Greenbush Invades Indiana

Just as The Beatles arrived in America for the first time to scores of screaming fans, Greenbush Brewing Company has made a splash in the craft beer scene of Northern Indiana by bringing a handful of their brews to Fiddler's Hearth in South Bend.

For those not familiar with Greenbush Brewing Company, they are very young, opening within the last 6 months (give or take) in the small town of Sawyer, Michigan. The hype surrounding this brewery has been unreal, selling out of beer within the first few weeks of opening and having to close the tasting room for a week while they brew more. Everyone that I have encountered that has experienced their beer cannot say enough great things about them. Scott, the head brewer/owner, is a welcomed rebel in the industry. He crafts beer in the interest of taste and maxium kick-assery, not tradition or style guidelines. Their beers range from a not-quite-stout/not-quite-porter and an angry black IPA, to a pale ale with a different hop profile with each batch and a Belgian golden (with a little something extra) - plus everything in between.

For this joyous occasion, Greenbush / Indiana Beer brought the following lineup...

Momento Mori (Oktoberfest, 6.3%)
Dunegras (IPA, 6.7%)
Anger (Black IPA, 7.6%)
Retribution (Belgian Strong Ale, 8.7%)
1825 (Belgian Strong Ale, 9.3%)
Pain (Imperial Milk Stout, 11.2%)

I had the great opportunity to try each one of those beers, mostly in small samples, and I enjoyed everything. In the interest of honesty, I was not a huge fan of Momento Mori, but that's likely due to the fact that I don't normally enjoy Oktoberfest beers. The beer that really did it for me that night was one that I've been on the lookout for since they opened; Anger. Black IPAs have become one of my favorite styles over the last year, but it seems only a handful are actually done well. Fortunately I now have a local go-to Black IPA in Anger... this beer is amazing! I loved every sip of roasty, bitter, hoppy delicousness. Although I did manage to sample the other beers, Anger was my drink of choice the entire night.

By the time I left around 10:30, most Greenbush beers had run out, and for good reason. Talking with Ben of Indiana Beer, it sounds like we should be seeing more in our area... hopefully soon. Make sure to stop out to South Bend Brewfest for more Greenbush and other great local beer!

Good Beer Wins, with Greenbush Brewing Company!