Indianapolis Cidery Ranked Nationally Before Planned Closure
Owners of a top-rated cidery have scheduled the closure of their local restaurant-bar for late 2026.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Live Poll
Do you consider national awards a reliable indicator of quality for local restaurants in your area?
Ash & Elm Cider Co. earned the 10th spot on the USA TODAY 10Best cideries list this year, marking its second consecutive year of national recognition. Despite this accolade, the business, which distributes to over 40 states, intends to shutter its Indianapolis restaurant-bar at the end of 2026.
Why it matters
The closure of a nationally recognized brand highlights the tension between achieving widespread distribution success and managing the operational demands of maintaining a brick-and-mortar storefront. Even for highly awarded businesses, operators must weigh the brand-building benefits of a physical location against the long-term profitability of the restaurant business model.
Ash & Elm placed 10th in the 2026 national rankings, a shift from their 5th-place finish in 2025. The company maintains a broad operational reach, distributing its products to more than 40 states.
The players
Ash & Elm Cider Co.
An Indianapolis-based producer of hard cider that maintains a dual operation of national distribution to over 40 states and a local restaurant-bar.
Aaron and Andréa Homoya
The founders of Ash & Elm Cider Co. who have overseen the brand's growth since 2016.
The details
The national ranking, determined by industry nominations followed by a four-week public vote, recognized Ash & Elm for its inventive flavors and food quality. Founded by Aaron and Andréa Homoya in 2016, the company established a dual-track model consisting of national product distribution and a physical restaurant-bar presence in Indianapolis. The planned closure indicates a strategic pivot away from the hospitality segment of the business.
Timeline
The business was founded in summer 2016.
The cidery placed fifth in the 2025 national rankings.
The restaurant-bar is slated to close at the end of 2026.
Market Landscape
The USA TODAY 10Best rankings serve as a critical industry benchmark for measuring consumer demand and national brand penetration. Ash & Elm’s consistent performance on this list follows a broader industry trend where production-focused entities frequently re-evaluate the overhead costs of physical dining spaces.
Operators should view this transition as a signal to review the contribution margins of their own front-of-house operations against their wholesale business lines. Owners with retail physical locations should track these trends closely to determine if their brand equity is better supported through distribution scale or site-based hospitality.
The takeaway
National acclaim serves as an effective marketing tool, but it does not necessarily offset the operational complexities of maintaining a restaurant. Operators should periodically perform a SWOT analysis of their service-based versus product-based revenue streams to ensure they align with long-term goals.
Further reading
For more news on local business changes, see our latest coverage of Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Indystar.
Live Poll
Do you consider national awards a reliable indicator of quality for local restaurants in your area?
