Daredevil Brewing Brewery Review
Daredevil Brewing is located in the heart of Speedway less than a mile from the track. They started with their signature Lift Off IPA but have expanded their lineup to include styles for all tastes. A fun fact is that they built the first production brewery in Indianapolis since prohibition.
Let’s start with the architecture and environment of the Daredevil Brewing. The building itself is a decent sized brick building that blends in with the background of Main St Speedway. You wouldn’t notice it if you didn’t see their awesome helmet logo on the front.
My favorite part of the inside of the building was the wonderful smells from the brewing. There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly brewed wort and grain. The inside had a nice steampunk bar feel with plenty of quirky decorations. The Lift Off mascot hanging from the ceiling was pretty badass. Their brewery awards were rightfully displayed front and center at the bar. Just off to the right of the bar you can view their fermentation tanks and off the left side their warehouse with grains, barrels and canned beer. The brewery offered a nice backdrop behind the bar.
Daredevil brewing’s taproom was laid out really well with plenty of seating as well as plenty of room to move around. The taps were easy enough to read and they also have a chalkboard list with everything on tap as well as what was in cans for carryout. I really liked that their pricing clearly displayed along with plenty of information on each beer.
Food selections weren’t like a full restaurant menu but they had good options for pairing with what was on tap. I was really glad to see they offered sausages from the legendary Claus’s German Market. Their other selections included pretzels, gourmet grilled cheese, and an Italian sandwich. I didn’t try the food this time but will definitely grab one of the Claus’s dogs next time.
Daredevil Brewing had plenty of options on tap for every taste.
I tried a taster of a Negra Mexican Dark Lager they were tapping that day as well the J.W.P. American Stout. The Negra lager was really nice and smooth with the spiciness you would expect in a Mexican lager. Ultimately I went with the J.W.P. American Stout for my beer. It had a nice balance of sweet-roasty smoothness with very little booze taste. I had to stick with one full beer as I was driving but I did try a sample of their Muse Belgian Golden Ale too. It was sweet with nice earthy notes and little booze considering it was 9%. Pricing was fair on their beers including the higher alcohol ones. Daredevil Brewing currently offers $6 growler fills on Fridays and Saturdays on select beers for those looking to fill their empties.
A good selection of merchandise was displayed on the wall across from the bar. The usual suspects were there including shirts, hats, and hoodies. A few tin signs were available from their logo to their signature Lift Off. My dad ended up buying a Lift Off one and I was really impressed with the quality. Prices weren’t cheap but were on par with other brewery merchandise I’ve seen.
The servers at the taproom were friendly and readily provided tasters. Our beers were poured in the right glasses and served quickly after ordering. I didn’t get a chance to ask many questions but the servers were able to tell everything they had on tap as well as when their new beer would be ready in cans.
Update: I’ve had the pleasure of touring the back after a few events and a National Homebrew Competition judging session. The brewery is hands down the most spotless brewery I’ve ever seen. The layout is awesome and uses the space very well.
