Amy Haneline

amy.haneline@indystar.com

A restaurant and craft beer bar, The Tap, quietly opened its doors at the end of September, but turned up the noise Saturday, Oct. 3, for its grand opening. The nearly 7,000-square-foot space is in the new Pulliam Square development at 300 N. Delaware St.

The name may sound familiar to Indiana University students. The original location is at 101 N. College Ave. in Bloomington. This is the bar's second site.

"The Kirkwood Avenue district and Mass Ave. district are very similar," CEO and founder Nathan Finney said about choosing the location. "The style of the bar and demographic will fit in very well."

The space is divided into three areas, including a grand room with live music stage and flat-screen TVs, a lounge with a fireplace, and a more private brew pub.

The main area has several guest taps, bottled beer selections and taps reserved for house beers brewed by The Tap. Those beers are also on tap in the brew pub.

The Tap's head brewer is Jarrod May, formerly of Iron Hill Brewery in Philadelphia. He began brewing in Bloomington last August, where the beer production remains. The brewery just recently won a gold medal at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival for its honey beer called Electric Stinger.

10 Indiana beers earn medals at Great American Beer Fest

"It is unique that we are able to have really fresh beer sold right in our store, with many styles rotating," Finney said. "We average a least one new style of beer per week."

Those brews won't be found in liquor stores or other bars, Finney said.

There's food, too. Finney described the menu as "upscale pub food." He said burgers and sandwiches are popular at the Bloomington location. The menu also includes spreads, charcuterie and cheese boards, tacos and artisan pizzas.

The Tap has an entrance at the corner of Delaware and New York streets.

Follow Amy Haneline on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Call her at (317) 444-6281.