Innovation encapsulates Tin Man’s brewing strategy. With a workshop set up on Franklin Street, owner Nick Davidson wants to transform Evansville back into a beer town. “Bars are supposed to be social places where you could sit, drink, and maybe make friends,” he says. “Between our tasting room, Gunslinger’s BBQ, and environment, Tin Man Brewing Co. is just the place.”
Focusing efforts on conservation and efficiency, Tin Man’s brewhouse utilizes one of about four mash filtration systems in the country, and uses less water and fuel to produce more sugars from grain (around 18 percent more than normal systems). With six fermentation tanks — that’s 540 cases of beer per tank — Tin Man is dealing in lots of beer.
While the tasting room has craft beers on tap, Tin Man’s aluminum cans will make their way into grocery stores, bars, and liquor stores both local and countrywide. “We want to get our beer out to the world,” Davidson says. Aluminum cans allow them to produce beer at a lower cost than bottles, not to mention their recyclability.
Starting with five craft brews, Tin Man offers seasonal and special aged beers. “Our starter five are a good grouping,” says brewer Sean O’Rear. Between the pilsner, red, IPA, stout, and porter, we fill the major flavor profiles.”
And fill they will.
Davidson and O’Rear aren’t concerned with pumping out ordinary beer, but building a craft brewing community. “Everything we planned for our world benefits Evansville,” O’Rear says. “Tastings, brewing classes, tours — our mission is to create and cultivate an experience.”
A home brewer for most of his life, O’Rear studied micro-biology and genetics. “Anyone can brew, but there’s a science to brewing a good beer twice,” he says. “We are mechanical.”
1430 W. Franklin St. Opens at 11 a.m., seven days a week. Visit tinmanbrewing.com for information on their innovative brewing process.
