Great Fermentations

Well where do we begin? It started in 1995 with a desire to try something new, and an interest in this new thing called “home brewing”. Our owner Anita Johnson, asked a friend to teach her how to make her own beer in exchange for a home cooked meal of boxed mac’n’cheese and fish sticks (nothing but the finest). When she popped the bottle of her first batch, Cheeks to the Wind mild, she knew that things would not be the same. Soon after, she left the corporate life, ventured out on her own, and so began Great Fermentations.

Anita began her adventure in a comfortable (and by comfortable we mean cramped) 900 sq. ft. storefront, with an oversized closet/office room for storage, and working with three volunteer employees (her husband and two sons). Now many many years later, we have 4,000 sq. ft. of retail and warehouse space, a forklift (it’s a big deal to us!), several full-time and part-time employees, and have become the largest beer and wine making supply shop in Indiana. All because of the best darn customers a business could hope for, and this great hobby we all love.

Why We Wake Up And Come To Work Every Morning

We here at Great Fermentations are passionate about what we do, and are driven by three things: helping our customers make great beer and wine on their own, providing the best products and service day in and day out, and of course our daily 5:30 p.m. shift beers. We feel that if we focus on those three things (especially the shift beers), the rest will just naturally fall in place :) 

Our team is made up of brewers and vintners with a combined 45+ years of experience, and we love to talk about our craft and to help you with whatever fermentation desires you have. Whether you are local to Indiana and want to stop by the store, or if you like to shop online, we’re here for you in the never ending quest to craft that perfect batch.