The times they are a'changin'

Some of you may have been wondering where we've been as of late.  Well, life got a little crazy this summer and we didn't really cross many new places off our list.  And then in August, Jeff and I found out that we're going to be parents!!!  So, for now, my beer drinking has effectively come to an end.  I had every intention to keep updating the blog, but then work and pregnancy-related exhaustion struck and I didn't have the energy.  But I feel like we owe it to those interested in learning more about MI breweries (and other random beer facts) to put up some new posts: the blog must go on!  So, I'm reviewing some of the places we've already been (but haven't yet reviewed) and next summer, we'll likely go back on tour (with the little one in tow - don't worry, one of us - probably me - will be our DD - we've got some precious cargo).

Ann Arbor Breweries

There are 3 breweries in Ann Arbor literally within a 2 block radius, and several more either in town or near town.  Each has its perks, but none would really rank up their as best beer ever.

Ann Arbor Brewing
Definitely a solid combo bar/restaurant.  Jeff votes this as the best brewery in Ann Arbor.  They usually have around 6 or 8 beers at a given time, with the Sacred Cow IPA being one of their most well known (and most frequently seen in bottles in stores).  The menu is pretty big - standard pub fare.  The burritos are tasty and massive.  Expect most of the plates to be large and calorie-laden (but isn't that par for the course at this type of establishment?).  It's a popular locale, so expect a wait and standing room only at the bar during evening/weekend hours. 

If you're looking for a little better fare, but don't care quite as much about the beer, check out one of these two breweries:
Blue Tractor
The newest brewery in Ann Arbor, it's the sister restaurant to that of the same name up in Traverse City.  The first time we went, Jeff was served the wrong beer (asked for an IPA, got some type of Bock).  It's fine beer, but nothing really to write home about.  Jeff has since been for food, which has a focus on barbecue and is getting a reputation for a good place to go when in downtown Ann Arbor. 

Grizzly Peak
Interestingly enough, this also has a sister restaurant in Traverse City (North Peak).  This is definitely the best place for food.  Classier options that are more appealing to foodies and those who don't want something fried or stuffed with cheese.  It's been quite a while since we've been to Grizzly Peak since usually the beer wins out when deciding where to go (and frankly, we're usually in town during non-eating hours), but the last time I was at Grizzly Peak I remember leaving full and satisfied!

Now, if you just want a really great beer selection but aren't looking for something brewed on premises, get yourself to Ashley's!

Ashley's
I don't know how many beers Ashley's has on tap, but it's a whole hell of a lot!  Although, they are usually out of several at any given time.  That aside, they easily have the most extensive beer list in eastern Michigan.  Their menu is great because it's categorized by beer type, with great descriptions of taste and gravity.  The do feature some local beers, but really, it's beer from around the country (as well as around the world - their English Ale selection is pretty fantastic).  The food is pretty good too (mmmm...stilton fries....), but the service is usually REALLY slow.  Again, it's a hotspot, so expect a wait during peak hours.

And if you need to pick up some beer for home, stop by the Beer Depot for a great selection!

There are two other places we actually haven't been to in the area: Jolly Pumpkin (based in Dexter with a tap room in Ann Arbor) and Corner Brewing (the sister of Ann Arbor Brewing in Ypsilanti).  Well, that's not entirely true.  I've been in Jolly Brewing and was disappointed by the lack of beer options and uber-pretentious crowd, so I opted not to stay.  But for prosperity's sake, we will have to go back.

These boots are made for brewing

More about women in brewing:

Women in Beer Series

I love that she wears pink rubber boots and has started a whole movement. 

Also, this Beer Sessions site is one that my sister-in-law brought to my attention.  It's a great site full with immense amounts of information - I've recently friended it on Facebook, which is how the aforementioned article came to my attention.

For those of you wondering why we haven't reviewed any more breweries lately, my only answer is because we've been lazy.  And now I hit the road for some work related travel.  I promise, more Michigan Brewery reviews to come (many are old, but a few have been freshly checked off the list).

Dear Miller Brewing

This is a quite humorous letter exchange.  Real or not, it's funny.

Letter to Miller

Some Beer Humor

If you've never read, The Oatmeal, it's time for you to start. It's so funny.  Here's some fun beer facts via The Oatmeal:

20 Things Worth Knowing About Beer

The Campaign for Real Ale

Wait - isn't ALL ale REAL ale? Apparently not. "Real Ale," according to Randy Mosher, was "once the national drink [of England]," and is sadly now "a specialty beer." The general rarity of such a beer has spawned some beer afficionados to launch the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Also known as "Cask Ale" or "Hand Pull," Real Ale is defined by CAMRA as "beer brewed from traditional ingredients...matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide." Thus, the cask or keg is stored usually in the pub's cellar, at a temperature of between 50 and 55 degrees fahrenheit, and connected directly to the hand pump, which is used to dispense the beer and inject a little natural carbonation. Us Americans are used to our cold cold beer, so to many, Real Ale tastes warm and flat, but it's the more traditional way to serve beer (at least according to the Brits).


With the ever growing craft beer movement, CAMRA seems to be picking up steam. At least that's how it seems - more and more brewpubs feature one or two Real Ales on their menu. Once you get over the idea that Real Ales aren't super cold, you'll find that many are quite tasty!

Grand Rapids area breweries

When we first moved to Grand Rapids, we were less than impressed.  Both of us came with some preconceived notions about the conservative nature of GR.  Yes, it is VERY socially conservative, but I don't feel beat over the head by it (maybe because I've managed to find some of the liberals in town to associate with), nor do I feel like people can tell I'm not one of them just by looking at me.  Anyways, we've come to realize that there are some cool things in Grand Rapids (some have been here for years, and some have arrived in the five years that we've been in town).  Oddly enough, GR has developed itself quite the happening bar scene; our bars, of course, make their own beer!

Founders
Oh Founders, how we love thee.  Jeff told me he couldn't possibly blog about Founders, as its greatness should go without saying.  I argue that for prosperity's sake, we must review ALL breweries we've attended.  Thus, I will attempt to blog about our Cheers, also known as Founders. 

So, we're being a bit dramatic.  Not everyone knows our name.  But some people do....at least they know Jeff's mug club number.  Founders was created in 1997 - sadly we didn't know about Founders when it was in its original location - a real dive, so we've been told.  I think we would have liked it, apart from the smoke.  Founders as we know it is in an old warehouse, complete with garage style doors that open to a porch covered in climbing hops.  Founders prides itself on STRONG beers - if you come in looking for something light, you may well get laughed out the door.  Its staples includes their Pale, IPA, Red's Rye, Dirty Bastard and Oatmeal Stout.  They also brew up seasonals, special batches, and super special, super high ABV brews (so high, you only get a half pour).  Jeff's favorite is probably the Red's Rye - an IPA laced with Rye and, you guessed, red in color.  I dig the Pale and the Oatmeal Stout.  I wish they brewed more wheat beers, but you can't get everything you want in one place, I suppose. 

Celebrating my 30th in style - at Founders with beer and cake!

Founders also makes some damn tasty sandwiches which are perfect compliments for the brews.  You can also eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor - a surefire sign that this is a place that you can hang comfortably.  My one beef with Founders - and this isn't really a complaint - is that they've become very popular.  In part because people are catching craft brew fever.  In part because of this new bar scene; though its pretty easy to tell the people who are there for the beer and the people who are there because they heard it was cool (they're the ones asking for light beers).

B.O.B Brewery
Housed in the B.O.B. (aka. the Big Old Building), across from Van Andel Arena, is the B.O.B. Brewery.  Jeff describes the clientele as "the Grand Rapids eccentrics."  I think he means people from GR who think they're really cool because they drink local microbrew beers, even though the B.O.B. is a bit of an obnoxious scene for people who could really care less about beer but want to hook up on the weekends.  The beer is very mediocre, but the food (if you're coming before 8 on the weekends) is pretty ok.  This is probably our least favorite brewpub in GR, which is why we've only been there maybe twice.

HopCat
I think THIS is where the Grand Rapids eccentrics go.  Again, a bit of a weekend hotspot for people who don't necessarily like beer, but like to THINK they know a lot about the subject.  They probably have the best selection of microbrews on tap in GR, but not all are local.  They do have a few homebrews - Jeff like Hoppapatamus (an IPA, surprise surprise), but you go to HopCat if you want to try out some other small batches from both in and out of state.  But don't go on evenings during the weekend - you won't get in.  It's too close to Van Andel, and again, a bit too trendy.  Head there on a weeknight or during the day on the weekend, saddle up to the bar and order yourself a beer and some crack fries!

Grand Rapids Brewing Company
Yes - they brew beer.  But this is a restaurant - let's not be mistaken.  They have a similar (but not nearly as good) menu to North Peak and Grizzley Peak.  Pretty decent food and a nice family atmosphere.  The beer is ok.  I've had a couple mildly good ones (a winter seasonal spiced ale comes to mind) and a couple not so good.  They usually only feature 5-6 beers at a time, and most are mediocre at best.  Oh yeah, it's by the mall on 28th street - that automatically lowers it a notch in my mind (I'm a snob, I know).

Hide Out
I have to confess, I've only been here once.  Jeff says, "The name says it all."  It's way on the north side of town, and you have to drive through an apartment complex to get there.  It's in a building that used to sell hot tubs and it still smells a tad like Chlorine.  It's a pretty easy jaunt for Jeff on his way home from work (though he usually stops at Founders).

Jeff rates this as the second best brewery in GR.  I think he likes the free popcorn. :)  But seriously, they do have some pretty tasty brews.  They maybe have 6-8 brews at a time, with standards like IPA, Pale and their Abbey Ale.  Any guesses which one Jeff drinks?

Oh yeah - and in warm weather, you can play lawn games out back.  Awesome!

Schmoz
Talk about your dive bar.  It's off 28th street in what looks like an office building (much like Michigan Brewing Company, only smaller).  You walk in and it looks like nothing's been updated since the 80's.  The owner is clearly a fan of Michigan Tech hockey, which of course makes Jeff happy.  They also have free popcorn and peanuts - you can't go wrong with free food.  The bartenders are always super friendly, as are the regulars (there's bound to be at least one hanging out at the bar).  They have some really good beers and some mediocre.  Jeff loves the Hopknocker - a double IPA.  But I've had a couple that I wasn't super impressed with - like a Cream Ale that wasn't at all creamy - way too crisp.  But I kind of love how incredibly low key this place is - too bad it's on the other side of town.  Oh yeah - bring the kids for home brewed rootbeer and arcade games straight out of 1984.

U.P. with Beer

Back in May, Jeff and went up to the Upper Peninsula.  I had to work a program (Camp College sponsored by MACAC) at Northern Michigan University, and of course Jeff jumped at the chance to go on a road trip to great north.  Apart from our driving across the state bringing Cooper home, this was Cooper's first official road trip!

Naturally, we had to cross some breweries off our list while we were there!  This marked almost two years of our beer adventure and return to where it all started!  Since we were on the west side of the UP, we still have a few left to check off from the UP, but to our surprise, tucked away in the once thriving (and almost capital of Michigan) Calumet/Houghton, there were several delightful breweries!  Not to mention, at least one good (and one less than good) brewery in Marquette.

The Vierling

Located on the main drag of Marquette, overlooking Lake Superior, the Vierling appears to be a local hotspot.  We had already eaten, so we didn't sample any menu items (though they looked tasty) - it was all about the beer for us.  I was STUFFED, but decided on ordering a dark, heavy beer as my "dessert" - the Vierling's Dark Coffee Porter (which was one of their seasonal special).  Wow was it tasty!  Strong coffee flavor without tasting burnt, slightly chocolately, crisp finish.  Exactly what you would want a dark coffee porter to be.  Jeff had their Pale Ale due to a conspicuous absence of his beloved IPA.  The hops were plentiful, and the ABV was suprisingly high, so he wasn't too disappointed.  We were two of the few people there NOT drinking the seasonal blueberry ale, which was complete with whole blueberries floating on the bubbles.  We're not much for fruity beers (rather, beer with added fruit as opposed to beer with fruity notes as a result of the yeast), but I have to admit it looked intriguing.

Jasper Ridge

While I was working, Jeff headed 10 miles west to Jasper Ridge.  He tried both a Pale Ale and Porter; neither were very special.  Sadly, even the food was sub par.  Our hope is that when a place's beer doesn't live up to our high expectations that at least the food is good.  In this case, both food AND beer were mediocre.  But, we can say we checked it off the list.

Red Jacket Brewing

Calumet, MI was once a booming industrial town thanks to the copper industry.  In fact, it was almost the capital of Michigan, narrowly losing out to the current capital, Lansing.  Who knew?  Now, it's this strange, kind of artsy community about 10 miles north of Houghton and 40 miles south of Copper Harbor (WAY high onthe tip of a peninsula jutting into Lake Superior).  Red Jacket Brewing is in the Michigan House Cafe, right on the corner of the main stretch of downtown, across from a nice art gallery.  You could tell this place was old - it just felt like there was a lot of history.  Clearly people come for the food, but yet again, we weren't there to eat.  They only have three taps at a given time and it just so happened that on tap was an Oatmeal Stout and a Pale (and a third featuring a beer from South Shore Brewing in Wisconsin) - perfect!  The Pale was another hoppy, strong Pale, so Jeff was happy.  The Oatmeal Stout was delightfully creamy, with mild coffee tones and a chocolate aftertaste.  So good!  And such a lovely surprise.

Keweenaw Brewing Company

Keweenaw is in downtown Houghton and the place was jumping!  Cheap beer, bring your own food and lots to chose from, I can see why this place was a favorite of locals and Michigan Tech students.  This place occupies a very special niche - a brewery that sells its beers in cans!  Yep - cans might be making a comeback.  But how was the beer?  I think Jeff and I differ in our opinion a little - perhaps by virtue of the beers we chose.  I had the Amber and found myself somewhat disappointed.  Yeah, I guess it was malty, but it just felt a little weak.  The malt wasn't very strong, and it had a really light mouthfeel.  But it was cheap!  Jeff had an IPA which he said was fine but he was happy that at least he finally got his IPA.  He followed that with a Brown (his second favorite brew), which was "solid," as he says.  He would have liked to spend more time at this place, but it was our second of three stops, it was getting late and we had Cooper in the car.

The Library Bar and Restaurant

Just down the street from Keweenaw with a view of the water (perhaps a bay, perhaps a river, but not quite Lake Superior) was the Library Bar and Restaurant.  This place definitely felt more like a restaurant than a brewery, and yet they had about six beers to choose from.  Growlers were cheap and we were regretting not bringing ours along for a fill up.  Jeff and I splurged a bit on food (local whitefish - yum!) since we were starving and it was vacation afterall.  I had a Weizen which was fantastic!  Nice cloudy color, solid mouthfeel and wonderful notes of banana and citrus.  Jeff had an IPA, which he says was the best he had on this tour; nice and hoppy, just like he likes it!

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and Cooper was a gem in the car (like Jeff says, "he's a road-trippin' hound").  AND - we had some tasty beer!

Move aside, let the WOMEN come through

I love that more women are drinking beer.  I don't know why more women don't.  The whole, "I don't like how it tastes" seems like a cop out.  I mean, everyone says that when they first taste beer because I can pretty much guarantee that the first beer most people try is crappy beer!  I truly believe that this is more of a societal or sociological issue rather than an issue of taste.  Check out this awesome article - it seems perhaps us women are made to be beer tasters (although I take issue with the fact that there was specific reference to going into the secretarial pool to find women....it's a shame that there aren't more women in other parts of the company and that the secretarial field (which, incidentally used to be solely a man's profession) is still dominated by women).  Oh yeah, and Carlos, 22, from Chicago....you are clearly a chauvinist (who, its worth noting, is drinking a sub-par, and dare I say "girly," beer).
No Glass Ceiling for Beer Tasters

There is also a regular feature in the Great Lakes Brewing News that is written by a woman called "Beer Beacon."  Every issue she and a panel of women taste samples of types of beers and rate them.  The most recent issue was about Wheat and Fruit beers.  Beer Diva, if you read this, I want to be on your panel!
Beer Beacon online

Beer in the News

If it's on NPR, then it must be so.
Changing Tastes

I've been seeing other articles like this popping up in the news.  People are catching on!

Kalamazoo Area Breweries

First and foremost: Bell's Brewery!

So it's worth noting that Bell's is no longer a microbrewery and it's no longer brewed in Kalamazoo.  It is actually brewed and bottled in Galesburg (about 15 miles west of Kalamazoo).  However, Bell's Eccentric Cafe is still in Kalamazoo, and is actually expanding.  I heart Bell's (but Jeff sees Bell's as a definite second compared to Founders...more on that later).  I like that it's kinda funky.  The entrance is in back, it's all wooden and old inside, I pretty much never get carded, and you see all types at Bell's.  The ONLY downside in my mind is their CASH only policy (if you forget this policy, they have an ATM conveniently located inside - just be wary of the fees) - oh yeah, and you have to drink out of plastic cups if you go in the beergarten.  Anyways, despite Bell's no longer being a microbrewery, the Eccentric Cafe often features small batches that you can only try at the Cafe.  In fact, the last few times I've been there, their staples like Amber and Two Hearted (IPA) have been conspicuously absent from the menu.  But I kind of like that.  I mean, you can get those on draft at a lot of bars in West Michigan (and beyond for that matter).  I'd rather try something unique.  We went there after K College's graduation on June 12th and I had a special Wheat brew (tasted like a hefeweizen) and Jeff had their Double IPA (I think that's what it was called), which wasn't quite as in your face as their Hopslam (which is their Imperial IPA), but still one heck of a strong, hoppy ale.  Bell's also has food - yummy sandwiches and assorted appetizers.  I'm glad their renovating because it's a popular place and lacking some seating, so be prepared to stand if you go during, say, happy hour time.

Bilbo's Pizza and Brewing:

While Bilbo's is a brewery, and their beer isn't awful, it is a pizza joint.  And their pizza is damn tasty.  I recommend the deep dish (probably because its the only kind I've had).  Anyways, located close to Western, it's a hang out for students as well as local families.  Plenty of tables available, pool tables and video games for entertainment, pizza and beer.  The owners are obvious fans of J.R.R. Tolkien (that suspicion confirmed by our friend Todd, who worked their in high school), which has nothing to do with pizza and beer, but whatever.  Their beer list is ok, but they are always out of like half their beers at a given time, which is a big minus in my book.  And none of the beers that we've tried have been particularly memorable.  But I could go for a big piece of that pizza right now...

Olde Peninsula Brewpub

Jeff actually had the audacity to say to me that he might prefer to go to OP over Bell's.  What?!  No comparison.  BUT - he then said, beer not withstanding, there's seating at OP, they take credit cards, and they have a better menu.  That's because they're a restaurant/brewery.  Very family friendly - lots of food on the menu.  We're not talking gourmet food here, just your basic little bit of everything kind of menu.  Their  beer is fine - their rootbeer is great!  Every once in a while their seasonal beer will be surprisingly tasty (like the chocolate stout last winter).  Parking can a bit of a pain though, since it's on this weird corner right downtown.  And actually, you could go to both Bell's and OP to compare for yourself since they're within walking distance of each other.

Arcadia Brewing Company (Battle Creek)

It's been quite a while since I've actually been to Arcadia.  What I remember of the actual brewpub is that it's in downtown Battle Creek (you know, Kellogg's, Cereal City) which is about 25 miles east of Kalamazoo.  I know they've got a decent bar menu.  And the beers are pretty darn tasty.  Even though we haven't been to Arcadia in some time, we've been drinking Arcadia quite a bit recently.  They have a variety twelve pack that comes with their Pale, IPA and Wheat plus either their anniversary Rye or their double IPA.  They're good strong beers.  The Whitsun is an American wheat - crisp, slightly sweet, a tad citrusy.  The Pale, IPA, and Double IPA all have nice hoppiness.  I really like the Rye.  It's nice and hoppy, but the rye makes it, I don't know how to describe it, a little less floral.  It's not sharper but it's got a bit of a bite.  Anyways, if you live in Michigan, pick yourself up a twelve pack at Meijer - it's quite frequently on price drop.  You won't be disappointed.  And they've just redone all their packaging and I really like their labels.  :)

Brasserie du Montreal

Who knew that Montreal had such great breweries.  And here I thought the French only cared about wine!  Not so for the French Canadians!  It must be the Irish influence (did you know that the Irish are the second largest heritage in Quebec?).

Here are our reviews, in order of preference:

Brasserie Benelux:

It's downtown, but barely.  We passed it on our LONG walk on Monday, and then walked BACK on Monday after a lot more walking.  It's at the base of a highrise apartment complex, and walking inside, it feels very urban/industrial, with grey walls, exposed ducts and metal.  They had about 12 beers on their list of all different types.  Jeff tried the IPA, which was lightly fruity, and hoppy at the back of the tongue.  I had the Weizen, which was light, crisp, slightly banana-y.  We were VERY pleasantly surprised.  Then Jeff tried the Brown - nice and nutty, not TOO malty.  I had their saison blond which was delicious: like a cross between a Weizen and an IPA. 

Brasserie Dieu du Ciel:

Located on a neighborhood corner in Plateau Mont Royal, it's very unassuming from the outside.  Inside, it was warm and inviting, like a coffee shop.  They had an extensive list (16 house brews, plus a few others on tap), with several standards and a few that were a little unique.  Jeff tried the American IPA - it was amber in color, with a strong, bitter hop flavor.  I tried their Coffee Stout - it was dark and creamy, with a very strong, but not overly bitter, coffee flavor.  We would have tried more, but both of us were in desperate need of a nap - see how tired I look?

Reservoir Brasserie artisonal e Bistro:

Just a short jaunt from Schwartz's, a delicious Hebrew deli featuring traditional Quebecois smoked meat sandwiches, was Reservoir.  It had a small, funky interior, like a coffee shop.  We sat at the bar and got a view of the kitchen, which was cooking up some yummy looking food.  Too bad we were so full of smoked meat!  They had 6 beers available - Jeff had the IPA and I had the Weizen (shocking, I know, but it's our opinion that you have to try the same kind of beer each place for an even comparison.  Once you've compared, then you can sample others!).  The IPA was both bitter and sweet.  The Weizen was very crisp and clean - looked filtered.  Nice mellow flavor.

Brutopia:
This was the first place we visited in Montreal.  It's on the east side of Crescent Street, which has TONS of bars and restaurants and is a bit of a scene.  Well, Brutopia was the opposite of a scene, which is why it was so appealing.  VERY laid back - small, dark interior, several decks.  We drank and ate on a small deck out back.  Their menu features slightly gourmet bar food - Jeff had quesadillas, I had a chevre and pesto sandwich.  Jeff tried a Brown and and IPA, while I had their Honey Brown - a cross between the Brown and the Honey - followed by the Stout.  The Brown, IPA and Honey were kind of sweet - which you would expect from the Honey, but not the plain Brown, or really even the IPA.  The stout was tasty - dark, malty, slightly bitter.  By far the best that we tried at Brutopia, but not the best we've ever tried.

Les 3 Brasseurs:
A chain brewery, with several locations around Montreal.  It was ok.  Only a few beer options - the one Jeff wanted was out.  We had an Amber and a Blonde.  The Blonde was better than expected.  The Amber was about as expected - mild, light.  The menu looked like something you'd see at any chain restaurant in America.   

Yes - we did other things besides drink beer on our trip.  Went to the Musee du Beaux-Arts and the Biodome.  Saw Old Montreal and a LOT of downtown.  Ate at some good restaurants.  Did a LITTLE shopping (though not much, since much of our money went towards BEER).  Generally had a great time celebrating 5 years of a very happy marriage!

Trip to Montreal Day 1

Today, Jeff and I set out for Montreal.  Well, today we headed to Buffalo via Niagara Falls, Ontario.  Naturally, we stopped at 2 breweries along the way. 

Pepperwood Bistro, Burlington, Ontario.
We each had one beer.  They had a pretty decent beer list - a variety of Canadian brews that weren't Molson or Labatt.  We had to try the home brew.  I had a Pale Ale (since my first choice, their monthly special, Maple Porter, was all out).  It was fine.  Not great.  A little hoppy.  Not overly so.  A little too sweet.  Jeff had the brown ale.  Again, a little too sweet.  Have you ever noticed that some breweries' beers have a similar flavor, even though they shouldn't?  I have a feeling that this was the case for Pepperwood Bistro.  I bet the food was pretty good, and it seemed they had a decent wine list as well.  And it was over-priced (even for Canada) as it was downtown, across from Lake Ontario. 

Buffalo Brewpub, Williamsville, NY
It dawned on us this afternoon that we could eat Buffalo wings in Buffalo, NY (well, next to Buffalo, NY).  So that's what we did.  We had already scoped out Buffalo Brewpub, and when we saw wings as a menu highlight, that sealed the deal.  The place was just what we expected - low key, home town, casual, and tasty (but nothing even remotely healthy on the menu).  The kind of place where you seat yourself and can grab popcorn and peanuts yourself.  They had just a few home brews, but all in all, there were about 20 beers (mostly from NY and surrounding area) on tap.  I had the Weisse.  It was good!  Not the BEST I've had, but very tasty.  Amber in color, some hints of banana and lemon.  Tasty!  Jeff had the Amber, which was good - pretty mild, lightly malty.  Then he had the Saranac Imperial IPA from Utica, NY and Southern Tier IPA from Lakewood, NY.  Oh yeah, and we had WINGS!!!!  They were big, meaty wings, with lots of butter and sauce.  They could have been hotter - they medium was NOT spicy.  But they were tasty.  And oh so filling. 

We're looking forward to what tomorrow brings as we make our way to Montreal!

How do you say "beer" in French?

Jeff and I are headed to Montreal next week for our five year anniversary.  We wanted to take a roadtrip.  Not too far, but kind of far.  Some place neither of us have been.  Voila - Montreal!!  Plus, Jeff has a strange obsession with Canada.  Not necessarily French Canada, but that's where we're headed all the same.  We will of course be visiting a brewery or two while we're there.  Apparently we're just under a kilometer from the "best" one.  (side note: kilometers!  yikes!  Need to think about my metric conversions).  Along the way we'll be stopping in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY (and of course grabbing a beer).  We'll be bringing our computer and perhaps even posting from the road!

Any other suggestions of things to do?  I've been researching museums, and Jeff's been looking into restaurants.

The rules

Until last month, we'd never had to set any rules about checking places off our list.  But such an occasion arose that I was going to be stopping by a brewery and Jeff wouldn't be with me.  So, would this visit count, or do both of us have to be present in order to check it off our list?  After some back and forth, we decided that just having one of us there would suffice (otherwise it might take us longer to clear the list).  Thus, Rochester Mills Brewing Co. was checked off the list.

And how was Rochester Mills?  Not too shabby!  Big spacious interior, bar seating, restaurant seating, multiple pool tables....I was there with a coworker (we were at a conference at a neighboring hotel) and we arrived late and starving after doing a college fair.  We each ordered a sampler, which meant 10 beers - the exact number they had on tap.  So we tried them all.  The double IPA was pretty solid - probably my favorite.  Strong, a tad fruity.  They also had a special coriander wheat that I quite enjoyed: it was smooth and a little spicy.  I can't remember if I liked the Porter or Stout....I'm inclined to say I prefered the Stout.  The other beers were fine.  Not great by any stretch, but fine.  The food was pretty tasty.  We just did salads and crudite, but the homemade hummus (3 different kinds) was delightful.  The rest of the menu looked pretty tasty.  I would say this is a good place to go if you want something a litle more than just bar fare, and a cold beer.  But I wouldn't go there if I really wanted a great brew.

Our favorites and a brief history

You'll notice as we go through this blog that Jeff and I have our favorite kind of beers.  So naturally, those are the ones we gravitate towards when we're sampling at breweries.  Interestingly enough, we rarely get samplers (though perhaps we should).  As Jeff once told me, "You know what you like, so just get that."  True, but I like a lot of kinds.  He does too, but his favorite is by far the IPA (India Pale Ale), followed probably by the Brown Ale.  Me, I like a good IPA, but I also enjoy Weizens, Pales and lately, Stouts and Porters. 

What is an India Pale Ale, Brown, Weizen, etc.?  Well, over the course of this blog, I plan to educate myself and others about beer styles.  Compared to many, I know a lot about beer.  Compared to the experts...I'm a beer neophyte.  As I am wont to do, I've been reading about beer so that I can talk the talk and not just walk the walk.  I bought Jeff a beer book for Christmas that I've almost finished reading; it's called Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher.  It's a LOT of information to swallow, so I plan to revisit it over the course of writing this blog. 

According to Mosher, "Beer is the great family of starch-based alcoholic beverages produeced without distillation."  Years and years ago (well, not ALL that many years ago), beer was the beverage of choice because of poor sanitation causing unsafe drinking water.  It has also been consumed because of its relative nutritional value.  Mosher contends that beer evolved at the same time as civilization because when people were crammed together in cities, societal tensions could be "eased by a social lubricant like beer."  Many ancient cultures even had gods and goddesses of beer (in fact, in ancient Sumeria, the brewers were women and therefore their deity of beer was a goddess, Ninkasi).  The people of the Middle East were particularly fond of beer (with the exception of the Semitic people).  The Greeks and Romans were not big fans, but northern Europeans and inhabitants of the British Isles have been drinking beer from the beginning (and its worth noting, in the Middle Ages in Europe, beer was also brewed by women).  There have been quite a lot of changes to beer and brewing over the years, but it's pretty cool to think that beer has been a part of society for....well, basically forever.

So there you have it.

Let's start at the beginning

It was June, 2008.  We were in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on a little road trip.  We found a brewery in Escanaba that seemed like a good option for dinner and a beverage.  We had already realized our love of well-crafted beer (gone were the days of Miller Lite and other cheap, tasteless brews), and had started "unofficially" tracking down breweries when we were on road trips.  Jeff got a call from his friend, Tom, who lives in the UP, but needed a ride to the meet us.  Rather than go with him, I decided to stay at the bar; I noticed there were some free publications at the end of the bar.  Needing some reading material to keep myself occupied, I picked up my first copy of The Great Lakes Brewing News, a quarterly publication about all things beer in the Great Lakes region.  In the middle of each addition is a state by state listing of all microbreweries, brewpubs and tap rooms.  When Jeff and Tom returned, we started talking about the places we'd already been and realized that we were already able to check several off of their list.  That gave us an idea: What if we checked them ALL off the list.  Thus began the obsessions - to visit every microbreweries, brewpub and taproom in the state of Michigan!!

For those who don't know, Michigan has the 5th most microbreweries of any state in the US (Colorado is number 1, but I can't seem to find out numbers 2-4).  With the popularity of craft brewing on the rise, there are microbreweries popping up all over the place, so our list is ever growing.  But we're bound and determined to achieve our goal.  Over the course of the summer, we'll be posting about the places we've already been (I think we're up to 36), and hopefully be checking some new places off the list.

The greatest things about this adventure - spending time together and going on road trips!!!  Friends are always welcome....join us for a beer, comment on our beer assessments, and send us feedback on beers we've yet to experience.