Where to Drink in Indy - Hoosier Beer Geek's Guide to Broad Ripple, the North Side, and the East Side

In our third post of our "Where to Drink in Indianapolis" series, we focus on one of Indy's prime entertainment and cultural districts: Broad Ripple Village. We also highlight some drinking destinations on the city's north side and east side. Here's our list, sorted according to area.


South Broad Ripple/Meridian Kessler

Recess/Room Four
If you're looking for an amazing culinary experience to match your search for excellent beer, you should dine at Recess or its companion restaurant, Room Four. Chef/owner Greg Hardesty is a gastronomic superstar in Indianapolis, and the restaurants' contemporary American dishes are unparalleled in the city. The menus change daily. And the beer selections, though offered solely in bottles, are perfect for pairing with Hardesty's cuisine. Reservations are a must for Recess; if you want to walk in, try Room Four.
4907 N. College Ave.
317.925.7529
Website
HBG Visits:
Scenes From a Beer Dinner: Nøgne Ø at Recess

The Sinking Ship
Along with Recess/Room Four and the Upland Tasting Room, the Sinking Ship brought a welcome revitalization to the long-neglected intersection of 49th Street and College Avenue. The Ship has a punk vibe and a menu of hearty sandwiches and draft beers from regional and local brewers (though be prepared to have your beer served in a Mason jar). The Ship is a great place for hockey fans because NHL games are always on during the season. 21+ only.
4923 N. College Ave.
317.920.7999
Website

Twenty Tap/Underground
The sign outside Twenty Tap says "Craft. Beer. Bar." What more need we say? Well, this: Twenty Tap, owned by former Broad Ripple Brewpub brewmaster Kevin Matalucci, is one of your best bets for getting a taste of the best beer Indiana has to offer, especially considering that the pub boasts 38 taps. It's also worth noting that Twenty Tap offers half-pours of any of their beer selections, allowing patrons to moderate their sampling. Chef Rob Coates keeps a menu of expected bar food favorites interesting and upsale yet remarkably affordable. The vegan (yes, vegan) bahn mi sandwich is a Hoosier Beer Geek favorite. And to top everything off, Twenty Tap now offers their own house brews under the Underground label.
5408 N. College Ave.
317.602.8840
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #139 - 31 Flavors
KOTBR #134 - Zombies on Twenty Taps

Upland Tasting Room
Bloomington-based Upland Brewing Company opened up their Indianapolis outpost, the Tasting Room, in 2009. The brewery's concept for the space is pretty simple. They serve beer, but they're not a bar. They serve food, but they're not a restaurant. The best way to describe the Tasting Room is that it's like a coffee shop, but with the emphasis on beer instead of coffee. Stop in and you'll be able to grab a beer and relax in a funky chair, or just walk in with a growler and head home to enjoy some fresh Upland beer there. We recommend the Teddy Bear Kisses Imperial Stout or a bottle of one of Upland's acclaimed lambics (if available).
4842 N. College Ave.
317.602.3931
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #124 - In Tribute
Upland Tasting Room Now Open!
Upland Coming Soon to Indianapolis

Broad Ripple

Binkley's Kitchen & Bar
Binkley's is a neighborhood favorite with Broad Ripple and Meridian Kessler residents. The restaurant offers classic American fare and has a great line-up of local and regional beers on tap, including unique offerings from a nitro line.
5902 N. College Ave.
317.722.8888
Website
HBG Visits:
Sierra Nevada Brewmaster Meet and Greet - Binkley's

Broad Ripple Brewpub
English expatriate John Hill opened the Broad Ripple Brewpub in 1990 in an effort to bring an authentic English pub experience to Indianapolis. He did more than that, kick-starting Indiana's craft beer revolution and creating an Indiana craft beer monument. English-style ales and an extensive menu help complete the effort. Order whatever is on the hand-pull. We especially like the Monon Porter.
842 E. 65th St.
317.ALE.BREW (253.2739)
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #94 | 2001: A Stout Odyssey
The 2009 Knights of the Beer Roundtable Beer of the Year - Broad Ripple Brewpub's Monon Porter
KOTBR #64 - Forgotten Landmarks
Indiana Beer Week Bar Hop - Day One - Operation Chaos
KOTBR #11 - Broad Ripple Brewpub's Wee Alec Heavy

Brugge Brasserie
Look below and you'll see a long list of posts we've written about Brugge Brasserie. There's a good reason for this: Brugge is an Indianapolis treasure. Nestled next to the Monon Trail, Brugge is unique among Indiana's brewpubs because it's the only brewery in the state to focus on Belgian-style beers and food. Ask your server if there are any sour beers on tap, such as Brugge's famous Pooka and Harvey sour ales, and be sure to order the frites (fries), which are among Indianapolis' best. You also can't go wrong with a glass of Brugge's famous Tripel de Ripple, but be advised: there's a two-beer limit due to the potency of this beer.
1011 E. Westfield Blvd.
317.255.0978
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #147 - At the End of the World, A Beer Named after a Cat Named "Good Dog"
KOTBR #124 - In Tribute
KOTBR #120 - Two Places, One Beer - Dogfish Head/Three Floyds Poppaskull
Beer Diary #17 - Jim | The Power of Names
KOTBR #104: Brugge Spider
Beer Diary #18 - Lose Ends Edition
KOTBR #90: Medal Winners
Beer Diary #15 - Mike - Vacations
The First Annual Hoosier Beer Geek Craft Beer Breakfast
Beer Diary #10 - Mike
KOTBR #51: The Hoosier Beer Geek Second Anniversary Party
Indiana Beer Week Bar Hop - Day One - Operation Chaos
KOTBR #48 - Dude, Where's Chris's Car?
Six Pack Interview with Brugge's Charlie Midgley
The Complete Works (so far) of Ted Miller (abridged)
KOTBR #34 - Two at Brugge Brasserie - Thunder Monkey and Impérial
Beer Diary - Mike
The Hoosier Beer Geek 6 Pack - Ted Miller, Brewer/Owner of Brugge Brasserie and Brugge Beer
Beer Diary - Jim | South Florida Edition
KOTBR #14 - Brugge Quadripple
KOTBR #5 - Brugge's The Black

Chumley's Pub
Chumley's is more or less a college bar, attracting much of its clientele from nearby Butler University (home to Indy's beloved Butler Bulldogs). But unlike many college bars with their sole focus on macrobrews, Chumley's has an extensive tap list that always has something to suit any beer geek's tastes. The bar also sells beer by the pitcher and has several nitro lines that pour more than the usual nitro offerings. 21+ only.
838 Broad Ripple Ave.
317.466.1555
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #55 - Beer and Progress with the Urbanophile

Corner Wine Bar
If you're looking for a restaurant that is perfect for date night and that has a well-curated wine and beer list, visit the Corner Wine Bar. Along with a menu of Continental-inspired dishes, the CWB has a cozy English-style pub with a small but nice selection of draft beers. Stop by on Wednesdays, when pints are $3.00.
6331 Guilford Ave.
317.255.5159
Website
HBG Visits:
Beer Diary #8 - Jim | Then and Now

Monon Food Company
Offering a selection of 60 beers (mostly bottled), the Monon Food Company is a great place to dine in a family-friendly and casual atmosphere. During the summer, the restaurant's deck is a great place for people watching due to the restaurant's close proximity to the Monon Trail. When it comes to the food, we recommend the Ultimate Mac and Cheese.
6420 Cornell Ave.
317.722.0176
Website

Northside Social
Managing to be upscale and casual at the same time, Northside Social carries a sophisticated air with its contemporary furnishings, well-dressed patrons, and attentive servers. Sink into a cushy chair in the lounge area, grab a table, or snag a spot at the bar and you'll have a good draft list at your disposal.
6525 N. College Ave.
(317) 253-0111
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #112 - Flashback at the Northside Social

Sahm's Place
For a few years now, Sahm's Place at 65th and Keystone has carried an excellent range of craft beers on tap and in bottles, including beers from locals Bier, Sun King, Fountain Square, Daredevil, Triton, and Flat12. Sahm's also has beers dinners twice a month and hosts a Tuesday night trivia event weekly that features a craft beer sponsor.
2411 E. 65th St.
317.202.1577
Website

Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company
Scott Wise's Scotty's Brewhouse restaurants are well-known in central Indiana, especially in the area's college towns. To refer to Wise as possessing a restaurant empire would be no exaggeration. But Wise is an emperor of the best kind: a benevolent one who always wants to ensure a fun, good-quality dining experience. In 2011, Wise added a brewpub to his stable of restaurants with Thr3e Wise Men. With its blond wood paneling and airy space, the restaurant kind of looks like a ski lodge inside. But pizza and beer are the house specialties. Hop-heads should go for a Golden Zoe IPA, which is lovingly crafted by head brewer Omar Castrellon.
1021 Broad Ripple Ave.
317.255.5151
Website
HBG Visits:
3WM HBG Double Brown Tapping
KOTBR #132 - Thr3e Wise Men Golden Zoe IPA, Neil Patrick Harris Style
Opening Today: Thr3e Wise Men

Triton Tap
Triton Tap is the Broad Ripple outpost of east side brewery Triton Brewing Company. The Tap offers all of Triton's house and seasonal brews. Grab a pint, a six-pack, or a growler to go. For more information on Triton Brewing, check out our guide for the east side of the city below.
915 Broad Ripple Avenue
317.500.5074
Website

Union Jack Pub
There was a time when hardcore soccer fans in this town had no place to go if they wanted to watch a match from across the pond. Around the time of the 2006 World Cup, Indy's barkeepers began to catch on to the fact that yes, rabid fans of the Beautiful Game make Indianapolis their home. The Union Jack Pub is one of Indianapolis' soccer-centric bars, offering Saturday and Sunday breakfasts to accompany the English Premier League matches they show. The pub has a pretty extensive draft and bottle list with some British, regional, and local offerings.
924 Broad Ripple Ave.
317.257.4343
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #75 - Secret Meeting of the (Expanded) Knights of the Beer Roundtable

North Side

Ale Emporium
Billing itself as "The Home of Honest Pizza," Ale Emporium has a respectable selection of craft taps and bottles from local, national, and foreign breweries. You won't find many off-the-beaten-path beers here, but you'll definitely find something to suit your palate. If you find yourself on the north side of town, Ale Emporium is worth checking out.
8617 Allisonville Rd.
317.842.1333
Website

Barley Island Brewing Company
Noblesville's Barley Island has been putting out award-winning beers for over a decade. Their brown ale, dubbed Dirty Helen, is particularly delicious, as are their barrel-aged offerings such as Beastie Barrel Porter and Beastie Barrel Stout. We also think that the brewery's Barfly IPA is one of the most under-appreciated beers coming out of Indiana.
639 Conner St.
Noblesville, Indiana 46060
317.770.5280
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #90 - Medal Winners
KOTBR #16 - Barley Island's Bourbon Barrel Beers

Chatham Tap Fishers
Like soccer? We do. Chatham Tap is the default choice for fans wishing to catch English Premier League action. The pub's tap list follows suit, with the standard English selections as well as local taps and a nice bottle list. And if you happen to follow the U.S. National Team, the Chatham Tap is where you want to be on match day because the local American Outlaws chapter takes over the bar with their bawdy chants and infectious enthusiasm.
8211 E. 116th St.
Fishers, Indiana 46038
317.845.1090
Website

The Pint Room
140 taps. Tasty gastropub fare. Carmel's Pint Room opened in 2014 and has impressed patrons with its nearly endless selection of beers, which always includes plenty of Indiana-brewed beers. The staff does a fantastic job of rotating selections and providing an excellent lineup of out-of-state craft brews as well. So grab a flight of samplers and taste away.
110 W. Main St.
Carmel, Indiana 46032
317.571.8400
Website

Ram Restaurant & Brewery Fishers
Ram is part of a chain, but don't count that against them. They have good food and locally-crafted beers with fantastic brewers. We recommend that you grab a pint of Ram brewmaster Andrew Castner’s special or seasonal brews, especially if any of his barrel-aged brews are on draft.
12750 Parkside Drive
Fishers, Indiana 46038
317.596.0079
Website

Rock Bottom College Park
Unfortunately, chain brewpubs sometimes get a bad rap. People automatically assume that if it's corporate, it's not worth having. Definitely not so with Rock Bottom. While some of Rock Bottom's beers are the same no matter which Rock Bottom you visit, each pub's brewer is given the freedom to brew several other beers according to the brewer's own recipes. Rock Bottom's north side location offers several gems from brewer extraordinaire Liz Laughlin. We recommend ordering whatever's on cask.
2801 Lake Circle Dr.
317.471.8840
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #107 - Re-dedication at Rock Bottom College Park

Union Brewing Company
This small brewery in an inconspicuous Carmel strip mall might not look like much from the outside. But once you venture inside past the brewhouse and into the rustic bar area, you know you've arrived at one of the north side's havens for craft beer drinkers. Specializing in cask ales, Union usually has at least three of their house beers on along with several cask offerings from other brewers. If it's on tap, we recommend a pour of Union's Miami Weisse Berliner Weisse.
622 S. Rangeline Rd., Ste. Q
Carmel, Indiana 46032
317.546.4466
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #149 - North of the Rodney Zone at Union Brewing Company

Upland Carmel Tap House
In 2013, Upland opened its Carmel Tap House, where it offers its flagship and seasonal brews and an extensive menu of delicious pub-style dishes.
820 E. 116th St.
Carmel, Indiana 46032
317.564.3400
Website

East Side

Bier Brewery and Taproom
Bier Brewery and Taproom's Darren Connor began his brewing career at homebrewing supply store Great Fermentations, perfecting the homebrewing craft that he learned in college. In late 2010, he opened Bier just a few doors down from Great Fermentations. Because Bier's batches are small, the brewery rotates styles quite frequently and offers only growlers for sale. But that's not a bad thing; variety, as they say, is the spice of life. We're quite fond of Bier's DFG IPA, so grab a growler if it's on. 21+ only.
5133 E. 65th St.
317.253.BIER (2437)
Website

Black Acre Brewing Company
What happens when a group of law students decides to forgo law practice and start a brewery? Black Acre Brewing Company happens. The brewery, which takes its name from the hypothetical tract of land discussed in property law classrooms throughout the country, brews small batches on a three barrel electric system. As you might expect from a group of lawyers, Black Acre is attentive to detail, producing high-quality, innovative beers. Among them are the brewery's house IPA, Saucy Intruder Rye IPA, and the Green Tea Pale Ale. Black Acre sits in an impressive space on Washington Street in Indy's charming Irvington neighborhood and offers a small menu of artisanal sandwiches and sides along with their beers. Sunday brunch is also offered. 21+ only.
5632 E. Washington St.
317.207.6266
Website
HBG Visits:
KOTBR #151 - Comedy Night at Black Acre Brewing Company
KOTBR #150 - Celebrating a Century-and-a-Half of Roundtables at Black Acre Brewing, Irvington
KOTBR #141 - Knights in Irvington

Triton Brewing Company
Triton Brewing Company opened in 2011 out at Fort Benjamin Harrison in a marvelously refurbished building that was long-used as a horse barn. At Triton's helm are Jon Lang, former head brewer at Barley Island Brewing Company; Mike DeWeese, a longtime veteran of Indianapolis' craft beer scene; and David Waldman. Triton's name--borrowed from the name of  Greek sea god Poseidon's son--stems from the brewery's emphasis on water quality. Indeed, Triton uses a reverse osmosis filtration system to ensure the highest quality water for its beers. Pints and growlers are available at the brewery, along with local and regional beers from the brewery's guest taps. Drinkers won't be disappointed by Triton's Rail Splitter IPA or Deadeye Stout.
Fort Benjamin Harrison
5764 Wheeler Rd.
317.735.2706
Website

Previously in our "Where to Drink in Indy" series:

Where to Drink in Indy - Hoosier Beer Geek's Guide to Mass Ave, the Near East Side, and the Near North Side
Where to Drink in Indy - Hoosier Beer Geek's Guide to Fountain Square

Indiana's New Brewery Jungle: Checking In On Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company

Back in late July we tried to get you up to speed on the new craft breweries that are soon to call the great Indianapolis area home. Since that time there have been even more new brewery annoucements - 10 total at last count. We stopped in at perhaps one of the most prominent - Scotty Wise's Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company - to see how the space is coming together.

The building's outside shell remains the same, but the plans below give a better idea of what's to come.
The restaurant/dining space proposal calls for a patio to extend from the north side of the entrance, wrapping around the Broad Ripple Avenue end (and giving a clear view of Monon trail traffic and the scenic McDonald's building across the street).

A grain silo will sit adjacent the brewery entrance. The silo will sit on a scale, allowing brewery staff to keep close track of materials.

A panorama of the under contruction space from the front door (click image to enlarge). One thing worth mentioning here is that the space will hold both a restaurant and brewery, and is split in order to function as both. The brewery space will only occupy the western half of the building.

The former Sunflower Market walk-in produce cooler will now hold the brewery's brite tanks.

This space (located in the building's northwest corner) will house the brewhouse portion (the mash tun and kettle in this diagram) of the brewery's equipment. The building's north side windows will be extended east to reveal the brewhouse to Broad Ripple Avenue traffic.

These two rooms - built on the west wall of the space - will house the mill room and water treatment sections of the brewery. The brewery plans to utilize an reverse osmosis water treatment system in addition to city and softened water.

The brewery will start with four fermentation tanks, but has plenty of room to expand with demand.
Thr3e Wise Men head brewer Omar Castrellon repeatedly mentioned his pleasure at the way things were coming together, being sure to mention that the crew of riggers and fitters helping put things together have done an excellent job. Omar would not speculate on when he thought things would be ready, though Thr3e Wise Men owner Scott Wise said he was hoping for a January 1st opening for the space in a recent email.

Coming Soon to Broad Ripple: Another Hoosier Brewery

As the home of Broad Ripple Brewpub, Brugge Brasserie, and Barley Island Broad Ripple, Broad Ripple has become Indiana craft beer headquarters. As further proof to that claim, You'll soon be able to add the Scotty Wise/Mike DeWeese/Jon Lang/David Waldman brewery project to that list.

With the help of this article from IBJ.com and the details DeWeese has dropped here at HBG (here and here), we can now lay out the basics. The brewery is a joint effort between Wise (owner of the Scotty's Brewhouse chain of restaurants), and a group calling themselves Beer Baron LLC, featuring DeWeese (former owner of the previous incarnation of the downtown BW3's/Badaboomz/J. Gumbo's), Jon Lang (former head brewery at Barley Island/GABF Gold Medal Winner), and David Waldman.


In a recent conversation with Wise we were able to discover the location for the brewery - 1021 Broad Ripple Avenue, in the space that previously housed the Broad Ripple location of Sunflower Market. Conveniently located at the crossroads of the Monon Trail and Broad Ripple Avenue, the location's ample parking, extensive floorspace, and already built-in wall coolers seem like a promising start.


The brewery's bones come from a previous Indiana brewery effort - the group only had to go as far as Fort Wayne to acquire equipment for the recently closed Warbird Brewing Company. No mention has been made of the brewery's plans to bottle or can their offerings.


What remains to be seen is how the group plan to manage their brewing efforts - Wise expects the brewery to produce four or five styles for his restaurants (under the Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co. label) in addition to the beers being produced for the Beer Baron LLC Group. Wise admitted that it's a question that has yet to be answered.

The combined experience of the group should be its strong suit. Wise's business acumen combined with DeWeese's extensive beer background and Lang's award winning brewing experience make sense on paper. "This is a new thing for me," said Wise. "We're still figuring it out."

Scenes from a Tapping: Barley Island Grand Opening and 10th Anniversary Celebrations

Where: Barley Island Restaurant and Brewhouse (701 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis, IN) and Barley Island Brewpub (639 Conner St., Noblesville, IN)

Oak Barrel-Aged Barfly IPA (foreground) and Dirty "Old" Helen.

Who: Barley Island Brewing Company



Why: A simultaneous celebration of 10 years at the Barley Island Brewpub in Noblesville and the Grand Opening of the Barley Island Restaurant and Brewhouse in Broad Ripple!



What: The event was marked with a tapping party featuring the seasonal release of Black Majik Java Stout and Beastie Barrel Stout, as well as special tappings of Oak Barrel-Aged Barfly IPA and the brewery's 10th Anniversary beer, Dirty "Old" Helen Sour Ale (a Flanders Brown).



When: The offical celebration lasts from December 4th to the 7th. The beers were tapped December 4th and will be available while they last (the seasonals should be available for some time, while the special beers are advertised as "limited quanity").

Babies are welcome at Barley Island Restaurant and

Brewhouse......welcome to sleep right through special tappings.

Also Worth Noting: New Albanian Brewing Company will be the feature guest beer at Barley Island in December starting next week. There will be 4 NABC beers on draft starting next week including 15-B Porter, Beak's Best American Bitter, Elector Imperial Red and a special keg of Hoptimus Imperial IPA!! There will be a special tapping of the Hoptimus next Wednesday (12/09) evening with some of the NABC crew present for the festivities. This will be the only keg of Hoptimus tapped north of New Albany this year, so make sure to be there for the big event!!

Elector might be on tap already.

UPDATE - Upland Tasting Room now open!

Back in September we reported that Upland was opening a tasting room in Broad Ripple. We're now happy to report that the tasting room at 49th and College has officially opened as of 2:00 pm on Monday, November 9th.

Super-cool growler fillers.

Hours:

Monday - Thursday from 2 - 10 pm,
Friday - Saturday 12 - 10 pm., and
Sunday 12 - 8 pm

On Tap: Preservation Pilsner, Wheat, Helios Pale Ale,
Dragonfly IPA, Rad Red Amber Ale, and Rauchbier.

Right now, pints can only be purchased on Sundays and Mondays but growlers are available everyday except Sunday. Growlers are $12 new or $8 for a refill.

You won't find their newest release, Teddy Bear Kisses, in the tasting room just yet, but the Russian Imperial Stout will be there soon. We'll keep you posted.

Good Times at Barley Island Broad Ripple

As anyone who frequents Broad Ripple knows, Barley Island has been working on the space at the corner of College and Broad Ripple Avenue for a little while now. Last evening we got a sneak preview of the space.


For those who've visited Barley Island's original location in Noblesville, the Broad Ripple space is a much more polished BI. A deep blue room with dark wood trim and paneling, a nicely laid out and long bar, BI bottle artwork displayed on canvases on the walls, and a brick fireplace in the middle of it all immediately make this one of Broad Ripple Avenue's more dressed up locations.


The menu consists of standard but well thought out pub fare - appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and wraps, with enough vegetarian options to appease those who don't eat meat. The beer menu starts with Barley Island's regulars - Sheet Metal Blonde, Flat Top Wheat Ale, Blind Tiger Pale Ale, BarFly IPA, Dirty Helen Brown Ale, and Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout - but with potential for 24 total taps, you can be sure that more Indiana beer is coming.


The space will be non-smoking, and with five televisions laid out throughout the room, will make for a great place to catch a game. The bar area is nicely laid out, with a pint-holding wooden rail around the floor, perfect for those who chose to stand around and have a conversation.


We can't help but be excited by the possibilities, and what Barley Island can add to the Broad Ripple craft beer scene. "Hopefully, with Brugge and Broad Ripple Brewpub on one end, and Barley Island on this end, we can get some of the other bars on the street to put more of a focus on craft beer. Sure, a few of them have it already, but we'd really love to see more focus" said World Class Beverage's Matt Clapesattle.


We couldn't agree more - in a perfect world, Barley Island can serve as an anchor to a whole community of bars serving craft beer, with a vast array of different breweries and styles on tap. It has to start somewhere.

Barley Island Broad Ripple opens to the public at 11AM this Thursday, November 5th.