By Kristina Traxler for Indiana On Tap
The best parts of Indy summers are the overabundance of great beer events each and every weekend. This past weekend in Fishers was no different. Fishers on Tap returned once again and brought together roughly 20 breweries, several local food vendors, great music and many amazing people.
This wonderful event is hosted by the Fishers Rotary Club–a local organization that helps support over 85 non-profit programs. Every effort made through their public programming and initiatives feeds directly back into the local community and beyond. The proceeds from this particular event will benefit programs such as youth mentoring, domestic abuse support services, and natural disaster relief. What’s even better than a night full of awesome brews and music is that it all goes to a selfless cause.
The AMP After Dark Concert Series takes place pretty much every summer from June thru August on Friday nights at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater. These events are open to the public and even better, they are free. When Fishers on Tap combined forces with AMP After dark for this year’s event, I knew it would be something special. It was the first time that these two organizations paired up to co-host an event. After spending my evening there, I sure hope they do more.
Seeing the list of breweries beforehand perked my interest immediately. Some of the ones I definitely wanted to check out (since they aren’t in my local hood) were: Hoosier Brewing Company, Deer Creek Brewery, Four Day Ray Brewing, Grand Junction, and Brew Link.
The Nickel Plate from Deer Creek, an apricot fruity ale was a crisp palate cleanser, quenched my thirst in the beginning of the night while the sun was still blazing. Hoosier Brewing’s Red Flyer Irish Red is one of their flagships that bring together a smooth balance of hops and malt. Another one of my favorites from Grand Junction was the Squirrel Stampede, a nutty brown ale that was apparently named after a true stampede that took place in the 1800s. Brew Link’s Mocha IPA was a dark and bold drink that ended up being my dessert for the evening.
I was particularly impressed with Four Day Ray Brewing, which should be opening in September of this year. I also found out that their location will literally be right down the street from the Fishers Amphitheater, where the event took place. I had their Coffee Blonde which was as good as it sounds. I typically don’t associate strong bold coffee flavors with blonde ales, but it worked incredibly well. I can’t wait to see (i.e. taste) how their “international street food” that will eventually be served up in the taproom is going to pair with these unique brews.
It’s REALLY nice being able to go to an event where you can drink and explore at your own pace, meaning you don’t have huge lines and massive crowds to wade through. This event brought together plenty of locals and brewmasters alike, and it was nice being able to have intimate conversations with others and not have to scream over the music or elbow through the masses.
I was able to have wonderful conversations with some of my fellow Hoosier beer lovers, and also hear some updates from my favorite brewery staff. This doesn’t happen with the chaotic beer festivals where everyone is hyper-focused on the how much of that one specialty ale is still left in the keg or how many minutes until last pour. I loved being able to just chill out, drink some fantastic beer, and enjoy the tunes.
The great environment, classic jams, and tasty beverages was the epitome of a beautiful Hoosier summer night. After having this experience I will definitely be keeping tabs on the Fishers Rotary Club calendar to see what other entertaining events are in store.
