Hoppy’s next visit was to Hi-Wire Brewing in Asheville, NC. where he visited their original brewery which opened in 2013 in the South Slope area of Asheville. It currently is used for sour and wild ales, one-off small batch beers, and taproom exclusives. This is also home to their Tiki Easy Bar. They have taproom locations in five other states, and their beer is distributed in Indiana.
While there, Hoppy quaffed a Double Hi-Pitch IPA. It is described as an extra-large version of their flagship Hi-Pitch IPA seriously hopped with classic West Coast hops resulting in some eye-opening dank and citrusy aromas. Distinctive melon and grapefruit flavors balance out the malt in this dangerously drinkable IPA. 9% ABV, 65 IBU.
Pictures from the visit follow:
Hi-Wire Brewing South SlopeBreweryBreweryBarrel-AgingBarTaproomTaproomTaproomDraft Board & TapsDouble Hi-Pitch IPAStickers on CoolerNeon for Private Room
Hoppy next visited Wooden Bear Brewing in Greenfield. It opened its doors in 2014 and is located in the former Gant Opera House, which opened in 1895, next door to Greenfield’s first firehouse. As you might expect, there are a number of carved wooden bears at their location.
Wooden Bear offers food from Greek’s Pizzeria.
During his visit, Hoppy enjoyed a Dancing Bears Double IPA described as being dry hopped. It clocked in at 8.8% ABV, 90 IBU.
Last weekend Hoppy made his first visit to King Jugg Brewing in Fishers. They opened their doors on June 1st of last year. They state that they brew extremely drinkable beer, and their trademarked slogan is “Good Beer for All.”
While there, Hoppy imbibed a King Jugg – The Earl of Citra, a hop-forward IPA highlighting Citra hops. 7.1% ABV, 65 IBU.
Pictures from the visit follow:
Exterior SignageExteriorRestaurantBarDecorDecorDraft List Pg. 1Draft List Pg. 2The Earl of CitraOutdoor DecorPatio AreaPlayground Area
While in Bloomington, Hoppy also made his first visit to Heartwork Brewing. They are an independent, local, family-owned, and veteran-owned craft brewery that opened on November 30, 2023. They utilize reverse osmosis to filter their water and build mineral profiles to fit the style of beer that they are brewing. They also have LUKR faucets which are ideal for lagers (their specialty) by creating a uniquely wet, dense head that enhances a beer’s flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel.
Hoppy imbibed flight-sized offerings of the following during his visit:
German Pilsner – Drawn through a LUKR faucet and described as clean, floral and crushable. 6% ABV.
IPA (New England) – Described as dank, hazy and citrus. 6% ABV.
DIPA (New England) – An Imperial IPA described as grapefruit, pillowy and juicy. 8.5% ABV.
Farmhouse Ale – Saison – Described as banana and citrus. 6.3% ABV.
Vanilla Blueberry Berliner Weisse – A sour with 5.7% ABV.
Images from the visit follow:
ExteriorBarTaproomTaproomTaproomDraft List/TapsFarmhouse AleMerchandiseWho’s this? Face found adjacent to brewery.
Hoppy visited Bloomington this weekend and paid his first visit to Metal Works Brewing. They launched in June 2022 after having purchased Function Brewing. They have a rotation of twelve made-in-house beers of different varieties, and they have metal artwork positioned throughout their taproom.
While there, Hoppy quaffed TheWelder American IPA described as light and crisp up front and rounded out with assertive bitterness. 6.4% ABV, 67 IBU.
TIS THE SEASON – DEVIATE BREWING & SUN KING CARMEL
Tis the season to be jolly and what better way to get jolly than with high ABV ales that are part of this season. Hoppy visited Deviate Brewing yesterday and drank a couple of recent West Coast IPA releases. These were:
Hop Transparency – IPA brewed with Cryo Simcoe hops. 7% ABV.
Power To Survive – DDH Triple IPA made with Cryo Citra and Mosaic hops. 12.9% ABV.
Following this, he visited Sun King in Carmel where he imbibed a flight of the following:
Atomic Armadillo – IPA brewed with Azacca hops, a native Southwest American strain that produces strong citrus and stone fruit character. 7.5% ABV, 65 IBU.
Centennial Sphere – Cold IPA collaboration with Pittsburgh’s Necromancer Brewing. It features flavors of tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, guava, and orange with a grassy, woody pine presence and a slight bitterness. 7.2% ABV, 47 IBU.
Double Jump Front Kick – Imperial IPA with pronounced pine, citrus, grapefruit and melon character. 10.3% ABV, 59 IBU.
Valentino Delight – A blend of Port and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Scotch Ales aged with chocolate and coffee for flavors of chocolate, caramel, vanilla and toffee. 13.6% ABV, 13 IBU.
While there he also sampled the following brews:
Krampus Claws – Brown Ale with coffee and chocolate character. 5.7% ABV, 20 IBU.
Soul Shakedown Party – Scotch Ale that uses rum barrel aging to round out the huge toffee and port character of Sun King’s Wee Muckle Scotch Ale, with flavors of molasses and orange peel. 13.7% ABV, 30 IBU.
Please remember to have a designated driver or use ridesharing or a taxi if you’re quaffing high alcohol beers.
Hoppy wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Hoppy New Year!
Pictures from these visits follow:
Monon Trail – CarmelDeviate Brewing’s Power To Survive Triple IPA and Hop Transparency IPADeviate Brewing Draft BoardSun King Brewing’s Valentino Delight, Double Jump Front Kick, Centennial Sphere and Atomic Armadillo
Sunlight Cream Ale celebrates American brewing tradition by balancing smooth malt complexity with a crisp, clean finish. Sunlight was the winner of the Bronze Medal at the Great American Beer Festival and Gold Medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival and the Silver Medal Winner at the 2010 World Beer Cup in the Golden or Blonde Ale category.
Orange Vanilla Sunlight Cream Ale joined our everyday lineup in 2021. “OV” has won a Bronze Medal at the 2022 US Beer Open, and continues to be a popular offering for those looking for creamsicle-like character. Orange Vanilla Sunlight’s unique flavor combines crisp malt character with the notes of vanilla and orange.
Pachanga is a Mexican-Style Lager that has won both Gold and Silver Medals for International Lager at the 2019 and 2023 US Beer Open, and Bronze for Light Lager at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival®. Pachanga’s easy-drinking malt character is balanced with a subtle lime note.
Wee Mac Scottish-style Ale is an enticing and malty brown ale with caramel, cocoa, and hazelnut character balanced with toffee undertones. Wee Mac was the Gold Medal winner at the 2010 Indiana Brewers’ Cup in the English Brown Ale category.
Sun King Keller Haze is an IPA with pronounced flavors of pineapple, citrus, tropical fruit, and orange peel finished in a slightly hazy kellerbier style.
Centennial Sphere is a Collaboration Cold IPA brewed with our friends from Pittburgh’s Necromancer Brewing. Centennial Sphere features flavors of tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, guava, and orange with a grassy, woody pine presence and a slight bitterness.
Conner Scary is an Oliebollen-Inspired Spiced Amber Ale. Oliebollen (or oly koek) was a fried cake dessert, similar to donuts, but without the sugary sweetness. The original recipe we took inspiration from includes cinnamon, ginger, anise seed, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, mace, cloves, white pepper, many of which we used in making the beer.
Hawt Chocolate Stout is brewed with chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats, cocoa powder, real marshmallow, and lactose sugar for authentic hot chocolate character.
James Naismith invented basketball when he invited players to toss a ball into a peach basket nailed to the wall. In honor of that invention, we’ve brewed Hoops There It Is, an American Wheat Ale with a light body and a subtle peach finish.
Sun King has joined in collaboration with hundreds of breweries for the international beer collaboration with Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. and the Native Land Beer Mexican-Style Lager. This year’s Native Land beer is a Mexican-Style Lager brewed in Fishers, IN to honor the ancestral lands all America beer is brewed on. A portion of the proceeds benefit the American Indian Center of Indiana.
Cherry Busey is a Flanders-style Red Ale produced using a complex cocktail of wild yeasts and aged in a bevy of barrels. A multitude of Montmorency cherries were lovingly liberated to give the beer its tart cherry tang. Cherry Busey was the winner of the Bronze Medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival® in the Belgian-Style Fruit Beer Category, the Silver Medal at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival® in the Belgian-Style Fruit Beer Category, and the Bronze Medal at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival® in the Belgian-Style Fruit Beer Category.
Soul Shakedown Party uses rum barrel aging to round out the huge toffee and port character of our Wee Muckle Scotch Ale with flavors of molasses and orange peel. Soul Shakedown Party was the winner of the bronze medal in the Classic Styles category at the 2014 Festival of Barrel-Aged Beer.
Valentino Delight is a blend of Port and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Scotch Ales aged with Chocolate and Coffee for flavors of chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and toffee.
Velour Soccer Mom is a crisp Sour Ale that is aged in oak barrels with fresh raspberries and hibiscus. It has a light body with a pink hue and was fermented with Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that lends a delightfully tart character.
