Bloomington Brewing Company

Bloomington Brewing CompanyBloomington Brewing Company
Bloomington Brewing CompanyBloomington Brewing Company
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

1795 E. 10th St.
Bloomington, Indiana, 47408-3975
United States

(812) 339-2256 | map
bloomingtonbrew.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.87
Beers:
41
Ratings:
467
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.08
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
48
pDev:
14.46%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by delyea:
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Rated by delyea from Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

Dec 28, 2013
More User Ratings:
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Reviewed by BigGold from Mississippi

4.58/5  rDev +12.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.25
Located in an unpreposessing storefront basically in the middle of the IU campus, I drove by Lennie’s/Bllomington Brewing nearly 3 years without ever stopping, even though I had enjoyed several Bloomington Brewing beers at other local establishments or in package form.

Stop in. You will find a very midwestern restaurant/pub with a “bar side” (21 and over) and “restaurant side.” The bar side has friendly regulars and bartenders, 14-16 beers on draft, including a cask ale (or two), a nitro (or two), and some barrel-aged beers. Growlers to go as well.

I will be making it a regular stop.
Sep 28, 2018
 
Rated: 3.99 by johunnic from Illinois

Oct 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.07 by fredmugs from Indiana

Apr 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by neckbracesub from Indiana

Mar 30, 2015
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Reviewed by leantom from Indiana

3.55/5  rDev -13%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Not a bad spot to dine on some grub. Here goes:

A: In a dark plaza; not much lighting. The inside on this place resembles the outside, which is unfortunate. Very dark - cast of characters are somewhat quirky but by no means shady.

Q: Sat at the bar - which was OK. Still kind of dingy, although the tap lines looked nice.

S: Good. Nice and friendly bartender. Recommended some good beers.

S: Good selection of beers - Rooftop IPA was great.

F: Run-of-the-mill bar grub. Had the quesadillas.
Feb 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.01 by TargaFlorio from Indiana

Jan 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.45 by MikeDunagan from Indiana

Jan 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.15 by Rado from California

Dec 30, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Stevedevine82 from Indiana

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by lupercmda from North Carolina

Sep 24, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by btownbeers from Indiana

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.4 by beer_bottle from Colorado

Aug 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by JMUbrewz from Virginia

Aug 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by OpaqueBrew from Virginia

Aug 08, 2014
 
Rated: 2.25 by BiggestDogWorld from Connecticut

Jun 06, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by MSandahl23 from Indiana

Jun 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Cmteagardin from Indiana

Apr 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by CalvinMeisenheimer from Indiana

Apr 05, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Hop_Girl from Indiana

Mar 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by MikeFox from Indiana

Mar 25, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by MarkCadyBBC from Indiana

Mar 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by tangoafterdark from Indiana

Feb 11, 2014
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Reviewed by saraanitra from Indiana

4.88/5  rDev +19.6%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.75
Great food, beer and service. Make sure you try the Roofop IPA and Ruby Bloom Amber. I also tried Java Porter and Biere de Mars - both were outstanding.

As for food: The pizza was outstanding, and the Strom - aka calzones - were huge. The Chicken Caesar and Turkey Tortilla Salad both pleased my party. I ate the Red Chile Chicken with fries. Amazing!
Feb 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by mwade5 from Indiana

Dec 31, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by cleonile2000 from Indiana

Dec 16, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by DaCoach81 from Indiana

Dec 09, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by target88 from Kentucky

Dec 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by cumswithbeer from Indiana

Dec 04, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by shirtless_mike from Indiana

Dec 01, 2013
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Reviewed by robboyd from Indiana

4/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
I think of Lennie's as a restaurant that happens to brew beer. Their food is outstanding and their beer is generally good, not great, as well. There is typically something that pairs well with any one of their fabulous dishes. Another highlight is that they'll fill any container that has a measurement on it, from a ball jar to a milk jug.

I highly recommend brunch on Sunday, it's no buffet but they have the best chicken and waffles I've ever had. Writing this review makes me want to head there tomorrow morning.

I've had mixed experiences in service. I typically eat in the main dining room where service is fine most of the time but I have had a poor experience as well. The servers in the pub are typically knowledgeable and also extremely friendly.

The only drawback to eating there is that it's right on IU's campus, which makes it less enjoyable for some 30 somethings during the school year.
Oct 09, 2011
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Reviewed by eyeenjoybeer from Seychelles

3.8/5  rDev -6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
I have been visiting BBC for 12 years. This is the first place that I tried cask ale, and I have been a lover ever since. I also remember enjoying their Vision Weiss and others in the past. Currently, their beers don't stack up to what they once were. The complexity of the entire line up has lost something. Perhaps some new blood is needed in the brewery section.

All of that said, I am happy that these guys are around and that they are producing for the local scene. Their food menu offers a variety of fun, Italian-inspired selections. I have rarely not completely enjoyed meals there. The best beer that I have had in the last couple of years is their Double-Hopped Ale, which is really a kinda hoppy APA.

I wish this place would spice it up in the brewery department, as I can't help but cheer their efforts. Sadly, though, I don't stop by very often for that reason.
Jul 06, 2011
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Reviewed by Sweetmambyjamby from Indiana

3.58/5  rDev -12.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Bloomington Brewing Co. is located right in the heart of Btown. The crowd was a bit older/more of a uppity type crowd. I was in town before a game and just didn't like the vibe I got in there. The food looked great, but it was pretty darn expensive for Bloomington.

The beers... well they were alright, I got the highest IBU's they had. double hopped pale and the stone stout. dhp was not that great and stout was actually pretty good. My buddy got an amber and an esb which was more like a bud light.

I wouldn't go back. The service was good. and the pints were cheap. But hey now I've tried it at least.
Jan 18, 2011
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Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

3.91/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
Made a quick Sunday afternoon stop here to try their lineup of beers. Overall the quality was good, not great. The stout was very good though. 2 cask offerings, which was nice to see.

Went in the main entrance, and was initially stumped that there was no bar, just tables, and it felt like a small-town diner. Walked to the other room, and found the small bar in the back, with the brewing equipment visible through a window behind it. Atmosphere was more on the restaurant side of things, wood paneling, carpet, wallpaper, etc. In the bar room there was a colorful grouping of local artist's work on one wall.

There was a long row of taps, at least 12, but they were only pouring 6-8 of their beers, listed on a chalkboard. The stout was the highlight, and Quarrymen was a serviceable pale ale. Java Porter sounded good in theory, but was a little too thin and acidic.

Service at the bar was great, Sally was the bartender and answered all my pestering beer questions about the local scene. They send kegs to a few of the bars in town, but that's it for distribution.

Overall a good local beer place, not my first choice, but a good one.
Apr 05, 2010
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Reviewed by hoosier222002 from Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Stopped in on a Saturday evening and sat as the bar. Bartender was extremely friendly and knew his beer. They had regular taps, nitro taps, and a couple of casks. I was able to enjoy a Pale Ale, the Ruby on cask, and a stout on nitro. All were very good. I would highly recommend the nitro taps.

The crowd was a little light on this evening due to the football playoffs and the fact that they did not have tvs.

We ordered a pizza for dinner. It was good as well.

Nice solid choice for some good beer and food. The selection of beer was what you would expect and worth the visit.
Jan 23, 2010
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Reviewed by antzman from Indiana

3.15/5  rDev -22.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 2
We drove right past this place looking for Bloomington Brewing Company. We saw the larger sign for Lennie's and then barely saw the small neon sign in the window for the brewing side of the business as we went past. A quick U turn later, and there we were. It sits in a small strip mall with several other businesses. The inside is a lot of wood paneling, with nice decor. A nice clean place. We were seated immediately, which surprised me on a Saturday night. The smell of the pizza when we walked in the door made my decision on what to order right away. We split a Spinach and Artichoke Torte appetizer which was different from any other spinach and artichoke dish I had ever had. Very tasty though. They had run out of my first choice of their Java Porter by the time we got there so we ordered their pale ale, which was not impressive at all. Very bland, with little hop flavor. We ordered a Margharita pizza for our main meal. The pizza was bland, with tasteless cheese, very little basil and a hint of garlic.

Overall, I was not impressed with the food or the beer that we tried. It was a nice enough place, the service was prompt and attentive, but the beer reminded me more of a tourist area microbrewery. I have heard good things about them in the past and will try them again the next time I'm in Bloomington to see if the experience is better.
Jan 18, 2009
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Reviewed by mightyjoemoon from Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | food: 4
Lennie's is bloomington's finest brew pub and an overall excellent establisment with a few minor and over-lookable flaws. As a regular for 6 plus years I'm hopelessly partisan when it comes to this place but among bloomington's beer geeks it has a good reputation. On the downside its in a strip mall slightly out of the way but once you get inside it will win you over with its cozy atmosphere.

Their standard beers are excellent with a catch... Of late they've been struggling to keep much variety available but for the purposes of this review I'll cover their maximum spread. Their Quarrymen Pale is a great example of the style, surprisingly hoppy and packing a good punch. You can drink this one all night long and I on occasion will. As an added bonus they nearly always have it available on nitro tap which makes for a very smooth pour like boddington's but with flavor and freshness. Their Big Stone stout is one of my favorite (non double/export/super) stouts. Its very robust with deeply roasted malts, excellent head retention, and a strong finish. It also packs a solid abv (around 6% i believe) but hides it well. The CO2 is smooth but if you can get it on nitro its like velvet. The other two standards are the Ruby Bloom amber ale and Free Stone blonde. The Ruby is decently drinkable but often strikes me as a bit thin and tea-like. The Blonde I never drink... Its brewed for macro lovers.

The seasonals can be a bit hit or miss. The Java Porter is really great featuring strong coffee notes on the nose and a rich maltiness. Its pretty dark for a porter and is an excellent complement to the stout in the winter months. The B town Brown is a bit sweet for my tastes but quite drinkable and smooth. It could benefit from a stronger hop backbone to balance the malts. Their Weiss is not recommendable either suffering from a lack of body and poor head retention. They occasionally brew a pretty solid IPA but the current batch is very weak.

I've saved the best for last with their Hand pull selections. Consider yourself lucky if they're available since they haven't been on tap for a few months (although I'm assured they will return) but when they are they are not to be missed. Most commonly a special pale is available which recently featured their propietary hops. This ale really packs a hop punch while being as smooth as silk with extraordinary head retention. The Stout and Java Porter have also been offered on hand pull. Both of these batches exentuate the smoothness while ironing out some of the rougher edges.

The service at Lennies (and I'm pub side patron exclusively) is truly tremendous. The staff isn't just friendly; if you're a regular here you're likely to make some lasting friendships with the bar tenders and waitresses. They'll quickly learn your name, your drink preferences, and they really take care of you. Theres a real sense of community here.

The food is better than you would expect from a brew pub featuring excellent gourmet pizzas, great sandwiches, daily special flat breads, and a variety of interesting appetizers. Their salads are huge, fresh, and award winning. It can be a bit pricey but I marked them as inexpensive due to the very modest beer prices with tuesday and sunday offering 2$ pints and 8$ pitchers respectively.

Summing up: go to this pub. If you're passing through you'll have a fun night and if you live in Bloomington you're likely to become part of the family.
Nov 21, 2008
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Reviewed by indiana24 from Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Great place that deserves automatic respect for being the first of the two brewery pubs in Bloomington. I tried the beer sampler and here's how I rank them:

1. Big Stone Stout (rich and tasty - can't go wrong)
2. Ruby Bloom Amber (solid amber but nothing amazing)
3. Quarrymen Pale Ale (good pale, but there are better)
4. Vision Weiss (summer seasonal, pretty weak)
5. FreeStone Blonde (almost undrinkable, don't try it)

Oh, I almost forgot, I also had the Cascade Hops cask ale which was fantastic. If they have that on tap, go for it.

While I came primarily for the beer, I was almost more impressed with the food. Takes traditional pub grub to a new level. Homemade, fresh ingredients made my and my girlfriend's sandwiches very delicious.

Service was quality - friendly, but professional.

If you're looking for a casual place for some good food and beer, this is one of Bloomington's best choices.
Jul 11, 2008
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Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 5
As a Bloomington resident for a few years, I give Lennie's the nod over Upland. The building is nothing to look at on the outside, but they do what they can with the space provided on the inside. Not a bad place to take a date for decent dinner.

The beers are excellent. The Big Stone Stout served on nitro is one of my favorites of all time. The Quarryman Pale Ale is also very, very good. The Ruby Bloom is a sweet amber ale with notes of butter and caramel, and rounds out my top three. All of the other brews I could take or leave.

The food is a little expensive, but worth it. Probably the second best pizza in town. And the cheesecakes are amazing! They whip out a new flavor (baked in house) whenever they run out of the last flavor. I've had mint chocolate and raspberry chocolate pieces that blew me away.

My only gripe is that they often run out of beer. In fact, on one visit, they only had one type available. Inexcusable, in my opinion.
May 23, 2008
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Reviewed by AWolfAtTheDoor from Washington

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
This was my bar away from home during my 5 years at IU.
It is actually split in two, and has two parallel entrances: the entrance on the left leads you to the restaurant, and the entrance 15 feet to the right leads you straight into the depths of the brewpub (21+ only). They are connected inside, so if you mistakenly walk into the restaurant, you can easily mosey into the bar. Food is very good here. This is one of the best places to get pizza in Bloomington.

Their full range (6 or 7 beers if I recall correctly with a revolving release of seasonals) are usually on tap. They will also offer at least one or two beers (usually the stout or the pale) on nitro, very fun. When I was last there (spring of 2007) my favorite brew of theirs (Blueberry Pale Ale) was put on hiatus, and I don't know if it has been brought back yet. This is my only beef with this place. This was probably their best selling beer, yet they discontinued it.. why? They were selling more than they could brew, as many times I stopped in for a growler fill only to find out that they had sold out.. again I ask, why?

Between Bloomington's two brewers, this one get's my vote. The beers are just better overall. It seems like Upland focuses more on bottling than quality, although they do have a few decent brews as well.

If you for some reason enjoy frat boys in pink shirts with upturned collars drinking Miller Light with loud trendy music throbbing in the background.. then go somewhere else. Lennie's tends to attract these types of people: some locals, tourists, and grad students. Definitely worth a shot. Especially for the $2 pints on Sunday.
May 19, 2008
Bloomington Brewing Company in Bloomington, IN
Brewery rating: 3.87 out of 5 with 467 ratings