The New Roastery Celebrates Its Grand Opening in Carmel
Writer: Jane VanOsdol
Photographer: Amy Payne
A new coffeehouse and roastery is in town and, thanks in part to its location near Carmel High School, is already quite busy.
Indie Coffee Roasters, located at 220 East Main Street, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Jim Brainard the afternoon of January 22 and welcomed customers early the next morning.
Newest Downtown Carmel Business
The newest business to grace Carmel’s downtown is co-owned by Alec and Jenny Tod and Diane and Kevin McAndrews. Rather than opening a franchise, the two couples opted for an independent, locally-owned coffee shop. Looking for an eye-catching logo, they found it in the Tods’ own dachshund named Indie, who was happy to loan his name.
The McAndrews, long-time Carmel residents and fans of the Carmel Arts and Design District, noticed the empty house (Helios formerly occupied it) on one of their many walks through town. The four agreed it was a perfect location for a coffeehouse and jumped at the chance.
Bringing Back the Old Ways
Alec describes both their vibe and coffee as “minimalist retro.” This means a clean, simple decor with lots of black and white and a nod to the old-school way of making coffee with traditional latte sizes and espresso.
“We want to be as minimal as possible. Our bar has only the essentials on it,” Alec says. “We like to do that with our coffee too.”
What Exactly Is a Minimalist Coffee?
• Single-origin coffee
• No blending
• No flavoring
The goal is to take away variables as much as possible to showcase the coffee at the highest level.
It’s All About the Coffee
Just like their name says, Indie Coffee Roasters roasts their own coffee beans on site. They work with a green coffee importer called Genuine Origins. They’re a direct trade, farmer-first company that works directly with the farmers, making for a unique coffee.
“They specialize in what we call micro-lot, which is very rare specific coffees that can sometimes be difficult to find or difficult to grow, and that showcases the coffee at a very high level,” Alec adds.
Choosing the Coffee
They choose the coffee by the seasons. Since it is single-origin (no blending of the beans), each coffee they feature is from one farm in one region and has the name of the farm on the bag, rather than being called “House Blend,” for example.
“We like to develop people’s palates by bringing different coffees in,” Alec says. Generally, they serve between five and six different coffees at a time.
Coffee Types
• Drip
• Pour-over
• Cold brew
• Nitro
• Espresso
• Cortado
• Cappuccino
• Latte
In addition, they serve loose-leaf teas from Nelson Teas (HoiTEA ToiTEA) out of Broad Ripple, kombucha from Circle City Kombucha, hot chocolate and Pellegrino. They also offer scones, biscotti and cookies.
Alec has been home brewing coffee for about six years and been mentored by other local coffee roasters.
“Homegrown learning the best way I could and developing my palate as best as possible,” is how he described his training.
Future Plans
The plan, in three years, is to open a second location in the area. Someday they also hope to source their own coffee. In the meantime, “We’re blessed to carry on the coffee tradition,” Diane says.
Indie Coffee Roasters is located at 220 East Main Street in Carmel or give them a call at 317-993-3443. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. You can visit them online at IndieCoffeeRoasters.com and “Like” their Facebook page — Indie Coffee Roasters.
