mugs | Jason: 4.5 Mugs | Jess: 3.89 Mugs | Rod: 4.1 Mugs | Gina: 4.85 Mugs | Matt: 4.5 Mugs

Overall: 4.38 Mugs

***Note: We hear that Hop Killa is on at the Tomlinson Tap Room***

The Hoosier Beer Geek Six Pack: D.J. McCallister, Black Swan Brewpub, Plainfield, IN

Indiana's brewery and brewpub renaissance is spreading to areas wider than just Indianapolis - Plainfield is next in line with not just one, but two brewpubs opening soon. Today we'll focus on Black Swan Brewpub and head brewer D.J. McCallister.


1. Who are you and what do you do?

Black Swan Brewpub is located in Plainfield, IN and owned by D.J. and Erin McCallister. D.J. is a native of Beech Grove and has been associated with the Indiana brewing community since 1996. Erin is a journalist and works for BioCentury Publications Inc., a California-based BioTech/Pharma publication. Black Swan Brewpub will be a restaurant and brewery, with growler sales but no further outside distribution. We will have about 110 seats between family dining and the bar, with an additional 50 to 60 seats on our patio. We will also add room for interactive Brew Master Dinners as part of the brewery construction.

2. What inspired you to start brewing? How did you get your start?

I studied physics at Wabash College, but at the end of the day, I knew I was not interested in it as a career path. Instead, I realized the enormous amount of time I was spending thinking, reading, and living beer. Whether it was beer history, style exploration, home brewing, or learning about water chemistry, I couldn't get enough of it. It was about that point that I decided I wanted to transition from being a home brewer to being a professional brewer.

The following summer, Brooke Belli from Oaken Barrel allowed me to come in occasionally to clean kegs, scrub floors, and take out grain. I loved it! The street credit I gained through that experience, along with some good timing, parlayed into an apprenticeship under Greg Emig at Lafayette Brewing Co. I stayed with LBC until May 1999 when I decided I needed to take on some other challenges, and put myself in a position to open my own brewpub some day. Greg and Brooke taught me nearly everything I needed to know about commercial brewing, and it was an honor to serve under two of the founding fathers of the Indiana brewing industry.

3. What is the philosophy of the brewing operations/restaurant operations at Black Swan Brewpub?

Our overarching philosophy has four pillars: Simplicity, Freshness, Craftsmanship, and Customer Service. Our goal is to make these four things play off of one another in a way that creates a rare, unique experience for our customers or a “Black Swan” per se.

From day one of this project we have been committed to keeping the menu clear, concise, and appetizing. You will not come in BSBP and be inundated with a 10 page menu. For us, that is too much to process. While we may not have 100 items on the menu, the 20 (or so) things that we do have will be high quality, well made items.

We have a commitment to using local farmers and suppliers whenever we can. Tapping into the resources around us gives us a fresher product with a distinct line of sight to the people who grew, packaged, and sold it to us. Those things translate into a better product for our customer.

Whether we are talking about our brewery or our kitchen, artisanal excellence is imperative. Our award winning chef, Nick Carter loves what he does, as do I, and we are wholly committed to using our resources to put out food and beer that screams of hand-made goodness. For us to create meals and beers that our guests would probably not make at home will set us apart.

But at the end of the day we know our fate lies in customer service. Warm, hospitable, family-friendly service is what all of the guests should expect at BSBP.

4. What styles do you plan on brewing for the brewpub? Seasonals?

We are putting in an 8bbl custom brewery, and expect it to be operational and licensed by early next year. The real question is, what style of beer won't we brew? We have a 16 tap draft system in place as well as two hand pulls for cask conditioned beer and we are going to have a great time filling those taps with exciting beers. Right now we are expecting our line up to be categorized into three basic groups: standard, heavy, and seasonal.

Our standards will sit on 4-7 taps and rotate with familiar craft beer styles: IPA, Cream Stout, Brown Ale, ESB, Porter, and Hefewiezen to name a few. Our heavy's will take 2-5 taps and highlight beers with higher gravities, ridiculous hop contents, and bold flavors. Seasonal beers as well as one-off creations will occupy any remaining taps we have. With these beers we are going to have a lot of fun. You should expect to see lagers, several different Belgian styles, a few sour beers, and any experimental beers we are trying out. Of course, I can't forget our truly seasonal beers for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Our cask conditioned beers will be no holds barred.

Admittedly it will take time to fill all of the tanks and taps filled, but we are going to get there and have a great time doing it!

5. Plainfield is going from having zero brewpubs to two brewpubs instantly. How do you feel about that?

For the residents and travelers around west and southwest Indianapolis I think it is a great thing! For too long, new brewpubs have been drawn to other pockets of the Indianapolis area. It's high time the drought ended on this side of town, and it's only appropriate that the people get what they want, better beer and more of it.

From a business perspective, I do not give it much thought at all. Every day I wake up and execute my plan to the best of my ability, and that is my sole focus. With that perspective, the number of brewpubs around me is irrelevant. We have neither a rivalry nor a friendly competition with Three Pints Brewpub, but I'm certain we could share a mutual laugh at the timing of our projects. Who would have guessed it would work out like it has?

Overall, I genuinely feel that having more breweries in Indiana is a good thing for everyone.

6. Any insights on the menu yet? When is the projected open date?

Our award-winning chef, Nick Carter, has brought to the table a combination of creativity, pragmatism, and flat-out deliciousness. You can see it all at www.blackswanbrewpub.com. His goal is to match the level of creativity and craftmanship found in Indiana brewing right now – producing high quality, interesting food with a local and seasonal flavor.

For appetizers, we offer Brewpub Stuffed Peppers, which are peppadew peppers stuffed with chorizo and served with goat cheese fondue. We will also offer frites with a variety of flavorful tosses and aioli dips sure to please any palate.

Nick won 2nd place this summer at the State Fair in the Shoup Family Farms Backyard BBQ Cookoff for our “Hoosier” sandwich. This is a great sandwich, with sliced pork, tomato onion chutney, Capriole Farms goat cheese and mixed greens. Our reuben features house made corned beef. If you haven't had freshly corned beef, you are in for a treat.

Our entrees feature Indiana farm raised pork, lamb, and chicken. Some of the highlights are the Braised Lamb Shank, Brewpub Porterhouse (this is a 14 oz. Porterhouse style pork chop - a great piece of meat!), Pan Fried Chicken with mac & goat cheese, and an incredible meatloaf with chili pale ale sauce. We are proud to partner with out hardworking Indiana farmers from Fischer Farms and Viking Lamb to provide an excellent dining experience for you.

For dessert? Fresh baked warm cookies and milk: God Bless America!

Anything else about the company or yourself you'd like to add?

Look for Black Swan Brewpub to open in early October with a line-up of about 15 or 16 great Indiana beers. Nick and I are always here, so feel free to say 'hi' if you catch us walking through the dining room. Like any new business we appreciate your support and we can't wait to get our own beers on line and get your feedback. For more information on what's going on at Black Swan Brewpub, go to www.blackswanbrewpub.com, search Black Swan Brewpub on Facebook, or find us on Twitter @BlackswanBP.