Taproom: Heartwork Brewing (Bloomington, IN)

This was the one thing I really wanted to do while we were in Bloomington for a couple of days to ourselves this week; and oddly enough, it would up probably being the highlight of the trip. (It was, once again, too fucking hot and humid to do much outside—this has been the refrain for far too many of our recent trips to Bloomington, whether just for the day or for a “three-day weekend"—so we went for as much A/C as possible.) Amy got wrapped up in the soccer game on TV, I made notes on the three beers I tried—and we both ogled the pizzas that pretty much everyone else in attendance yesterday partook of but us. They don’t have much to drink for non-beer people, but we both thought the pizzas looked really good, so I’m pretty sure I can squeeze one more trip here out of her.

638. Heartwork Brewing (Bloomington, IN) - ENS Hazy IPA
“Our newest hazy! Featuring Nelson Sauvin and El Dorado hops. Notes of lychee, berry, and pear. Cheers!”
Very bitter up front and all the way through to the back end, for most of the beer. It softens a very small amount as it warms, but I don’t get any berry or pear (and I have no idea what lychee tastes like). I thought of grapefruit pith, but it didn’t have the flavor of grapefruit at all—just the bitterness you’d get from the pith. It’s also very hazy, which I usually associate with East Coast IPAs that tend to be on the sweet side and taste of stone fruit; but other than the haze, it has nothing in common with that style, either. And yet…oddly compelling. Thought about getting this for the crowler I was going to take home, but it wasn’t quite interesting enough (and their crowlers are too expensive). Doesn’t tell you whether I liked it or not, does it? Probably because I’m not sure myself.

639. Heartwork Brewing (Bloomington, IN) - South Hall
“Session IPA, Brewed for the Little 500 Race.”
The menu board above the bar said something about stone fruit, but to whatever degree these cats excel in brewing beer and making pizza, they do not also excel in advertising and using words to make the rest of the world want to try their beers. This one (4.8% ABV) is clearly a session (and not in a good way)—there is almost no body or flavor up front—but there is a hint of a dry (or possibly bitter) finish on the back end. As it warms, though, the stone fruit opens up—more so than whatever the hell is animating the ENS Hazy. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to push this into the ring with the interesting beers. Seems to have been a mistake to cast this one as a session; the flavor profile this one hints at would have worked much better at a higher ABV.

640. Heartwork Brewing (Bloomington, IN) - Czech Pilsner
“This lager is made exclusively with Czech Saaz hops, lending to the distinguishable biscuity malt flavors. These Bohemian styles are higher in gravity and darker in color than their German counterparts. Compared to our own German Pilsner, this Czech is sweeter, maltier, and has a richer, fuller body. Smooth, creamy textures and highly drinkable.”
They tapped this from a LUKR side-pull, which I don’t know…well…anything about. Is it possible that the fancy pour had something to do with why I thought it was the best of the three beers I tried while I was there yesterday? I have no idea. It was sweet up front and dry (but not bitter, like the other two) on the back end. There’s also something floral or herbal (and pleasant) on the nose and up front that I could not quite place; and I thought I got a hint of honey as the beer warmed. This is the one got a crowler of to take home, to I may update this part of the post. Of the three I tried yesterday, this was both the most interesting and the one that I liked the most.