Zombie Awakens: King’s Reserve, Releases + Upcoming Events
A cocktail-inspired King’s Reserve release, kettle corn brews, Oktoberfest, and a sneak peek at October’s beer lineup. Fall is here, and we’re ready.
The air wants to be crisp, the nights are getting longer, and it’s the perfect time for a beer with bite.
This Friday, September 26, we’re unleashing Zombie, the newest creation in our King’s Reserve lineup. A cocktail-inspired, rum barrel–aged Tripel Ale, Zombie bursts with fruit cocktail character. Bold rum punchiness leads the way, accented by lush flavors of pineapple, orange and peach, with subtle hints of cinnamon and mint. At 12.5% ABV, it’s a monster of a beer. It’s rich, boozy and dangerously smooth.
Zombie isn’t the only fall fun happening this week:
Thursday, September 25 — Downtown Indy Oktoberfest
Grab your lederhosen and join us for Oktoberfest! Festivities kick off at 6:30PM with live music from Max Heyob, kicking off our new tradition of Thursday night live music downtown. Raise a stein and sample all four varieties of our Oktoberfest: Original, Maple, Coffee and Black Forest Cake.
Thursday, September 25 — Fishers Kettle Corn Beers Tapping Party
Sun King Brewing and Conner Prairie team up once again to brew up kettle corn–inspired beers and autumn fun!
Beer Releases: Kettle Corn Scare and Kettle Corn Dare (one playful, one with a spicy kick).
Activities: Mini pumpkin painting, kids’ crafts, Glodos kettle corn, meet the Headless Horseman, and a prize pack giveaway including tickets to the Headless Horseman Festival.
And just when you thought the fun was over, October is right around the corner. We’ve got some seriously exciting releases lined up:
A New Hop Variety Pack: Toaster Brigade American IPA, Waffle Iron Massacre West Coast Pilsner, Ice Cream Reapers Juicy IPA, Utensils of Doom DDH Hazy IPA.
Juicy Jungle Variety Pack: Pineapple Mango Madness, Fruit Punch Party, Watermelon Lime Limbo, Citrus Circus.
Midnight Monsters Brambleberry Tart Ale – our 4th 2025 collab, this time with North Mass Boulder.
Sunburst Sparkling Malt Beverage: cherry, lemon, orange, strawberry.
Salted Caramel Brownie Porter Ale.
Stay tuned for release dates, details and availability.
Fall has arrived, and we’re just getting started. Don’t miss your chance to snag Zombie this Friday and keep an eye out for all the monstrous beers coming in October.
King’s Reserve Release: Free-Range Farmhouse
Discover our award-winning Free-Range Farmhouse Ale, a tart, fruit-forward barrel-aged beauty, releasing this Friday as part of our King’s Reserve Series.
It’s that time of the month for a King’s Reserve beer release! And what’s up for release -> Free-Range Farmhouse.
This unique ale starts as a golden ale, primary-fermented in wine barrels with Brettanomyces, then aged for 12 months before being dry-hopped with Citra and Chinook. The result? A tart, fruit-forward profile without any fruit in the recipe. Truly wild.
Free-Range Farmhouse recently earned Gold in the Brett Beer category at the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship, helping Sun King secure Second Place Overall and Brewery of the Year honors.
As part of our King’s Reserve lineup, this small-batch release is available only while supplies last at Sun King Taprooms beginning Friday.
The Return of a Legend: Cherry Busey Hits Taprooms Friday
Cherry Busey is back this Friday!
Our award-winning Flanders-style Red Ale aged in red wine barrels and finished with tart Montmorency cherries is one of our most anticipated King’s Reserve releases. With a flavor nearly two years in the making, Cherry Busey delivers bold tartness, oaky depth, and a legacy of Belgian-inspired craftsmanship. Don’t miss this limited release—available while it lasts!
Cherry Busey is back!
This beloved King’s Reserve release has built a cult-like following over the years. A Flanders-style Red Ale aged in red wine barrels and finished with a massive dose of Montmorency cherries, Cherry Busey is as complex as it is crave-worthy.
We caught up withWood Cellar Manager Andrew Hood to get the inside scoop on what makes this annual release so special:
“Cherry Busey is one of our most time-intensive beers. We’ve been making it for 11 years now. Both Dave [Colt] and I are huge fans of Rodenbach Brewery in Belgium, and one of their beers inspired this project. We were even lucky enough to host one of their former Brewmasters at Sun King years ago.
The process begins with a Flanders-style Red Ale, which we age in red wine barrels for at least a year, sometimes up to 18 months. From there, the beer is racked onto tart cherries for another five months. All in, each batch can take nearly two years to make.”
That patience pays off in every pour.
Aromas of dark fruit, oak and wild yeast greet your nose, followed by layers of tangy cherry, red wine tannins and a smooth, oaky finish. The wild yeast contributes to its tart, funky backbone, giving it the edge that barrel-aged beer fans live for.
A Legacy of Flavor
Cherry Busey has earned more than just fanfare. This King’s Reserve release has medaled three times at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival®:
🥈 2016 Silver – Belgian-Style Fruit Beer
🥉 2015 & 2017 Bronze – Belgian-Style Fruit Beer
It’s the kind of beer that rewards your patience, and maybe your cellaring skills, too.
When & Where
Cherry Busey releases this Friday and will be available at Sun King taprooms while supplies last. As always, selection may vary, so check with your local taproom for availability.
King’s Reserve: The King’s Reserve series is home to our most unique, barrel-aged creations. Every beer in the series has spent time in oak, developing flavor, depth and character you won’t find anywhere else.
Whether you're a longtime fan or tasting Cherry Busey for the first time, this release is worth savoring.
Celebrate the 4th with Pineapple Whip
Launching today: Pineapple Whip, the newest release in our King’s Reserve barrel-aged beer series. Pineapple Whip is a Belgian-style Tripel aged in Jamaican rum barrels with pineapple, coconut, vanilla and lime. Inspired by a famous soft serve, Pineapple Whip is smooth, creamy and packed with sunny flavor.
Happy 4th of July! Whether you're celebrating with fireworks, cookouts or just kicking back with friends and family, we’ve got the perfect beer to add a tropical twist to your holiday:
Launching today: Pineapple Whip, the newest release in our King’s Reserve barrel-aged beer series.
🍍 Pineapple Whip
Belgian-style Tripel aged in Jamaican rum barrels with pineapple, coconut, vanilla, and lime
Inspired by a certain famous soft serve from a very large theme park in Florida, Pineapple Whip is smooth, creamy and packed with sunny flavor. We took a Belgian-style Tripel and gave it time to soak up the complex character of Jamaican rum barrels, then added a swirl of pineapple, coconut, vanilla and lime. The result? A vacation in a glass. It’s boozy, bright and unforgettable. Definitely a drink to help you savor the flavor of summer.
What’s King’s Reserve?
Some of you are very familiar with King’s Reserve while others may not be. So here’s a short and brief refresher. King’s Reserve is our most exclusive series of small-batch, barrel-aged beers. Every KR release has spent time aging in oak, pulling in rich, bold flavors that make each beer one-of-a-kind. They’re brewed for those who want something rare, refined and full of character.
Coming Soon: Cherry Busey Returns
Later this month, Cherry Busey is back! Our Flanders-style red ale aged in red wine barrels with tart cherries is funky, fruity and a fan favorite you won’t want to miss. So stay tuned for release date details.
Hope you have a happy and safe Independence Day!