Fishers-based digital medium unites Hoosier craft beer community
By James Feichtner
For the past few years, craft micro-breweries have been exploding all over the Midwest, especially in Indiana. With so much going on in Indiana’s craft beer scene, it may seem impossible to keep up with the constant growth. Fortunately, one Fishers-based company has a solution for those seeking to stay informed.
Indiana On Tap is a revolutionary digital medium that is allowing Indiana craft beer fanatics to engage in the craft beer community like never before. Starting out of Launch Fishers, IOT uses their website to provide a plethora of information on Hoosier breweries, craft beers and events.
“We identify ourselves as the state’s largest crafter, news, events and information website,” Justin Knepp, IOT’s founder and president, said. “The website portion of what we do; we are the largest. We have the largest trafficked and social media audience than of any type of craft beer news and information and events website.”
After only a year and a half, IOT has already gained the support of more than 55 Indiana breweries as well as positive feedback through a social media audience of more than 15,000 through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“It’s been exciting for us how quickly the breweries support us and how quickly all of the craft brew fans all over the state support us,” Knepp said. “We knew that what we were doing was going to address a need in the marketplace, but I think even we under estimated how much of a need there was.”
The website provides Indiana craft beer resources such as event guides and calendars for events and festivals involving craft beer, information on Indiana breweries across the state, craft beer and brewery news on both local and national levels, deals and promotions going on weekly at Indiana breweries and an extensive Indiana brewery map unlike any other.
“It provides a great function,” said Adam Schick, IOT’s managing editor. “Travelling to a different area of Indiana you can pull up on your phone our brewery map, for example, figuring out just how far you are from new breweries to try.
But their website is only a fraction of what makes the company so unique.
Just premiered from IOT this July is the Tasting Society Marketplace membership program. For just $50 a year, members will receive coupons and incentives via mail that are acceptable at dozens of participating breweries with savings of over $500.
“The whole goal is to introduce craft beer fans to breweries that they’ve never been to before; beers they’ve never tried before,” Knepp said. “It’s an incentives based program. Not only is it creating a great experience for [members], it’s a platform for them to go experience all these new beers. There’s nothing like it that’s ever been produced, not only in Indiana, but, from what we can tell, anywhere.”
Another special feature of IOT is their monthly events they host. These special events provide guests with a local craft beer experience unlike any other.
“It’s called the Tasting Society Monthly Gathering,” Knepp said. “Right now we host them at the Speak Easy. We intentionally keep the events small. We always get a couple of Indiana breweries who come and bring some of their favorites (brews) but also beer that no one has ever had before. We always invite an Indiana brewery that has not opened yet, we always have a local food truck, we always have a local musician, we always have a local artist. We take pride in being local and everything being from Indiana.”
“It’s such a unique experience that you don’t get anywhere, just short of getting a brewery owner or brewer to sit down and talk with you,” said Schick.
Coming in September, IOT is also organizing an event with the town of Whitestown that’s sure to be one of the largest craft beer events in the state.
To learn more about Indiana On Tap or its Tasting Society Marketplace, visit www.indianaontap.com
