OUR STORY
Founded in 2014 Switchyard Brewing is located in a 80+ year old building that was originally built as an International Harvester dealership. We brew, can, and keg our beer out of our downtown taproom, selling it at bars, restaurants, grocery and liquor stores throughout the state of Indiana. We take a lot of pride in the beer that we craft on site, cultivating an employee culture like no other, and having a positive impact on the communities we’re a part of.
Switchyard was born as a startup on the workbench of a two-car garage in Northern Monroe County. We set out to redefine the brewery experience by producing hand-crafted, flavorful beers alongside a functional co-working environment that encourages other entrepreneurs to create great things.
What truly defines us, is our culture.
From the beginning of this journey, we dared ourselves to think differently. We believe that our dedication to a high-involvement employee culture is what sets us apart. We believe that hand-crafted, small-batch beer is best made using the best ingredients at the peak of their flavor. We believe that the best tasting food is grown within an easy drive of our community. We believe that the collective is stronger than the individual. Most importantly, we believe that business can be a catalyst for positive change in our community.
We can’t wait to #ShareOurCraft, our experiences, space, and flavorful creations with you soon!
OUR HISTORY
Named after the McDoel yard of the historic Monon Railroad, Switchyard embodies the hard-working culture of past generations. The Monon line doesn’t exist anymore, the track has been taken up to make way for the B-Line trail and the rail yard has been converted into Switchyard Park, Bloomington’s newest and largest city park.
Located in the heart of downtown Bloomington at 419 N. Walnut we built our taproom in the skeleton of the former Jakes Nightclub building where artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, REM, Buddy Guy and John Mellencamp have performed sold-out shows. Originally built as an International Harvester dealership in the 1930’s, the building has seen many tenants, including a car dealership, “Time Out” a sports bar by IU Hall of Fame forward Archie Dees), a nightclub named Mars, and finally Jakes Nightclub.
OUR CRAFT
In 1873, a little over 4,000 breweries were operating in the United States. In the years after the 18th amendment, also known as the Volstead Act went into effect, the number of active breweries dropped to a staggering 331. Recently, over the last several years, craft brewing has been the largest growing beer segment in the United States. Today, the Brewers Association reports that over 8,800 breweries are producing not only beer but over 456,000 jobs in communities just like ours.
Craft brewing is innovative, independent, curiosity, collaboration, character and family. It is built on the American Dream. Craft brewing has integrity, tradition, and a style all its own. Craft breweries make their communities a better place. In 2017, craft breweries, like ours donated over $73.4 Million to charities in their communities.
From serving at the peak of harvest to supporting our local farms, everything that we put into our products, we chose specifically to enhance the flavor.
Passionate about our craft, we work by our Guiding Principles and a core purpose to redefine the brewery experience and enhance the Bloomington community.
At Switchyard, we are passionate about quality beer and making memories with good friends in a family-friendly atmosphere.
We will always honor and hold true to our craft.