Bloomington Craft Beer Week, now in progress, leads up to the Fifth Annual Bloomington Cr.aft Beer Fest at Woolery Mill, Saturday, April 11, 2-6 p.m. with 50 craft breweries. Get your tickets at www.etix.com..

Upland Brewing Co., reports, “Along with fellow Bloomington breweries — Function Brewing, Bloomington Brewing Co., Quaff On Brewing, and The Tap — collaborated and brewed a drone hopped beer: Hop Strike! We are always looking for innovative ways to get more hops in our beer and have fun while doing it; so we commandeered a drone packed it with hops and let it fly.” Hop Strike is a dank India Pale Lager. This brew is packed with Chinook, Cascade, Centenial, Simcoe, Mosaic, Galaxy, and Amarillo hops. In honor of the Tomahawk chopper, CTZ hops (Columbus Tomahawk Zeus) were dropped from the drone. Expect a powerful floral hop aroma with a crisp and clean finish. Taste Hop Strike! at the Woolery Mill event.

Where one is good and six are a bonanza

Bloomington-Area Breweries launched the Bloomington Ale Trail luring patrons of craft brew to Bloomington Brewing Co., Function Brewing, Quaff On! Bloomington, Salt Creek Tap Room, Scotty's Brewhouse and Upland Brewing Co.

“Bloomington is an incredible destination for craft beer,” said Function Brewing co-owner Arlyn Llewellyn. “The owners and employees of all of the local breweries are friendly and really respect each other as colleagues. We are all very excited to partner on this and help spread the word. Come to Bloomington and taste all of the amazing beer diversity.”

According to Llewellyn, “Customers can pick up a Bloomington Ale Trail pamphlet at any of the 7 locations and can receive pamphlet stamps upon purchase a pint of beer at each location. Once all 6 stamps are earned (participants can choose between the two Upland spots for their Upland stamp), the beer drinker receives a collectible prize on the spot (currently a signature glass) and is entered into a drawing for a Behind-the-Scenes VIP Tour at the brewery of his or her choice. Over the course of time, the collectible prize will change.”

The locations are:

East Side:

Bloomington Brewing Company, 1795 E 10th St, 812-323-2112

Downtown:

Function Brewing, 108 E. 6th St., 812-676-1000

Quaff On! Bloomington, 116 N Grant St, 812-335-1821

Scotty's Brewhouse, 302 N Walnut St, 812-333-5151

Upland Brewing 11th Street Brewpub, 350 W. 11th St., 812.336.2337.

West Side:

Salt Creek Brewery Bloomington Taproom, 3876 W. 3rd St., (812) 277-8277

Upland Brewing –Production Brewery & Beer Bar, 4060 Profile Pkwy.,

812-336-2337

Coming soon to your neighborhood

Adam Burke reports Brew Link’s 10 bbl production brewing equipment arrived via rail in Indianapolis and is awaiting installation into the brewery at 5778 US-40, Plainfield 46168. “As soon as we can get it up and going and make the 1st test batch I'll keep you posted for a real update on opening.” More at brewlinkbrewing.com or (317) 408-6970

Flix Brewhouse is scheduled to open May 1st in Carmel according to head brewer Chris Knott. Look for the full story in next week’s Beer Buzz.

New Brews Now

Indiana City’s Sister City Kolsch “Is a delicate, golden, true-to-style Kölsch-style ale, handcrafted with pride in Indianapolis, the Sister City to Cologne, Germany where Kölsch bier was born,” reports brewer/owner Ray Kamstra. Returning is Double Tribute Session IPA single-hopped with New Zealand grown Green Bullet hops, providing a spicy, grassy flavor with hints of lime.

Half Moon in Kokomo brings back K-Town Brown, a rich,malty, chocolaty English-style Brown Ale made with caramel,carabrown, and chocolate malts.

Danny Boy Beer Works in West Clay launched a new pizza menu and a honey infused Ginger Witte during their weekly firkin Friday at five.

Brewer Tony Fleming at Tow Yard reports on The All Seeing Rye, a Rye Pale Ale. “This delicious sessionable American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV 43IBU is loaded with Simcoe and Amarillo hops that create a beautiful bouquet of citrus notes balancing with the spiciness of the rye malt. This beer will have you feeling alRYEght,” says Fleming.

Oaken Barrel announces the return of their summer seasonal traditional Bavarian wheat beer King Rudi Hefeweizen.

Look for Fistful of Hops in cans from Sun King.

Bloomington Brewing’s Peat-smoked Porter starts with “a roasted aroma of chocolate and light smoke. It’s medium bodied with subtle earthy bitterness and a touch of sweet nutiness to balance the delicately complex smoked malt flavor.” BBCs 10-speed Hoppy Wheat seasonal has returned. “It’s golden-hued with earthy pine and tropical fruit notes rippling throughout each sip, says head brewer Nick Banks. “Mosaic hops deliver their unique aromas of citrus and juicy pineapple with an invigorating finish of wheat bliss.”

Upland Brewing Co. is creating several new collaboration beers in 2015. The first is with Nashville's Yazoo Brewing Company. Upland Brewing Company's Sour Program Director Caleb Staton and Brandon Jones, lead brewer for Yazoo's Embrace The Funk, are working together to create two unique blends of wild beer. The first will debut this summer at Washington D.C.'s craft beer and food event SAVOR.

Upland’s second collaboration is with Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport Louisiana. Staton and Harvey Kenney, head brewer for Great Raft, go way back to brewing school.

“In addition to our brew day at Great Raft, Upland ventured to nearby El Dorado, Arkansas to visit a mayhaw orchard,” reports Caleb Staton. “I have long been intrigued by this indigenous southern fruit so we met with Paul McLaughlin, a local mayhaw orchard owner and expert to learn more. After touring McLaughlin's orchard, we sampled some of his mayhaw jelly and wine to determine what flavors the fruit would have on the beer. To our delight, mayhaws are delicious and they will be involved in a future Upland brew.”

Great Crescent’s focus is on inviting us all to their brewery and community-oriented taproom in historic Aurora on the Ohio River Their roster of seasonal brews includes an IPA Series featuring Willamette/Perle, Falconers Flight 7 C's, Mosaic and Citra hops. “All dry-hopping was done in the kegs so the attributes of each hop are showcased right up front” says brewmaster Dan Valis. “We also got Coconut Porter back in the lineup and while we were at it crafted a Chocolate Porter using Organic Cocoa nibs. Coming soon will be a Maple Porter and Blueberry Blonde. The Maple Porter was conditioned using 100% maple syrup and fresh blueberries are used in the Blonde Ale. Cherry Ale will be back this year if the cherry harvest cooperates - since we use real cherries we depend on the harvest, so we'll be watching this closely.”

Upcoming Events

Check out Circle Centre Mall Bier Brewery Beer Garden—a new spot to pick up carry-out brews for Final Four events. Special K-Kolsch is on tap.

April 8: Bier Brewery tap takeover at The Sinking Ship, 7 p.m.

April 11: 5th Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Fest at Woolery Mill (Bloomington, IN), 2-6pm. Join Brewers of Indiana Guild and 50 craft breweries—most from Indiana, benefiting Brewers of Indiana Guild, the non-profit that supports all of Indiana's craft brewers. Get your tickets at www.etix.com/

April 11: 5th Annual Blue Chip Brewfest in Michigan City, 12-4 p.m. The Stardust Event Center at Blue Chip Casino plays host to microbreweries from around the nation gathering to showcase the unique flavors of their different brews. Entertainment by The Allen Wronko Band and Zydeco Voodoo, Chicago's Mardi Gras Party Band. Tickets at Ticketmaster.com or visit the Blue Chip Gift Box.

April 11: Flat 12 official release of #Full90Pale & BYB Tailgate with the Brickyard Battalion for Indy Eleven season opening at Carroll Stadium., starts 5 p.m. IUPUI parking lot at the corner of New York and Barnhill Dr.; live music from DJ Indiana Jones and Party Lines, local food trucks, FREE

April 13: Triton Beer Dinner at the Grill , 9755 Fall Creek, 5:30-7:30 p.m.