Indiana On Tap’s Second Anniversary Favorites!

Anniversaries are a funny thing in that they exist between both the past and the present. They are a look back at the year prior and its successes and failures, as well as a chance to look at the year ahead and everything you hope to accomplish. Businesses can look back at quantifiable successes, like gains in profits or customers while setting goals for the year ahead. Employees can think back on completed projects or new promotions, and forward to opportunities for growth and fulfillment (if they like their job, that is…). For couples, anniversaries are a chance to say “thank you for spending this year with me,” followed by, “and I can’t wait to spend the next year with you.” 

Indiana On Tap celebrated its second anniversary this week, and what a year two it has been. We’ve doubled the size of our Writing Community to include talented contributors from all corners of Indiana. We successfully launched our Tasting Society Marketplace program, Indiana’s first and only craft beer membership rewards program. We partnered with the town of Whitestown, IN to host the inaugural Whitestown Brew Fest, a benefit for the Whitestown Parks Department that featured over 30 of the best breweries from around the state. We’ve added new editors, sales associates, and graphic designers that help us continue to put our best foot forward. And we’ve kicked off our quasi-monthly Tasting Society events, partnering with breweries, wineries, food trucks, and live music acts to throw some of the best parties around. 

But most importantly, we’ve gotten to meet so many of the people that help make the Indiana craft beer community special, from brewery owners to brewers to managers to homebrewers all the way to you, the craft beer fans. Over numerous pints, festivals, and events, we’ve had so many wonderful opportunities to meet everyone that makes what we do here meaningful, and for that we are ever grateful. 

To look back on the year that was, I asked our entire team to list their five favorite beers they tried for the very first time in the last year. There’s no method to the order, besides listing the contributors alphabetically. As you can see, our tastes are as diverse as the community itself. 18th Street Brewery leads the way with 11 selections, with some version of a pale ale/IPA being the most popular style. You’ll see a few mentions of the delicious Heaven, a collaborative effort between Scarlet Lane and Taxman, as well as a few selections from some of our newest friends at Deviate Brewing. Take a look for yourself and let us know what your favorite beer from the last year was. 

It’s been an incredible year, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it all without the amazing breweries of Indiana and their dedicated fans and patrons. You all are what keeps Indiana On Tap going forward. Thanks for spending this past year with us. We can’t wait to spend the next year with you. 

• Beard of Paradise Tropical Pale Ale - Upland Brewing Co.
• Toad Storm Double IPA - New Oberpfalz
• Swiss Cocoa Stout - Deviate Brewing
• Mad Max Beyond Mangoes Imperial IPA with Mango - Books & Brews
• Coconoats American Pale Wheat Ale - Burn ‘Em Brewing

Aleea

• Bitches’ Bank Russian Imperial Stout - 18th Street Brewery
• Damascene Apricot Sour - Tin Man Brewing Co.
• Maple Bacon Dark Road Porter - Grand Junction Brewing Co.
• Warchata Cream Ale - Burn ‘Em Brewing
• ThaIPA - Bare Hands Brewing Co.

Beer Scout

• Barrel-Aged Dorian Stout - Scarlet Lane Brewing Co.
• Mad Cow Milk Stout - Wildrose Brewing Co.
• Tripel de Ripple Belgian - Brugge Brasserie
• Killer BBBBBs Imperial Brown Ale - St. John’s Malt Brothers
• Derailment Big Ass Barrel Aged Pale Ale - Ironwood Brewing Co.

Charlie

• The Sour Ground Wild Ale- Flat12 Bierwerks​
• Saucy Intruder Rye IPA - Black Acre Brewing
• Strudel Cake Barrel-Aged Scottish Ale - Deviate Brewing
• Mr. Elegant Smoked Porter - South Bend Brew Werks
• Devil’s Conclave Milk Stout - 18th Street Brewery

Corbin

• Lou Pepe Kriek – Cantillon Brewery
• Fundamental Observation Imperial Stout – Bottle Logic Brewing
• Cream Dream 8: Hops In Space American IPA - Sun King Brewing Co.
• Imperial Blud Russian Imperial Stout - 18th Street Brewery
• Bitches’ Bank Russian Imperial Stout - 18th Street Brewery

Cory

• Dorian Coconut Stout - Scarlet Lane
• My Ghetto American IPA - Devil’s Trumpet 
• Sabre Tooth Tiger Imperial IPA – Rhinegeist
• Per Diem Belgian Pale - Taxman Brewing Co.
• Bleeding Heart Blood Orange IPA - Flat12 Bierwerks

Donovan

• Backyard Porter - Fountain Square Brewing Co.
• Cowbell Milk Porter - Sun King
• 10 Speed Hoppy Wheat - Bloomington Brewing Co.
• 80/20 House Blend - Zwanzigz
• Fly Casual Nut Brown - Planetary Brewing Co.

Grady

• Mosaic Promise IPA – Founders Brewing Co.
• Falconer’s Flight IPA - Black Swan Brewing
• Grapefruit Jungle IPA - Sun King
• Pumpkin Ale – Schlafly
• Blanch De Chambly – Unibroue

James

• Tap Tart Beliner Weisse - The Tap Beer Co.
• Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Ale - Bloomington Brewing Co.
• House Beer Blonde Ale - Central State Brewing Co.
• Americana Saison – Prairie Artisan Ales
• Per Diem Belgian Pale - Taxman Brewing Co.

Jennifer

• Foreman Coffee Porter - 18th Street Brewery
• Gin Barrel Shelby Blue Ribbon Mead - New Day Meadery
• Altbier - New Oberpfalz Brewing
• Madeline la Framboise Sour Ale - Brugge Brasserie
• Peg Leg Table Beer Belgian Pale Ale – Ballast Point

Joel

• Absolem IPA - Scarlet Lane
• Frozen Assets Sweet Stout - Taxman Brewing Co.
• Damascene Apricot Sour - Tin Man Brewing Co.
• We Mint Well Scotch Wee Heavy w/ Mint – Against the Grain/Brew Dog Collaboration
• Devil’s Conclave Milk/Sweet Stout - 18th Street Brewery

Justin

• Hunter Cherry - 18th Street Brewery
• Absolem IPA - Scarlet Lane Brewing
• Hop the Atlantic DIPA - Grand Junction Brewing
• Moustache Ride Red - Flat12 Bierwerks
• Qualified Belgian Quad - Taxman 

Kristina

• Dark Lord 2015 - Three Floyds Brewing Co.
• Damascene Apricot Sour - Tin Man Brewing Co.
• Cucumber Basil Blonde - Black Acre Brewing Co.
• Java Porter - Crown Brewing.
• Kick Em In The Pilz Pilsner – Two Brothers Brewing 

Laura

• Fruity Pooty Brett DIPA- Central State Brewing
• Mail Order Bride Russian Imperial Stout - Bare Hands
• Carver’s Army Peanut Butter Porter - Black Acre Brewing Co.
• Pilgrimage 1 Farmhouse DIPA - Big Lug Canteen
• New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta – Rogue Ales & Spirits

Mathew

• Shot To The Tart Sour Ale - Triton Brewing Co.
• Ring Of Dingle Irish Dry Stout - Sun King
• Ghost Bees Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Braggot - Black Acre Brewing Co.
• Smoked On The Water Rauchbier - Chilly Water Brewing Co.
• Hop Supremacy IPA - Deviate Brewing

Michelle

• Pirate Noie Imperial Stout – Prairie Artisan Ales
• The Oracle Double IPA – Bell’s
• Permanent Funeral IPA - Three Floyds
• Dorian Coconut Stout - Scarlet Lane Brewing
• Reclamation Nitro Vanilla Porter - Redemption Alewerks

Noah

• Cognac Barrel-Aged Dark Lord Coffee Imperial Stout - Three Floyds 
• Hunter Coconut - 18th Street Brewery
• Wrath of Pele Brown Ale with Coconut - Burn ‘Em
• Hunter Chili - 18th Street Brewery
• New Oberpfalz/18th Street IPA Collaboration

Rick

• Heaven Golden Strong Ale – Taxman/Scarlet Lane collaboration
• Danny Boy Black IPA - Danny Boy Beer Works
• Dark Road Robust Porter - Grand Junction Brewing
• Amber Smashed Face Hoppy Ale – Three Floyds
• Citrafest Session IPA - 450 North Brewing

Rod

• Barrel-Aged Milk Stout - Function Brewing
• Smells Like A Safety Meeting Imperial IPA – Dark Horse
• 11 Speed (10 Speed + Rooftop on Cask) - Bloomington Brewing Co.
• Acid Jazz Sour IPA – Homebrew
• Sour Reserve 1-6 vertical tasting - Upland Brewing Co.

Stephanie

• Red Sunday Irish Red Ale - TwoDEEP Brewing
• The Deep Sweet Stout - MashCraft
• Chocolate Raspberry Stout - 3 Pints Brewing Co.
• Barn Yeti Belgian Strong Dark Ale - 450 North Brewing
• Berry Wheat - Twisted Crew Brewing Co.

Tina

• ​Tobias Apricot IPA - Noble Order Brewing
• Blood Orange Lactic - Deviate Brewing
• Coconoats Pale Ale - Burn ‘Em Brewing
• Coast Buster Imperial IPA - Upland Brewing Co.
• Mail Order Bride Russian Imperial Stout - Bare Hands

Tyler

• Heaven Golden Ale - Taxman Brewing Co.
• Amber Smashed Face - Three Floyds
• Cherry Picker - Taxman Brewing Co.
• Black Forest Marzen - Blind Owl Brewery
• Hoosier Hospitality IPA - Hoosier Brewing Co.