Brewery Visits

RACING IN FOR THE INDY 500 AND WANT TO QUAFF SOME ALE?

There are three Indiana craft brewery locations not far from the track. These would be Daredevil Brewing (.6 mile), Big Woods Speedway – Home of Quaff On! Brewing (.8 mile), and Guggman Haus Brewing (3.1 miles). Each of these locations also serve food, so you can graze will you sip. Guggman Haus may be of special interest to race fans because of its location at the historic Boyle Racing Headquarters.

Hoppy visited each of these locations yesterday and enjoyed the following ales:

Daredevil Lift Off IPA – Described as containing a bounty of American hops which deliver the signature clean and crisp finish of a perfectly balanced West Coast IPA. 7.2% ABV, 72 IBU.

Quaff On! Quaff IPA – Described as featuring a complex malt bill that creates a semi-dry finish that balances malty sweetness with a hops selection that creates intense citrus aroma and flavor with notes of melon, berry, lime, passion fruit and papaya. 6.5% ABV, 58 IBU.

Guggman Haus The Riverside New England IPA – Made with a variety of eight hops and described as a hazy, juicy beer that provides a major punch of citrus flavor. Bronze medal winner at the World Beer Cup 2025. 6.9% ABV, 41 IBU.

Should you wish to visit other Indianapolis breweries while in town, below is a list of all breweries within their approximate area, including their Indianapolis address.  All mileage information listed in this post reflects the distance to the location from the Indiana Convention Center.

Downtown:

Taxman Brewing โ€“ 310 S. Delaware St. – .7 mile

The Tap Beer Company โ€“ 306 N. Delaware St. – .8 mile (They have 50 taps of guest beers.)

Brew Link Brewing โ€“ 714 N. Capitol Ave. โ€“ 1.1 mile

Sun King Brewing โ€“ 135 N. College Ave. โ€“ 1.2 miles

Metazoa Brewing โ€“ 140 S. College Ave. โ€“ 1.3 miles

St. Joseph Brewery โ€“ 540 N. College Ave. โ€“ 1.5 miles

Pax Verum Brewery at Natural State Provisions โ€“ 414 Dorman St. โ€“ 1.7 miles

Quaff On! Brewing at Hard Truth Garage Food Hall โ€“ 906 Carrollton Ave. #400 โ€“ 1.9 miles

Guggman Haus Brewing โ€“ 1701 Gent St. โ€“ 2.2 miles

Centerpoint Brewing โ€“ 1125 East Brookside Ave. โ€“ 2.3 miles

Mashcraft Brewing โ€“ 2205 N. Delaware St. โ€“ 2.6 miles

Kismetic Beer Co. โ€“ 201 S. Rural St., Ste. 110 โ€“ 2.9 miles

Narrow Gauge Brewing at Abandoned Station โ€“ 2457 N. Delaware St. โ€“ 3 miles

Fletcher Place/Fountain Square Area:

Chilly Water Brewing โ€“ 719 Virginia Ave. #105 โ€“ 1.2 miles

Fountain Square Brewing โ€“ 1301 Barth Ave. โ€“ 2.2 miles

Upland Brewing โ€“ 1201 Prospect St. โ€“ 2.2 miles

Garfield Brewery โ€“ 2310 Shelby St. โ€“ 3.1 miles

Broad Ripple/SoBro Area:

Chilly Water Brewing โ€“ 4155 Boulevard Place โ€“ 4.9 miles

Guggman Haus Brewing โ€“ 4601 College Ave., Unit C โ€“ 5.7 miles

Upland Brewing โ€“ 4842 N. College Ave. โ€“ 6 miles

Black Circle Brewing โ€“ 2201 E. 46th St. โ€“ 6.2 miles

Liter House โ€“ 5301 Winthrop Ave., Suite B โ€“ 6.6 miles

Twenty Below at Twenty Tap โ€“ 5406-5408 N. College Ave. โ€“ 7 miles (They have 38 taps; mostly guest beers)

Centerpoint Brewing/Bad Dad Brewing/Chilly Water Brewing at 317 BBQ โ€“ 6320 Guilford Ave. โ€“ 7.8 miles

Broad Ripple Brewpub – 842 E 65th St. โ€“ 8 miles

Speedway/West:

Quaff On! at Big Woods โ€“ 1002 Main St. โ€“ 5.1 miles

Daredevil Brewing โ€“ 1151 N. Main St. โ€“ 5.2 miles

Herrmann Brewthers Bierwerks โ€“ 7811 W. Morris St. โ€“ 11 miles

Binford Area:

Blind Owl Brewery โ€“ 5014 E. 62nd St. โ€“ 9.1 miles

Bier Brewery โ€“ 5133 E. 56th St. โ€“ 9.8 miles

Nora/Castleton Area:

Daredevil Brewing โ€“ 2721 E. 86th St. โ€“ 11 miles

Quaff On! at Big Woods in Fashion Mall โ€“ 8702 Keystone Crossing โ€“ 12miles

Big Lug Brewing โ€“ 1435 E. 86th St. โ€“ 12 miles

Upland Brewing โ€“ 4939 E. 82nd St. โ€“ 12 miles

Books & Brews โ€“ 9402 Uptown Dr. #1400 โ€“ 21 miles

Northwest:

Traders Brewing โ€“ 8587 Zionsville Rd. โ€“ 15 miles

Deviate Brewing โ€“ 4004 W. 96th St. โ€“ 18 miles

More information regarding each of these breweries can be found by placing the brewery’s name in the search bar on this website. If you plan on visiting several breweries you should download the Indy Craft Pass.

Many breweries are also located in nearby suburbs, which you can find here.

Other Things to Do:

You’ll definitely want to visit the newly updated and recently opened Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which is located at the track.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) events can be found here. 500 Festival events, including the parade, can be found here. The World’s Largest Racing Memorabilia & Trading Card Show can be found here.

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Indianapolis has a vibrant sports scene that includes the Indiana Pacers, who are currently playing the New York Knicks in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. They will be playing in Indianapolis at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday night, following the race, in the third game of this series.

Indy is also home to an acclaimed symphony, and many excellent museums including the world’s largest and best Children’s Museum. The Indianapolis Art Museum at Newfields houses the first, and largest iconic Love Sculpture ever made. By the way, their beautiful grounds also include a Beer Garden!

You can also visit a zoo that is ranked in the top ten in the nation. More information can be found here.

Indy enjoys a thriving restaurant scene that includes one of the ten classic restaurants in the world, according to ForbesSt. Elmo’s Steakhouse, and a top ten rated food court in the nation by USA Today readers – The Garage Food Hall.

Did I forget to mention that Indianapolis is consistently ranked as one of the top beer cities in the country by the readers of USA Today?

A good source for finding other events, while in the area, would be to check the Do317 website.

Heading Home:

It can be worth it to check out the beer aisle at Costco, where I have often found cases of Three Floyd’s Zombie Dust for sale. (I have been known to place six 6-packs in a well-labeled and sealed box for transport in airplane baggage, with no issues.)

If you are flying home, you may wish to arrive at IND early so that you can indulge in some Indy beers and some non-airplane food prior to your departure. Circle City Beer Garden is located in the Civic Plaza section of the airport and is open to the public daily from 11:00am-10:00pm. Sun King and The Tap have locations in Concourse B which is only available to ticketed passengers. They are both open daily from 7:00am-9:00pm. You’ll find Sun King near gate B-13, and The Tap near gate B-17.

Pictures from Hoppy’s visits, yesterday, follow:

Indy 500 Collage Guggman Haus, Big Woods & Daredevil

Photos at Guggman Haus:

Exterior
Historical Sign
Historical Sign Continued
Boyle Racing Museum
Taps/Dreft Board
The Riverside NEIPA
Merchndise
Merchandise

Photos at Big Woods:

Beer Garden Mural
Entrance
Merchandise Display
Taps
Quaff IPA
Logo on Front of Employee T-shirt
Back of Employee T[shirt
Friendly Reminder

Photos at Daredevil

Exterior
Entrance
Taps
Draft Board
Draft List
Lift Off IPA
Merchandise With Artwork Also Available On Glassware & Stickers
Ed Carpenter

MOONTOWN BREWING – NASHVILLE

Hoppy completed the hat trick by visiting his third location of Moontown Brewing last Saturday in Nashville. They opened this location in October of 2024. You may recognize it as the first, and former location of Big Woods (home of Quaff On! brews) which had opened there in 2009.

Hoppy enjoyed a Barrel-Aged Witstown – 14 Month (2025) during his visit. It is described as a Belgian Wit, clocking in at 8.7% ABV.

Pictures from his visit follow:

Wall Artwork
Exterior
Entrance
Wall Decor
Bar
Cardinal Overlooking Draft Board
Barrel-Aged Witstown – 14 Month (2025)
Taproom Seating
Outdoor Seating
Outdoor Seating
Signage

SUN KING BREWING – KOKOMO

Hoppy visited Sun King Brewing in Kokomo this afternoon. They opened in Kokomo as part of a partnership with Amanda Lewton in 2020. The location had previously operated, as a partnership, by Lewton, under Tin Man Brewing, which had brewed in Evansville.

The location has the core, seasonal, specialty, barrel-aged and sour beers from Sun King as well as small-batch new, unique and innovative beers that are brewed at this location.

While there Hoppy quaffed the following:

A sample of Sun King Toasted Marshmallow Stout – Described as combining the roast toasty malt character of a stout base with the flavors of marshmallow for a perfect fireside companion. 8.9% ABV, 20 IBU.

A pint of Sun King Kokomo Fistful of Haze IPA – An experimental IPA brewed with citrusy Mandarina, Azacca, and Trident hops. 6.9% ABV.

Pictures from the visit follow (Thanks to Lexi for the brewery photos):

Exterior
Entrance
Signage
Bar
Bar
Bar
Taproom
Taps
Additional Taps
Draft Board
Fistful of Haze mostly imbibed
Logo Signage
Merchandise/Games
Brewery
Brewery
Brewery
Refrigerator Stickers – Find Hoppy

THE TAP – INDIANAPOLIS

Hoppy visited The Tap Beer Bar in downtown Indianapolis last Saturday. They boast having 200+ craft beers including up to seventy on draft. That would include up to twenty of their own beers, brewed in Bloomington, and up to 50 guest tap brews.

Hoppy indulged in brunch during his visit, while also quaffing The Tap Bionic Dragon American IPA. It is described as being packed with Waimea and Mosaic hops giving a tropical, citrus and floral aroma and flavor with an assertive bitterness. 6.8% ABV, 68 IBU/

Pictures from his visit follow:

The Bar
Entrance
Outdoor Seating
Taproom
Side Room with Additional Bar
Back Room
The Tap Draft Board
Guest Beers Draft Board
Taps
Bionic Dragon
Wall Decor

CENTERPOINT (INCLUDING BAD DAD & CHILLY WATER) TAPROOM

Hoppy’s next visit was at the Centerpoint Brewing taproom in the Broad Ripple area of Indianapolis at the 317 BBQ location. Centerpoint lists this as a taproom, but it appears to be an outpost for both Bad Dad & Chilly Water Breweries, as well. All three breweries have four taps at this location, and all are included in the decor. They also show a loop video on a tv monitor displaying information on the three breweries.

While there, Hoppy imbibed a Birdie American IPA, from Centerpoint, described as a delicious and balanced ale brewed with Mosaic and Pacifica hop varieties that impart earthy, flora and pine notes. 6% ABV, 51 IBU.

Pictures from the visit follow:

Exterior
Exterior
Taproom
Taps
Decor
Birdie IPA

CHILLY WATER BREWING TAPROOM – INDIANAPOLIS

Hoppy visited Chilly Water Brewing’s taproom in the Broad Ripple area last week. It is a combined space with Hoagies & Hops, the owners of which have a Philadelphia background, which is evident in vibe of the establishment. Hoppy previously posted on the Chilly Water brewery location.

During the visit Hoppy quaffed a One Hop Wonder American IPA brewed with Mosaic hops and clocking in at 6.9% ABV.

Pictures from the visit follow:

Bar
Taproom
Taps
Draft List
One Hop Wonder
Merchandise
Wall Mural
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