Outliers, Tow Yard, Books & Brews breweries to open in Indy, Fishers Friday

Three breweries will join the Indianapolis metro area’s booming craft beer scene Friday and Saturday.

More than a dozen breweries plan to open in the metro area this year, a 50 percent bump that has market watchers wondering how much beer Indy can drink.

Here are details about what’s happening this weekend:

Outliers Brewing

• Location: 534 E. North St., Indianapolis.
• Beers: Buffalo Jacket India Pale Ale, County Brown, Whitcomb Rye and Blau Machen Pilsner.
• Grand opening: The brewery will be open for carryout grower sales during a grand opening from 4-7 p.m. Friday.
• Owner: Ted Miller also operates Brugge Brasserie, a Belgian-style brewpub in Broad Ripple. He plans to use Outliers beer to supplement brews at Brugge and at Park Street, the restaurant that will share Outliers’ North Street building.
• Fun fact: Miller got his start in Indiana at the Broad Ripple Brew Pub, where he was head brewer from 1990-94.
• Find out more: Check Outliers’ homepage, Facebook and Twitter.

Tow Yard Brewing

• Location: 501 S. Madison St. in the former Chateau Thomas location.
• Grand opening: Doors open March 21; Details are being planned for a formal event in coming weeks.
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
• Beers: Emerald Circle Indiana Pale Ale, Goldie Hops Golden Ale, Hook It Up Shandler.
• The brewery: Tow Yard will serve a menu of burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads in a building with large industrial garage doors, ample outdoor seating and a view of Lucas Oil Stadium.
• Brewer: Bradley Zimmerman will be the head brewer. He formerly worked as an assistant at Big Time Brewery & Alehouse and Elysian Brewing Co., both in Seattle.
• Owners: Jason West, Shawn Cannon and Mike DeWeese.
• Quote: “We’re doing the craft beer experience better,” said DeWeese, Tow Yard Brewing director of distribution. “We’re giving people a place to sit down, hang out and eat some great local food while taking in some Indiana state and Indiana beer history.”
• Find out more: Check out Tow Yard’s homepage, Facebook and Twitter.

Books & Brews

• Location: 9402 Uptown Drive, Suite 1400, Indianapolis.
• Grand opening: 5 to 10 p.m. March 21. Whiskey Verbena will perform at 8 p.m. $2.
• Beers: Owner Jason Wuerfel plans to run the gamut on beer styles but has a special affinity for European beers, including dry Irish stouts, brown English ales and Irish reds.
• Business model: Wuerfel will operate a used-book store in the front of the store and the nanobrewery on a 1-barrel system in the back. He will offer about 10 taps in the bar area, with live music Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.
• Fun Fact: A former collegiate baseball player and English major at the University of Michigan, Wuerfel also is a co-owner — along with his parents — of a Frontier League baseball team called the Traverse City Beach Bums.