17 Apr (Meet the Brewer series) – Bradley Zimmerman of Tow Yard Brewing CO.
Home-brewed oatmeal stout started the craft-beer brewing passion for Tow Yard Brewing Head Brewer, Bradley Zimmerman. When he couldn’t afford to buy beer at Indiana University, he started to brew his own. He loved it. His friends loved it. So he’s been brewing beer ever since those penny-rubbing days in Bloomington.
After college, Bradley took his love for brewing to the mecca of craft beers: Seattle, WA. His Pacific Northwest style of brewing started in 2006 with Elysian Fields Brewing, where he worked his way from scrubbing kegs and working the bottling line to Assistant Brewer. At Elysian Fields, Bradley learned to push the envelope on ingredients. He started to see beer as a food, not just a beverage. With ingredients like pomegranate, pumpkin and persimmon, Bradley’s eyes opened to endless possibilities of craft beer. Big Time Brewing hitched up Bradley as its Assistant Brewer in 2009. And there, he took home the 2011 GABF Bronze Medal in the English Pale Ale category.
With nearly a decade of west coast brewing experience in tow, Bradley seized the Tow Yard Brewing opportunity to make his way back home to Indiana—bringing Pacific Northwest style beers to the Midwest. He and the Tow Yard Brewing team are committed to introducing a different perspective to the Indy craft-brewing scene with some pretty exciting and new ingredients.
And the best part of parking his brew skills in Indiana? “I don’t have to go to a bar to watch IU basketball.”
After college, Bradley took his love for brewing to the mecca of craft beers: Seattle, WA. His Pacific Northwest style of brewing started in 2006 with Elysian Fields Brewing, where he worked his way from scrubbing kegs and working the bottling line to Assistant Brewer. At Elysian Fields, Bradley learned to push the envelope on ingredients. He started to see beer as a food, not just a beverage. With ingredients like pomegranate, pumpkin and persimmon, Bradley’s eyes opened to endless possibilities of craft beer. Big Time Brewing hitched up Bradley as its Assistant Brewer in 2009. And there, he took home the 2011 GABF Bronze Medal in the English Pale Ale category.
With nearly a decade of west coast brewing experience in tow, Bradley seized the Tow Yard Brewing opportunity to make his way back home to Indiana—bringing Pacific Northwest style beers to the Midwest. He and the Tow Yard Brewing team are committed to introducing a different perspective to the Indy craft-brewing scene with some pretty exciting and new ingredients.
And the best part of parking his brew skills in Indiana? “I don’t have to go to a bar to watch IU basketball.”
Learn more about Tow Yard Brewing on their Indiana On Tap brewery page.
Michael James
Posted at 02:30h, 17 AprilCool story. I’m gonna start brewing my own beer-ha! Seriously tho, congrats to this guy.
IndyBeerSnob
Posted at 02:31h, 17 AprilI’m excited for Tow Yard to officially open. I like them even more after reading this. GO IU!