Easy Street Shuffle - Hefeweizen - Mashcraft Brewing Company Greenwood, IN

Easy Street Shuffle is a fantastic beer.  If you enjoy bananas at all you are going to find this beer mind blowing.  Highly recommended Mashcraft knew what they were doing when crafting this beer.

Repeatability 5/5
Taste 5/5
Appearance 4.5/5
Aroma 4.5/5
Overall 4.5/5

Buffaloe Black IPA - 3 Pints Brewery

The clouds part, beam of light shines down, and a harp is playing in the background is exactly what I experienced the first time I tried a black IPA.  At 3 Pints Brewery in Plainfield, IN my friend Nate and I about lost our shit with this beer.  Because, of such a great experience with this beer I now with out question will order a black IPA almost every time I see it on a menu.

This beer has a great mix between malts and hops.  With a heavy taste and not over powering bitterness this is a great beer to try regardless if you like IPAs, porters or even reds.  Coming highly recommended a trip to either Plainfield or Martinsville to try this beer will be well worth the drive.

Repeatability 4/5
Taste 5/5
Appearance 5/5
Aroma 5/5
Overall 4.5/5

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Pumpkin Ale - Bier Brewery

I have worked at a bakery since I was in middle school.  Keeping that in mind I will now start my review of my second favorite pumpkin beer so far.

Opening the growler at home it felt like a pumpkin pie was baking in the oven.  The smell was overwhelming pleasant.  In the past I have worked with Pumpkin Spices and there is a general rule most bakers know; a tea spoon and table spoon will give you the same affect.

The bartender. at Bier Brewery,  had great advice "if you want to try our pumpkin beer try it last or every beer will taste like pumpkin pie."  I love when bartenders at breweries give you advice, they should be the most knowledgeable of their crafts.  Out of all the pumpkin beers I have tried so far this beer ranks among the highest.  The only issue I have is the strong after taste that comes for what I can only expect is an over use of the spices.

Don't get me wrong this is a fantastic beer but this has to be the last beer you drink or the after taste will over power every thing you eat or drink the rest of the night.  Even a slight decease in the amount of spices used could counter that affect without affecting the delicious taste and helping the bottom dollar.

Repeatability 4.5/5
Taste 3/5 The aftertaste stays just a little too long.
Appearance 5/5
Aroma 5/5
Overall 4/5

PDG Pale Ale - Bier Brewery

PDG was the name chosen for this beer and what an accurate name.  PDG is an acronym for Pretty Damn Good.  I have been to this brewery twice so far and have purchased a pint both times.  The last time I willingly split a pint with a friend just so he could experience more than just a sample they offer patrons.  With over 80 different beers they craft throughout the year this is my favorite so far but have yet to find one I have not liked.

Repeatability 5/5
Taste 4/5
Appearance 4/5
Aroma 4/5
Overall 4/5

Pumpkin Ale - Big Woods Brewery

Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg combined with pumpkin creates a wonderful fall tradition of pumpkin pies.  The warm, soft, firm filling with a great crunchy crumbly gram cracker crust and just a small whip cream topping will take the hardest person back to warm childhood memories.

I do not like most pumpkin beers.  So when I tried this Pumpkin Ale from Big Woods in Nashville, Indiana I was left breathless with nostalgia from family get togethers at my grandmother's house.  This is by far the best pumpkin ale I have ever tried because it tastes just like a pumpkin pie.  

The last time I went to Big Woods I met a few friends for dinner.  After 15 minutes of trying to talk Brian into trying a sip of the beer he gave in.  Taking the glass up to his face was filled with dismay because he kept saying "pumpkin beer is not for me!"  I will always remember the look of shock as he set the beer back down, leaned back in the chair saying holy shit that was incredible.  Three days later in a text he asked if I knew where he might be able to buy some.  Needless to say I was surprised by the text because of how fervent a fight Brian gave to even taking a sip.  

Once again Big Woods does it again with creating a wonderfully crafted beer!  Bravo!

Repeatability 3.5/5 Not a beer I will drink all night but one I would gladly have anytime.

Taste 5/5

Appearance 5/5

Aroma 5/5

Overall 5/5

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Bier Brewery Review

Casual Fun Simple are some words that I would use to describe this brewery.  Like several breweries Bier only has a taproom but this will not diminish your experience.  Like a local coffee shop it is a very warm, inviting, and comfortable place to spend quality time with your friends.

Quoted from bierbrewery.com "We brew over 80 different delicious varieties of BIER and they switch every week, so come back often."   With 9 different taps available you can easily put this brewery on your regular rotation.  The last time I went in I realized that most of their beers have a relatively low IBU which is quite refreshing.  

With a friendly staff and cozy environment I cannot speak highly enough of this wonderful Brewery.  Here is a list of places you can find their beer.  My favorites are their pumpkin Ale and PDG reviews to come.

Service: 4/5
Food: NA
Choices: 4/5 
Atmosphere: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

The pricing is on par with most other breweries in Indiana.

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Alloy American Pale Ale - Tin Man Brewery

Out of all the beers I have tried I have purposely poured out two unfortunately this is one of them.  Trying to give it a fair shot I took a can over to a friend's house to see if I was crazy.

After the first sip he said it was not bad enough not to finish.  Yet a few minutes later he changed his tune by saying "with every taste it progressively gets worse."  Halfway through he poured it out so it would not taint the pizza we were about to have.

There can be a lot of reasons why an overwhelming metallic taste over powers your taste buds with every sip so I am not sure exactly sure how this happened or if it was on purpose.  There was even a metallic smell that comes from this beer.  I personally will never purchase this beer again.  Yet if for some reason you like the taste of metal you will find this a great purchase.

Overall Score 0/5

I will try other beers from this brewery hoping I can find something I like.

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How my ratings work

So after several post I feel the need to explain what my ratings mean and how I come up with them.  Mainly because there are several reviews coming up that will not be flattering.

Beers

I try to rate the beers by how I think they measure up against other beers of the same type and style.  So wheat beers are not my favorite type but I will judge wheat beers on that scale of other wheat beers.  Not giving it poor ratings because of what it is but because the said beer is poorly crafted, made, or even possibly stored.

Scores of 4.5-5 I really loved that beer and it is now a go to beer of that type of style.
Scores of 3-4 it is a good beer that I would easily purchase again but would never actively seek out.
Scores of 2-2.5 it is an average beer I would never purchase myself but would not let go to waste.
Scores below 1.5 I would consider it terrible.  Would never drink it even if it was purchased for me.

Breweries

Different breweries try to create different atmospheres.  Some try to create neighborhood bars others work towards destination spots while others just want to concentrate on creating beer but just offer growlers or pints because they choose to just focus on creating wonderful beer.

Scores of 4-5 is a must stop!  What they offer is excellent in every way imaginable.
Scores of 3-3.5 I enjoyed my trip and will go again but have some improving to do.
Scores of 2-2.5 It is average and is not in my regular rotation of breweries to visit.
Scores below 1.5 would never actively suggest going to this brewery again.  (I would only post reviews on these breweries after concerns were brought to the owners and they were met with disinterest.)

Lost River - Cutters Brewery - Avon, Indiana

This might be cliche but I find more enjoyment when there is a story, facts, or a reason behind decisions.  Not that the name nor the story behind the name of this beer (you will have to go out and purchase a can yourself to find that out) increase how good this beer is but it just made added another element that is not always there.

Blonde Ales are not usually a "go to" choice for me but for the sake of doing a well rounded blog I need to branch out to what others might enjoy.  As for blondes Lost River is exactly what you would want out of a beer.  It is light and smooth, the flavors are not over powering which gives it the distinct ability to be a great beer after sports, working outside, or just after a long day of work.  After two 16 oz cans I am not tired of drinking Lost River one bit.

This is a beer for anyone from Stout and Porter to IPA and Pale Ale lovers.  It is a must have!

Repeatability: 5/5
Taste: 4.5/5
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5

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Tax Man Brewery Review - Bargersville, IN

My past has been peppered with travel from small towns to big cities.  Those experiences have created a general theory.  That small town restaurants create dishes that are simple but elegant while spouting a decor that in the 50's would be considered out of date.  Yet in the larger cities you will find modern decor with creative new take on very traditional food.  Taxman Brewing Company is an exception to this theory.

Taxman Brewery is located in Bargersville, Indiana which is roughly 30 minutes outside of Indianapolis but the drive there can easily make you feel like you are much further away from city life.  Driving up to the brewery you will think that Taxman will be more of a working man's brewery.  Yet once inside this idea was quickly changed and I felt like I was in a restaurant or brewery in Chicago.  It is extremely well put together from their food selection (simple and elegant) to beer selection (28 beers) to how they chose the decor.

Asking what the bartender's favorite beer was she gave me a couple of options one of which is a Witbier.  The Wit-held was a great crisp beer that would quench anyone's thirst.  After that beer I did samples of several others and all of which would be worth the 45 minute drive.  The food I ordered was just some fries because I was meeting some friends later for dinner.  Those were the best fries I have ever had.  (Actually very similar to the fries at 20 Tap in Broad Ripple, Indiana.)  Yet the next time I go I will be purchasing one of their burgers, made from local beef, because they looked great.

On one more good thing to mention, I saw the manager do what managers are supposed to do.  He introduced himself, welcomed and talked to the patrons, consistently asked his employees if they needed anything, and when the bartenders were busy he would jump in and take care of any needs the customers.

Overall this brewery has a lot going for it because you can tell a lot of care and forethought went into every aspect.  With fantastic beer and food this brewery should be destination stop for anyone; either as a day trip or a quick stop as you are traveling down to Brown County for the weekend.

Service: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Choices: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

As for price the food is comparable to most other restaurants, their beer is about average for the pint price, but the growlers were more expensive then most places I have gone but not out of what would be considered "normal" for destination Breweries.

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Fistful of Hops Red - Sun King Brewery - Indianapolis, IN

One of my favorite decisions that Sun King has made is to not create a house IPA, but to create seasonal releases.  Crafted from the same malt base they switch the hops up every quarter for a whole new IPA experience.  Their red release might be one of my favorites.  It is very crisp and clean even though it spouts an impressive 75 IBU.  Out of any of their seasonal IPAs the Red release might be my favorite.  Defiantly pick up this beer.

Repeatability: 5/5
Taste: 5/5
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 4/5
Overal: 4.5/5

Oktoberfest - Upland Brewery - Bloomington Indiana

When the word Oktoberfest is said in the conversation three things come to my mind 1) Germany 2) Sam Adams 3) the movie Beerfest (which is completely underrated).  Oktoberfest was originally a royal celebration where the royal family decided to invite all of Munich, Germany to a wedding.  During the planning of the celebration a brewmaster was asked to create a beer for the celebration, and thus the dawn of Oktoberfest the party and Oktoberfest the beer.  In case you were wondering Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen is considered to be the original beer of Oktoberfest.

I mentioned the above story because my first experience with Oktoberfest beer was with Sam Adams' recipe and it was one of my favorite beers and look forward to its release every year.  Two years ago I tried Paulaner's recipe and was surprised how much lighter of a pale taste it was then Sam Adams'.  Upland Brewery has the closest to Oktoberfest Paulaner's that I have been able to find.  If you are looking to branch out and try what I personally would say is a reimagining of Sam Adams and a good homage to tradition.

Repeatability: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Appearance: 4.5/5
Aroma 4/5
Overall 4.5/5

Working Man's Pilsner - Fountain Square Brewery - Indianapolis Indiana

My first experience with a Pilsner was when I was working at conference in Edgar, Hungry.  Our local contact was very knowledgable of many cultural aspects and sayings of the Eastern European people.  One of those sayings is "You drink Hungarian wine, and Cheque Beer and not the other way around."  One of the more popular beers in Cheque is a Pilsner.  My first experience with the Pilsner was at the conference and my second experience was when I happened to stop by Salzburg, Austria for the day and it happened to be a jazz and beer festival.  Now every time I have a Pilsner I am taken back to one of the most memorable experiences of my life.  

Working Man's Pilsner is on par with those Cheque beers I have drank over in Europe.  With over 700 years of history Working Man's Pilsner is a homage to this rich tradition.  The lighter flavor of Pilsners can be a great introduction to the art of craft beer.  Although the most common Pilsner I drink is Pilsner Urquell, Working Man's Pilsner is second on my list.  Fountain Square Brewery shows again that they are detected to the quality of the product they produce.

Repeatability: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Aroma: 4.5/5
Overall 4.5/5

Cinnamon Girl Autumn Ale - Fountain Square Brewery - Indianapolis Indiana

So normally when I write I review on a beer I am at home drinking that beer.  It gives me a chance to let the inspiration flow, remembering old stories from my past, and give a accurate description of the beer.

But with Cinnamon Girl I had to write a review without that luxury.  I went to Fountain Square Brewery today (review to come next week) and decided to branch out and try their seasonal beer selection while killing time before my soccer game.  Cinnamon Girl was the first beer I ordered and it might be one of the best fall seasonal beers I have ever had.

My family has owned a bakery for over 40 years and I have been around baked goods my whole life. The cinnamon rolls are my favorite item that they make.  I have gone to many bakeries all over the country (I might be bias) and my families bakery has the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had.  Yet what I learned today this beer might come in a close second.  While drinking this beer a sense of nostalgia from my childhood came over me.  Riding with my mother down to the bakery before school just so I could grab a cinnamon roll.

Out of any seasonal brews I have tried so far this season this is number one recommendation.

Repeatability: 3/5 with such a strong flavor 2 of these might be my max in a day
Taste: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Aroma: 5/5
Overall 4.5/5

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Teddy Bear Kisses - Upland Brewery - Bloomington Indiana

Over the past few weeks since I have started this blog I have been referred to as a beer connoisseur by a handful of people.  Although I would love to think of myself that way I do not think that I am there by a long shot.  A connoisseur I believe can taste all the hints of a beer and can describe all the flavors used while brewing a beer.  This I cannot do nor do I desire to work towards that skill.  I like to say I am a beer enthusiast - a person who enjoys the craft beer for no other reason then the fact that it is a beer.

All that being said Teddy Bear Kisses by Upland Brewery will be an exception to the rule.  It is a great American Imperial Stout.  It reminds me of a beer called Old Rasputin, one of my friends favorite beers.  Before soccer games earlier this year he and I would travel to a certain bar just to grab a couple of pints of Old Rasputin.

Teddy Bear Kisses is a thick beer with lots of chocolate flavor.  If I were to imagine what a Chocolate Beer Milkshake would taste like it would be Teddy Bear Kisses.  I cannot wait till the snow starts to fall because this beer is going to high on the list to drink on that day.  It will defiantly warm a body up on a cold winter day.  If you like stouts; immediately go out and buy this beer!

Repeatability: 4/5 I could drink several of these but at 10.2 ABV I doubt I could drink it all day.
Taste: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5 Looks just how a stout should look.
Aroma: 5/5
Overall 4.5/5

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Three Pints Brewery Review - Plainfield Indiana

Sometimes in life you have an experience that you enjoy but it is hard to really pin point what exactly makes the event enjoyable.  Could be a night by the campfire with friends, a certain movie (Death to Smoochy), or when a first date goes really well.

Although I am going to give examples of why I enjoy this brewery I have found it difficult to explain exactly why I visit this brewery so often.  But I think it boils down to consistency.  Every time I walk into this bar, probably over 10 visits so far, I know exactly what I am getting every time.  I will receive good service, good beer, and good food.

Three Pints just recently remolded, although it was nothing major they were able to extend their bar and create a barrier from the harsh winter wind from blowing throughout the bar.  Since the front door faces the west.  I like how they extended the bar but will say I was originally worried because it was not very wide.  I was wrong; I have ate at their bar twice since the remodel I had plenty of room to both drink my beer and eat my food.  My last comment about the atmosphere is that this brewery was constructed to be a family friendly place.  The bar and family dining are separated by the brewing section keeping the two parts away from each other which is nice for families with kids.

The beers that they have are all quality beers.  Their Brown is a much better version of New Castle.  The last two times I went their I purchased a growler of their Brown and enjoyed each of them.  The one beer that I would really like to promote is their Black IPA.  Yet it was unavailable the last two times I went into visit this brewery.  These last two times they only had four beers of theirs that I could choose from.  Normally they have a few more beers to choose from but I would be remiss if I did not mention that fact, because most places have a larger selection to choose from.  If in the future this changes I will edit this post.

Other than that their food is good.  Although I have tried their burgers which were great, I usually get their Caesar Chicken Wrap.  Their service is also good.  The last time I went in I ordered a side salad before my meal and I had it within 2 minutes of the server taking my order.  They were not too busy at the time but to get service that fast was incredible.  They also help support the local community and schools.  Those breweries that help out the community are always a welcome sight.  Their prices are on par with other breweries I have visited in central Indiana.  

Service: 4/5

Food: 4/5

Choices: 2/5 It's lack of their beers the last two times.

Atmosphere 4.5/5

Overall 4/5

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Kentucky IPA - Alltech's Lexington's Brewing Company Lexington, KY

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout was my introduction into Barrel Aged beer.  I liked it so much when ever I am in down in Louisville I look for it on draft.  So when I saw that the same brewery had an IPA on the shelf I had to pick it up.  I through a couple bottles into the fridge and enjoyed one later on that night.  Coming straight out of the fridge I felt it lacked flavor, not in the sense it did not taste like an IPA, but there was nothing to distinguish it from other IPAs.

Before I write a review of a beer I will always try to drink at least two of them if my first experience was not the greatest.  The second time I tried this beer it was in the mid 50 degree range.  Drinking beers that are warmer than what most refrigerator temperatures are set at can give the beer a significantly different taste.  I have even seen people cupping a pint of beer at the bar to warm the beer up to ideal drinking temperature.

This IPA became significantly better when I drank it at 55 degrees.  Before I felt it fell flat with flavor with nothing extinguishable but now I am happy with this beer.  The hop flavor is not over powering but subtle.  There are times when I want an IPA but also want to quench my thirst (which a very hoppy beer will not achieve).  If you want to explore the world of IPAs this would be a good starting place.

Repeatability 4/5
Taste 3.5/5
Appearance 4.5/5
Aroma 5/5
Overall 4/5 at a warmer temperature

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Grand Citra Station - Triton Brewery Indianapolis, IN Review

Grand Citra Station is a newly tapped beer available at Triton Brewery.  Always willing to try new beers I was excited to drink a beer brewed with Citra Hops.  Overall I am very happy with this beer!  At the time of writing this review I am almost halfway through a growler and this beer has yet to get old.  One of my complaints about some beers is that they will get old after a few pints.  With Grand Citra I have yet to experience this effect.

Repeatability: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Appearance: 4.5/5
Aroma: 4/5
Overall 4.5/5

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Triton Brewery Review Indianapolis, Indiana

The first time I was introduced to Triton Brewery I was on a date and ordered a Rail Splitter IPA.  I was blown away by what they had created and is now my favorite IPA.  Since then I have sampled many of their beers but had yet to make the 45 minute drive to visit their brewery until last week.  Overall I could not believe how clean, well put together, and great this brewery visit went for me.

Located at Fort Benjamin Harrison on the Northeast side of Indianapolis, the area surrounding the brewery is beautiful, safe, and clean.  I would recommend those who will travel to this brewery to take some extra time to walk around and take in the scenery.

When I first walked in I was greeted with a warm smile and a very helpful bartender.  Triton Brewery might have the best service that I have experienced at any brewery, restaurant, or bar.  Although there were several people grabbing pints, the bartender was able to manage all of us extremely well.  Two different times when a customer walked in she knew them by name and what they normally drink.  One of those two people said he was looking for something different.  The bartender quickly gave him a taste of what she said would be something he would "really like".  After the taste; he ordered her suggestion without hesitation.

It takes a great bartender to know and remember the regulars and what they normally order but something really special about a bartender knowing the customers so well that on the first try they can recommend a new drink and get it correct.  I  could go on but these are a few reasons why this Brewery has phenomenal service.

As for their beer; I only knew of six that they made and was utterly shocked to see at least 15 (probably closer to 20) different beer choices.  Since I have tried their standard beers before I had a hard time choosing between their seasonal beers or Bourbon Barrel beer tastings.  Each tasting comes with six different beers from those respective categories.  All the ones that I tried were of the same quality as all of their other beers.  I will make a honorable mention of the French Toast Saison and Hometown Hero; I look forward to having these two beers in the future.

Now that I have finally taken the time to venture out to this brewery it is now going to be in my regular rotation of places to visit despite being so far away.  I hope you also take time to visit this incredible place.

Service: 5/5 would give it a higher score if I could.
Food: They have a rotation of food trucks come to the brewery so I cannot score them on this.
Choices: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

More information: http://tritonbrewing.com
Events and Food Truck Calendar: http://tritonbrewing.com/calendar/
Places to find Triton Beers: http://tritonbrewing.com/where-to-get-triton/restaurants-2/
Prices: Comparable to other breweries I have been to

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Head Hunter IPA - Fat Head's Brewery Middleburg, OH

No interesting story on how I found this beer outside of asking "What Ohio Beers do you have?" when I was at the liquor store. Tthe answer was "not many" but they did have some beers from Fat Head Brewery.

This an extremely hoppy IPA which does not bother me one bit.  It has a very crisp finish yet is full of flavor.  The 7.5% alcohol will knock anyone off their feet after just a few.  Yet with such a strong flavor I personally won't have more than two of them at a time and doubt I could finish a growler (although on a challenge I am sure I could).

If you enjoy hoppy IPAs it is defiantly a beer to check out I will defiantly grab this beer again.

Repeatability: 3/5
Taste: 3.5/5
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5