April Showers Us in Local Indiana Beer Events

Newfields adds, “Toast the arrival of spring, sample herbs from The Garden with mint iced tea or herbed goat cheese; there’s also wine, cider, lemonade, coffee, teas, outrageously good grilled pretzels from Pat’s Pretzels and a charcuterie board featuring meats from Turchetti’s Salumeria, rotating food trucks every Sunday (April–May) and a weekend pop-up Garden bar will host special tastings, workshops and demonstrations from local chefs and brewers. The second Saturday of each month, revelers can enjoy live music and classic board games from 5:30-8 p.m.”

Stephanie Perry, Newfield director of communications replied to my query about beer-related art works at the IMA with this list:

• The Artist’s Party, Joseph Delaney (American, 1904-1991), 2003.51, American Gallery, K205: Features what is thought to be a self-portrait of the artist (with his back to the viewer) along with other artists in a discussion over libations – the artist to the right is thought to be Jackson Pollack.
• Pitcher and beakers, artist: Paul Revere (American, 1735-1818), client: Ozias Goodwin, about 1800, American Gallery, K213: Artist is Paul Revere of the ‘One if by land, two if by sea’ fame
• Ma Jolie, Pablo Picasso (Spanish), 1913-14, 61.36, Currently in Alliance Gallery, K201 Picasso used Bass Ale images in some 40 paintings, the Bass Brewery was founded in 1777 and was once the best-selling beer in the UK
• Marriage at Cana, Master of San Baudelio de Berlanga (Spanish), 1125, fresco mounted on canvas, 58.23, Clowes Connector Gallery, C200: According to Christian tenants, Jesus’ first miracle–turning water into wine.
• The Concert, Valentin de Boulogne (French, 1591-1632), about 1615, 56.162, European Gallery, H214: Probably the closest to a ‘beer garden’ feel–musicians gathered to drink and celebrate.
• Battle Between Carnival and Lent, Jan Miense Molenaer (Dutch, about 1610-1668), about 1633-1634, 1998.96, European Gallery, H215: Depicts ‘the struggle between excess and abstinence–popular motif of Carnival celebrations that preceded the start of Lent–a beer tankard is in the center of the image.  Interestingly, monks were many of the first European beer brewers.
• The Country Dance, Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684-1721), about 1706-1710, 74.98, European Gallery, H213: This type of country dance was typically accompanied by libations.

Home-brew competitions at Indiana craft breweries:

Black Acre’s first Pro-Am Competition, with entries due by April 21, at the Black Acre Taproom at 5632 E. Washington St.

The winner earns the traveling trophy and brews the winning recipe at the pub/brewhouse with one of the Black Acre brewers.

Judging is at the Black Acre Production Facility on April 24 with BJCP judges paired with a member of the Black Acre team using the BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines for beer. 

Great Crescent Brewery brings back the Aurora-Dearborn County Brewoff, with a submission entry due by April 18, at 315 Importing St. in Aurora. Judging is on April 21 for the BJCP sanctioned home-brew competition. 

Buy Now to Attend Later:

Tickets are on sale now at for April 19-22 Heartland Film Cultural Journey: Mexico at the Glick Indiana History Center. Sun King Pachanga will be served, according to SKB Promotions Director Elizabeth Belange.

3rd Annual Rock the Junction Craft Beer & Music Festival tickets are on sale now at Grand Junction Brewing Co. at 110 S. Union St. in Westfield. The event is on May 19, 1-5 p.m. with 20+ Indiana breweries and wineries and live music. 

April 2, at noon, early bird tickets go on sale for Brewed in the Fort 2018. 

Throughout April: Breweries supporting Keep Indianapolis Beautiful [think KIB] include: Sun King, Big Lug, Metazoa, Flat 12, Centerpoint.

April 2: Red Key Tavern’s 67th Anniversary celebration with Bier Brewery’s Belgian Blonde “commemorative bier” in cans. The NCAA game will be on. 

April 3: Metazoa “Two Chicks & A Hammer” season 3 Premiere Party, 7:30-11 p.m., includes 10 p.m. episode screening.

April 4: 10 a.m., Gathering in memory of  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,  at King Park, 1702 N. Broadway St. Cannon Ball Brewpub will be open as a place to gather as a community, to reflect and find ways to move forward with renewed resolve.

April 4: Salt Creek Brewery inaugural Ladies Self Defense Class: Educate. Equip. Empower.; 6-8 p.m. Includes beer tasting and homemade sodas. Register: 812-391-8744. Salt Creek reports, “We are now on distribution for Jasper, Tell City, Huntingburg, Birdseye and areas surrounding.”

April 6: New Beer's Eve is an unofficial holiday in the United States celebrated as the night preceding the day the sale of beer became legal again in the United States—April 7, 1933, in states that had enacted their own law allowing such sales. The beer had to have an alcohol content less than 3.2% by weight (4% by volume). Franklin Roosevelt reportedly remarked upon signing, "I think this would be a good time for a beer."

Bloomington Craft Beer Week runs from April 6th-April 14th. Be aware: Woolery Mill event is on hiatus until 2019 

April 6:  City of Bloomington Craft Beer Week kicks off with tapping and serving on draft, “Blasting Zone IPA,” a collaboration brew by Bloomington Brewing Company, Function, Quaff On, The Tap and Upland, at each of their brewpubs. 

Nick Banks, BBC spokesperson emailed, “Our brewery was very pleased to host this year. We used ingredients and knowledge from all of us to make this great beer. It was so much fun and we produced what should be a great beer. Lots of hops, lemon peel, orange peel and coriander. A White IPA, it's a mash up of a Wit beer and an American IPA.”

“Our release at Lennie’s is on April 9 from 4-6 p.m. Of course, the beer will be poured until the last keg has been tapped,” according to Mike Layman, Lennie’s/BBC general manager.

Here’s Upland’s Bloomington Beer Week tapping schedule, according to brewer Patrick Lynch: 

April 6... Blasting Zone White IPA, at all Upland locations

April 7... Pawpaw Sour

April 8... Boysenberry Sour

April 9... Squeeze and Thank You New England Pale Ale

April 10... Campside Pale Ale

April 11... Tri Curious Experimental Single Hop English Pale Ale

Boysenberry and Pawpaw are only being tapped in the Woodshop, the 11th street pub, Columbus, and Carmel. 

Squeeze, Campside, TriCurious and Two of Tarts will be tapped everywhere.  

The Tap is celebrating April 3-13, reports head brewer Jarrod May, with tappings at Bloomington and Indianapolis: 

April 3:  Gossamer Wings Honey Kolsch

April 12: David Hasselhefe with a Baywatch themed beach party “We will be pouring and serving all day, but the official time will be starting around 5 p.m. We will feature some special menu items from our kitchen and several different versions of the beer including: Watermelon-honey Hefe (cask); Raspberry-jalapeno Hefe; Pina Collada Hefe

April 13: P3trification Triple IPA

Function Brewing:

April 6: collaboration beer release

April 11: release of Codex Mayan Chocolate Stout. “In the past this beer has only been brewed in 10 gallon batches, and the keg has kicked within 15 minutes. This year we have over 70 gallons, so it should last a bit longer. Codex is a 7.1% stout brewed with cayenne, cinnamon, vanilla, and cocao nibs,” emailed Function founder/brewer Steve Llywellen.

April 12: Sours night with 5-gallon-only batches of: Vinculum Sour Blonde, Blueberry Vinculum, a soured version of Digit Red Ale, and “possibly one more, depending on the brewer's mood,” quips Llywellen.

April 13: tapping Standard Deviation, a jalapeño cream ale done in collaboration with Steve Corbin, brewer of the future Feed Store Brewing in Bloomfield. 

April 7:  National Beer Day 2018 celebrates the 85th Anniversary of Prohibition Repeal. 

April 7: Upland’s 7th annual Sour Wild Funk Fest, 2-7 p.m. at Mavris Arts & Events Center, 121 S. East St., in Indianapolis’ Wholesale District. Experience a choice of 150 beers from 50 nationwide and international breweries, including the growing contingent of Indiana breweries.

Proceeds support the Indiana Wildlife Federation mission to promote the conservation, sound management, and sustainable use of Indiana's wildlife and wildlife habitat through education, advocacy and action. Need a Sours tutorial?

April 7: 7th annual TAP for TAF raises funds for the Tippecanoe Arts Festival. Regional craft breweries share select brews at the Top of the 2nd Street Parking Garage at 201 Columbia Street in Lafayette; 2-6 p.m.  

April 8: DIVAfest “Hats-on Tea” also features Sun King brews. Find Sun King beers also throughout DIVAfest, April 13-22.  

April 10: Girls Pint Out ladies only event: Daredevil & Tulip Tree Cheese Pairing at Daredevil Taproom at 6:30 p.m. A $10 ticket includes a flight of 4 Daredevil beers expertly paired with 4 local Tulip Tree Creamery cheeses.

April 11: Garden Table's downtown location Cocktail+Beer Dinner with West Fork Whiskey and Indiana City, 6-10 p.m., features the release of Indiana City’s Colonel Crushing’ Russian Imperial Stout aged in West Fork Whiskey barrels; tastes of beers and whiskey and a dinner spread from Garden Table. 

April 12: Pink Boots Indy releases their collaborative AKala White IPA with Hibiscus, at Sun King Brewery Downtown, 6 p.m. The beer will travel to all the brewer’s home breweries on draft.

April 18: Redemption Alewerks, 5-course dinner of food and beer pairings, 7 p.m.

April 21: Cornerstone Center for the Arts and Midwest POS Solutions  2nd Annual Muncie Brewfest presented by PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union and the Muncie Visitor’s Bureau. 3-6 p.m. on Cornerstone’s third floor with a special early bird entrance time of 2 p.m. Features 15+ breweries from around Indiana serving over 50 craft brews and live music.  List of participating breweries at Munciebrewfest.org or follow Cornerstone Center for the Arts on Facebook for updates.

The Hops and Vines Bus will shuttle attendees from Muncie Brewfest to Elm Street Brewing Co., Books & Brews, and Guardian Brewing Co. from 5 to 9 p.m. at no additional cost.

Proceeds support Cornerstone’s mission to provide the community with quality arts programming for all. Cornerstone’s arts program serves thousands of youth and adults each year with life-enhancing arts education. Many of Cornerstone’s students receive some form of financial aid or discount, which is made possible through fundraisers like Muncie Brewfest.   

April 28: Scarlet Lane 4-year anniversary party “Monster Bash” also celebrates Frankenstein’s 200th Birthday in McCordsville starting at noon. Dress in your favorite costume; live music throughout the day and night; special beer release tappings, including Dorian Coconut Stout 2018 launch; Bourbon Barrel Aged bottled release of Eirik Bloodaxe Braggot IPA (limited supplies); Food from Trax BBQ and The Big Easy Cajun.