When I first moved back to Indiana in December of 2011, it was a time of reunions with old friends, and jobless alcoholism. One of my first stops was an old haunt in Fountain Square, the Brass Ring. Full of hipsters, art deco decor, and most importantly, bartender friends who will sling me a free drink or two. That night, they had just gotten a keg from a new brewery that was right across the street, and a friend had used my waitress as a model for one of the beer labels. How wonderfully quaint.
I had one IPA and it was disgusting.
I smiled and said, "Mmmm yep that's beer!" through tightly pressed lips and a shit eating grin. Whenever someone talked about FSB, I talked shit, and felt justified. It wasn't until I relocated to Fountain Square that I realized that holy flying fuck was I wrong.
FSB was started by former Eli Lilly employees, and brewing seems a good transition for a microbiologist, chemist, and an automation specialist. These backgrounds really come out in their beer and aesthetic. It's clean, and pragmatic.
Their lab is open to viewing from the tasting room
Their tap room is a basically a corner of a warehouse converted into a bare yet comfortable social area. High tables and large leather couches are an inviting contrast to the bare concrete and corrugated metal. The bar is the sole bastion of their artistic flair. Even though they went with a classic Art Deco logo to fit in with Fountain Square's history, you don't see those touches anywhere else, but at the bar. Beautiful wood is centered around a bright, LED light insert of the FSB logo.
A weird mix of DIY bare-bones and artistic flair
The tap room itself is indicative of the brew scene itself. Bearded, barrel chested beer cicerones, forty year old women ready to party, smug hipsters, and yuppies all thrown together enjoying the same thing. Good beer. The mood is always light, and the food trucks outside always heavy.
This is one of those places you go to a couple times a month and always enjoy yourself.
As described on their website, they think of themselves as "ambassadors and stewards." It's fitting. They have a robust volunteer crew and let hobbyist home brewers use their facilities to brew their own recipes. FSB just loves beer and its culture that spawns the people that keep coming back for more.
Oh, and did I mention that they have beer? Such good beer. They do the standards right. Even a hardened Bud Light man would find delight in their crisp house beers. Their seasonals are well done and truthful to their style, and it's all presented to you in a no-brow fashion. It's high quality without the cost. $4.50 pints and discounted Sunday growler fills.
I chose, uh, this one
Now, all I do is praise FSB. In my mind, there are in that upper echelon of the new crop of of breweries that have sprung up in Indy in the last three years. If you're looking for a comfortable place to grab some excellent beers that wont set you back, then this is your spot.
Address: 1301 Barth Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203
Phone:(317) 493-1410
Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 4:00–9:00 pm
Thursday 4:00–9:00 pm
Friday 4:00–10:00 pm
Saturday 2:00–10:00 pm
Sunday 12:00–6:00 pm
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