Heading to Indy - what to check out?

Broad Ripple is a good place to start - that's up on the northeast side of the city. You've got Brugge, Broad Ripple brewpub, Twenty Tap; and Bier isn't too far away (all bars or brewpubs with good food & drink)... Kahn's (just south of the area on Keystone) is a good place to start looking for bottles.

As for good beers that you can't get in New England... check out the local midwest/great lakes selections! I used to live in Dover, actually... beyond the local offerings, if I remember correctly from my Smiley's runs, you shouldn't be able to come across most of the stuff available out here - founders, bells, FFF, dark horse, etc. Have fun exploring!

 

A lot depends on where you're staying, what kind of transportation (and designated driver) you have, whether you prefer hitting breweries, brewpubs, or beer bars, and how much time you have.

Two very recent threads on the same subject:

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/breweries-pubs-of-recommendation-in-indianapolis.14097/

http://beeradvocate.com/community/t...e-fieldhouse-need-some-recommendations.14078/

Hooiser Beek Geek's "Where to Drink in Indy" series (http://www.hoosierbeergeek.blogspot.com/p/where-to-drink-in-indianapolis.html) is a good guide that was updated just prior to the Super Bowl, although there have even been a couple of new developments since then.

 

Twenty Tap at 54th and College is a must I think. 31 tap lines of all craft beer, a lot of local stuff on tap, good food. It's a great place to enjoy craft beers.

 

broad ripple brew pup has cask ale on a hand pull which is very good..and probably the most unique to indy..check out some liquor stores and try to find new albanian hoptimus (new albany, IN) or some FFF...some places will have it on tap as well

 

Carmel isn't far from Broad Ripple, if you have a car. Upland Tasting Room is another place in/near BR to check out.

 

If you have the time, hit up Kahns on Keystone. If you can't make it down then try the Payless on 96th.

Brugge for food and drinks!

 

If, for some reason, you can't make it out of Carmel, there's a new location of a small pizza-n-beer chain called BoomBozz Taphouse. I haven't been yet, but I've heard some positive things. They don't seem to post their beer menu online, but their Facebook page says that on 4/20 they had Triton, Sun King, and Flat 12, and a later post shows Three Floyds Gumballhead, so the selection looks good.

There's not much else in Carmel with a good craft selection that I know of. Someone else correct me if I'm wrong. Your next-best bets if you have limited time or desire to drive would be Scotty's Brewhouse on 96th and the Fishers location of Chatham Tap.

 

Don't forget the Crown in Carmel. The manager, Ryan Pierce, is a good guy and used to work for one of the local craft distributors.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/17469/

 

How could I forget about Pierce?!? He's good people although not the best fantasy football manager

 

So where did you end up? Or is it this coming week, during the week?

 

no more smiley's? oh no! that was actually the store that got me into craft beer. i wonder if it's closed for good? i'll be out in Dover again in late june/early july for about a week; feel free to shoot me a message if you want me to bring anything from the midwest to open up

 

Did you enjoy the thunderstorm?

 

I am swinging thru Indy on Sat as I do on a somewhat regular basis (kid at Ball State in Muncie) anyone know what's on tap at Brugge I usually stop for lunch...

 

http://bruggebrasserie.com/?page_id=206

Pretty sure that's accurate or at least pretty near-current. The Gato del Sol is definitely pretty new and Pooka's been their sour de jour for a couple months.