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