Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

Drink Up, Indiana: The Best Breweries in Bloomington

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There were so many things that surprised us about Bloomington, the least of which is that there’s a bona fide beer and spirits scene on the brink of a full-on explosion. Then again, as Indiana’s quintessential university college town, where better to start a brewery movement than a place surrounded by coeds and grad students? It makes perfect sense to me.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

In the past few years as our travels have centered more around mid-sized cities in America, we’ve seen a renaissance happen, an entrepreneurial movement bloom. I wasn’t even a beer drinker until I started stumbling across these craft brewers who were making real impacts on their towns, coming in and completely rehabbing forgotten neighborhoods, boosting tourism and giving the residents something to do after a long work day. Bloomington is a great example of a city that has fully embraced its brewers and distillers.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

We were in Bloomington for three full days, but I feel like we could have used three more to thoroughly cover its boozy side (good thing we’ll be back in the fall!). In case you’re planning a trip to Bloomington, Indiana—and you definitely should—here’s where all we made it on our inaugural visit.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

Upland Brewing Co.

The mack daddy of all Bloomington breweries, Upland Brewing Co. has a massive plot of land with a roomy tasting and dining room inside and the best patio in town out front. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Upland Brewing Co. hustles up the eats like seitan Ruebens, fish tacos and falafel for lunch. They also have full dinner options of steak, fish and grill items (in addition to a huge vegetarian menu). SVV, however, was there for the beer.

Upland Brewing Company: Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

The Wood Shop

A part of Upland Brewing, the Wood Shop is its own facility for brewing up sour beers. The process of making this type of beer involves the use of a Lactobacillus bacteria that can contaminate a normal brewing system so it has to be in a completely separate building (even the HVAC cannot be shared). The end result, typically aged from six to 24 months, is SVV’s idea of heaven. Tart, complex, refreshing and often with a low ABV, meaning you can drink more of them as the alcohol content is light.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

Function Brewing

Located right off the historic square, home to the Monroe County Courthouse, Function Brewing keeps a small but rotating selection of a dozen beers on tap. Named for the owners’ ability to throw caution to the wind and constantly try something new, Function pushes the boundaries when it comes to brewing up unique products (“we believe the best things in life are found in exploring and in taking risks with the way we always do things,” they say on their about page).

Upland Brewing Company: Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

I like me some out-of-the-box flavors, and there was the* Standard Deviation, a Jalapeno Cream Ale, on tap when we were there; naturally, I had three. Of course, looking back at their past brews—of which they’ve created more than 200 in the four years since they first opened—now I’m dying to also try Function’s Szechaun Peppercorn Pale, Peppermint Stout, Banana Stout and Spiced Apple Ale if they ever make a return (did I mention I like an out-of-the-box brew?!).

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

The Tap

Offering one of the most robust selections of beer in all of Indiana—more than 450 on tap, in bottles and cans!—the Tap is positioned on the square in a prime spot for both people-watching and sun-bathing as you sip your way through a bevy of regional brews. I’m all about drinking local when I can, and given that the Tap brews its own selection of beers in-house, so I ordered up a flight of those as we soaked up the first sunny day we’d enjoyed all spring on the corner patio.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

Cardinal Spirits

One of the big reasons I’ve wanted to go to Bloomington for so long was due to the opening of Cardinal Spirits three years ago. I’ve followed their progression online, and I love their philosophy of locally-sourced, in-house production for all of their spirits.

Cardinal Spirits: Where to Drink in Bloomington, Indiana
Cardinal Spirits: Where to Drink in Bloomington, Indiana
Cardinal Spirits: Where to Drink in Bloomington, Indiana

Cardinal Spirits: Where to Drink in Bloomington, Indiana

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

The cocktail program is next level, with all drinks made from products Cardinal produces next level; while there’s no bourbon out yet, they’re barreling some now, and I happily sipped my way through their gin offerings, which paired perfectly with the creative cuisine that was on their new spring menu.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

Bloomington Brewing Company

While we didn’t visit the Bloomington Brewing Company, billed as southern Indiana’s first brewpub, we did try a couple different BBC brews at King Dough and also the Tap. The BBC’s brewing facility is not open to the public for tours; however, there’s a tasting room inside the Brewpub at Lennie’s, owned by the same company.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

On our next visit, we plan to also hit up Friendly Beasts Cider Company, Danny Boy Draft Works and newcomer Switchyard Brewing Company, but I’d love to know your favorite beer or cocktail spots so we can weave them into the itinerary.

Bloomington Beer Company: Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana

Here’s a look at our boozy time in Bloomington via video:

How to Tackle Bloomington’s Boozy Scene

  • Walk. One of the best attributes about Bloomington is that you can walk almost anywhere. From our hotel, the Grant Street Inn, we were able to hit up Function and the Tap by foot, and there are plenty of other walkable watering holes that we didn’t hit up this visit.
  • Lyft. We found that there were Lyfts aplenty in Bloomington, and even though we were rarely going more than a couple miles when not walking, we always took a Lyft to avoid the hassle of parking (and because we planned to have more than one drink).
  • Cycle. Bloomington is a bike town unlike any I’ve ever seen, so you can rent a bike (and a helmet!) from any of the local gear shops like Pedego, which has both electric bikes as well as regular ones. Bonus: Many of the breweries and taprooms are located along or just off of the B-Line.

Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana


 

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Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
Where to Drink Beer in Bloomington, Indiana
COMMENTS
  • May 17, 2018

    Add Big Woods to your list (it’s a taproom like Danny Boy for a brewery that’s not in Bloomington proper) and I think you’ll hit the entire Bloomington Ale Trail in your next trip! 🙂

    • May 18, 2018

      Noted! I didn’t even realize there was an official ale trail! Does it come with a passport? 😉

      • May 18, 2018

        Of course it does! You can print it out yourself too. The prize changes; it’s currently a mug or something. You have to do them all within 6 months.

        http://www.bloomingtonaletrail.com/

        • May 19, 2018

          Oooh, now I really want to visit! 🙂

        • May 22, 2018

          Guess I’ll have to start over come fall so I can collect my prize 😉

        • June 21, 2018
          Lisa

          Also try Bear Wallow distillery if you say trip to Nashville. A hard liqueur place with a slightly different vibe to Cardinal spirits.

          • June 21, 2018

            For obvious reasons, I definitely want to make a side trip to Nashville (IN) one of these days! Especially since we were almost there when we headed east of Btown to go foraging.

  • May 17, 2018
    Andrea Alumbaugh

    For something off the beaten path, check out Oddball Fermentables!

    • May 22, 2018

      Oh, this is absolutely on my list for the fall! Scott and I are big fans of anything fermented =)

  • May 18, 2018

    Thanks for a another good post. I would have loved to tour these brewers…. but a gluten allergy has slowed my progress. Here in Savannah some of the brewers do have gluten-free brews. That might be another interesting look at the topic. – Jim

    • May 18, 2018

      Ahh, that’s a shame, Jim, but I do know there are places that brew gluten-free products. Not sure of any of the specific ones in Bloomington, but perhaps the cideries do? I didn’t manage to squeeze these in on this visit, but plan to on our next:

      https://www.facebook.com/friendlybeastscider/
      http://www.oddballcyser.com/

      Also, we’re big fans of kombucha and though I didn’t see this while I was there, I love that so many towns are getting their own kombucha brewers:

      http://gwkindkombucha.com/

      • May 18, 2018

        Cider… Now, cider I can handle… Well, up to a certain point, then my wife, “The Beckster,” pours me into the car and drives, while I smile, all the way home. – Jim

        • May 22, 2018

          Jim, you’re my kind of traveler, and the Beckster is my kind of spouse 😉

  • May 18, 2018

    When will you be there in the fall? I’m on maternity leave starting mid/late August, at which point I’ll be able to booze again, and my beer-geek husband will rejoice! Perhaps a trip to Bloomington is in our future!

    • May 22, 2018

      At this point, our entire September is booked, so I imagine it will fall the second week in October! Shoot me a note closer to the time and we can coordinate.

  • May 18, 2018

    This was a rough assignment! Absolutely everything looks and sounds delicious! I love beer, although I am a total lightweight, so I need food and I love the idea that you can just walk everywhere!

    • May 22, 2018

      Right? I mean, if I must drink my way through a deliciously awesome city, then I must 😉

  • May 23, 2018

    I have once stood on fire while trying chili flavoured beer. I don’t think I would survive Szechaun Peppercorn Pale 🙂

    • June 21, 2018

      I mean, that sounds pretty delicious to me!

  • May 30, 2018

    I love, love, love the spread of craft beer across America. It’s nice to know that no matter where I go, I can probably get a delicious and locally crafted beverage.

  • June 8, 2018

    Now this is my joint. Would love to experience the beers!

    • June 21, 2018

      You definitely need to plan a trip to Bloomington then!

  • June 27, 2018
    Samantha Ezzo

    Next time ask a local to show you around. You missed the best spots and highlighted what can be found on the websites. So sorry you missed out. 🙁

  • October 23, 2018
    Rod Myers

    If you’re in Bloomington on the second Tuesday of the month, stop by Upland’s Wood Shop for a meeting of the Hop Jockeys, the local homebrew club. Meetings run from 7-9pm and we welcome all who appreciate good beers. Several of the pro brewers in town were/are members.

    • October 26, 2018

      Oh bummer, we were just back in Bloomington last week! Missed the meeting, but spent a lot of time with Brian at the Wood Shop trying all the new sours! So definitely not a wasted trip 😉

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