Coffee, Beer & Donuts The Perfect Way To Start Your Day

People always say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Imagine if you got to start your day with over a dozen different donut varieties prepared by some of the best Indianapolis bakeries, paired with a delicious craft beer. To top it off, breakfast wouldn’t be complete without a nice cup of joe roasted by quality local coffee vendors. I was lucky enough to be able to start my Saturday with the Coffee, Beer and Donuts event hosted by Girls Pint Out and IndyFringe.
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For those who live under a rock, Girls Pint Out is a non-profit organization geared toward building a craft beer community for women. They currently have chapters on every coast, including 4 in Indiana. The Indianapolis chapter in particular has had dozens of events ranging from beer education (like the Deviate Brewing’s Magic of Sours event coming up on October 21st) to Beer & Boutique shopping. There’s truly something for everyone.

I walked into Coffee, Beer and Donuts which took place at the Indy Fringe Basile Theatre having zero idea of what to expect. GPO did a phenomenal job of building the anticipation throughout the week by posting some of the various pairings on social media, but those were the only clues I had. The event took place both outside and inside, which would’ve been perfect if Mother Nature actually cooperated. Upon entering we got a our fun-size coffee mug tasting glass and free reign of all the vendors. As soon as I saw the sheer amounts of booths I need to hit, I was happy I decided to skip breakfast that morning.

I’m a big malt lover so this event was right up my alley.  Here are some of my highlights that truly feed my soul on that dewy Saturday morning:

• Titus Donuts – This local Lebanon bakery (that’s held it’s ground for over 30 years)  had a traditional donut coated in a light powder sugar film with a simple, yet perfectly executed buttercream frosting. They deserve the reputation they have as of one of the best bakeries in the Indy suburbs.
• Three Wise Men Hubbard & Cravens Porter – I might be bias due to the excess of time I spend in Broad Ripple, but these two business never disappoint. The porter I tasted had a smooth, subtle coffee flavor thanks to the Hubbard and Cravens contribution. The porter paired nicely with the Taylor’s Bakery Mini Boston Cremes served alongside. This is a beer that you COULD drink at 7AM right when you wake up, it was THAT smooth.
• Quaff On!’s Common Necessity – This coffee stout with a bold hazelnut flavor complimented their own homemade maple cinnamon donut holes. This roasted nutty goodness was rich enough to work hand in hand with the classic donut hole.
• Mashcraft Brew’s Sumatra Blend – This bold Sumatra would satisfy any coffee snob’s addiction. This bold, strong flavor was sure fire way to wake you up. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was a healthy portion of caffeine left in the brew.
• Scarlet Lane’s Vivan Red IPA – This was the curveball of the day, one of the only IPA’s there and the first time I acknowledged hops. After drinking tons of porters and stouts this was an excellent palate cleanser. The crisp bitter finish paired nicely with Sunrise Bakery’s Sweet & Spicy Donut chips. Bold move with the IPA, and it paid off nicely to set themselves apart.
• Circle City Sweets – Something you just can’t go wrong with: a traditional, well made donut. They were even making the donuts there on site. I was fortunate enough to have one of the fluffy magic rings before they ran out. Once people found out how good they were, the table was cleared in minutes.