Upland Brewing Company

Upland Brewing Company
IndustryAlcoholic beverage
Founded1998
HeadquartersBloomington, Indiana
United States
Number of locations
Ten Locations
ProductsBeer
Services
OwnerEddie DeSalle, Adam Estes, Ryan Moravec, Padraig Cullen
Websitehttps://uplandbeer.com/

Upland Brewing Company, established in 1998 in Bloomington, Indiana, United States is the third largest brewery in the state.[1] The company's main Production Brewery, which includes a recently reopened taproom, serves as the primary facility for brewing operations. Upland also operates The Wood Shop, a specialized sour ale brewery and event space, where its award-winning sour beers are crafted.

In addition to brewing, Upland Brewing Co. manages two Brewpubs and six Gastropubs, offering locally brewed beer and handcrafted food in a casual dining setting. The company also provides catering services, including full bar service for offsite events and complete dining and bar options for private events hosted at its locations.

Upland Brewing Co.'s beers, including ales, lagers, and sour beers, are distributed across all 92 counties in Indiana and nine other states, reflecting the company's growing reach within the craft beer industry.

History

Upland Brewing Company was founded in 1998 by Marc Sattinger, Russ Levitt and Dean LaPlante.[2] The brewery takes its name from the Indiana Uplands, a geographic region of southern Indiana, with Bloomington being near their northern terminus. In 1998, distribution of bottles and kegs began and the brewpub opened its doors. The brewpub began serving food the following year. Growing to be a Central Indiana staple, by 2004 its distribution had reached all 92 counties of Indiana. Upland Brewing was ranked as the state's second-largest microbrewery, producing 4,200 barrels in 2005.[3]

Ownership changed in 2006 when Sattinger retired and sold the company to Douglas G. Dayhoff, an Indiana University graduate.[4] The brewery installed a solar water-heating system in 2009, acting on an internal sustainability commitment supported with a grant from the Indiana Department of Energy.[5] In late 2009 a second location known as the "Indy Tasting Room" opened in Indianapolis at 49th Street and College Avenue.[6] By 2010, distribution had expanded to include ales and lagers throughout Indiana and in parts of Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin with small batch sour ales selling only through its tap room.

In 2012, a new brewing facility and bar was opened on the west side of Bloomington. This 37,000 square foot facility became the primary brewing facility for Upland, encompassing their everyday and seasonal lineup.[2] The old brewery on 11th Street was scaled down to become a research and development site for Upland's growing Belgian-style sour and wild ale program. In 2013, Upland expanded further north with the addition of the Carmel Tap House, their second site to serve food. Dayhoff hired Indianapolis ad agency Young & Laramore[7] to update the Upland logo, unveiled in 2014. In the summer of 2016, Upland opened a new restaurant location in Columbus. It is fixed in the old Columbus Pump House building downtown, giving it the name "The Pump House".[8] Later that same year, Upland opened The Wood Shop to serve as the home for their sour ale production, located next door to the Bloomington Brewpub. Doug Dayhoff stepped down as president of Upland Brewing in 2017.[9]

The Indy Tasting Room was renovated in 2018 and in 2019 saw a restaurant added on. The expanded space became known as 'Upland College Ave' due to its location at 49th & College Avenue. Upland's seventh location and fifth restaurant opened mid-2019 in the Fountain Square neighborhood and is known as 'Upland FSQ'. Upland FSQ features a graphic mural designed by Oregon artist Dustin Klein.[10] Eddie DeSalle, previously a strategic consultant for Upland, was named president in July 2022.[11] Upland opened a taproom location on 82nd Street in Indianapolis in December 2022, but did not renew its lease in 2026 and closed at the end of March that year.[12]

Beers

Upland Brewing produces seven year-round beers,[13] a dozen rotating seasonal beers,[14] tap-room exclusives, and a number of collaboration brews.

Beer Name Style ABV IBU Availability
Bad Elmer's Porter Porter 6.0% 40 Year-round
Campside Pale Ale 5.4% 35 Year-round
Champagne Velvet Pilsener 5.5% 29 Year-round
Dragonfly IPA IPA 6.7% 65 Year-round
Hoosier Gameday Lager Lager 4.7% 25 Year-round
Juiced In Time New England-Style IPA 6.5% 20 Year-round
Wheat Ale Belgian Witbier 4.7% 15 Year-round

1998–2009

In 1998 when Upland Brewing opened, six beers were produced including Upland Wheat, a Belgian Witbier; Dragonfly IPA, India pale ale; and Bad Elmer's Porter.[4] Upland Session Ale was released on July 4, 2002.[15] Upland Brewing won their first medal in 2002 at the Great American Beer Festival, winning gold in the Herb and Spice Beer category with Upland Wheat.[16] Later that year, Winter Warmer, a seasonal barley wine, was released.[17] Upland Maibock, an amber lager, was released in spring 2003 in conjunction with a Maifest celebration.[18] Upland released Upland Gold, a German-style Kölsch, for the summer of 2004.[19] As part of an initiative sponsored by the Indiana Brewers Guild in July 2004, Upland released their version of Replicale, a pale ale made with two-row barley, crystal malts, liberty and Cascade hops, and first wort hops.[20] For St. Patrick's Day 2007, Upland tapped Ard Ri ("Irish King"), an Imperial Irish-style red ale.[21] Helios Pale Ale was released in 2009 to celebrate the installation of a solar water-heating system in Upland's brewery.[22]

2010–2019

In 2012 Upland obtained the 1901 recipe to Champagne Velvet, a pre-prohibition pilsner and flagship brew of Terre Haute Brewing Company.[23] Upland released Champagne Velvet for their 15th anniversary in 2013.[24] In 2014 Upland released a series of small-batch brews under the Side Trail Series, starting with Coast Buster, an IPA.[25] Coast Buster eventually won gold in the 2025 Indiana Brewers' Cup in the Strong American Ale category.[26] Petal to the Kettle, a kettle-soured ale, was released in summer 2016 under the Side Trail Series.[27] Upland released Latitude Adjustment, a tropical pale ale with pineapple and coconut, in late 2016 under the Side Trail Series. Latitude Adjustment was formerly known as Beard of Paradise.[28] For their 20th anniversary in 2018, Upland re-released Preservation Pilsner, a lager featuring German ingredients, in partnership with Indiana Landmarks to bring awareness to endangered historic structures.[29] After a 2018 wildfire in California, Upland Brewing collaborated with Switchyard Brewing Company to make Resilience IPA, a recipe given by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company with proceeds to aid the Camp Fire Relief Fund of California.[30] Upland's Two of Tarts, a German-style sour beer with passion fruit and mango flavors, won gold in the gose category at the Great American Beer Festival in fall 2018.[31] Upland's 2019 lineup included Soundbite IPA, a hazy New-England style brew released under the Side Trail series from March through April; Juiced In Time, another New England-Style IPA originally released in 2018 but brought back for year-round release; Life Exotic for the summer; Oktoberfest, a Bavarian lager, released August through October; and a winter seasonal beer.[32] Breaking Away, a specialty ale made with lemon and ginger, was released in 2019. The can features a graphic mural designed by Oregon artis Dustin Klein, also used on the walls of the Upland FSQ location. The beer's name, Breaking Away, was inspired by the 1979 film about IU Bloomington's "Little 500" cycling race.[10]

2020–present

Indiana University Athletics announced Upland Brewing Company as the exclusive craft beer sponsor starting with the 2022–2023 season.[33] Upland then released Hoosier Gameday Lager, an IU Hoosiers branded Vienna lager, at the 2023 football home opener against Ohio State University.[34] The can featured "cream and crimson stripes" to match the team. The ad agency Young & Laramore (Y&L) refreshed Champagne Velvet's branding in October 2023.[35] Later that year, Upland released an Indiana Pacers-branded canned beer, Courtside Indiana Pale Ale.[36] The limited edition beer was first released November 19, 2023, against the Orlando Magic. After the Indiana Hoosiers won the College Football Championship in January 2026, Upland distributed 8,000 commemorative six-packs of Hoosier Gameday Lager across Indiana and the Chicagoland area.[37] For the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in summer 2026, Upland collaborated with the Bochman Lab, a biochemistry lab at IU Bloomington headed by associate professor Matthew Bochman, to release Declaration of Fermentation. The beer was made from a colonial-era recipe with wild yeast collected from a 250-year-old Bloomington oak tree.[38]

Sours

Upland Brewing sour production began in 2006.[2] After trading a few cases of beer for a few wine barrels from Oliver Winery, they began their exploration into sour brewing. Sour Reserve was Upland's first sour beer. VinoSynth Red blended Sour Reserve and Malefactor, a red ale aged on Catawba grapes. VinoSynth White was Sour Reserve aged on Vidal Blanc grapes.[2] Upland released Gilgamesh, a Flanders Red style beer, which was their strongest sour ale at 10.5% ABV in late 2011 and won gold in its category and runner-up for Best in Show at Chicago's Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers in November of that year.[39] By 2012 they were producing eight fruited lambics, an experimental sour called Dantalion Dark Wild Ale, Sour Reserve, and Gilgamesh. The Wood Shop, a brewery and taproom dedicated to sour ales, was opened in 2016.

  • Midwest Sour Wild Funk Fest was Upland's annual festival celebrating beers fermented with wild bacteria and yeast hosted in Indianapolis in the spring. The first sour beer festival was held in Bloomington in May 2012 where Raspberry, Persimmon, and Blackberry lambic beers were released.[40] The event featured approximately 50 breweries from across the world. Since 2017 the festival was held at the Mavris Arts & Event Center.

Accolades

Awards

Year Competition Category Style Beer Entry Place/Result Ref.
2026 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Strong European Lager Doppelbock Desolator 1st, Gold [41][42]
2026 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional American Wild Ale Wild Specialty Beer Pawpaw 1st, Gold [41][42]
2025 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Strong American Ale Double IPA Coastbuster 1st, Gold [26]
2024 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional American Wild Ale Wild Specialty Beer Revive 2nd, Silver [43]
2024 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Fruit Beer Fruit Beer Two of Tarts 2nd, Silver [43]
2024 World Beer Cup Belgian-Style Witbier Wheat Ale Upland Wheat 3rd, Bronze [44]
2023 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional American Wild Ale Wild Specialty Beer Cherry 1st, Gold [45]
2022 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Pilsner Pre-Prohibition Lager (Historical Beer) Champagne Velvet 2nd, Silver [46]
2022 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Belgian Ale Witbier Wheat Ale 3rd, Bronze [46]
2022 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional American Wild Ale Wild Specialty Beer Revive 1st, Gold [46]
2021 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Wood-Aged Beer Specialty Wood-Aged Hazelnut Bourbon Barrel Teddy Bear Kisses 1st, Gold [47]
2021 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Wood-Aged Beer Wood-Aged Beer Bourbon Barrel Teddy Bear Kisses 2nd, Silver [47]
2021 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional American Wild Ale Brett Beer Uncoil 1st, Gold [47]
2021 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional American Wild Ale Wild Specialty Beer Peach 2nd, Silver [47]
2020 Best of Craft Beer American-Style Fruited Sour Ale American-Style Fruited Sour Ale Raspberry 3rd, Bronze [48]
2019 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer Crimson Cherry Variant 2nd, Silver [49]
2018 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Gose Two of Tarts 1st, Gold [49]
2018 World Beer Cup American-Style Sour Ale Raspberry 1st, Gold [44]
2014 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Brewery of the Year Grand Champion [50]
2014 Indiana Brewers' Cup- Professional Belgian and French Ale VinoSynth Red 1st, Gold

Best of Show

 [50]
2012 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale Sour Reserve 1st, Gold [49]
2011 Chicago's Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers (FoBAB) Best in Show Gilgamesh Runner-Up [39][51]
2011 Chicago's Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers (FoBAB) Wild Beer Gilgamesh 1st, Gold [39][51]
2010 World Beer Cup American-Style Amber Lager Upland Oktoberfest 2nd, Silver [44]
2010 World Beer Cup English-Style Summer Ale Helios Pale Ale 3rd, Bronze [44]
2004 Indiana Brewers' Cup Upland Chocolate Stout 1st, Gold [52]
2003 Indiana Brewers' Cup Upland Valley Weizen 1st, Gold [53]
2003 Indiana Brewers' Cup Dragonfly IPA 1st, Gold [53]
2003 Indiana Brewers' Cup Upland Wheat 2nd, Silver [53]
2003 Indiana Brewers' Cup Bad Elmer's Porter 2nd, Silver [53]
2003 Indiana Brewers' Cup Upland Amber 3rd, Bronze [53]
2003 Indiana Brewers' Cup Upland Pale Ale 3rd Bronze [53]
2003 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Bitter Upland Pale Ale 2nd, Silver [49]
2002 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Herb and Spice Beer Upland Wheat Ale 1st, Gold [49][54]

References in media

Film and television

Sports

  • January 2026 - Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti replied to a post-National Championship press conference question to what was his after game beer, "Hoosier beer, from Upland Brewery..."[57][58]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Upland Brewing Company: Indiana's Craft Beer Pioneer—History, Sours, and the Champagne Velvet Revival | The Ledger | BrewLedger". getbrewledger.com. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brewing, Craft Beer & (2016-04-30). "Breakout Brewer: Upland Brewing Company". www.beerandbrewing.com. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  3. ↑ Swiatek, Jeff (4 September 2006). "On this holiday celebrating the American worker, The Star profiles 5 Hoosiers who truly have... labors of love". The Indianapolis Star. pp. A1. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 Creps, Marcela. "Upland Brewing changes hands". The Herald-Times. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  5. ↑ Spaw, Rod (19 March 2009). "Upland Brewery adding solar power to its beers". McClatchy-Tribune Business News (Washington). Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Lee, Daniel (27 December 2009). "Tapping a tasty trend". The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Ind.). pp. A18. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  7. ↑ O'Malley, Chris (14 April 2014). "Brew look". Indianapolis Business Journal. 35 (7): 3, 23. ISSN 0274-4929 – via Business Source Complete.
  8. ↑ Kohn, Rita. "Popular Indiana brewery opens new Pump House in Columbus". NUVO. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  9. ↑ "Doug Dayhoff Steps Down as Upland Brewing Company President". Good Beer Hunting. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  10. 1 2 Lindquist, David. "Upland Fountain Square packs beer company's 'culture' into a single spot". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  11. ↑ Brown, Alex. "New Upland president aims to bring tech to beer industry". Inside INdiana Business. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
  12. ↑ Sicotte, Jon (26 March 2026). "Upland to shutter Indianapolis 82nd Street taproom location". Brewer Magazine. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Year Round". Upland Brewing Co. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "SEASONAL & SPECIALTY - Upland Brewing Co". uplandbeer.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  15. ↑ Werth, Brian (24 July 2002). "On the Menu". The Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind. p. 1. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  16. ↑ Denton, Patti (23 October 2002). "Bites: Indiana brew earns medal". The Indianapolis Star. pp. E3. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Werth, Brian (18 December 2002). "On the Menu". The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.). p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  18. ↑ Werth, Brian (11 April 2003). "On the Menu". The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.). p. 1.
  19. ↑ Werth, Brian (16 June 2004). "On the Menu: Upland Gold, a summer brew". The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.). p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  20. ↑ Werth, Brian (28 July 2004). "On the Menu: New Upland brew on tap soon". The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.). p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Reigler, Susan (17 March 2007). "Say NO to Green Beer: establishments honor St. Paddy with their own Irish beverages". The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY). pp. S4. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  22. ↑ Schwartzberg, Lynn (1 April 2009). "Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at IU: Solar Day at Upland". The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.). Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  23. ↑ Green, Josh (2013-07-02). "History on Tap: Upland's Champagne Velvet Returns". Indianapolis Monthly. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  24. ↑ "Upland Champagne Velvet Returns [VIDEO] - Beer Street Journal". 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  25. ↑ "Changes brewing: New brews, new spaces coming to Bloomington beer scene". The Herald-Times. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  26. 1 2 "2025 Indiana Brewers' Cup Results". Indiana State Fair. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  27. ↑ Fullpint, Danny (2017-05-09). "Upland Brewing Unveils Petal to the Kettle • thefullpint.com". The Full Pint - Craft Beer News. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  28. ↑ Release, Press (2017-10-30). "Upland Brewing's 'Latitude Adjustment' Winter Seasonal Returns". Brewbound. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  29. ↑ Release, Press (2018-06-12). "Upland Brewing Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Preservation Pilsner". Brewbound. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  30. ↑ "Breweries bring out their best". The Times-Mail. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  31. ↑ "Upland, Tap win national beer awards". Upland, Tap win national beer awards - Indiana Daily Student. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  32. ↑ "Upland Brewing previews new winter seasonal beer in its lineup for 2019". Upland Brewing previews new winter seasonal beer in its lineup for 2019 - Indiana Daily Student. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  33. ↑ "Upland Brewing Company Is the Exclusive Craft Beer Sponsor for Indiana University Athletics Beginning With 2022 - 2023 Season". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  34. ↑ Hren, Joe (2023-08-23). "Upland Brewing debuting IU branded lager with striped can". Indiana Public Media. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  35. ↑ Faw, Larissa (14 October 2016). "Y&L refreshed Champagne Velvet beer brand". Media Post. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  36. ↑ WHTR.com staff (21 November 2023). "First Pacers-branded beer released, sold at home games". WTHR.com. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  37. ↑ Wiseman, Katie. "Celebrate IU's national title with Upland Brewing's commemorative cans". The Herald-Times. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  38. ↑ "Biochemistry lab at IU collects wild brewer's yeast that flavors new America 250 beer". news.iu.edu. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  39. 1 2 3 "Upland releases new Gilgamesh Flanders Red". Modern Brewery Age. 63 (4): 8. 27 January 2012 – via Gale Business: Entrepreneurship.
  40. ↑ "Sour Beer Festival to be held in Bloomington, Indiana". Modern Brewery Age. 63 (11): 6. 28 March 2012 – via Gale Business: Entrepreneurship.
  41. 1 2 Jung, Dain (2026-07-21). "Three Bloomington Breweries honored in state competition". Indiana Public Media. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  42. 1 2 "2026 Indiana Brewers' Cup Results". Indiana State Fair. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  43. 1 2 "2024 Indiana Brewers' Cup Results". Indiana State Fair. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  44. 1 2 3 4 "Award Winners". World Beer Cup. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  45. ↑ "2023 Indiana Brewers' Cup Results" (PDF). Indiana State Fair. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  46. 1 2 3 "2022 Indiana Brewers' Cup, Pro Results" (PDF). Wayback Machine of Indiana State Fair. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 September 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  47. 1 2 3 4 "2021 Indiana Brewers' Cup, Pro Results" (PDF). Indiana State Fair. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  48. ↑ "Best of Craft Beer Awards Medalists | Best of Craft Beer Awards". Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 "Here are your Great American Beer Festival Competition Winners!". Great American Beer Festival. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  50. 1 2 The Associated Press (15 July 2014). "Upland Brewery dominates Indiana competition". WTHR. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  51. 1 2 "HALL OF FAME". FOBAB. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  52. ↑ Denton, Patti (28 July 2004). "State has microbreweries from LaPorte to Evansville". The Indianapolis Star. pp. E4. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  53. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Werth, Brian (16 July 2003). "On the Menu: Bloomington Breweries Win". The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.). p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  54. ↑ Werth, Brian (10 October 2002). "On the Menu". The Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind. p. 1. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  55. ↑ "Upland Brewing Denied Brewery Expansion in Pawnee, Indiana". 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
  56. ↑ "Indiana brewery invited to Hollywood by NBC's 'Parks & Recreation'". WTHR.com. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  57. ↑ Staff, WDRB Digital (2026-01-21). "Indiana brewery gives Curt Cignetti free 'Hoosier beer' for life after IU's national title win". WDRB. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
  58. ↑ "Bloomington Brewery Announces Beer for Life for Curt Cignetti After Indiana Championship". SI. 2026-01-22. Retrieved 2026-08-01.

Further resources

  • Johnson, Anita and Douglas A. Wissing. Hoosier Hospitality: Craft Beer. [Bloomington, Ind.]: WFIU, 2011.
  • Kohn, Rita T. and Kris Arnold. True Brew: A Guide to Craft Beer in Indiana. Bloomington: Quarry Books/Indiana University Press, 2010.
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