Frankenmuth/Flint Breweries

Jeff, Graham and I recently decided to make a trip out to Frankenmuth to visit some breweries, see our good friend, Eric and do a little shopping at the outlet mall.  We weren't exactly sure how Graham would fare on a longish trip (2+ hours each way) but he did remarkably well.

Frankenmuth Brewery
 After touring around Birch Run outlets, we were HOT and in need of a beverage.  Frankenmuth Brewery is at the end of the main drag in historic Frankenmuth, a tourist trap of a town with a Bavarian Christmas theme.  The outside of the the brewery was certainly no exception, but inside we were pleased by the big spacious interior, which had outdoor patio and upstairs private facility.  The beer selection was decent.  I had the weizen (of course), which was light and refreshing.  Jeff had an IPA (again, of course) which he rates as average, slightly better than New Holland.  I tasted it and thought it was pretty dry and oakey.  I prefer my IPA's more on the floral side.  Looked like a decent menu, but we weren't eating.  Since we were hitting up numerous breweries, we called it good after one.  I was disappointed that their dachshund logo is supposedly being discontinued and therefore not available on pint classes.  See how cute:

Black Forest Brewhaus
On the opposite end of the main drag, next to the giant Christmas mega-store was Black Forest Brewhaus in Sullivan's restaurant.  First impression - this place had a kind of funny smell.  And was in SERIOUS need of a facelift.  The menu had lots of German meats and pizza (why not?) but again, we were only there for the beer.  I had already had my beer for the day (I'm still a limited drinker), so it was water for me.  Jeff had the Lost Sailor IPA which he liked better than Frankenmuth brewing (it's won some sort of award).  I tasted it and I agree - more floral like I like it.  They had a decent selection - maybe 10 beers, some were seasonal.  The beer made up for the lack of ambiance.

Redwood Lodge
We ventured next about 20 minutes south to Flint/Grand Blanc to Redwood Lodge (to meet up with Eric and his son Cameron), which is a mildly upscale restaurant and brewery.  Their beers are much heralded, with giant banners on display as proof.  Needless to say, the beer was darn tasty.  Again, I could only sip from Jeff's, but he was very pleased with their American IPA. At this point, we were getting a little hungry, so we ordered some delightful barbecue pulled pork nachos (which were only going to be a snack, but the portion was SO huge, we ended up skipping dinner that night).  My only complaint - needed more cheese, but the pork was delicious.  A bit pricey, but well worth the beer and food.

The trip was long and a little tiring (especially being a sleep deprived new mom as I was at the time), but the Frankenmuth breweries were better than expected, and Redwood Lodge lived up to all the hype.

West Side Breweries

There are several breweries in Western Michigan (outside of Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo) that we've visited.  It's been a while since we've been to some of these, so the reviews will be brief.

Big Rapids Brewing in the Blue Cow Cafe
We went here before a hockey this past winter.  I was 5 months pregnant, so no beer for me.  It's a lovely little restaurant - slightly upscale, though still relatively reasonably priced (though expensive for a town like Big Rapids).  The food was very tasty - a nice menu.  The waitress gave me an extra large dessert given my status as a mom-to-be.  They had a decent microbrew selection including a handful of their own brews.  Jeff had a great stout (yes I sampled).  What, not an IPA?  They must have been out that night or else Jeff would have tried it...rumor has it that it's pretty good.  It was a very pleasant surprise, especially on a cold January's night.

Odd Side Ales
Conveniently located in downtown Grand Haven, in the renovated piano factory building at the end of Washington Street, this was a great brewery!!  Jeff, Graham and I went last month and were pleasantly surprised.  They had about 16 beers on tap, many of which were some interesting concoctions, including a pineapple IPA, a peach Blonde, a peanut butter cup stout, an apple Pale Ale, and some standards like an Imperial Stout and a delightful Hefeweizen.  We don't always order samplers, but with such interesting selections, I couldn't decide on just one.  It's a nice atmosphere - plenty of tables plus some leather chairs and couches next to a table full of board games.  It looked like they had a patio, as well.  It's not terribly visible form the main drag - you have to know to go into the building.  They had a mug club as well - using ceramic mugs which Jeff and I are just not a fan of.  But it's nice to know that being a mug clubber is an option.  We'll certainly be visiting again.

Old Boys' Brewing
In all fairness, we can't quite remember this place for the beer.  Maybe that's saying something.  It's tucked down off 104 in Spring Lake by the water.  The food is bar fare, but very tasty.  Jeff recalls a good pizza.  What I remember is the dog theme.  There are pictures of patrons' dogs all over the walls.  We didn't have Cooper at the time, but perhaps we should go back with a picture of our hound (and of course to give the beer a second tasting to refresh our memories).

Saugatuck Brewing
It's a little outside of Saugatuck off Blue Star Highway.  They'd probably get better traffic if they were downtown.  But it makes for easier parking that they're not in the thick of things.  Anyways - the beer is pretty good, but expensive.  The times we've been, they're out of half of the beers on their list - usually they only have about 5 on tap.  It seems to be a good venue for live music - it's pretty expansive inside with tons of seating and a good stage.  They have a patio that doesn't offer much in the way of a view, but it does the trick for drinking outside.  I think they have a limited menu (but we've never eaten there).


New Holland Brewing
This is a huge place in downtown Holland (which is lovely, btw).  I like New Holland more than Jeff.  I can't say I've really had a bad beer.  They're most known for Dragon's Milk, an Old Ale and Poet, a stout, both of which have won awards.  Jeff ranks Mad Hatter, their IPA, as middle of the pack.  They have a beer that isn't bottled, and for the life of me I can't remember its name, but I had it at Food Dance in Kalamazoo and it was fantastic.  A really unique, slightly fruity and dark beer.  Certainly worth visiting, especially if you're in Holland.

Our new addition

So the pregnancy may have slowed down the beer blogging, but not a baby!  Maybe because I don't have much else to do...that's a lie....I have a baby to keep fed and to keep from fussing.  But in between that, there will be beer blogging and, of course, trips to breweries.

Speaking of which, here are some pictures from Graham's first trip to Founders (and pictures of my mug being used for beer for the first time - I had the Session Noir):

Jeff's Mug

I'll take a picture of my mug once its filled with something other than soda.  Here's Jeff's Cooper mug - it turned out pretty awesome!

For those who don't know, Cooper is our basset hound:

Another note on Founders - they've done some renovations and have expanded their seating and made their food counter much more accessible.  Word is that they're also creating a beer garden.  The renovations are also behind the scenes, in that they will be able to brew and bottle more, for a wider distribution.

I promise we'll have some more reviews up soon.  There are several places we've been that we haven't reviewed, but we've been pretty busy lately preparing for the new addition to our family (who is due in a matter of weeks).  Jeff is very excited about Saturday lunches at Founders with our son!  I also hope to write some reviews while I'm on maternity leave.

Mug Club at Founders

Jeff is now renewing his mug club membership at Founders for year 3.  We had originally intended to get me a mug this year (you can only join in once a year), but for obvious reasons, we decided that this year was not the year.  Well, apparently Jeff had another plan.  He and our beer buddy, Greg, went to Founders on December 1 (mug club sign up day) and got me a mug.  The rationale is that I'm only going to be pregnant until April, which leaves 8 months of NOT being pregnant to use the mug.  Plus, now I won't be the only one at the table sans mug (even if the mug is filled with soda).  You can get an inscription on your mug, and Jeff chose to get mine inscribed with "Mom."  Awwww....how sweet.  :)  We also found out my mug number is close to Jeff's, which is pretty cool (it's actually a lower number than his since sometimes people don't renew their membership and their number opens up).

I'll post photos when the new mugs are in (which I think should be shortly)!

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.