Sun King Brewery: the Indianapolis standard-bearer lives up to the hype

Sun King Brewery's excellent beers and fun-filled tap room show us why they're a household name in Indiana (and beyond)...

Ask anyone in the great state of Indiana for a good local beer and chances are they’ll name a Sun King brew. As the state’s 2nd largest brewer of beer and Indianapolis’s first full-scale brewery to open since the last one closed in 1948, Sun King Brewery is the standard-bearer for Indiana craft beer. Of course, we had to check it out on our last run through the Circle City.

The Sun King Story

The story of how Sun King came to be the “king” of Indy beers isn’t unlike the story of many other fine craft breweries… Friends with a passion for brewing coming together.

Dave Colt and Clay Robinson met while working at an old brewing company on the north side of Indy, but their friendship didn’t truly blossom until a few years later when both were working at downtown Indy chain microbreweries. Clay eventually took a few years off from brewing but found himself working with Dave at The Ram after his sabbatical.

Long days and late nights of brewing gave birth to an idea… The idea of Dave and Clay actually opening their very own brewery. Fast forward a few years, add in the help of friends, family, and fellow lovers of beer, and Clay & Dave were purchasing brewing equipment from a shuttered Maine brewery.

The rest, as they say, is history. The first keg of Sun King beer rolled out in 2009, and it’s been a whirlwind of success ever since.

The Beer

Anchored by 3 core beers that can be found year-round all over Indiana (and even greater Chicago and Louisville), the beer selection at Sun King is still very seasonal and creative with variations of all your favorite styles coming and going all year long. Their tap rooms feature tap nearly 40 different seasonal brews while patrons can also find almost a dozen specialty beers canned throughout the year.

As with all our beer reviews, we simply give a thumbs up or down… It’s a thumbs up. We’re not beer experts, but it tasted good to us. There are plenty of great beer websites you can browse in your abundant free time if you’re a real beer connoisseur.

Oh, and they also have plenty of awards from experts who think their beer is pretty darn good…

The taproom

Their flagship downtown brewing location features a tap room you could easily spend all day relaxing in.

From the expansive bar to the chill-zone with video games and couches to the numerous tables scattered throughout the space, it’s perfect for catching up with friends or making some new ones. (or even doing yoga from time to time)

Their outdoor seating is framed by a huge, colorful mural, and if the weather is nice, you might just see the parking lot turned into a block party.

(For the Indy suburbanite, they have you covered as well with their tap room up in Fishers)

Of course, if you’re a hardcore beer lover or just want to learn about the brewing process, Sun King offers tours. Head over to their website to book one.

What started as a mutual love of beer several years ago has become a modern Indianapolis institution. With tasty beers and fun, community-focused tap rooms, we don’t expect Indy’s thirst for Sun King Brewing to slow down anytime soon.

Sun King Brewery

135 North College Avenue

Indianapolis, Indiana 46202

Phone: (317) 602-3702

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