Visiting Indianapolis

When you do go to The Koelschip for Central State, go on Friday or Saturday. It's the bar's third anniversary, so there'll be some cellared kegs on tap plus on friday they're re-releasing New Money and releasing a new beer called Coffee Nephilim (they used Dark Matter's Unicorn Blood espresso for this one).

For the combination (since they're really close to each other), you can go to Kahns to pick up some cool stuff that isnt distro'd up there in Chicago and then go to Black Circle for some drinks & food. They usually have a good tap list and the Cuban-inspired food is delicious. Plus, they have pinball machines.

Other breweries downtown-ish or in the area you'll be would possibly be Daredevil (they make tons of quality lagers and their hop game is pretty good) and Deviate (if you like adjunct stouts and "experimental" beers, though might be a tiny bit of a drive or just stop on your way home).

In regards to traffic, there will be some, but it's definitely a lot better than Chicago.

 

Deviate will be less than 10 minutes from the area you're staying in. Can't recommend it enough. They'll have some bottles to-go as well.

Not a lot of great food options on the northwest side...Yelp will be your friend in that regard.

 

I second Deviate. But check online for their hours or call them. I've gone there before when they were closed so save yourself the hassle.

The Rathskeller is a great German restaurant with a good selection of foreign and craft beers available. I do my best to make a visit every time I am in Indianapolis. Very cool place.

This doesn't so much help the op but it may help some other folks who live close to Indianapolis. Ellison Brewing plans to open their third location in Indianapolis. I don't know the exact location or when they will open. But I can tell you Ellison makes some damn fine beer and that's a win for Indianapolis.

 

Looks like you have some great recs from locals but I'll throw in my $.02 since I've been traveling to Indy 1-2x/year for the past few years and slowly making my way around to check places out. I'll actually be back in a few weeks so thanks for posting this!

- Deviate has been my favorite brewery that I have visited in the Indy area so definitely check them out. I focus on trying out new spots each trip but this is one I will visit every time I am in the area.

- When you go to Koelship / Central State be sure to go when you're hungry (lunch would be ideal) and swing in next door to Goose The Market. Absolutely delicious deli sandwiches!

- I started venturing to the burbs my last visit in the fall and made the trip over to Whitetown to check out Moontown Brewing. I was staying in Noblesville that trip and it was farther than I wanted to drive (35-40 mins) but so glad I made the drive. I got a flight made up of Stouts, Porters and IPAs. They were all great IMO and the IPAs were much like what I am used to here in the east (hazy, low ibu, juicy)

- It's been a couple years since I was at Daredevil but I thought their IPAs were strong so if you make it over that way I would recommend them as well.

- I am not all that much into cider and mead but every trip I make to Indy people keep telling me to check out New Day. I've still not stopped in so maybe I'll check them out next trip.

Hope this helps. Definitely post back to let us know how it went and where you visited. I'll be there mid-Feb for 3 days.

 

Going to be in Indy next weekend and staying out by the airport. I asked this in another thread but figured I would ask in this fresher one.....

Brew Link and Black Swan are only a few miles from where I am staying so I definitely plan to check those out. Any thoughts on them? Also, a good number of people here in VA really hype up the beers from out of 450 North. I think it's mostly in part to the label artwork and maybe not so much the beer inside though I've heard they are solid. Are they worth an hour drive each way or is some of their stuff easily available in local Indy shops? Looks like they typically do Friday can releases regularly. Does any of those typically last until Sunday? Any nearby shops to the airport? I usually stay around downtown or north Indy so not familiar with where I'll be this time.

Ended up renting a car so I have some flexibility with getting out but plan to stick to the southside / west of Indy. Likely will not go much into downtown or northside other than quick trip to Deviate one day. Looking to try new spots. Those I have checked out over the years are;

- Deviate
- Black Acre (been a couple years)
- Central State / Koelship
- Daredevil (been a couple years)
- Sun King
- Sun King Fishers
- Flat12
- Four Day Ray
- Field Brewing
- Urban Vines
- Moontown
- Redemption


@americanzero4128 Have you had your trip yet?

TIA!

 

I like 450N IPAs. Their NEIPAs are good, their triples are great. People tend to like their fruited Berliner Weisses (slushy series), but they're way too fruity for me. They had a release today. Everything will be on tap through the weekend for sure. Cans tend to go fast on their popular beers. Can't get cans of their good stuff outside of the brewery or secondary. The stuff they distribute isn't very good. Check Facebook they usually update on can status. Pizza (brick oven) is really good there.

If you want to travel south, Taxman is a great option. They specialize in Belgians. Kind of out in the middle of nowhere as well. They also have good food.

 

@americanzero4128 So glad to hear Moontown was awesome. Not sure if it was here or another outlet but there was person who was adamant I try them even though it was a bit of a drive. Have not heard too much about them otherwise.

 

Same question. Driving down on the 11th driving back on the 12th for a concert. Haven't booked a place to stay yet but concert is at basketball arena. Anywhere easily walkable to stop prior to show?

 

This may be an odd combo of a question but since it's Indy I'm hoping not......Anyone have a good recommendation for a spot to catch the Daytona 500 on Sunday? Would there be a good chance that the breweries with TVs will have it on or probably not since NASCAR may not be as big of a thing there than in the eastern part of the country? Or anywhere else on the southwest of Indy (airport / Plainfield) that would be considered a great craft beer spot with other race fans?

Regardless of whether 450 North sells out of most their can releases on Fri/Sat I think, since a couple people have mentioned their releases will at least be available on draft Sunday, I'm going to make the hour drive down to them on Sunday at some point. May even decide to stick around for lunch. Any other places I should consider stopping on the route? Looks like going down 65 or by way of 144/31 are the routes with only a 10 minute drive difference so either way would be find by me if one would have at least 1-2 possibly breweries worth visiting.

Other than 450 North, I'm still targeting Black Swan and Brew Link since they are just a few miles from my hotel.

 

Most breweries that have TVs will probably have the race on. After basketball, racing is king in Indy. I believe Daredevil Brewing sometimes even opens early on Sunday mornings so fans can watch Formula One races. Daredevil would probably be my recommendation for a fun place to watch Daytona. You may even see some racing folks in there watching as well as its just a few blocks south of the Speedway. Its located on the West side, not all the way out by the airport but heading in that direction. Oh, and they make some damn good beers too lol.

I'm not as familiar with the breweries in the Plainfield area. If you do go down to 450 North you could stop by Taxman Brewing on the way back up to Indy. Its only about 15 minutes west of 31 in a tiny town called Bargersville. Pretty solid belgian style brewery in a renovated old building. Lots of TVs in there as well, you could definitely watch the race there also.

 

Thanks so much for the info! It's been 3 years since I last checked out Daredevil so a good reason to circle back around. I was surprised at just how close it was to the speedway too. There was even an open wheel car that went up the public street a couple times when I was there. I'm assuming from the speedway or nearby go-kart track?

I saw Taxman was on route to 450 North so I may end up doing that. Hit them on the way back (or down) to 450 and then head back up to Dardevil to check out the race. Good options!

 

We definitely will have on the Daytona 500 on at both the brewery taproom in Speedway and our new location Daredevil Hall on the NE side at Keystone & 86th St.

 

Upland also has a location in Columbus, maybe 15 minutes south of 450N. They're known for their sours. They do a good job with other styles as well.

I'll second Taxman if you like Belgians.

Big Woods has a new place right off of I-65 in Franklin. I've never been there, but the one in Nashville has decent beers.

Oaken Barrel and Planetary are two other options in Greenwood (just south of Indy). They're both ok.

Taxman or Upland would be my recommendations for south of Indy.

 

I missed that you're coming this weekend. 450N had a release last Friday, and they're every other week. They should still have brewery only releases on tap, but might want to call ahead and check if you had something specific in mind from the last release.

 

That's a bummer! I did not pick up on their releases were bi-weekly when I was looking at their posts. Is any of their regular rotation stuff at the brewery pretty solid and is there anywhere online to see their taplist? Did not see one on their website or Untappd. Not sure I want to make that drive if I can't at least come back with cans of something that's solid.

Knowing that, I may just stay around where I'm staying and not go for that long of a round trip drive. Check out Black Swan, Brew Link, Daredevil for the 500 and then head to Parti-Pak to grab a few things to have in the hotel during my stay. Any other good shops nearby outside of the 20+ min drive to Parti Pak on E Stop 11 Rd? Ive been to PP North and they had a big selection but not the other one.

 

They posted on Facebook that everything is still available on draft. I would help you out and stop in to report but I'm out of town through the weekend. You could probably call before coming down. They usually don't have a lot of cans at the brewery except right after the release.

PP on Stop 11 has great selection, but they tend to have a lot of really old beers on the shelves, so check dates for sure. Everything is available as singles which is nice. The Big Red in Greenwood close to that PP is good too.

Kahns has good selection too, if you happen to be in that area, northeast of downtown.

 

Just a note of caution on the Parti-Pak on Stop 11 if you end up making the drive. You have to be vigilant about checking bottling dates on anything that doesn't age well. Stuff can sit on shelves for years. I enjoy going there because you can pull any beer out of a six pack and buy it as a single. Was in there last night putting together a mixed six pack and ended up with a bunch of stouts because so many of the IPAs I saw were pretty far out of date. Its not well-organized but they do have a ton of stuff.

Before making that trek, you might hit up one of the Crown Liquors locations on the west side. I'm sure they'd have quite a few interesting local options. I just don't have much experience out there.

https://crownliquors.net/locations/