Bicentennial Pours and Pints Final Stop: Heady Hollow Brewery

Hamilton County has certainly reaped the benefits of Indiana’s exponential growth in the brewing industry.  I hope to be able to visit many of them this summer, and on Saturday, May 21, I had the opportunity to visit Fishers’ Heady Hollow Brewery as a part of our Bicentennial Pours and Pints.  This quaint brewpub has combined history and innovation to carve out a niche in the exciting local beer market.  Their unique logo depicts a rabbit holding a mug of beer aloft.  It was a great afternoon, and I found the whole experience enjoyable.

Fishers is home to a great deal of Indiana’s early history, and Heady Hollow is a spot up Allisonville Road from the brewery that is said to be haunted.  William Connor (of Connor Prairie fame) settled the area in 1802, and many of Heady Hollow’s beer names pay homage to his legacy including the 60 Horses Scotch Ale named after the 60 horses he gave his Indian bride when she separated him to follow her tribe out west.

When I arrived, I noticed there were dogs on the small patio to the left.  There was a group drinking at the bar, as well as fellow members of Indiana On Tap greeting guests.  I settled at the bar and was greeted by the bartender who turned out to be the wife of one of the owners.  She poured me a flight, and I thought it was neat that it was labeled with bottle caps attached by magnets that had the beers names on them.  They had six beers on tap currently, and I tried all of them. 

The West Fork Wheat was a blend of wheat and Pilsner that drink very light.  The addition of orange peel and Citra Hops added a nice crisp finish that let the ale go down very smoothly.  The 1802 was a rich pale ale.  The hop finish was delectable, and I found it well-balanced.

The Hoosier Hops was a dry hopped IPA that was very flavorful.  The hops were intense on the finish.  The 1872 was their Imperial IPA that clocked in at 8% ABV.   It was very crisp and rich due to a well balanced Hop blend.

All the beers were good, but I went with a pint of the 60 Horses and was given a tour of the brewery which is in a small corner of the kitchen.  It had been a brewing day, and everything was being cleaned.  I was impressed by how much beer they produce in such a small area.  The brewing is split between the partners who have slightly different tastes in beer.  I went back up front and finished my ale.  I didn’t get to try the food, but the panini’s looked very good, particularly the Chocolate Hazelnut Panini.

It’s nice to visit a new brewery, and I found the whole experience great.  You should definitely visit them if you are in Fishers, and if it’s a nice day, bring your dog!  The staff was very friendly, and the next time I visit, I will have to get some of the bacon cheddar popcorn. I really liked the 60 Horses, and will definitely have another pint!