For those of us who have been drinking craft beer for more than a decade, we probably remember when there was less local choices when choosing beer to drink! Indeed, here in Indiana, 2/3 of the active breweries have gotten their start within the last 10 years. But for those of us who began drinking back in the 90s, we remember a different time. I was in northern Indiana, and I remember fondly enjoying beer from both the Mishawaka Brewing Company, as well as Back Roads in Laporte who are both sadly now defunct. But across the state many other breweries got their start around the same time, and are still going strong. I have a special place in my heart for all of these breweries, and I’m excited to tell you about what I call the old guard.(OG’s)
In 1990, the Broad Ripple Brewing Company opened their doors, and they have been offering excellent beer, including cask conditioned ales, and a lot of British traditional beers! I have been drinking their beer for two decades while living in Indianapolis, and have enjoyed the food as well as the beer. The Monon Porter is a favorite, and I also liked Hangin’ Tough, a beer they brewed with Scarlet Lane to honor beer writer Rita Kohn. Recently, I have been checking out a lot of the other creative beers that they are producing! There is something for everyone at their taproom, and I applaud this brewery for 34 years of excellent beer making in the Broad Ripple area!
In 1993 the Lafayette brewing Company began serving a city rich with a beer tradition. This was the only OG brewery I discovered late in the game, and was happy to learn about their history. My first visit took me there for lunch several years ago. I paired up a very good wrap with their Star City Lager, which is an excellent Dortmunder, one of my favorite styles of beer. I plan to get back up there in the near future because I really like what they are doing!
In 1994 two breweries opened up in Central, Indiana. The Bloomington Brewing Company has been a mainstay at beer festivals for decades, and I have fond memories of Floyd Rosenbaum who was a colorful character who made the BBC’s beer experience come alive. I always enjoyed stopping at his booth! In later years, I would come to really enjoy the Kirkwood cream ale, and got to enjoy their beer at Lennys Brewpub, which is also in Bloomington. Floyd has passed on, but there will always be a place in my heart for the BBC.
The Oaken Barrel Brewing Company also got its start the same year. I have enjoyed many beers from them over the years and the Epiphany, a Belgian tripel they make around Christmas time, is one of my favorites from them. They have a great brewpub in Greenwood, and their 30 years which is going to be celebrated later this year is more than the other four breweries in Greenwood combined. If you happen to be in the area, they have great prices on their six packs and I can’t say enough about their awesome label artwork!
1996 saw the openingof many breweries in Indiana, and two of them still operate. Turoni’s Pizza in Evansville opened in 1963, and expanded into a brewery as well in 1996. They have been a mainstay at beer festivals, and in 2020, I finally got to visit Evansville, and have a beer at this quaint pizzeria. It was very memorable and should you make it to Evansville, I recommend stopping in for pizza and beer.
In 1996, 3Floyd’s began the journey that has brought the state everything from Dark Lord Day, to excellent beers that should be known by most people in the craft beer environment! I have enjoyed their beer over the years, and Robert The Bruce and Dreadnaught are two of my favorites! They make so many great IPAs, and I don’t have time to mention them all, but everyone should try Gumball Head, a hoppy wheat. Should you get to Dark Lord Day this year, you’ll see why they are one of best breweries in the country.
1998 Upland, began Brewing in Bloomington as well. I became aware of their wheat beer very early on, and they were the first Central Indiana brewery I would enjoy regularly. From Teddy Bear Kisses, to Dragonflies, Upland makes very memorable beer. I also remember how in 2008 they first made their Lambics, and how exciting that was. They continue to make excellent beer which is available in their tap rooms all over Central Indiana, and many other places as well. I also recommend their food because the executive chef, Paddy, is a good friend of mine!
Also in 1998, Mad Anthony opened their doors in Fort Wayne! People were always giving me six packs of their beer over the decades, and I was happy to finally visit their taproom several years ago! They help anchor a very awesome beer scene in Fort Wayne, and I definitely recommend visiting them if you’re in the area.
I also want to mention two breweries in Central Indiana who both had reboots in 2016, but can trace their roots back to the 19th century. Thieme & Wagner has a rich tradition of brewing in Lafayette, and the family has continued to use a lot of original recipes. You can enjoy their beer at the Thieme & Wagner tap room which is just up the street from the Lafayette Brewing Company. The Terre Haute Brewing Company came on the scene the same year, and has been making amazing beer which I love enjoying at most of the festivals I go to. They have a great taproom in Terre Haute, which is diagonal from the original brewery that dates back to the 19th century! Champagne Velvet was originally their beer and briefly got a reboot from a version of THBC in the 1990’s, and is now a recipe owned by another OG, Upland.
So it’s no surprise that these breweries are going strong after many decades. They began in a very different environment when local competition may have been more sparse, but they’ve had decades to hone their craft. Breweries may come and go, but it is the old guards who have stayed strong, and I expect you’ll be able to drink at their tap rooms, and see them at festivals for many years to come.
So Much Beer So Little Time 