When I studied at Franklin College from 2006 to 2010, the craft beer scene was pretty negligible here in Indiana. At the time I wasn’t much of a beer drinker – Jim and Coke man thanks to my father – but thanks to the abundance of drinking games I played, I started cutting my teeth on the likes of Bud Light, Coors Light, and Natty Ice. By the time I graduated, and had money to buy quality beer, the craft beer revolution was underway, just not in Franklin. Fast forward five years and Franklin is finally starting to get a beer movement.
There are several watering holes and restaurants in Franklin, but until earlier this year there were no breweries, brewpubs, or tap rooms. That all started to change when Old Post Brewpub was approved in 2014 to begin construction where City Hall used to be. Their proposal laid out a construction timeline that had the restaurant and bar opening in November 2014, followed by the brewery being operational by March 2015, but the renovation and approvals have taken longer than expected. According to their Facebook page, they anticipate opening in Spring 2016.
But Old Post Brewpub isn’t the only brewery moving into town.
Shale Creek Brewing is also moving into downtown Franklin. Renovations and construction of the building that once housed The Jukebox has been underway since July 2015. Not a lot of information is available on Shale Creek, except for what is on their Facebook page. But they were featured in an Indy Star article on new and upcoming breweries and the brewery will, “serve five to six of his own brews and a handful of guest beers.”
Even with the delays, it’s still good news to hear these breweries will be operational soon. Other cities that surround Franklin have gotten into the brewing game, including Greenwood (Oaken Barrel, MashCraft and Planetary Brewing), Columbus (450 North Brewing, Power House Brewing, and Zwanzigz) and Bargersville (Taxman Brewing), so having their own breweries will definitely help add to the town’s economy by keeping that money in town instead of it being spent in the other cities.
Scotty’s Brewhouse was approached by the Hillview Country Club to open a unique restaurant on their golf course. Scotty’s Brew Club opened on July 27, 2015 with a select menu, including steak and seafood that isn’t normally on a Scotty’s Brewhouse menu. They also have 10 beers on draft, including several from Thr3e Wise Men Brewing. Despite being at the Country Club, Scotty’s Brew Club is open to everyone.
The other restaurant is the Greek’s Pizzeria and Tapp Room, which opened up last month. Greek’s Pizzeria decided to expand into Johnson County and took over the space that used to house Don and Donnas. They offer the normal Greek’s Pizzeria menu, but also have close to 30 beers on draft, including many local craft beers.
Franklin’s revitalization plan seems to be working, at least from a beer geek’s perspective. More visitors, and more reason’s for locals and college students to stay in town, will go a long way in helping Franklin grow. I like all of the changes the town is making, I just wish it would have happened five years earlier.
