5 Best Bourbon Bars In (and Around) Indianapolis

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Chris

As you can tell from this blog, I’m a fan of the Indianapolis area and it’s the “big city” when I go out with my wife or friends. And I did a search on Google for the “best bourbon bars in Indy” and I chuckled when I read the list. I think it’s one thing to have a list of the best and fanciest bourbon bars, but there should also be a list of the best bourbon bars in Indianapolis for normal everyday people. So here it is – My top picks for the Indianapolis and surrounding areas.

A few things to note about my selections:

I had to have actually been to the bar. I don’t want to tell you something is awesome and never have been. If it’s on the list, I have personally walked in and ordered a drink.

I’m not the “fancy” cocktail kind of guy. I want to have a good tasting pour of bourbon when I go to a bourbon bar. I might go for an old fashioned, but I’m going to want a good bourbon list with reasonable prices. I might pay extra for a barrel pick or something like that, but I’m not going to pay extra because you have a cool fountain in your bar and your mixologist uses ingredients they use at Hogwarts for potions.
I’m drawn to the downtown and the north/northeast side of Indianapolis due to where I live. You’ll see my bias in the selections.
I’m not one who loves huge crowds. I want a place I can sit and have a drink with some conversation. If it’s a trendy bar where I have to pay to get in, count me out. If it’s going to be super crowded always, count me out.

If that sounds like you, then you are going to love this list. If not, you might want to find another list of the top bourbon bars in Indianapolis.

1 – Joe’s Grille Fishers

Joe’s Grille wins my picks for best prices on bourbon. I stumbled on this place a few years back as I was looking for a quick stop to grab a drink and some food on my way to the airport. After we visited, I followed them on Facebook. I didn’t go for another few years and then all of a sudden, I saw a post that was talking about their new updated bourbon menu. So on my next trip to Indy, I made an effort to stop and grab a drink.

It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the bourbon list makes up for that. Dang. They have a great selection and even better prices. When I can get a pour of Noah’s Mill from Willett for $5, we are talking Elks Lodge prices. They also seem to have a pretty good selection of barrel picks and hard to find bourbons. I could go to HC Tavern and pay almost $30 for a pour of Booker’s Bourbon, but I can get the same pour here for $12 (and it’s literally just down the road a few miles).

I haven’t tried much of the food, but I’m all in for the bourbon. This is now a destination stop for me before I drop any money on a bottle of bourbon that is a little higher in cost. I stop here and try it (if they have it) and then go and make my purchasing decision. It’s way cheaper than most places in the area and the selection can’t be beat for the price point.

2 – Final Third Cigar and Whiskey Lounge

I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of cigars or cigar smoke, but I’ll make an exception for this great find in Ingalls, Indiana. Final Third Cigar and Whiskey Lounge is the place to be if you want an eclectic choice of bourbons, ryes, and whiskies. And it’s not as smokey as one might think a cigar bar might be.

It wins my pick as the best hidden gem bourbon bar in Indianapolis.

I saw a friend post something about this place on Facebook, so I did a little investigating. It seemed like my kind of place, but I needed a reason to head that way to stop in and check it out. When my father-in-law decided to drive the strangest way to a beer festival, we ended up driving through Ingalls and I yelled TURN RIGHT HERE AND LET’S HAVE A DRINK.

I was glad we did! As you can tell from my picture, they have one heck of a selection and the people in there are super nice. I know they partner with the Indiana Bourbon Club (not the one I run, but still a great one) for some barrel picks as well.

I now have this as a standard stop if I’m ever in the area.

3 – 1933 Lounge

This one wins my pick for best date night spot for a bourbon lover in Indianapolis. My wife is a sucker for a big steak and she loves the shrimp cocktail with the cocktail sauce. And honestly, I don’t want to have the fancy steakhouse experience. So I enjoy bypassing St Elmo’s and just walking up the stairs to the 1933 Lounge. You have access to a smaller menu and a full bar. It’s my kind of place.

The prices here are steep, but that’s what you should expect with this being one of the top steakhouses in Indiana. I recommend getting the sliders and a barrel select bourbon from their list. I personally like the barrel picks from Woodford, West Fork, and Journeyman Distillery.

You don’t have to have a reservation for the Lounge and I recommend getting there right when they open. You can go belly up right to the bar and watch the bartenders at work. If you head to the one in Fishers, I recommend getting the Elmo sushi roll (it’s the freaking best). If you are downtown, you can walk down to Ruth Chris or Spoke and Steele (not on the list, but both great places).

4 – Broken Barrel

I’m not 100% sure why I like this place that much, but I do. It wins my pick for vibe and smaller venue. I’ve been once and I was impressed enough to go again. The prices were mid-range and there selection was pretty good as well. I went to the Carmel location, but I see there is also one in the Geist area.

I went here with my wife and a good college friend to celebrate the end of another semester of a teaching. I got to try Old Rip Van Winkle and it was a fun time. It’s attached to Wolfie’s, so that’s a plus and it seems like it’s a little hole in the wall place. That hits two boxes for me. It also has a speakeasy feel without being overdone. I wasn’t mad either that the vodka was cheap for the wife. If I’m in the Carmel area and need a place to grab a drink before or after going to Vine and Table or Total Wine and More in Nora, this is my place. It’s also not far from Keystone or Westfield, so it’s a nice meeting spot if you have friends in either of those locations.

5 – FoxGardin Kitchen and Ale

Foxgardin wins my pick for the best place to grab a bourbon and have an amazing meal. Plus it wins my very prestigious prize of best old fashioned in Indianapolis. If you haven’t been to this amazing restaurant in Fortville, Indiana, you are missing out.

But when it comes to bourbon, you need to know about a little secret. There is a small bourbon bar upstairs once you get into the restaurant. If you ask, you can go grab a drink (and grab dinner) in a small intimate setting. They have quite the bourbon list and they have one of the best old fashioneds I have ever had (Foxy Old Fashioned). If you can’t get a seat upstairs, you can head to their patio (also upstairs) or the one downstairs.

And don’t sleep on the food. Some of the best meals I have had over the past 5 years have come from this place. I love the bone marrow fries, the Yucatan Shrimp, and the Jalapeño Beer Cheese Soup. And don’t forget about Jane’s Pies (ask for the selection of the day).

Conclusion

Indy has a good selection of bourbon bars and I think you won’t be disappointed with your selection. I have my personal preferences, but I think you will find that there are a lot of great options. If you are looking for a good selection at great prices, consider going to Joe’s. If you are looking for a unique little place, try Final Third. If you are taking a date, consider going to 1933. If you are looking for a laid back place, consider Broken Barrel. If you are looking for a great dinner, visit FoxGardin.

If you have a place I need to check out, leave a comment below and I’ll make it happen (and write about my experiences).

Where To Find Cheap Pours Of Bourbon

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Chris

I’m going to tell you something that might surprise no one:

I’m cheap

If there is a deal to be had, I will find it. I have sat down at a restaurant, found a gift card promo online, and bought it to save a few bucks (or to get a free appetizer). I have a way to always find a deal (and my parents call it “pulling a Chris”).

That being said, I was sitting at my local Elks lodge last night and the bartender mentioned that I should try the new bourbon they got today. She said it was Four Roses Small Batch Select. A good friend next to me actually bought my drink I enjoyed a delightful pour. I asked the bartender for the bottle to take a picture and I chuckled just a bit.

What would you imagine the price to be of a pour of Four Roses Small Batch Select at a restaurant?

If I was in the Indy area, I would guess I would $10-$12 for an 1oz pour.

If I was in Chicago, it might be $15-$20 for a pour.

In lovely old New Castle, Indiana – It was $4 for a pour. Don’t believe me? Look at the very classy post-it note that was attached to the bottle.

That’s why I’m here to argue that there is a secret to finding cheap drinks (specifically bourbon) if you know where to look. And it’s not going to be at that weird liquor store in the middle of nowhere.

Where To Find Cheap Bourbon Pours

The answer is: Fraternal Organizations

Social clubs such as the Elks, Eagles, Masons, Moose, Knights of Columbus, etc are some of the best (and cheapest) places to get a drink.

Most people assume that fraternal organizations are typically reserved for older folks. I imagine your grandpa or great grandpa might have been a member of at least one of these organizations if you grew up in the midwest. And most people have no idea what these fraternal organizations even do. They just know they sponsor their kid’s baseball teams and possibly run a bingo hall or golf course.

What people don’t know is that these clubs often have some of the best deals on food, drinks, and events around.

How Can Their Prices Be That Low?

I think it really comes down to a few different things:

Membership fees – These are social clubs and all of these places have yearly dues. These dues go to the operation of the facilities and to help the community. As a member of an organization, you get special perks like access to the facilities and event, specific nights where dinner is for members only, access to other lodges across the nation, etc. These fees help to offset the cost of operating a bar or a kitchen.

Lower markups – When you have a little bit of wiggle room in your operating expenses from the membership dollars, you don’t have to charge a 3 times markup on everything to break even and make a profit. Heck, these are non-profit organizations who are going to give any profit away to causes in their community. So you can take a $55 bottle of bourbon and charge $4 a pour for it. When you do the math, the lodge is still making money (roughly $30-$40) on selling 1oz pours. Money is being made, but not as much as a restaurant needs to make.
Repeat business – If you walk into any fraternal organization, my guess is you will see a group of people that know everyone there. The bartender knows exactly the drink they are going to order and they might even have a typical “spot” at the bar. You might also find a daily and a weekly drawing somewhere if you look hard enough. The fact that these people are in the bar each day bring a steady stream of revenue into the fraternal organization. Most restaurants have regulars who stop 1 time a week. These bars have people who stop by 5-6 days a week. You make more on the volume of drinks sold instead of the mark-up.

What Do They Usually Have?

This all depends on the lodge, club, and the members. These types of organizations tend to carry what the regulars enjoy to drink (since they are their main customer base). At our Elks Lodge in New Castle, I’m one of a few people that help make suggestions on what to carry when it comes to craft beer or bourbon.

For example: I went to Moon Drops Distillery and did a tasting. I enjoyed the tasting, so I asked for a card to take back to my local Elks Lodge. The nice lady wrote down the information and I took the card back to the lady who does the liquor purchasing and asked if they could grab a bottle of bourbon, a bottle of lemon drop moonshine, and a bottle of apple pie moonshine. Less than a week later, these three items were sitting at the bar. The Four Roses Small Batch was a request by another regular. If you ask for it and will drink it, they’ll carry it.

On my trips to other Lodges and states, I have noticed this same thing holds true. If I head to the Muncie Elks Lodge, I’ll be able to find Blade and Bow on the shelf for a $5.50 pour. If you head down to the Franklin Elks, you’ll find some great bourbons for no more than $6 a pour. If you head to the Greenfield Elks, you’ll be delightfully surprised by their selection and their prices as well. I’ve had Jefferson’s Ocean at a K of C in Ohio for $6 a pour. An Eagles Lodge close by has Woodford Double Oaked for $5.50. It holds true in Wisconsin and other states as well. If there is a bourbon drinker, odds are there is a good priced pour waiting for you.

How Can I Get In?

This is a great question – Some of these organizations have special cards, fobs, or other methods to allow their members in. Guest are a little more difficult. Sometimes there are “open to the public” nights, sometimes you can walk in and ask for an application to get a look around, and sometimes you can find a member and have them take you as a guest.

Regardless – If you are wanting to make this your new favorite bar, you are going to need to get a membership. Memberships run between $30-$100+ depending on the organization, the location, and the amenities. This is typically charged on an annual basis.

Once you are a member of one lodge or spot, you can take that membership with you across the nation. I have a Moose membership in a town I’m not even in so I can stop at the Green Bay Moose for breakfast before a game (cheapest and most delicious in town). I use my Elks membership to visit Lodge in Florida so I can avoid paying tourist prices. I use these membership for more than just my weekly dinners. I use it as a special “low price” club I can visit anywhere and everywhere I go!

Conclusion

As I sat there last night at my local Elks Lodge, I was wondering if I would have had more fun taking a trip to Indy to grab a drink and dinner. Most likely, the answer would have been no and it would have cost about 3 times more than my night last night. I had fun playing pool, talking with familiar faces, and drinking cheap drinks for the entire evening. And I’ll be back up there in just a few days to do it all over again. The cheap pours of bourbon are just one of the many perks.

Why I Like Bourbon? The Story Behind Bourbon Master.

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Chris

Each superhero has an origin story and as the Bourbon Master, I want to share mine. I’m not a superhero by any means, but it is nice to understand the position behind the person you are watching review bourbon.

My story bourbon starts when I was 21 and attending a marketing workshop. It then intertwines with my love for craft beer and the story that makes bourbon possible. I give a lot of my initial interest credit to the Maker’s Mark Ambassador Program. I also really like a lot of the stories that were told in the Neat documentary on Hulu.

I’ll let the video do the rest of the explaining. Enjoy and cheers!

Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon Review – Part 2 – Tasting With A Group

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Chris

If you remember, I did a personal tasting of Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon about a week ago. The whole article and video can be found here.

So I wanted to do a little experiment. What would happen if I tasted the same bourbon (literally the same bottle) with a group of friends. Would my opinions change of the bourbon? Would I find something a little different? Would the other drinkers have the same opinions as me?

My tasting notes are similar, but I did drink this neat instead of on the rocks. I think it brought a little more flavor out of it than if it was iced down. We also went down a few rabbit holes while we were talking, so you are in for a treat!

A Bourbon Council Tasting of Eagle Rare 10 Year

Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon Review

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Chris

In this video, I take some time to dive into the $25.99 bottle of Old Forester 100 proof. In the tasting, I explain why I like this bourbon and why it has a spot on my shelf (hint – it’s the price point and for my old fashioned).

If you don’t have time to watch the whole video, here are my tasting notes:

I smell a lot of caramel corn and butterscotch on the nose of this. I also got hints of cinnamon, toffee, and oak.
This isn’t the best bourbon in the world, but it is decent. I taste a lot of booze upfront, then I get some cherry, cinnamon, and weak oak. This would make a great old fashioned.
The finish isn’t something memorable.

For $25.99, this is a solid buy, but it’s not going to knock your socks off like something in the $40-$50 range. And it just doesn’t carry the deep flavor like some barrel strength bourbons. I will keep one on hand for mixed drinks and the occasional (I don’t know what to drink) pour.

What are your thoughts?

Three Boys Bourbon Tasting

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Chris

After having a tasting of Garrison Brothers Straight Bourbon Whiskey, our friend Tom pulled out a bottle of Three Boys Distilling (aka Whiskey Thief) and decided we should all take a taste. I’ve been down to Three Boys before, but I haven’t tasted it in years.

The favorite of the night for me, this one was packed full of flavor. It was interesting to see the responses from the rest of the Bourbon Council as we all had a little different opinion on this one.

A Bourbon Council Tasting of Three Boys Bourbon

In terms of tasting notes, it had the following:

Heavy cinnamon and oak on the nose.
A boozy start to the taste followed by some serious cinnamon throughout. Lots of hints of oak and caramel.
A finish of almost straight cherry. Really really tasting.

I really enjoyed this tasting and I thought this was a killer bottle.

If you would like to be a part of these videos or see more (or just help us get a better microphone), then consider subscribing here: https://www.patreon.com/indianabarrelpickclub

Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Bourbon Whiskey Tasting

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Chris

I’ve had a bottle from the Garrison Brothers a few years ago and loved it. So I was excited to get a chance to try this when I heard there was one nearby.

This bottle was sent as a gift from my father-in-law’s college roommate (Kurt – Thanks for the bottle!) and he was gracious enough to share it. So we decided to do a tasting of the bourbon after our weekly dinner.

I sat down and did this tasting with my Bourbon Council. If you haven’t met the Bourbon Council, you are in for a treat. Dave, Mike, Chris, and Tom are a few of the members and they have sat down this evening to taste a bottle of Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Whiskey.

Each of the Bourbon Council members brings a different perspective on their tasting and bourbon overall. None of us are right on everything and we always talk about the bourbon and other random topics. If you would like to be a member of the council and want to join, you can find out more information here: https://www.patreon.com/indianabarrelpickclub

As for the Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Whiskey, the video can give you the opinions of all of the people who tasted it. My personal opinion, the bottle was a little young and had a real strong corn taste. This used to be one of my favorite tastes as it had a lot of sweetness, but I’m starting to shy away from the strong corn flavor. I got a little bit of oak, but I was looking for more. I think I could sit there and drink this with the best of them, but I’m not sure I would spend the money (around $90) to get a bottle. I would default to other bottles in a heartbeat. I appreciate the taste, but I’ll be a little trigger shy with Garrison Brothers in the future. I’ll side with their older products.

Here is the full video of our tasting:

Bourbon Master YouTube Channel

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Chris

Have you been to our YouTube channel yet? If not, you are missing some of the funniest and most honest bourbon reviews on the internet. This channel is designed to be a place for normal people to hear normal reviews of bourbon on YouTube. I’m not going to take time to insult you about your taste buds or make you feel bad because you can’t taste something like I can. Everything on this blog and our YouTube channel is meant to be fun, interactive, and overall in the pursuit of great bourbon.

If you haven’t subscribed, you should do so ASAP and you can do so below:

Bourbon Master YouTube Channel

And here is my intro video for the channel. I hope it gives you some insight to the channel and encourages you to subscribe.

Indiana Barrel Pick Club Introduction

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Chris

I spent this post talking about why I started the Indiana Barrel Pick Club. I’ve always thought that writing was one form of expression, but a video is worth like 1,000 words. I sat down today and gave a run down on why I started the Indiana Barrel Pick Club and why you should consider joining.

You can join here: https://www.patreon.com/indianabarrelpickclub

If you want to hear me talk about my passion and dream in the bourbon world, here you go!

Moon Drops Distillery (Fortville, Indiana) Review

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Chris

In this review, I look at my time spent at the Moon Drops Distillery in Fortville, Indiana. Last week, my father-in-law and I took a trip to the distillery and I give my full review of the experience. Overall it was really good and I look forward to going back sometime in the future. In terms of a Moon Drops Bourbon Review, I thought the bourbon was ok and it could be improved, but it’s good enough to drink right now. I think their bourbon will be out of this world once they start bottling and serving their own.

I suggest you take a trip to the Moon Drops Distillery whenever you get a chance and you are int he Fortville area.