Upland Brewing Company opens in Jeffersonville

Apr. 10—JEFFERSONVILLE — A popular Indiana brewery has opened the doors of its riverfront location in Jeffersonville.

The Bloomington-based Upland Brewing Co. officially opened its sixth location Friday at 707 W. Riverside Drive, formerly home to Buckhead Mountain Grill.

David Bower, president of Upland Brewing Company, said he is amazed with the transformation of the 13,000-square-foot space in such a short period of time.

"I couldn't be prouder of the product being delivered," he said. "The look and feel of it is just right."

This is the first location in Southern Indiana or the Metro Louisville area. Upland is the third biggest brewery in Indiana with locations in Bloomington, Indianapolis, Columbus and Carmel.

There are 22 Upland beers on tap, including its classics, sour ales, small-batch brews and its new Naked Barrel Hard Seltzers.

Menu items range from locally-sourced beef burgers to vegetarian and vegan options, and the restaurant offers seasonal specials.

The deck was completely rebuilt for Upland Jeffersonville, and the space features a three-level patio with an outdoor bar.

The restaurant can seat 220 indoors and 200 people outdoors. The dining room has sliding glass doors that open onto the patio.

A "smart" pergola on the patio can be adjusted based on weather to provide a rain guard or shade from the sun.

"It allows us for a lot more flexibility out there as far as being able to seat out there longer. It has fans under it, we'll be adding heaters under it, and drop-down sides are on the way," said Upland Director of Retail Systems Padraig Cullen.

The highlight of the Jeffersonville space is the views of the Ohio River and Louisville skyline, Bower said.

"We did everything we could to maximize the view," he said. "Every seat has a great view, and we got rid of any type of obstruction of the view and oriented tables and chairs so [patrons] can best experience that highlight."

The staff at the Jeffersonville location are "great people who are already adding a lot of value and new ideas to the company," Bower said.

He hopes the community wants to "incorporate Upland Jeffersonville into their daily, weekly or monthly schedules," he said.

Upland is following CDC guidelines such as spacing tables six feet apart, sanitizing high-touch surfaces and requiring staff to wear personal protective equipment.

The brewery created a special small-batch beer for the opening of Upland Jeffersonville. Its Upland Lily, a nod to the Oaks Lily cocktail, is a fruited ale with cranberry and orange topped with a blackberry wood-aged sour ale.

Cullen said he is excited to offer "such a wide variety of our own remarkable beers."

"We're just excited to become part of the Jeffersonville, Southern Indiana community," he said.