Thirsty Thursday — 8 Featured Breweries

Every Thursday until Columbus Craft Beerfest 2017 we’re featuring 8 breweries that will be present at the festival. We’re really excited about our line up this year! Check them out.

  1. Quaff ON! Brewing Co— There are no better words to convey the spirit of Big Woods Village. In early 2009, their founders, Ed, Jeff and Tim, decided to build a brewpub in the Alley, at the corner of Busted Knuckle and Hare Trigger. The idea was to give Tim the time, location and opportunity to further develop the brewing skills he had honed as a prolific home brewer. The goal was for Jeff, Ed and their friends to be able enjoy the fruits of Tim’s labor in an environment that pleased them — the operating theory being, “If we please ourselves, we might please other people.”

From the day it opened, Big Woods Brewing enjoyed remarkable support from locals, tourists and far-flung craft beer lovers. As demand for the beer, the food and the unique experience grew, so did Big Woods’ footprint in Nashville. In 2011, in an effort to meet demand for more beer and to create a family-friendly experience, the Tucker Building became the home of Big Woods’ second brewery and Big Woods Pizza Company.

In 2012, to meet demand for the beer beyond Brown County, the three amigos formed Quaff ON! Brewing Company and built a new production brewery. It didn’t take long before Busted Knuckle, Hare Trigger and Yellow Dwarf were being distributed throughout most of Indiana.

In 2014, opportunity knocked again, and the Quaff ON Bloomington opened its doors in Bloomington, Ind., where it quickly became a favorite place for fine food, the best craft beer and friends.

Why the name Quaff ON!? Because “quaff” means “to drink heartily and with gusto” — and, it captures an idea that goes beyond beer and speaks to a life lived fully! And that’s the common element that binds all the great folks at Big Woods and Quaff ON! who put their hearts and their talents into creating a unique experience for you.

2. Round Town Brewery — Here to serve Indianapolis and the surrounding area with a selection of quality consistent beers. We strive to meet Indianapolis’ needs when it comes to finding the right beer for each individual palette.

3. Salt Creek Brewery is a state of the art brewery was once a popular service garage. The former “alignment pit” now serves as the Brewery Pit. Come sip on our Award winning beers, as you look at the Brewers large and growing collection of Beer pieces, some of which date back to the 1800’s. Enjoy one of Salt Creek Cigars, and other hand made items, check out our Stromy Kromer Line.

4. Scarlet Lane Brewing Company launched in May of 2014 after several years of planning. Having moved to Oregon and spending seven years in the heart of the Beer Revolution, the plan was launched to start a Northwest inspired brewery in the heart of the Midwest. CEO and Head Brewer Eilise Lane completed her education at the American Brewer’s Guild after spending six years homebrewing and shadowing at some of her favorite Oregon breweries, including Ninkasi Brewing and Fort George Brewing. A Greencastle, Indiana native, Eilise is joined by a primarily female investment team and operates the day-to-day alongside a passionate team with diverse backgrounds. Our mission is to provide the highest quality ales and promote continued betterment in the art of beer making. We embrace our strange and unusual side and encourage that all employees, our community and customers do the same with us.

5. Since 1961, Larry and Betty Hanselman have been the proprietors of the Schnitzelbank Restaurant, a well-known landmark in the predominantly German community of Jasper, Indiana. With the help of their six children, and now a new generation of grandchildren, the Hanselman’s businesses now includes the Schnitzelbank Restaurant, Schnitzelbank Catering, the Jasper Hampton Inn, and KlubHaus 61. In 2015, the dream of owning a Brewery & Pub came to life with the opening of Schnitz Brewery & Pub.

After the former Jasper Country Club was purchased by the Hanselman family in 2013, work immediately began as crews gutted the upper and lower levels of the building. The top level was turned into an event center called KlubHaus 61. The lower level, formally the Country Club pro shop, locker rooms, and bar, began the transformation process in 2014. A floor plan was drawn up and the brewery & pub quickly started to take shape. For the brewery itself, a room offering viewing windows and accommodating all of the necessary brewing equipment was created. All new equipment arrived and was placed in the space. The bar from the original Country Club was preserved. A family dining area was also constructed. Quickly, the Schnitz Brewery & Pub took shape and evolved into a welcoming space with a warm but yet industrial feel.

We are sure you will love the unique atmosphere and also the outdoor patio seating in a beautiful park like surrounding!

6. After surgery to repair the foot and three months of non-weight bearing activities, Mike decided he needed some sort of new hobby. After a Dr.’s visit, he stopped at a local wine and homebrew shop and headed out the door with two box kits; one for wine and one for beer. That purchase was the first step. As with most newbies to brewing, it started on the kitchen stove and ended with a sticky mess to clean-up. At that time, wine was Mike’s choice over the full flavor of craft beer. He did not brew any other beer for many years.

Ten years later, after rekindling a lost friendship with an old buddy, Mike asked if he had ever brewed beer. It did not take too much pondering on either part and brewing started all over. The spring of 2009 came with a slight upgrade of brewing equipment and use of the garage instead of the kitchen. That second brew was all it took to be hooked on craft brewing as a hobby.

Mike quickly switched from kits to brewing with all grains and ditched bottles in favor of kegging. Classes were taken, books were read and a custom built homebrew stand came in the spring of 2013. It was within that time that his thoughts crossed the line between thinking of craft brewing as a hobby to the desire to build a business. The walk of faith began.

The original plan was to open a small brewery for growler fills and maybe the occasional pint night. By reaching out to other brewers and visiting numerous breweries, research led Mike to believe he could do more. Mike’s brother-in-law, Fred Paris, also had an idea in the works. He considered Mike’s dreams and desires to do more and blended them with his own vision.

As a past mayor of Franklin, Fred’s vision was to see the city continue to grow and redevelop. Fred had a plan in place to purchase two buildings on West Jefferson Street and turn them into an open-air restaurant inspired by a European vacation. Fred invited Mike to be a part of the venture. The next two years brought a “hurry up and wait” mentality as the purchase of the former Sparkle Cleaners and Juke Box buildings took longer than anticipated. Mike and his wife, Jenni, used the time to continue research, finalize plans, and brew for friends and family. Shale Creek Brewing was becoming reality.

With an anticipated opening of Summer 2015, Shale Creek Brewing will be in the front half of the old Sparkle Cleaners building. The brewery will be a 5 barrel, all electric system featuring four or five house Ales, an occasional Lager, seasonal brews, and guest taps. A limited food menu will be offered in house and a full menu will be available from the on-site, independently operated restaurant. Both the brewery and restaurant will share some common dining areas. The shared dining/entertainment area will be under a retractable glass roof. There will be a dance floor and stage for live entertainment and possible private use as well.

The naming of Shale Creek Brewing

Naming a business is not as easy as one might think. There is so much that goes into it and I honestly struggled with that for some time. With Jenni being my biggest supporter and cheerleader, I wanted it to involve her in some way. It finally came to me one spring afternoon in 2013 while we were walking on our Brown County property. Jenni commented on the shale in the creek and how it was one of her favorite things in nature. Sitting on a downed tree the light bulb finally came on and that was it. The name Shale Creek Brewing was born that afternoon in Brown County, IN. ~ Mike

7. Saint Joseph Brewery and Public House was established in 2015, but the building that houses our restaurant and brewery has quite a history. In order to meet the demands of the growing population in the northeast section of Indianapolis, the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, led by Bishop St. Palais, established the parish of St. Joseph in 1873, at that time the fourth Catholic parish in Indianapolis.

Father Joseph Petit, born in Forbach, Lorraine in France, was appointed the first pastor of the new parish. A two-story brick structure was built at the corner of Vermont and Liberty (now Park Ave.) Streets, and the top floor served as the parish church for the new congregation. In 1874, Father Petit was transferred to St. Michael Church in Madison, Indiana. Shortly thereafter, Father Herman Alerding, born in Germany, was appointed as pastor for St. Joseph parish. Father Alerding was very anxious to build a newer and bigger church for his growing congregation, but Bishop St. Palais refused to give his consent.

Bishop St. Palais died in June of 1877 and Bishop Silas Chatard was named as his successor in August of 1878. Bishop Chatard was determined to establish a hospital in Indianapolis, and the structure at Vermont and Liberty seemed to be ideal for the purpose. So he purchased two lots on the southwest corner of North and Noble (now College Ave.) streets for $5,500 and urged the congregation to build a new church on that site. Father Alerding took charge of the construction, and the cornerstone of the building we now occupy was laid by Bishop Chatard on July 20, 1879. The Gothic church was designed by noted architect Diedrich A. Bohlen of Hamburg, Germany. The building was finished in less than a year at a cost of $17,000. On July 4, 1880, Bishop Chatard blessed the church and Father Petit, the founder of the parish, returned from Madison to celebrate the first mass.

Father Alerding was appointed Bishop of Fort Wayne in August of 1900 and Father Francis B. Dowd was named pastor of St. Joseph. Father Dowd remained as pastor until his death in 1942. During his long pastorate, the neighborhood and population around St. Joseph began to change. Four new parishes established between 1881 and 1909 cut into the original boundaries of St. Joseph, and homes in the neighborhood were being replaced with industrial factories and mills. Father James Jansen was named to succeed Father Dowd as pastor of Saint Joseph in 1942, but the continuing decrease in membership led to the decision by Archbishop Paul Schulte to close and deconsecrate the church. The last mass at St. Joseph church was said by Archbishop Schulte on June 26, 1949.

The church building, still owned by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was then converted to the Catholic Community Center, to be used as a meeting hall and auditorium for several organizations including the Catholic Charities Bureau and Catholic Youth Organization. The chuch itself finally closed in 1954.

8. Sun King Brewing Company is an Indianapolis-based craft brewery with a focus on continually creating traditional seasonal and unique specialty beer. Sun King rolled our first keg of beer out of the door in July 2009 and since that time has grown into one of Indiana’s largest and most award-winning breweries, with multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival® and the World Beer Cup®.

Sun King remains dedicated to Fresh • Local • Beer through exclusively Indiana based distribution and continued growth, with a commitment to community development throughout the state.

Sun King beer can be enjoyed at over 1,000 fine bars/restaurants and liquor stores throughout Indiana, at our downtown brewery at 135 N. College Ave. Indianapolis, or at our Small Batch Brewery and Tasting Room at 7848 E. 96th Street in Fishers, Indiana.

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