Dana Hunsinger Benbow

dana.benbow@indystar.com

The city's largest beer bar with 130 kegs, tapping everything from Indiana to international brews, will open this summer in Broad Ripple.

HopCat is opening its first location outside of its home state of Michigan after noting the growing brew scene in Indiana.

"Indiana, it's definitely on the increase for its burgeoning craft beer culture," said HopCat founder and owner Mark Sellers. "It's an exciting time for the craft beer scene, and we want to be a part of it."

At least 13 brewers will open this year in Indianapolis, a 50 percent bump for the city's craft beer industry.

HopCat, which is consistently ranked among the top bars in the U.S., is scheduled to open in August. The focal point of the 9,600-square-foot establishment, which also has family friendly dining, is the kegs. Windows on the street and inside the restaurant let guests see the complex system that keeps those 130 kegs fresh.

HopCat will be located at 6280 N. College Ave., on the ground floor of the Broad Ripple Parking Garage and Shoppes. The bar will feature outdoor seating.

As for the menu? Well the eatery describes it like this: "Food your mom would make if she loved beer."

Among the most popular menu item is the Crack Fries, which are said to be addictive and can be bought by the pound or loaded. Sellers said the restaurant also makes a mean turkey burger and mac-and-cheese.

Half of the craft beers will come from around the country and world, places such as California, Colorado, Germany, Belgium and Denmark. The other half will be local.

"We look forward to showcasing the liquid art being produced by Indiana's brewers," Sellers said, mentioning Sun King, Upland and 3 Floyds brewing companies. "There's a 100 percent likelihood they will be on the menu."

In all, 23 breweries operate in the Indianapolis area and nearly 80 in the state.

Noting the success of Sun King and other home-grown breweries, a generation of beer makers are launching plans for their own brew businesses, from Bargersville to Carmel, from Greenfield to McCordsville, and throughout Indianapolis.

By year's end, nearly three dozen breweries will be up and running in the city and more than 100 statewide.

Indianapolis was an appealing spot for a massive beer bar with all those local craft brews to choose from.

Founded in Grand Rapids in 2008, HopCat is the flagship brand of BarFly Ventures. It has locations in Grand Rapids, Mich., and East Lansing, Mich., with plans to open a restaurant in Detroit — and then another 10 to 15 nationwide.

Since its opening, it has been named the "No. 3 Beer Bar on Planet Earth" by Beer Advocate Magazine, "No. 2 Beer Bar in America" by CraftBeer.com and "No. 1 Brewpub in the United States" by RateBeer.com.

Of course, the beer is one reason. But HopCat is also known for its extensive composting and recycling program that has reduced the amount of waste sent to landfills by its restaurants by more than 90 percent in the past three years.

HopCat will hire 100 people for its Broad Ripple location, from salaried managers to hourly bartenders, servers and hosts. Resumes can be sent to jobs@barflyventures.com.

Call Star reporter Dana Hunsinger Benbow at (317) 444-6012. Follow her on Twitter: @danabenbow.