I’m going to be visiting South Bend from 2/1-2/3 for a wedding. Going to try to make it up to Transient, but don’t know if we will have time. Where is the best shop in the area to get fresh Transient and/or Old Nation? Also might be looking for a bar with good beer and/or bourbon selections there, so recommendations are welcomed! Any other beer I should be on the look out for or places I should hit? Thanks in advance!
I can't answer your specific questions, but 'visiting South Bend' threads come up every now and then. Maybe the threads in this link will help: https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...q=South+Bend&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=9
Visiting South Bend?? Well if you must.... Bare Hands in Granger for sure and Iechyd Da (like Yacky Duh) in Elkhart. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/27926/ https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29297/
South Bend is a tricky spot. Transient is a good hour drive north westish. Depending on how much time you have, I don't know if that is worth it considering you can stop in a number of shops in the Chicagoland area on your drive home for transient's distro. Old Nation distro is only michigan, not Indiana, that said if you head out to Bare Hands (which you should, the best place remotely close) you can keep driving north east and hit the stateline in about 10 minutes. There is a liquor store there, Stateline liquor, that get's Old Nation deliveries weekly. They have Boss Tweed/Cart Horse/M43 on a pretty regular basis. Crooked Ewe has a good dependable draft list with small batch and casks once a week and their food is killer. For the best cocktails around, stop into Hammer and Quill. The bartender has been in the industry for decades and makes out of control cocktails akin to my time in Chicago. He is very knowledgeable and passionate. They have a small draft system, 4 taps, but there is always limited run small batch stuff on there. He pulls his contacts he has gained since being in the game to get amazing one off beers. They're so limited he doesn't advertise them on their site. Avoid South Bend Brew works, Heavenly Goat and Danny Boy. Lechyda is alright, pizza is great, beer is beer. If you want a strong draft list full of three floyds, founders and other midwest heroes, Fiddlers Hearth downtown and Tony Sacco's pizza in Granger (minutes west of Bare Hands) are pretty strong
Probably the closest place to SB to get Transient and Old Nation is Crocker’s Party Store in Niles, MI. However, they do not keep their inventory fresh AT ALL. Don’t be surprised if you see Enjoy by 10/31/17 on their shelves... The trek from South Bend to Transient really isn’t too bad. I was just there Sunday for the Velvet Sea bottle release (which they still have) and they had just about everything you could want in cans. Hope that helps.
