18 Aug Explore: An inside look at two Bloomington breweries
The city of Bloomington has more than just a well-known university and legendary athletics programs to its name.
For our latest installment in our Explore series, Allie Nash and I hit up some well-known Bloomington breweries – Upland Brewing Co. and Bloomington Brewing Co.
Bloomington Brewing Co. – one of Indiana’s first breweries – has a laid back, easy going atmosphere as the brewing area is connected to a bar and restaurant.
Also, people can simply walk in and ask for a tour. No appointments or reservations are needed, but can be scheduled beforehand if preferred.
And, if you do decide to call in and make a reservation, you might be a little confused, because the number on the website is to Lennie’s, a restaurant that is connected to the bar.
We decided to call ahead and – upon entering the establishment – were greeted by a hostess who took us to our tour guide Michael Fox, general manager of Lennie’s and Bloomington Brewing Co.
The customer service was great as we were offered a place to sit and given water to drink before our tour. The tour only took about 10 minutes, because everything was located in another room directly behind the bar.
We were shown the brewing process step-by-step and were able to taste the difference between finished and unfinished pale ale – a specialty beer. Allie and I both agreed that the latter had a more bitter taste.
Prior to last year, the Bloomington Brewing Co. only sold its beer in kegs, but just recently began bottling its brews, with the Rooftop IPA being the first. The IPA won gold at the 2013 Indiana Brewer’s cup and consists of three hops – Nugget, Cascade, and Mt. Hood, and four malts – Pale, Munich, Aromatic, and Vienna.
The IPA contains 7.4 percent alcohol and is suggested to be paired with spicy lemon chicken, sweet curry, jambalaya, gorgonzola cheese, or carrot cake, according to their website – bloomingtonbrew.com.
Lennie’s has been a family-friendly restaurant since opening in 1989, and serves pizza, pasta, beer, and house-made root beer. The restaurant supposedly serves a “mean BLT,” Fox said.
Fox also said the brewery is well known for its Ruby Bloom Amber, Rooftop IPA, and Quarrymen Pale Ale.
“If you’re interested in craft beer culture, come check out Bloomington,” Fox said. “We’ve got a great craft beer culture with four breweries now open in the city.”
He said there are many breweries only a few miles from their location.
The restaurant and pub sits just northeast of Indiana University, along East 10th Street, between a frozen yogurt shop called Red Mango, and a Subway restaurant.
Until 1978, home brewing remained illegal in the United States. Even after abolishing the law, most states still had prohibitions against brewers selling directly to the public or to retailers, and demanded those sales be made to a licensed wholesaler instead.
That all changed in Indiana when Jeff Mease – founder of Bloomington Brewing Co. – worked closely with Indiana legislators to change the law in the early 1990s. The law has led to the establishment of nearly 90 breweries throughout the state.
Mease said he started to become more interested in the brewing business when he read about the art of artisan brewing. He said he studied and learned a lot about beer making and brewpubs, which spiked his interest in creating a brewery-pub combination himself.
“The great thing about local breweries is that they are focused on the local community,” Mease said. “They add ‘flavor’ to the area and the money stays local.”
He encourages Hoosiers that want to go out and try other beers to “think locally, drink locally.”
“A lot of people are interested in craft beer these days because there is such a great culture around it,” Mease said. “Craft breweries are very supportive of the community and each other because we all want each other to make better beer.”
Another brewing company that helps support the community and strives to make better beer is Upland Brewing Co. – founded in 1997 and currently Indiana’s second largest brewery.
In comparison, Bloomington Brewing Co. is a 15-barrel brew house, whereas Upland houses 37 barrels. Upland acquired its name from the rolling hills of southern Indiana and by 2004, distribution had reached all 92 of Indiana’s counties.
The company has several brewing and tasting locations, but its main brewing facility and a tasting room is located just west of Ind. 37 at 4060 Profile Parkway.
If you have dog allergies, you probably shouldn’t visit, because many employees bring their dogs and chain them up outside or let them roam and lay around the entrance area.
Pete Batule, vice president of brewing operations, said they produce 50 different brews and distribute them throughout Indiana, northeastern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and most of Ohio.
“I think there is definitely an artisan piece to what we do,” Batule said. “We went through a rebirth of ourselves and have a new logo and branding to really try to help our imagery and graphics in order to showcase the artisan spirit we have.”
He said that due to the increase in Upland’s distribution numbers, they added on to the building in recent years and have more plans to expand – both the building and distribution areas – in the foreseeable future.
A schedule of available tour times is available on the website, uplandbeer.com. Tours are available from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. You can also schedule an appointment by phone.
The tour took roughly 15-20 minutes, and a couple of things stood out to us about the facility.
For one, the place was beyond clean and well kept. From what we could see, there was not a single spec of dirt anywhere, which was amazing considering the size of the brewery. However, due to the many machines running at one time, the place was very loud in some areas. You almost had to yell just so the person next to you could hear you speak.
Allie and I also had the chance to try out Upland’s Wheat Ale and its two IPAs – Dragon Fly and CoastBuster. While each sample had their unique qualities, CoastBuster had the strongest after taste. Allie thought it was a bit too strong but, after a couple drinks, I got used to the taste. However, we do highly recommend all three selections to anyone who is willing to try them.
While Upland is already producing and distributing dozens and dozens of brews, they are looking to expand their inventory by creating a wider variety of craft beer.
“We are trying to make more innovative beers throughout the year so we launched a side trails series this past year – something that is off the beaten path,” Batule said. “And it gives our brewers the freedom to innovate, use different ingredients, and different styles to create something new.”
They also have a pub with a garden patio at 350 W. 11th St., just northwest of Indiana University. This pub does not house all of their brews, but rotates the selections throughout the year. Upland has also opened a new tasting room in downtown Indianapolis.
Each location has drink specials on certain days of the week. For each location’s schedule, visit the website. Bloomington Brewing Co. and Upland Brewing Co. provided a good example of reasons why Bloomington is such a popular location.
The brewing culture is rich in the city, as evidence by the sheer number of breweries and pubs located there.
The city is a popular weekend destination for many college kids and adults, and the craft beer culture is yet another reason why tourists and area locals flock to Bloomington.
Seth Morin is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Brewery tours
Locations:
Bloomington Brewing Co., 1795 E. 10th St.
Upland Brewing Co., 4060 Profile Parkway (currently no tours at 11th Street location, due to construction).
Activities: Tours, eating, drinking craft beer.
Websites:
Bloomington Brewing Co.: www.bloomingtonbrew.com.
Upland Brewing Co.: www.uplandbeer.com.
Tips: Call ahead of time to schedule a tour with each location. Ask to try some of their brews. Bring a designated driver just in case. Drink responsibly.
Skill level: Easy (Must be 21 or older).
Explore Value: High. While the tours may be quick, you get to learn the ins-and-outs of the brewing process. And – if you like to drink alcohol from time-to-time – each location is bound to have something you will enjoy.
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