Indigo Imp Brewery

Update (8÷17): Gatekeeper is now available at Whole Foods

Indigo Imp brewery is a relatively recent addition to the Cleveland beer scene, and it’s definitely worth your time to try their beers. As a couple reviewers have pointed out, their beers have a unique flavor based on open fermentation and bottle conditioning. There’s a subtle yeasty flavor in their Blond Bombshell and Jester beers that, to my mind, makes them the best local beers you can find. It’s evocative of a Belgian ale, but more drinkable than a lot of Belgians tend to be.

I recently received a Facebook message (I’m a “fan”) about the introduction of their new Gatekeeper Porter and stopped by the brewery on Friday, the one day they’re open. I had a really hard time finding the facility, but fortunately Kathy Chappel (“The Brewmaster’s Master” as it says on her card) gave me directions by cellphone when I got within half a block. The directions on their site are pretty clear, but I ignored them, foolishly figuring I could get there using my car GPS.

I picked up a six pack of the porter and chatted a little with Kathy. Apparently Indigo Imp is a 100% family run business, all the way down to distributing the beer and designing the labels. The kids even help in capping (I’ll have to remember this for Jonathan). I asked Kathy if they used a special yeast, but she said the unique flavors are based on open fermentation. An interesting article in Slate called wine an agricultural product (which would mean locale-based) while beer is manufactured. But Indigo Imp goes against the grain in this, as a strong element of the beers’ flavor is from local wild yeasts. Kathy said that they even vary somewhat from batch to batch.

When I got home and tried the Gatekeeper, it was pretty much exactly as Kathy described it. There’s an initial element of mocha, then a subtle sweetness, and finally a clean finish. It’s less sweet than most porters, which makes it more drinkable. What’s most impressed me about the Indigo Imps I’ve tried is that they’re unusual but not, like some other craft beers, overstated or cloying. I tend to want to buy another brand of beer a few days after buying a six pack (after 3–4 beers) but I’m happy to drink my way through an Indigo Imp six.

Kathy said that the Gatekeeper should be available at Heinen’s by August 21^st or so, and at Whole Foods by early September.

The image on the front of this post is courtesy of pubcrawler. I snapped a few pictures of the facility, but I was lacking a memory card in my camera.