Alcatraz – A fond farewell

Alcatraz is closed. Paper on the windows. According to the Indiana Business Journal, they are changing it to a California Pizza Kitchenarticle  That’s a different company than Tavistock Restaurants who owned Alcatraz. CPK doesn’t do brewpubs. The phone is disconnected and the Indianapolis location has been taken off the Alcatraz web site. Head Brewer Skip Duvall is out of a job (as is everyone else). The vats are still in place but should be removed next week according to an informant.

Alcatraz opened in 1996, one of a chain of restaurants including a few brewpubs based in San Francisco. By about 2007 Indy was the last location brewing.

Panamanian immigrant Omar Castrellón was been the brewer there almost since the opening until August, 2010 when he left to build a new brewery in Indianapolis – Thr3e Wise Men (which just opened yesterday). Omar and the cramped system have won many awards over the years:

Great American Beer Festival
2000 - Gold - Sausalito Summer Ale
2000 - Silver - Weiss Guy Wheat
1999 - Gold - Birdman Brown

World Beer Cup
2000 - Gold - Weiss Guy Wheat

Indianapolis Monthly
1999 - Best Brewpub - Critic's Choice

Indiana State Fair
2007 - Silver - Chibuku
2005 - Silver - Pelican Pale Ale
2005 - Silver - Birdman Brown
2004 - Gold - Birdman Brown
2004 - Gold - Searchlight Golden Ale
2004 - Silver - Weissguy Wheat
2003 - Silver - Penitention Porter
2003 - Silver - Pelican Pale Ale
2002 - Silver - Bitch's Bock
2002 - Silver - Searchlight Golden Ale
2001 - Gold - Karen's Kölsch
2001 - Silver - Pelican Pale Ale
2001 - Silver - Searchlight Golden Ale
2000 - First - Kölsch
2000 - First - Wheat
2000 - Second - American Light Lager


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Keely Thomlinson, a part-time Assistant for a while at Alcatraz who followed
Omar to Thr3e Wise Men full time.

Alc4Skip Duvall, a former Assistant for Omar took over head brewer duties just last August.

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