Michigan-The Great Beer State

Oh Michigan, you have left an indelible mark on this beer pilgrim’s heart and palate.


Sunday

CJs Brewing Company
We rolled into Livonia, MI around dinner time, exhausted (still recovering from the homebrew club picnic the day before) and starving. We didn’t have anything mapped out for the night, so did a quick Yelp search for local restaurants/pubs and found CJs Brewing Company  in Commerce, MI. It had some good reviews and we came for the beer, so figured it would be a good way to start the trip.

The brewpub was in a large brick building with an equally roomy interior. The bar area was open with high ceilings, mainly due to the visible brewery, and clean wood accents. The bar area was pretty full for a Sunday evening, but probably due to an earlier game and drink special.

We started with one of their beer samplers including the Golden Ale, American Wheat, VAT 33 IPA, Rich Hagg Red, and Stanley’s Porter. The beers were all pretty standard to their style, but the porter stood out with its smokey, chocolate aroma and full body finish. Dave ordered a full pint of the porter and I finished the rest of the sampler and part of his beer. The majority of the food reviews were for their pizza, so Dave ordered a Cjs Supreme and I went with the Cajun Crusted Walleye. The food was okay, but I’m also a tough critic. Overall, it was a pretty cool local pub providing fresh beer to the community, making it a-okay in my book.

Monday

Jolly Pumpkin

Ever since we had our first taste of Oro de Calabaza at the Big Brew Day picnic, Jolly Pumpkin  has been a must stop on our brewery list. We decided to head over to the Ann Arbor Café, so we could enjoy some fine cuisine with our funky ales.

I read a review on Yelp, that described the Café and Ann Arbor as bourgeois, but found it far from reality. The town had a laidback, hipster vibe with cool restaurants, bars/brewpubs, and shops, my kind of place. The Jolly Pumpkin Café was located in a cool old building on Main St. and discreetly recognizable by a small sign with its unique logo. There was a distinct English-style pub feel about the interior and there were bars on the first and second floor. We opted for the roof top patio, because everybody knows that beer tastes better outside

We started with the Red Chicken Nachos and a beer flight including Bam Bière, Luciernaga, North Peak Diabolical IPA, Tortuga Ale Chocolate Stout, and WIT. We really wanted to try the Golden Manatee Belipago, a Belgian-style IPA, but they were out.All the beers were astounding but the Tortuga Ale Chocolate Stout brewed with chocolate nibs and cocoa beans, and the Luciernaga "The Firefly" were our top picks. We both went for a full pint of the Luciernaga, since this artisan ale brewed in the Grand Cru tradition had the perfect touch of sour to thirst our quench on this warm summer evening.

We were both almost full by the time we reached the bottom of the nacho plate, but foolishly went ahead and ordered dinner. Dave went for the JP Burger, a custom ground grass-fed beef with melted cambozola cheese, crimini mushrooms and thick-cut Berkshire bacon on a toasted challah roll and I ordered the Mediterranean pizza, a flavorful crust made from a 130-year old sourdough starter and topped with grilled eggplant, herbed goat cheese, red onions, kalamata olives and fresh mint. And yes, the food was as good, if not better, than it sounds. After a slice of pizza and couple bites of the burger, sadly both of us new we had to stop while we were ahead, because the night was still young. It’s not often that I get to rave about a locations food and beer, but this place is tops in my book.

Arbor Brewing Company
After an hour of trekking around Ann Arbor trying to relive a serious case of bloat, we felt like we were ready for another beer so we stopped by the Arbor Brewing Company. Entering through the doors of the historic storefront, we immediately got a feeling of comfort and familiarity, which was enhanced by the late evening sun streaming through the windows. After reviewing the beer menu, I went with the Sacred Cow Cask Conditioned IPA and Dave ordered the Milestone Cask Porter, both served off the beer engine. The IPA warmer serving temperature really enhanced the rich malt flavor and hop bitterness and the porter was spectacular blend of dark chocolate, raisins, black licorice, and currents, with a smoky, sour finish. Half way through our beers the familiar feeling of fullness returned and we sadly realized our night was coming to an end, as we looked longingly at the Bavarian Bliss Hefeweizen that we both wanted to try. Arbor Brewing-two thumbs up!

Tuesday

Grizzly Peak
My hair appointment took less time that I had planned, so I had time to pop into Grizzly Peak Brewpub and sample a brew, and watch the first half of the Portugal vs. Spain match. The interior had a rustic urban feel with its exposed brick and wooden bar. After conferring with the bartender, I ordered the Grizzly Peak Pale Ale, he said it was hoppier than the IPA (?). The beer was a clear amber color, with medium carbonation and nice head retention. The citrusy aroma of the Cascade hops was very present, but was disappointed by the lack of hop flavor. The beer had a medium mouthfeel, but was missing the bitter finish I was expecting. Overall, it was a good Pale Ale and very drinkable.

Motor City Brewing Works
The evening plan was to head downtown to the Atwater Block Brewery but when we arrived they were closed. We did a quick geolocate search for breweries and found that we were close to Motor City Brewing Works  so we headed to the historic Cass Corridor. We pulled into the parking lot and was quickly informed that the parking was for the Traffic Jam &Snug Restaurant and we were directed to a few spaces in front of the brewpub (I guess parking must be an issue). I was immediately drawn to its quirky, concrete block exterior and industrial themed interior. We found a seat at the bar, but the place with quickly bombarded with a slew of young professionals looking to quench their thirst and head up to roof top deck. I was intrigued by a menu note about respecting the neighbors privacy, making me wonder what happens when the sunsets in Detroit.

First up a Bohemian Lager and Pale Ale brewed with Cascade hops, followed by the famous Ghettoblaster, an English style mild, and a Nut Brown Ale. I didn’t find any of the beer to be fantastic, but they were all true to style. The atmosphere and the fact that the beer is fresh, would keep me coming back for more.

Cadieux Café

After much anticipation, I’m finally heading to the famous Cadieux Café . After watching Bourdain feather bowl, drink Belgian beer, and eat steamed mussels at the Cadieux Café, during the No Reservations  Rust Belt episode, I knew I must go.

The Cadieux Café is located in Detroit's historic lower east side, and the neighborhood looked a bit dicey, but went with the parking spot in front of the Café instead of the advertised secured parking spot. We joked about the disappointed thugs we would find upon our exit, wearing worn out Dr. Martens work boots and eating Kashi bars.

Good Fun! Good Food! Good Beer! That’s the Cadieux Café promise, and they deliver.

The Cadieux Cafe has been a social hub for metro Detroit's Belgian population since its days as a Prohibition-era speakeasy and has been the unofficial headquarters for an array of clubs promoting pastimes from across the pond, including pigeon racing, archery, bicycling, darts and, of course, feather bowling.

I was surprised by the atmosphere, and was instantly reminded of the lodges from my hometown, long tables, lined with metal chairs, and an old school bar at the end. But they weren’t serving Natty Light, our eyes lit up as they scanned the over dozen Belgian beers on the menu. First up, Westmalle Tripel and a Troubadour Blond Ale. The feather bowling lanes were free, so we asked the bartender if we could start early.

Feather bowling is a Belgian pastime akin to horseshoes and Bocci. The strategy (short version) of the game is for each team to roll 12 wooden balls (shaped like a wheels of cheese) down a dirt lane and the color closest to the feather wins. This is obviously a team sport but Dave and I make the most of our one man teams, besides there’s Belgian beer and the game only needs one hand leaving the other to hold a goblet. After some strenuous feather bowling, we were ready for another round, so an Orval for me and Dave goes for the Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale. Pulled ourselves up to the faux leather trimmed bar and perused the dinner menu. I came for the mussels, so I’m set, it’s fish fry night so Dave goes for the fish & chips. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed by the mussels, they were small and a bit gritty, and was served with a dinner roll instead of the big piece of crusty bread for dipping. Oh well, this is the famous Cadieux Café and the food is only a small part of the experience. This is a must stop when in the Detroit area.

Wednesday

Wolverine State Brewing Co.
Today I get to meet my newly found Facebook beer friend, The Beer Wench (a.k.a. E.T. Crowe) and get a hardhat tour or her brewery/taproom. Wolverine Brewing Co  currently contracts with another Michigan brewery to brew its Wolverine Premium Lager, but the acquisition of a 6,000-square-feet appliance mart building, will allow them to brew on premise (improving quality control) and house a taproom.

The brewery is located on West Stadium, which from my limited familiarity with Ann Arbor, appears to be in a prime location, close to the college and within the downtown area. The space is still under construction, but Wenchie did such a great job of describing the future layout, that I immediately saw myself sitting at the bar enjoying a Wolverine Premium Lager and yelling “Go Blue.” The head brewmaster, Oliver Roberts, readily showed me around the future brewery, and discussed their niche in Michigan’s growing specialty beer market, that to date has focused on ales, and his plan for brewing experimental lagers. His eyes lit up as he pointed out the additional space available, so I know we can expect great things from Wolverine. Make sure you stop by when you’re visiting Ann Arbor, the brewery and tap room should be up and running by this fall.

Beer Review

Poured the beer from a bottle into a glass. It had a nice golden color with good carbonation and nice head retention, very inviting. It has a medium malt aroma with a mild floral hop aroma and the flavor is a perfect balance of malt and hops, with a smooth dry finish. A pleasant light mouthfeel and very drinkable. I have found my session beer, too bad they don’t distribute to VA.







Blue Tractor

Upon the recommendation of Oliver and the A2 Wench, I headed over to the Blue Tractor BBQ and Brewery  . I was immediately impressed as I walked through the door, the smell of BBQ, rustically chic décor, and Blues in the background, my dream incarnate.

I grabbed a seat at the bar and reviewed the beer list, and after confirming that the Twisted Liquidification (IPA/Wheat blend) was indeed hoppy, I ordered a pint. The beer was amber colored with low carbonation and head retention. The citrus and pine aromas were very present and a lemony, citrus taste with a clean bitter finish, almost grassy. It has a medium-bodied mouthfeel with a clean finish. Very drinkable. I ordered the Harvest Salad with Bourbon Glazed Salmon, very tasty.

Dragonmead

This evening’s beer journey takes us to Warren, MI, the home of Dragonmead Microbrewery  . After sitting in the I-696 traffic, for what seemed like hours, we finally reached our exit and merged onto the service road to reach our destination, in an industrial park. Not the first brewery I’ve been to in an industrial park, so keeping an open mind. Upon walking through the doors, I had an immediate flashback to the Excalibur Hotel and Casino, mainly due to the medieval décor. I wasn’t surprised, when I later found out that the owners used to play D&D. Still keeping an open mind, we walk to the bar and immediately stood in awe of their 50+ taps.

My head was spinning as I looked over the 45 beers on the menu (also had six meads on tap, I did mention a medieval theme). We knew we were not going to be able to try them all, especially with the 6 oz. samples on the tray.

First round, Final Absolution Trippel (a World Beer Cup gold medal winner), Russian Imperial Stout, Bishop Bob’s Holy Smoke (Rauchbier), Full Fathom (Baltic Porter), and Crown Jewels IPA. Every beer was spot on, but the Trippel was definitely worthy of a gold medal, and the Rauchbier was smokin. We’re ready for a second round and I’m devouring all of the free pretzels trying to keep my bearings with these high-gravity samples. This time we go for the Armageddon Grand Cru, Nagelweiss Wheat Beer, Ring of Fire (brewed with hot peppers), Dubbel Dragon Ale, and London Brown Ale. Once again, they hit the nail on the head with each bee, but the Grand Cru left our heads spinning and the Fire inspired me to start brewing with chili peppers (I’m thinking a chocolate chili stout).

                                                                                                                                                              The Dragonmead’s “goal is to have every style of beer in the world at all times, and have all of them be excellent examples of that style of beer making,” and they have definitely met their goal. This place is a reason to visit the Detroit area. Don’t forgot to ask for a tour, they brew 1,200 barrels a year, in three barrel batches, so there are a lot of fermenters.

Thursday

Big Rock Chop House & Brewery
This evening’s plan was to head to Ferndale to checkout the Woodward Avenue Brewers (a.k.a. the WAB)  but as I was flipping through the Michigan Beer Guide, I noticed that the Big Rock Chop House & Brewery had just taken a gold medal for their Norm’s Raggedy-Ass IPA, and a silver for their Bonnie’s Raggedy-Ass Imperial IPA in the 2010 World Beer Cup, so we had a change of plans.

Now Birmingham is bourgeois. We pull up to Big Rock, and our hearts immediately sank as we took note of the valet parking and display of luxury cars, and realize our shorts and jeans probably wouldn’t fly. I called the restaurant to see if we needed reservations and if there was a dress code, the hostess assured me that bar was open seating and our attire would be fine. The bar area is the typical masculine elegance of a chop house, dark wood, white table cloths, and impressive shiny taps. We arrive in the middle of happy hour, and quickly note the uneven proportion of older affluent business men to young women. I guess we figured out the major GDP of Birmingham.

Dave was still edgy from the hellish commute, so he quickly ordered the imperial IPA and inadvertently orders one for me as well. I was hoping to start with the gold medal winner, but was fine settling with the silver. I haven’t had a chance to try Brewdog’s Hardcore IPA, but this DIPA has quickly ranked itself in my top three along with Bell’s Hopslam and Avery’s Maharaja. Quickly feeling the effects of this high gravity beer, we opted to sample the other beers, while we were still lucid and palates were still responsive. The bartender lined us up with Norm’s Raggedy-Ass IPA, Flying Buffalo Imperial Stout, Platinum Blonde Lager, and Third Rail Tripel. All the beers were very good, but the IPA was definitely a gold winner, this hop goddess is very pleased with the variety of hops and malt balance in this 80 IBU brew. I really wish that the environment was a bit less pretentious, but with beer this good, I could learn to assimilate.

Friday

Darkhorse Brewing Company
Our big beer day has arrived, we are going to head west and attempt to visit three breweries before arriving in Grand Rapids. Our first stop, Darkhorse Brewing Company  in Marshall, MI. I heard the guys at Darkhorse described as the outlaw brewers of Michigan, and as we pulled into the dirt parking lot and up to what looked like a converted trailer, I could see why. Upon entering you can’t but help but notice that the ceiling and most of the walls are covered with mugs, they take their mug clubs seriously in MI. The walls that aren’t mug holders, are covered with dollar bills with messages, ticket stubs, and other random items. Some of the tables are made from old doors, complete with doorknobs. This place is cool!

Dave and I grab a seat at the bar, and I order a Double Crooked Tree and Dave gets a Sappient Trip Ale. This imperial IPA is BIG….big hops, big malt, big body, and one sip of this 13% ABV instantly goes to your head. Am I really supposed to hit three more breweries today? The only bad thing about this beer is that it is seasonal brew and can’t take any with me. Dave also enjoyed his tripel, but his pleasure was overshadowed by my ecstatic chatter about the Double Crooked Tree. I really wished we could’ve stayed for another (and another), but we have to get back on the road. A must stop, you will not be disappointed.

Arcadia

A quick 20-minute jaunt landed us in Battle Creek, MI, the home of Arcadia Ales . The town had a quaint, Mayberry feel, and Arcadia was located in one of the historic storefronts. The inside was dark but quite large with high ceilings, there was seating in the front and a long winding bar in the back. The wall behind the bar exposed the brewing a bottling area.

We head back to bar and see a fellow beer pilgrim that we met earlier at Darkhorse, who was also timing the trip between half time of the Uruguay/Ghana match. We grab a seat and see that they have 10 beers on tap, so we decide to get a flight featuring the Angler’s Ale (EPA), ESB, Starboard Stout, IPA, Sky High Rye, Hopmouth (DIPA), Whitsun, Cereal Killer, Cereal City Bitter, and Black Double IPA. All the beers were very good with a distinct similarity that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but the Sky High Rye with its citrus, spruce, and spicy rye notes was my favorite.

We were sitting next to an off-duty bartender/manager (but still working) so Dave asked her if the brewer was in (we had a name to drop thanks to the A2 Wench) and it just so happens that the female sitting next to her was one of the brewers. So the shoe was on the other foot this time, and it was my hubby’s charming personality that snagged us an after-hours brewery tour. Staci gave us a tour of the 25-Barrel Peter Austin Brewery and informed us that they use Ringwood yeast for all their beers (which explains the similarities in the beers). I was really impressed by their fermentation room, since they use an open fermentation process. Staci concluded the tour with a sample of bourbon from one of the aging barrels. Wowzer! That stuff was strong, but she serenely sipped her devil’s spit, as we watched Uruguay crush Ghana’s World Cup dreams, my kind of girl.

Arcadia’s British-style brewing methods are very unique and their beers showcase this distinctiveness. We left with a pack of Cocoa Loco and Imperial Stout, so we could enjoy the goodness in VA (still waiting on distribution).

Bells Eccentric Cafe

In the motor, off we go, not to fast and not to slow. Next up, Bells Eccentric Café , but first a detour to the actual brewery (damn Google maps). We pulled into a stone parking lot and hoping that the warehouse looking building across the tracks is the Café. The Café definitely had character, the exposed brick, stained glass windows, quirky posters and grand openness gave it an HGTV on acid feel. My heart immediately sank when I realized the line stretched from the bar to the door, was the drink line. But wait, the sky has opened and I do believe I hear angels singing, yes the sign does say the Hopslam on Firkin. This pilgrim has reached her Mecca. Realizing that I would need some food with this round, I hopped over to the food window and left Dave to get the drinks.

The bartenders were pierced, tattooed and a bit on the surly side, but it almost seemed clichéd in this carnival like atmosphere. We sat down at the bar and I reintroduced (it had been four months) myself to this hop masterpiece. I’ve tried many DIPAs, but none is so close to my heart as Hopslam. Oh yea, Dave got the smoked lager, it was good. I really wanted a second, but it looked like the line had actually got longer and we wanted to make it to Grand Rapids before dark (which in MI is like 11 pm). Bells Eccentric Café is a must stop because of the rare jewels you can find on tap, but I really wished it was a regular full-service bar and not resemblance of a college frat party. Leave the Visa at home, it’s cash only.



Founders
We arrived safely at the hotel in Grand Rapids, called a cab and headed to Founders Brewing Company . The interior was on the stark/industrial side but the atmosphere was very casual and friendly and there was a great view of the brewery. We grabbed a seat at the bar and upon hearing we were from VA, the bartender immediately looked apologetic due to their lack of beers on tap (there was a beer fest earlier that week that wiped out the supply). They did have Canadian Breakfast Stout and Devil Dancer, so the night was not lost. The Canadian Breakfast Stout, Breakfast Stout aged in maple syrup barrels, has distinct notes of maple syrup, oak, chocolate and roasted malt. Awesome! The Devil Dancer is a triple IPA with 112 IBUs, rich and malty with a powerful hop punch, and big alcohol flavor. The palate is officially done for the evening, what else did you expect? It’s official, I need to eat or I’m going to wake up on a park bench. Founders menu is limited to deli style sandwiches, so we decide to venture out to see what else Grand Rapids has to offer. Great atmosphere, great beer!

Saturday

Saugatuck Brewing
We left Grand Rapids a little after nine, in hopes of being settled in Holland in time for the Germany/Argentina match. We arrived at Curragh Irish Pub and found a stool and a pint in time for kick off. After the game, we decided to take a stroll through Holland and an hour later found we have covered the town, so we decided to head south to get a glimpse of Lake Michigan.

A quick Yelp search returned Saugatuck Brewing in Douglas , MI, so we hit the road. We pulled into the parking lot and up to a metal prefab building with a nice deck area for outdoor seating. It was a beautiful day, but knowing Dave’s preference for sitting at the bar, I reluctantly head inside. The vastness of the building gave it a school building feel as we entered. The bar/restaurant area was off to the right so we headed over and grabbed a seat. The atmosphere lacked the cozy quality that I prefer, but that is an issue with these industrial buildings. We ordered up a sampler with their Big Pavilion Pale Ale, Singapore IPA, Pier Cove Porter, Boathouse Stout, Big Pavilion Pale Ale, ESB Amber, and Double IPA. Their Oval Beach Blonde appeared to be the favorite of the locals, but we really enjoyed the stout and DIPA. I saw that they had zucchini & spent grain fritters with sweet cucumber sauce on the menu so I had to try, and they were awesome. As homebrewers, we are always looking for ways to utilize our grains, so we will be trying to duplicate this recipe. We both ordered a DIPA and decided to check out the building.

The first thing that caught our eye upon entering was the “Make Your Own Brew” sign and brewing equipment against the wall. For $250, they provide the recipes, ingredients, professional brewing equipment, and instruction to brew 11 gallons of beer. And they clean up! I love it! They also had a 3,500 sq. feet banquet hall in the back of the building. I’m about ready to tear up, there’s nothing that makes me happier than a capitalist genius in brown flip flops. I was really impressed with Saugatuck Brewing, good beer, good food, and enough entities to keep their balance sheets in check.




New Holland

After a short nap we were revived and ready for the last stop of our MI brew tour, New Holland Brewery . This converted old hardware store fit perfectly in Holland’s quaint backdrop. The interior was a bit rustic with exposed brick, but slightly rugged and industrial with metal shelving and exposed wiring and ductwork. We sat at the bar and ordered a sampler featuring the Imperial Hatter, Black Tulip, and some other funky Hatters they had brewed up for a festival (sorry I don’t have the names, lost my notes). The Imperial Hatter was the favorite, with its bold hop character and grapefruit and citrus notes.

We took a break and walked around before heading back to the brewpub for dinner. The town was pretty quit due to the holiday weekend, but New Holland appears to be the heart of the nightlight. We grab a seat on the patio, order a Full Circle (kolsh), dark lager and some rations including a burger and pizza. Good beer, good food, and a fireworks display, couldn’t asked for a better end to our journey.