Broad Ripple Brew Pub - Black Heart Lager

Black Heart Lager

ABV: 5.9%
IBU: mid range
SRM / Coloring: Dark as the night

Bad news is this picture is horrible with the flash.  Good news is this beer is damn good.

I had to go out and do some celebrating with the dudes last night after such a good week.  I got a new job, my other projects were coming to a close, christmas is just around the corner, just solid on the whole.  I didn't get to make it to the Brewpub for Tuesday night trivia which kinda stunk, but I still had a hankerin for a buffalo burger and some new beer.  This is one of my favorites of theirs so far.

I guess I'd have to say my new favorite type of beer are black ales.  they have that roasted malty flavor, but are medium bodied and come off clean at the end, the perfect balance of flavor and depth.  I love the black ale at Brugge Brasserie, and this one is on it's level, if not surpassing it.

The Black Heart ale is what the brew pub refers to as a Kulmbacher style, which is a german style black lager.  It's a great blend of malty flavor and bittersweet chocolate.  Drinking it on a cold rainy night is ideal, and given the poopy weather in Indiana recently any day will do.

Bier Brewery - PDG Pale Ale

PDG Pale Ale

ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 45.2
SRM / Coloring: 7.6 light and crisp

Just by association this beer is now top of my list.  Maybe it's because of the crisp hoppy taste, or maybe because it almost flew out of my hands as I was watching the Hoosiers nail a last second, buzzer beating three to knock off the top seeded Wildcats.  At any rate, this is a fantastic beer.

Most pale ale's people associate with your run of the mill beers, thus they often get overlooked.  So far as a brewery goes, pale ales are clean, a little bit fruity, and crisp which is great for the typical ber drinker, but going to a brewery most people want the crazy stuff.  Hell, I'm totally guilty of this fact.  I walk in to the breweries around here and want something full bodied and flavorful, and I don't really think of pale ale's in that instance.  However, when I visited Bier Brewery this past Saturday, I ran into a former coworker who spoke highly of Bier's PDG, so I decided to give it a go.  Without a doubt unlike any other pale ale I've ever tried.

The PDG Pale Ale is unique in that it almost transcends most beer categories.  It's a pale ale with the characteristic grainy and bitter flavoring, but it also has a hoppy aroma and taste like an IPA, which then comes off a little citrusy at the end like a blonde.  I knew in my head that I was drinking a pale ale, but my tongue was all like, "Whoa, pump the brakes what just happened."  Proof that complex beers aren't in the style of ber, but in the creativity of the people making them.  Well done.

Broad Ripple Brew Pub - Bigger Boy's Beer

Bigger Boy's Beer

ABV: 8.4%
IBU: Up there, gotta be over 100
SRM / Coloring: red to amber

This is identified as a bigger boy's beer.  Let's go ahead and identify a little boy's characteristics.

First off, a little boy would be identified as a beer nubile, i.e. someone who has yet to embrace the tender loving touch from beer's philanthropic heart.  They go up to the bar and ask, "What are your specials," stop the bartender in mid sentence and ask for the low calorie vodka soda...extra limes.

In most circumstances, hard cider or wine would be the best option, sadly even when those circumstances are tailgating parties and beer pong tournaments; sad I know.  When and if they do choose beer, it's something with light in front of it and out of a can.  Sarah McLachlan should be sponsoring these poor souls instead of ratty alley cats, there are people in the world who could use pennies on the dollar to open their eyes to the tre world of Adult beverages.

If you're going to put on the man't pants and try a big boy beer, you might want to look elsewhere because this truly is a manly man's intense hoppy beer.  Created and named for the birth of their brewmaster's baby boy, The Bigger Boy's Beer's intense smell is rivaled only by it's intense flavor and alcohol content.  Originally brewed to be an intense ale with highlights of toffee (which is very prevalent on the nose), the mad scientists at the BrewPub dry hopped this sucker to the max, transforming it into a Double IPA Frankenstein that would scare off any non-beer lover.  Though it may be intimidating, this monster has got some dance moves and would surely woo the majority of hop heads.

Triton Brewing Company - Gingerbread Brown Ale

Gingerbread Brown Ale

ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 20
SRM / Coloring- Deep brown, though fairly low and translucent

Most holidays have a specific identifier associated to them.  New Year's eve is riddled with confetti and partying with an occasional splash of smooches if you 're in the right place.  Valentine's day has everything arranged in pink and red heart shapes, and I tend to think of those chalky little hearts everyone hates to love with dumb little phrases like 'UR 2 Cute.'  St. Patrick's Day (which will be amazing this year with all the breweries celebrating) has green, irish, and booze to go with it; perfect for a ginger such as myself.  The fourth of July has heat, hell yeah Americana, and of course the bevy of sparklers, snakes, and other fireworks.

Yes all holidays are marked by touch, smell, sight, and feel, but strangely enough though, only a few holidays universally have the fifth sense associated with them; taste.  Halloween of course has chocolate, sugary sweetness.  Thanksgiving is undoubtedly turkey mixed in with stuffing and mashed potatoes.  The other holidays are more generalized with how people may celebrate, but these specifically focus on a few key flavors and tastes, and Christmas is marked with eggnog, turkey, and of course gingerbread.

It starts to get cold outside and the holidays begin to fully rev up, lights go on the houses and the malls become packed with frantic shoppers, and for whatever reason I crave that spicy sweetness of gingerbread.   My mom always made intricate gingerbread houses when I was younger covered in candy and frosted icing, and despite how nice the presentation was you always just wanted to rip it apart and snarf it down.  I get the same feeling when drinking Triton's gingerbread beer, this time it's just liquified.

The gingerbread brown is a deeper brown lager infused with that spicy characteristic associated with gingerbread cookies.  It's a medium bodied beer, which is nice because most winter associated beers are ales and thus full bodies and super thick.  This one has the spicy smell and gingery taste of gingerbread and comes off sweet and clean just like the cookie.  It's not likely to top egg nog as the pure christmas drink, but it'll do everything but disappoint.

Brugge Brasserie - Very Bad Kitty

Very Bad Kitty

ABV: 10%
IBU: as low as it can be, very sweet
SRM / Coloring: golden, yellow


This one's going to be short.  Very Bad Kitty is an American Wild Ale, which means it was brewed using a lot of yeast giving it a complex and distinctive flavor, much like an abbey style ale.  While most other beers will have a dry or subtle bitterness to them, Very Bad Kitty is a pop to the face with sweet, sour, and that yeasty tang characteristic to this style.  Smelling it, you get a big hit of fruit like apples, lemons, and apricots; take a sip though and it tastes like liquified sweet tarts.  You get a slap of sugary sweetness like a slushie suicide that comes off just a bit tart and sour.  They limit you to only having two of these, which they say is due to the high alcohol content, but I think it's to save you from the massive hangover you're likely to get the next morning.

Thr3e Wise Men - Hubbard and Craven's Porter

Hubbard and Craven's Porter

ABV: 6.0%
IBU: 36
SRM / coloring: Deeeeeep Brown


About a year ago Thr3e Wise Men opened and I jumped on as an employee.  Back then the beer list was much larger than it is now.  It consisted of the Double IPA, single IPA, Blackberry Wheat, Blonde, Imperial Stout, Amber, Nap Town Nut Brown, and the Porter.  However, the place literally blew up; the lines were out the door, and the demand for beer and pizza was too high that they couldn't make the beer fast enough for the hordes of people coming through.  So, as a result, the brewery was forced to reduce the number of beers they made so they could make more of the ones that mattered.

The choice made perfect business sense as they needed to meet the demand of consumers, but it really stunk for people who are real craft beer drinkers.  The beers they chose to keep year round were the Double IPA, single IPA, Blonde and Blackberry wheat while the rest were turned into seasonals.  I didn't see the point in having two kinds of IPA's on the menu year round, or a fruity beer for that matter when the blonde already had a citrus taste to it, especially when the porter, amber, and nut brown were so popular.

I guess the company wanted to cater to the average beer drinker and women who aren't too keen on beer, but they left out the majority of the people who would be interested in going to a brewery; men who like rich and unique beers.  If someone were to choose to go to a brewery, it would be for the sake of the beer, and I know literally no one who gets off of work and says to themselves, "I could go for a brew, but there just aren't that many blueberry flavored options."  According to the Pareto principle, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes, which applies to business as well; i.e. 80% of your profits will come from 20% of your consumers, those who really love what you got.  You have to know who your real fans are and cater to them, and Thr3e Wise Men strayed away from the beer aficionados around town by only offering lighter options year round.  Still, their seasonals are coming back full circle, and the Porter is the first to be brought back from the original menu.

Next to the Double IPA the Porter is my favorite beer at Thr3e Wise Men.  It's made with Hubbard and Craven's coffee grounds, and there are hints of toffee and chocolate infused in the flavor as well.  It's a dark, full bodied ale and thick to boot, so it's like having a little snack before getting to our pizza and wings.  It has a nice roasty, malty flavor to it, and the coffee is really prevalent on the front end, then finishes smooth.  Just in time for the first snow.

Brugge Brasserie - Cerne Pivo

Cerne Pivo

ABV: 5.0%
IBU: 5, low and smooth
SRM / Coloring: Deep red / mahogany


I'm doing some work at the local coffee shop in Broad Ripple on a dreary and rainy afternoon, when all of a sudden the temperature drops and I'm talkin it hits the floor.  I turn around to look outside the window and there is a snow storm going on outside of me, a thick wet snow coming down hard and just blanketing cars.  It's the first snow of the season, so I wrap up my booboo and go for a beer at Brugge.

I run into Ted, Brugge's owner and brewmaster, and we get to talking about what I had and he filled me in about what what Cerne Pivo actually met.  As with German beers where Bock means strong beer, Pils means light lager, and Dunkel means dark lager, the same classifications exist in other countries.  The Cerne Pivo is a Belgian style beer, which literally translates to dark beer.

This is a dark lager with a medium body, which is loaded with taste and flavor but still easy to drink and refreshing.  It has a nice hoppy touch which is very prevalent in both smell and taste, but what always impresses me about Brugge's beer is how they can somehow manage to balance their darker bitter beers on the back end.  Similarly to their Black, the Cerne Pivo has a full taste but then comes clean and a bit sweet.   This is a good enough beer to be featured year round, as it's easy drinkability and dark mixture of flavors would work in a bunch of different settings and please a wide range of beer drinkers, casual and connoisseurs.

Flat 12 Bierwerks - Nunmoere Black ABA

Nunmoere Black ABA

ABV: dunno
IBU: ugh
SRM / Coloring: Jet Black

I was kind of disappointed in myself on this one.  I got a tweet from Flat 12 about the tapping of their bourbon barrel Nunmoere Black ABA on the tuesday before Thanksgiving, and without reading the tweet fully (which in itself is monumentally idiotic since it's less than 150 characters) I assumed that the tapping was for Black Wednesday.  For those of you who are socially inept, Black Wednesday is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and one of the biggest drinking days of the year.  Everyone comes back in town and wants to go turbo max with old friends before being tied down with the family.

I thought, "Oh what a grand idea, tapping the American Black Ale on black Wednesday," only it wasn't on Wednesday.  The tapping was for black Friday, so I show up at the Brewery for an unveiling and it ain't happening.  No sweat though, there's still beer to be had, and on tap is the original Nunmoere Black so I decided to go at it and give it a review.

I wish I had made it downtown for the bourbon barrel Black tapping because it would undoubtedly be fantastic.  Bourbon barrel aged beers tend to have an oaky / smokey flavor added to the beer which would have complimented the hops and bitter taste of the Nunmoere, just like being next to a bonfire.  However, the regular Nunmoere was somewhat lacking that extra edge and just came off as being dark and bitter with little other character.  This would be a beer to sample alongside the bourbon barrel cousin so you can really notice the difference the barrel adds.

Upland Brewery - Winter Warmer Barley Wine

Upland Brewery - Winter Warmer Barley Wine

ABV: 8.5%

IBU: 46.7

SRM / Coloring: 18.5, medium brown to red

Helios pale ale and some Floribbean Flair was awesome, excellent combination, add some sun on my back and sand between my toes and it would be damn near perfect. After that though I wanted to try one of the seasonal's that Upland had going on, so I went up to chat with the lovely young woman standing behind the counter.

"Good tidings fair vendor of beers and enjoyment," I sexily proclaimed. "I would like to inquire about your most recent addition to the list of artisian alcoholic beverages."

"Indeed gov'nor," the handsome woman replied. She was a vibrant breath of alternative style and feminine allure that draws in the usual customer with smiles and quirky acts of intrigue and childhood sweetness. She wore a mottled green satin gentleman's jacket with a ruffled collar, over black knickerbockers complimented with a worn top hat.

"What'd my lord be interested in this evening?" She was also a street urchin character actor circa sixteenth century England.

"I've recently tried your Helios Pale Ale, to my utter enjoyment, but I must confess that currently my mood has changed. I'm looking for a drink much darker to warm my spirits on this windy Autumn's night."

"Too right you are suh, might I be reccomendin the Winter Warmer barley wine? It'll put you in a good spot it would, even when you'd be out on the cobblestones makin your way back to the mrs. you'd be feelin top notch you would yes suh."

"Pour me a tankard then," I proclaimed as I threw her a sixpence. Naturally she bit it to see if it was real, since she's a sixteenth century street urchin.

A beer couldn't have been named better. The winter warmer is a barley wine variation, thicker than most other beers and stronger to boot, but also has a greater emphasis on the grains and spices added into the mix. As a result is has more of an earthy flavor to it, and you can really taste the malts and grains mixing around in it. It's got a full body and maxed out flavor and aromas. Where as the Helios lager is more prone to cool you off on a hot summer day, this baby will bring out the color in your cheeks and your face as well, heating you up from your head all the way down.

Floribbean Flair Island Food

So I don't typically do food reviews (I like to stick with I know best ya feel me?), but I've been noticing that all of these awesome food trucks have been parking around Broad Ripple and downtown, specifically around breweries and places where you can get craft beer. I've seen the Scratch Truck and West Coast tacos everywhere in Broad Ripple, Byrnes, grilled pizza, downtown a lot, and most recently the Floribbean Flair Island Food truck. Most of these vendors have amazing food and I've been blown away by every single one, so I decided to jump in head first on this one. And, I got to talking with the guys who ran the truck, both owners and head chefs, and they sold me on the product.

I gotta say, I made fun of the Florribbean Flair truck at first. Most other food trucks look pretty professional; fancy paint jobs or full body wraps, colorful menus, QR codes and information, reviews, the works like any other restaurant. This is a small little guy that looks like it could be pulled around by a Prius; the size of a small Uhaul with a dry erase board menu with four items, and a tiki light hanging out front. If there wasn't someone sitting inside of it, you'd think that people were moving kitchen supplies to another location. My dad and I were examining the truck from inside Upland, trying to figure out what the hell it was, when one of the guys standing beside it came in to see what was up.

As it turns out, the man was actually the head Chef of the company, as well as the Italian restaurant Iozzo's downtown, and they had just started their food truck business several months ago. With renowned crab cakes and fish tacos that are shipped all over the country, we all decided that we had to bag our previous dinner plans and try this shit out.

Damn, Floribbean Flair follows suit with it's food truck brethren and makes some damn good caribbean food. It's very hard to make a niche for yourself in the food industry, especially one centered around street food and catering to either walking or drunk, but Floribbean Flari does this effortlessly making seafood classics as well as others that are both portable, accessible, and scrumtrulescent. The crab cakes were fabulous and had a nice mixture of meat and vegetables mixed in. Fish tacos were great and made with Basa, a light white fish similar to grouper but firmer and less "fishy," which is typically a big problem for my mom. They also had an Island burger that old man Neff went for, complete with a slice of pineapple on a Hawaiian bun, and a cuban sandwich which was quite the treat. Throw in some horseradish dipping sauce, some sriracha, and some coleslaw and you got a dope dinner to accompany some dope beer. Their truck is small, their menu is small, but in this case they take what they make and really warp it into a piece of culinary art.

Upland Brewery - Helios Pale Ale

Helios Pale Ale

ABV: 4.9%

IBU: 21.7

SRM / Coloring: 6.2, light gold as you can see

It's Thanksgiving Weekend, my sister is back in town and my parents are looking to spend some time together. My first thought, let's go have a few drinks and really unbutton the collar a little bit, eh? Ol pops totally agrees and we head out to grab some cocktails, but I'm thinking about getting some good beer in the process, so I grab the reins and navigate the family mini van over to the Upland Tasting Room to see whats going on.

It's starting to cool off a little outside, naturally being November in Indiana, but any of you who live in them Midwest or more specifically Indiana will know that the weather here has a better turn radius than my car; this weekend alone has gone from mid 30's and rainy to mid 60's a gorgeous. Typically I'd go for a darker beer to warm me up on the inside, something spicy and full bodied, but I was feeling a bit saucy and wanted to go for a lighter drink, refreshing and all, so I bit on the Helios Pale Ale.

When I think of lagers and pale ale's I typically think of your standard American beers, Budweiser, Coors and the like, clean tasting but with a heavy emphasis on the grains in the beer. The Helios is quite a different story. Though your typical grainy, hoppy flavors are still present, it is nicely complimented but a citrus aroma and flavor giving it an extra edge / leg up over those other run of the mill variations. Perfect for a hot day or a thirst quencher, and for those trying to find something beyond the king / banquet / triple hops brewed. This beer is served year round, so need to sprint out your door, but a great place to grab it in a growler, especially with Upland's unique carbonating growler filling machines. Tubular.

Broad Ripple Brew Pub - India Pale Ale

Broad Ripple Brew Pub - India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.2%

IBU: Unknown, at least above 60

SRM / Coloring: Cloudy Gold

It's hard to argue with the IPA; pretty much a go to for beer drinkers, especially those who are just breaking into the unique realm of beer, exploring micro brew options. Typically characterized by a slightly bitter flavor and and overwhelming taste of hops, IPA's are what really get most people, and admittedly myself into the different types of beers that are out there.

IPA's actually have a very interesting origin. Great Britain had recently added the area that is now India to it's vast empire, and was sending various business men, troops, and people over to occupy and run the country. However, at that time, the only way to get to the other side of the globe was by boat, so travelers had to brave months of sea travel to get over to the new territory. In order to send certain foods and provisions, great Britain had to take certain steps to ensure that the supplies would last the extensive journey. In the case of beer, they increased the hops so that the beer would stay fresh for as long as possible. Thus the India Pale Ale was born, and so aptly named.

It's kind of funny having the Brew Pub's IPA, which is simply named IPA. I guess I'm just used to crazy names like Komodo Dragonfly and Centennial Martyr, but sometimes the simple things are the best. This IPA is a solid variation that isn't like to upset, shock, or amaze many people, but it's a solid go to for many beer drinkers and people looking for the next step up from a lager or a pilsner. Great to pair with fried foods like their nachos or scotch eggs, or something spicy like their Herdsman's Chili.

Broad Ripple Brew Pub

For the most part, microbreweries in Indianapolis double as restaurants to cover their overall costs. While still touting the title of brewery, they serve food as well and are family restaurants where anyone and everyone can sit down and have a bite or a brew. Unfortunately though, the average place like this is unable to to work well in both fields; they either have great beer and shitty / no food, or fantastic food and the beer is only sub par. And, as Indiana laws stand, in order to serve beers to drink in the facility, the company has to provide some kind of food, limiting some companies to only providing growler and bullet carryout. Quite the unfortunate situation. One of the few place that is able to transcend these issues and provide fantastic food, beer, and an OG tavern atmosphere is the Broad Ripple Brew Pub, which is most likely why they have been a staple in the Indy brewing scene for over two decades.

When you walk into a sports bar, there are certain criteria that you want met; fast and deep fried food, televisions everywhere, rock or some kind of pick me up music, cheap beer and maybe some golden tee in the corner. With the Tavern, you are instantly taken to the chillest of chill spots, surrounded by a tight knit atmosphere, wooden cabinets and ceiling beams, intricate inlay and stained glass looking in on the brewing tanks, and the sound of conversation around you giving you a true neighborhood tavern feel of an english pub; a great change of pace from Applebees and Outback Steakhouse.

And how else might they differ from these large chain bars and restaurants? By offering a unique english style menu with loads of vegetarian options and a world class beer selection, packed with their award winning brews along with some select others. Add in some super serious trivia on Tuesdays and you undoubtedly have a winner. Head on over to the Brew Pub for some herdsman's chili, craft beer, and some darts for a more personal take on the broad ripple beer scene.

Triton Brewing Company - Bourbon Barrel Deadeye Stout

Triton Brewing Company - Bourbon Barrel Deadeye Stout

ABV: 8.0 %

IBU: 28

SRM / Coloring: 51 light to dark brown

This beer comes with a story. So I was speaking with both brewmasters and owners Jon and David about which beer I should choose for my first taste of Triton Brewery, and of course they recommended their standard and most popular beers, the Railsplitter IPA and their Wheat Beer, but you all know me I'm the dark beer man. I requested something with some girth on it, and they said that I had to try their Bourbon Barrel Stout before it ran out.

Triton brewed this beer a while ago, but a few weeks later they learned that there was a stout beer competition that was accepting applicants. After entering this beer at the last minute, they ended up coming in second place, which is a fantastic rank considering the other breweries involved, such as Sun King, Flat 12, and Bier Brewery.

This is their Deadeye stout that has been fermented and slightly aged in whiskey bourbon barrels, and after talking with Jon I learned that fermenting in bourbon barrels is always a unique experience. Each barrel has it's own unique properties, and so you just have to judge the aging and brewing of the beer based on the personality of that individual barrel. Clearly, Triton figured out what this barrel's deal was and said, "Yo MoFo, you're gonna make us a beer and you're gonna make it a doozie."

As a result, the beer is given an oaky, almost smokey flavor and aroma which adds to the beers already malty flavor. With a toasty smell on the nose, sweet toffee and coffee undertones, and a creamy finish, this beer is a nice stout that isn't too tick or full bodied, but is an array of melding flavors and ingredients that won't disappoint. If you want to try this one though you better get to it son, it's running out fast and will be gone before you know it.

Triton Brewing Company

After taking a week off and going on a bodacious vacation in the Caribbean, I decided that I needed to get back into the beer game and try something new. I live in Broad Ripple and so far have tried and reviewed most of the microbreweries in the area, but I wanted to stretch my wings and go somewhere different, so RR and I went on a little field trip to Triton Brewery off of 56th street and Post Road.

From Indianapolis, it's kind of a hassle to get to the actual brewery; it's in a newer development off of Post Rd near Fort Ben and the large park there, and you have to wind your way around to find the actual building. Once up close though it's hard to miss the massive grain silo out front of the building with the Triton logo on it. There are a few other places in town that serve Triton's beers though, including Fat Dan's and the Pepsi Coliseum, so you can enjoy some good craft beer closer to the city while watching an Ice hockey game or a Naptown Roller girls bout. Yet, for the real feel of the brewery you have to go and check the place out; full brewery view from the bar and tours several days of the week, complete with beer and free giveaways. What more could you want?

Surprisingly the building is set up more like a restaurant than bar despite not serving any food (besides the food truck parked outside). Still the ambiance is just what you want; classic rock playing in the background with the owners, brewmaster, and seasoned beer professionals surrounding you helping you out with the menu and getting you in to the spirit of beer. It's perfect for the surrounding area which is predominantly young families and people looking for a fun place that is far from the packed bustle of a city bar. And with the restaurant set up, you can bring the kids and the family to grab a few beers and a walking taco from the truck outside.

We sat down at the bar and were immediately greeted by both the brewmaster Jon and one of the owners David, who offered their take on the brewery business, the beers they liked and how each of them were made and matched up to other beers like them. It was a welcoming experience and a nice change from the standard push through the crowds and get a beer as fast a possible routine. If you're looking for an oasis just outside of the city and want some award winning beer, then do yourself a favor and check out Triton Brewery, and ask about the bourbon barrel stout. Trust me.

Triton Brewing Company

Fort Benjamin Harrison

5764 Wheeler Rd.

Indianapolis, IN 46216

Broad Ripple Brew Pub - Sparky's Chocolate Milk Stout

Sparky's Chocolate Milk Stout

ABV: 5.6%

IBU: No idea

SRM / Coloring - Deep brown

As a kid I always went for the chocolate milk. For whatever reason, my parents had a constant supply of Ovaltine, which was alright if I really needed to get my fix, but the real pros got actual chocolate milk or mixed in some chocolate syrup. Twas the best way to enjoy a sweet, thick treat at lunchtime to go with my PB&J sandwich and chips and salsa. My friends, this is how an adult should enjoy a chocolate milk.

The Brew Pub's Chocolate Milk Stout is brewed with fifty pounds of dark belgian chocolate and a bag a milk sugar, and there's no mistaking it when you take a whiff or a taste. Seriously, it tastes just like a tall glass of chocolate milk, which was incredibly surprising to me when I took my first taste of it last night. Most of the time porters and stouts will be infused with chocolate, so you know it's there but other flavors compliment or overpower it. Not here, you get all beery-chocolate.

It's a fantastic autumn / winter drink; cold outside on a November evening whilst RR and myself sip on chocolate beer, surrounded by wooden cabinets playing an impossibly hard round of trivia.

Upland Brewery - Komodo Dragonfly Black IPA

Komodo Dragon Black IPA

ABV: 6.5%

IBU: 65.5

SRM / Coloring: 49.6, jet black

Here we go baby. Having worked in a brewery before I've gotten to try a black double IPA which was fantastic, so seeing this on the chalkboard at the Upland tasting room I had to see what was up.

As a black IPA, or also referred to as an Imperial IPA, it has the initial properties of an IPA, but then is infused with the malts to add more flavor. This can draw away from the hoppiness of the beer, but at the same time it makes it more bitter.

The Komodo black IPA is pretty good, but I wonder if it would be better if they simply focused on one major aspect of the beer; the malt or the hops. Whether that is an issue with Upland's take on the beer or just the nature of the beer itself, who knows. You can definitely notice both aspects, but they're subdued due to one another's presence. I will say it is much smoother than most imperial stouts I've had, but the malt simply overpowers the normal kick of hops that a standard IPA is known for. At any rate, it's a unique and complicated beer with subtle flavorings that push the boundaries of how beers are made a classified.

Upland Brewery Tasting Room

When people think Broad Ripple they think of it in the classic sense; Broad Ripple Avenue lined with bars, restaurants and boutique shops. Head south on College though past the flashing lights of the Vogue and you'll encounter a much different place, one that's even more engrained with the neighborhood feel of Borad Ripple, which has aptly been named SoBro. With local, like immediate vicinity local bars, unique restaurants like Yats and the Jazz Kitchen, and some other unique record shops and places of interest, SoBro is booming as fast, if not faster than Broad Ripple itself. Down in the heart of South Broad Ripple is the Upland Brewery Tasting Room, at the corner of 49th and College.

Upland Brewery hails from Bloomington Indiana, and has brewing beers since 1998. With Upland Wheat as their flagship beer, the brewery has begun to expand into newer territories, the closest one to me being just south of where I live, and they honestly could not have picked a better spot.

Inside the walls are lined with chiq-y trinkets and new bohemian style art to go along with furniture and the Phish jamming in the background; seriously a good neighborhood place to bro out, drink a beer, and play star wars monopoly. Yes, you can just sit down and enjoy this cozy little spot to drink your Upland Wheat or any other variety of beers on tap.

One of the coolest things about the tasting room though is the way in which they fill your growlers. Instead of simply taking beer from the tap, they fill it through a pressurized system that makes the carbonation last longer and seem fresher from your container; dope. Top it all off with a food truck parked outside and you have quite the winning combination. Official status; turbo chill.

Flat 12 Bierwerks- Half Cycle IPA

Half Cycle IPA
ABV: 6%
IBU: 104
Color- Amber/Gold

When it comes to beer, as I've said before... I'm an IPA drinker.  I enjoy that hoppy bitter flavor in beer, and this Half Cycle IPA certainly has that going for it.  As RT and I were at the Bloody Blonde tapping party, I certainly couldn't settle for just one beer and one review.  Here I tried the Half Cycle IPA and think I found one of my new favorites. No doubt.

This beer is hoppy and bitter, which is exactly what you would guess when looking at its IBU over 100.  It was initially easy to smell the aroma of hoppy IPA flavor, and was reassured of the hop and malt flavor upon my first taste.  The thing about this beer, though, is it doesn't leave that dry bitter aftertaste every sip.  Its got a clean, refreshing aftertaste, which is what I look for in a hoppy IPA.  Making a bitter beer like the rest is easy, but pulling off a clean aftertaste certainly calls for praise.  This is the kind of beer that makes you wonder, "How did I finish this already?" and, "Why haven't I gotten another one yet?"

If you are ever in the downtown area, and feel like you need to try something new... I encourage you to drop by Flat 12 brewery and grab a pint.  With temperatures in the 70s all the way up to November, this has been quite the fall season for brewery visits.

Flat 12 Bierwerks- Bloody Blonde (Tapping Party)

Bloody Blonde
ABV:5.5%
IBU: 25
Coloring: Golden orange

Our visit to Flat 12 came on their tapping party for their new beer called the Bloody Blonde.  And, as far as beer and tapping parties go, RT and I rarely miss the opportunity to try something new.  This wheat beer is brewed with blood oranges, which is a very tart (almost like grapefruit) flavor.  The brewing process yields a very golden orange color as evidenced in the above picture.

This beer yields a decent citrus flavor without having a very wheat-y taste too it.  You can certainly detect the blood oranges in its aroma and flavor.  It is not very bitter at all, and in fact has a very crisp taste to it.  It wasn't nearly as sweet as I initially thought it would be, but definitely leaves a sweet aftertaste.  If you are a wheat beer drinker, this would certainly be a great new concoction to try out.  Grab a pint, fill a growler, or just taste a sample... you really can't go wrong with this new Bloody Blonde.

Sun King Brewery - Wee Mac Scottish Ale

Wee Mac Brown Ale

ABV: 5.3%

IBU: 23

SRM / Coloring: Amber / Light brown

For those of you living in the Indianapolis / neighboring area, you've definitely heard of this brewery, and if not you need to get on your game. Sun King is one of, if not the largest brewer in Indy and the only one that actually packages their beers to sell in stores around the area. Their Wee Mac beer is one of their consistent favorites and one that they can, so you can buy it in four packs. I was downtown the other day and dropped in to get a growler, and decided to review this Hoosier beer standard.

This is a Scottish Brown ale, which means that it is going to have little bitterness from the hops and mostly defined by some caramel and malty flavors. It essentially is a more flavorful medium body ale, and a good middle ground beer. Sun King adds toffee into the mix to enhance the malty flavor with a little more edge to it. This would be the place to start for people looking to expand their beer repertoire; it's not a basic pilsner and the malt infusion and toffee flavoring adds complexity to a light / medium body.

Flat 12 - Joe Brahama Brown Coffee Ale

Joe Brahama

ABV: 5.1%

IBU: 28.5

SRM / Coloring: Deep Brown

Honestly they should call this Coffee Bitch Slap Brown Ale. RR and I ran down to the Flat 12 brewery on October 28th for the Bloody Blonde tapping party, which I might add is a fantastic blonde variation (see RR's post for more), but it isn't quite my cup of tea. In the tasting room I asked the guy behind the bar for something darker, to which he said,

"Well we got our standard porter and our milk stout. And then there's our Brahama, but that's pretty intense."

Either he was just giving me fair warning or he was a true salesman trying to peak my interest, at any rate I had to go for it. In the beer world, this would be a middleweight title contender, light in body but with a strong southpaw jab that can put you on your ass. In both smell and taste you get an intense coffee punch to the senses, but it isn't a thick smooth taste like with a porter, it's more of a sharp clean taste almost like an iced coffee. It looks like a porter, it smells and tastes like a porter, but it has the body of a bock or a lager. It's a crisp and cool beer with that strong coffee bite on the front, but instead of the bitter end with a normal cup of coffee you get a smooth sweet after taste which they attribute to infused lactose. Not a beer for the faint of heart or taste, you gotta know you want a strong and flavorful drink.

Brugge Brasserie - Cloutier's Farmhouse Ale

Cloutier's Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 6%
IBU: 22
SRM/Coloring: Light amber to golden orange

Well, it was another fine 70+ degree October day when RT and I decided (once again) to go visit a local brewery and try out their selection. We found ourselves sitting on the outside patio of Brugge Brasserie facing the setting sun in the late afternoon. It's located right in Broad Ripple and is right off of the Monon Trail, a great spot to stop for a beer while walking/biking along the trail.

Anyway, enough jabber let's get to the beer. I tried the Cloutier's Farmhouse Ale after a courtesy taste thanks to our server. Upon smelling the beer, I could immediately sense its tart apple smell without overpowering the malty beer aroma. The first sip surprised me with just how tart this beer was. It reminded of me initially of drinking a cider, but the aftertaste preserved the beery flavor we all know and love. Its acidic taste definitely makes you feel like it would be difficult to drink these one after the other, but it was a nice surprise from the typical ales, porters, and lagers we have already blogged on.

This, I would say, is one of the most Fall-y/October-y tasting beers, and goes along with the season perfectly. I look over to RT and say, "I could see myself going on a hayride, picking apples at an orchard, and enjoying this Cloutier's Farmhouse Ale." It's the fall drink, and even if you aren't a tart lover, I encourage you to at least taste this one. As microbreweries change their menu with the season, you better get the Cloutier's Farmhouse Ale while its on tap.

Brugge Brasserie - Black Ale

Brugge Brasserie – Black

ABV: 6.0%

IBU: 30

SRM / Coloring: jet black or dark ass brown

This probably has to be the best beer I’ve reviewed so far. Normally with darker beers there is an overpowering bitterness as with an Imperial stout or thickness like with a porter. But this bad boy pushes past those boundaries and personifies a smooth and rich dark beer that comes off clean.

The Brugge Black is a Belgian style black ale, which is infused with malts and other robust additives like chocolate to give it it’s dark flavors, but for whatever reason is not as dense or intense as porters or stouts. It’s a unique type of beer that I have yet to encounter from a micro-brewery around here, which speaks to the creativity of Brugge’s brewing team (this is a shout out to you Ted) as well as their broad range of beer options. Remarkably the Black has a big hit of chocolate roastiness, but then ends a little bit sweet with a hint of fruit…wtf.

It’s actually a shame that most people are scared off by darker beers, partially because they simply have never tried one that blew them away, and partially because they have an idea of what beer is and it isn’t dark. If you ask the people around Brugge what their best beer is, you’re undoubtedly gonna get those die hard Tripel de Ripple fans, but if you are interested in trying a super dope dark beer, go with the Black. I promise you’ll be more than surprised.

Broad Ripple Brew Pub - Monon Porter

Monon Porter
ABV: 6.0%
IBU: no idea, but it's pretty smooth, not too bitter
SRM / Coloring: malty rich brown





The Brew Pub's porter is a smooth and simple cask conditioned porter. For those of you who don't know, cask conditioned beers are unfiltered and unpasturized beers that are fermented twice in a separate tank, keg, or cask. As a result, they're naturally fermented and taste different than your traditional beer. If you ever go to a brewery and ask for one, you'll see the bartender pulling really hard on a large black handle, which literally uses pressure to suck the beer right our of the cask and into the glass. Pretty cool.

This porter is characteristically smooth for a cask conditioned beer, which could come from the lower amount of carbonation. It has a thick malty taste with subtle essences of coffee and chocolate, but it's a modest dark beer that would satisfy real lovers of malty beers as well as people just looking to try something new.

Brugge Brasserie

On an incredibly dismal Thursday evening in Indianapolis, RR and I decided to venture out for a beer and watch the second game of the word series. After testing out the waters at Bier Brewery and Thr3e Wise Men, we decided to try something new and head to Brugge Brasserie, a brewery / restaurant from Terre Haute located at the corner of Winthrop and Westfield in Broad Ripple.

The weather was absolutely awful, cold and spitting rain for the entire day, but we thankfully found an amazing parking spot right next to the place and walked up the stairs to the bar. Standing outside were two men braving the elements and having a quick smoke before their food came out. We jokingly asked them how they were doing out here in the rain, in which they agreed that yeah Indiana weather is unpredictable and lousy.

"What do you all do?" I asked, "Are you here to grab a beer and some oysters?"

"Something like that," the guy in red told me. "We kinda like the place. I'm actually the owner and the head brew master."

I immediately laughed and slapped RR on the back, the perfect piece of luck had fallen right inot our laps. Just after starting a microbrewery blog we meet another brew master. I of course had to ask the guy for a picture despite the downpour going on around us, and told him about our internet venture that we just started. He smiled and told us to try the Tripel De Ripple, a blonde Belgian Tripel style that is the bread and butter of the brewery.

Bruge is located in the old Net Heads building across from the Broad Ripple Steak house; surreal for me walking in there as I was used to the upstairs room being packed full of computers and people playing Unreal Tournament and Counter Strike. Now it's a different type of playground for me, one a little less violent but more delicious and age appropriate. The restauraunt serves a variety of options, most famous for it's Moules Frites, various styles of mussels, and paper cones of Pomme Frites, super dope french fries. Compliment those with some unique beer options from guest breweries as well as their own collection, and you got a winner.

Thr3e Wise Men - Longfang Abbey Ale

Longfang Abbey Ale

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: 36

SRM / Color: Deep amber

Thr3e Wise Men's seasonal beer, tapped on Oct. 17th, is the Longfang Abbey Ale, a classical Belgian style beer focusing more on the yeast and the malts in the beer than the hops. It's a simpler beer with only 3 different types of hops mixed together, though dominated by northern brewer and cascade hops. The beer has a clovey, flowery smell on the nose hinting to the yeast used in the process, providing for a more estery flavor.

The tapping party was pretty downplayed, but still exactly what I wanted; free food, a glass of free beer, and classic rock...what more could you want on a tuesday night? Omar, Thr3e Wise Men's Brewmaster, stood up and gave a brief description of the beer, and then offered a toast to the crowd, in which the mass gave an emphatic, "here here."

The taste is very similar to Hoegaarden or Thr3e Wise Men's Amber, clovey / flowery on the nose and tangy, light and crisp, but it differs in that its somewhat thicker / darker and has a fuller body. It's a nice addition to the cast of beers, but due to demand, will undoubtedly be gone soon.

Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.

1021 Broad Ripple Ave.

www.thr3ewisemen.com

Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.

Located in the old Sunflower Mart Building on the east end of the Broad ripple strip, Thr3e Wise Men Brewery opened last winter and has been tearing it up ever since. Owned by Scott Wise (Scotty's Brew House), the company has been a solid addition to the Broad Ripple microbrewery scene.

Inside the Brewery, the ambiance is synonymous with manliness and testosterone. With deer antlers hanging on the walls, 16 big screen TV's, full views into the brewing section in the back, and Paint It Black thrumming in the background, this is the ideal atmosphere for any self respecting man looking to chill out, watch the game, and drink some primo beer. Along with full access to wireless internet, iPads on every table connected to social media and a personally crafted Thr3e Wise Men app, this brewery doesn't disappoint, whether it comes to business or pleasure. Currently I'm sitting at the bar enjoying a beer and working on a couple of projects, I'll take the brewery over Starbucks any day.

Along with the beer selection, Thr3e Wise Men has a full service menu, touting pizza options in five different ways, as well as Scotty's award winning wings. If you love the spicy, get an order of the MoFo wings to go along with the signature DIPA beer; get a little tipsy for the colts game, just enough to numb the pain from another inevitable loss. Just make sure you come at the right time, peak hours during local sporting events and the dinner rush, everyone is willing to wait an hour or more for great pizza and beer.

Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.

1021 Broad Ripple Ave.

Indianapolis, 46220

www.thr3ewisemen.com

Thr3e Wise Men - Centennial Martyr Double IPA

Double IPA

ABV: 8.00%

IBU: 92

SRM / Coloring : Pale to Amber

When you come to Thr3e Wise Men Brewery in Broad Ripple, this is the staple beer that they serve. I actually used to work here , and whenever people come in, it's the one thing I recommend and people rave about; intense, robust flavor, and who could possibly complain about 8% alcohol? Tastes like a win win situation.

A double IPA differs from a normal IPA in that it has more additives at work in the brewing process, thus it has a higher alcohol content and a more robust flavor. Also known as an imperial IPA, it has a rich color, full body, and thick defining flavor.

This double IPA is made with glacier and Falconer's flight hops, a mixture of hops from northern Indiana, as well as clover honey from a local farm in Martinsville. Looking at the beer it has a darker amber color than most single IPA's, and it has the distinct smell of hops, clovers, and flowers on the nose. Tasting the beer, it has a dense hoppy taste (as expected) but the honey infusion almost gives it a warming sensation on the back end like with whiskey or bourbon, eliminating any bite. It's the perfect beer for a cold fall evening, warming you up on the inside.

Bier Brewery - Cream Ale

Cream Ale
ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 17
SRM: 3

Cream Ale

Bier Brewery certainly has a variety of options for an ale guy like myself, so for my first review I went with the Cream Ale.  The bartenders were certainly willing to give RT and I a try of anything we wanted, and gave advice to help us find what we were looking for.  I tend to go for an ultra-hoppy beer, but today I was in the mood for something less bitter than the typical hoppy IPA, or whatever.  Cream Ale certainly lives up to the reputation for the stereotypical cream ale with repressed flavors of malt and hops.  As I near the end of my first glass, I can certainly say this beer has a light and refreshing personality.

The beer has a very smooth flow, as characteristic of cream ales.  Because flavors of malt and hops are generally hidden in this beer, it yields slightly sweet flavor somewhere between a wheat ale and a light pale ale.  It's definitely not too heavy, so if you're the person to drink one beer, then another... and another... and another... and another... this would be a good bet.  To the beer drinker without the tongue for a super-hoppy beer, this would be the ale for you.

Bier Brewery

5133 East 65th Street, Indianapolis

www.bierbrewery.com

Bier Brewery - Smoked Brown

Smoked Brown

ABV: 5.8%

IBU: 16

SRM: 17

Smoked Brown

When it comes down to it, I'm a dark beer man. Being a college graduate I was cultured to drink the normal "bottom of the barrel" options like Natural Light, Busch Light, Keystone Light, and now Boxer Light which, I have to say tastes like what I imagine horse piss would taste like. After four years of going after runny, light and tasteless beer, anything dark and flavorful tastes like a Tiesto rave in my mouth.

When RR and I walked into the Bier tap room and up to the bar, I asked the guy for the darkest thing he had, and he gave me a sample of their Smoked Brown, which truly lives up to it's namesake. In smell, color, and taste this brown has a smoky essence to it, all of which reminding you of a wood grill and smokehouse flavor. It's a very thick and malty brown which has the darker flavoring and color of a porter but drinks like a lager. Looking at the beer it has ideal coloring and body, dark brown with outlines of red and amber, but the unique thing about this brown is that through the middle it is so thick that you can't see any light through it at all; no translucence, again similar to porters and stouts.

Overall it's a good beer, robust smoky flavor and a good middle ground between light and dark beers. However, past the malt and smoky flavor, there isn't much else in the mix. Most browns would have hints of nut, chocolate, carmel, or other additives with a somewhat sweeter edge on the back end, but the smoky flavor either completely dominates everything other flavor or there simply isn't anything else. If you like smokehouse cheese, BBQ, campfires and burning leaves like every manly outdoorsman then this would be the beer for you.

Bier Brewery

5133 East 65th Street, Indianapolis

www.bierbrewery.com