Visiting Indianapolis

Big Red and Crown are stores w/in walking distance. As for bars/pubs, Tomlinson Tap Room at City Market has a good selection of local brews. So does Chatham Tap on Mass Ave, and Mass Ave is a cool place to stroll down anyway.

If you want a better selection, you'll need to venture outside of downtown. Most of my evening are free, so if you need a tour guide, let me know. I'm happy to show anyone from BA around town.

 

Indianapolis has Uber so you have that option as well. could head up to the Rip to hit Hop Cat, Twenty Tap, Aristocrat, Upland and Sinking Ship. But, i'll second tomlinson tap room, cool atmosphere and good beer.
TT Room draft list on FB page: https://www.facebook.com/tomtaproom?fref=nf

 

There are a wide variety of options in the downtown and near downtown area. Main stores downtown are Big Red/Crown as mentioned.

Walking distances to Mass Ave area is about 10-12 blocks (or short cab/uber ride) depending on what hotel you are staying at for the trip. On Mass Ave there are a lot of good craft beer bars: MacNiven's, Mass Ave Pub, Ralston's DraftHouse, BRU Burger, Chatham Tap, etc. You can google them all. Over on Market Street more like 15 blocks is The Tomlinson Tap Room which has 16 Indiana Craft Beers on tap that they rotate. It's more a happy hour after work type place but will have all local beers and posts the tap list daily on Twitter/FB.

More like 2 miles (uber/cab) is the Fountain Square area and a lot of good places to eat as well as two pubs/breweries to visit. La Margarita always has a good selection of craft beer and food. Chilly Water is a newer brewpub and there is also the Fountain Sq. Brewery. Sun King is also in the downtown area and a 10-15 minute ride. They have tasters and you can buy take out but there is no pint service at their tasting room.

The Broad Ripple area is more like a 25 minute ride. Lots of great places too. Happy to answer more questions here or DM.

 

Chilly Waters near fountain Sq is a great place for beers and some good bar food. Fountain Square Brewery is also worth a visit and their beers are all good to very good. Sunking is also not too far from where you will be staying and they give out samplers and a growler (if you have one) costs $5 for a refill on fridays. On Mass Ave, MacNivens is are real nice place to drink and the food is pretty good. Those are places downtown that I enjoy my beers at... Cheers!

 

I second going to MacNivens for beers on Mass Ave. Another gem that isn't as well known is a place on the Southside called Shallos. Been around forever and has a massive beer selection. It would be about a 10-15 minute cab ride, but well worth it. Also, if you are going to be on Mass Ave, then you should head into the Rathskeller. Super old-school German beer hall that has a great selection and fun atmosphere.

 

I will second the Rathskeller. A trip up to Broadripple to 20 tap, Brugge, or any of the places listed above won't be a bad use of your time or cab. Brugge has great beer, muscles, and gourmet fries ... Highly recommended.

 

i gotta say, maybe one of the best spots in Indy is La Margarita in Fountain Square. Great food and usually awesome beer there. I would say it's a must visit.

 

Not sure of any special taps right now, but Sun King did just release a new Kings Reserve can. Might be worth swinging past their brewery if you can find the time and get a ride over there (not too far, but more than I'd want to walk).

 

20 Tap had a FFF takeover this week and I think they may still have several options still on tap... not sure what is left though.

 

Tagging on to this thread as it looks like I'll be staying at the Marriott Downtown in November. Looks like a lot of close places, but just wanted to confirm that this is a safe area to be strolling through in the early evening hours (<10PM). No late nights for me. Thanks!

 

La Margarita is a bit out of the way, maybe a 5 minute cab ride to Fountain Square... but they have decent food, and usually SOMETHING on tap that will blow your mind that a place like that is pouring. They just had an Oskar Blues barrel aged tap takeover that didn't seem to move fast. I hit it up 2 weekends in a row.

HopCat is out of the way for sure, but it's an option. 130 taps I think?

The area you're in is fine. Make sure you hit up General American Donut Co. the next morning. Indy's first "craft donut".. they even do craft beer infused donuts! (no affiliation whatsoever)

But ya, Rathskellar, Twenty Tap, Chatham Tap, Tomlinson Tap... Two Deep Brewing just opened down there as well.

 

Unfortunately, my work trip was cancelled a few days ago so no Indy for me...