Over the weekend I took a short trip north of Grand Rapids and visited Cedar Springs Brewing and Cellar Brewing company, take note it would have been easy to add a stop at Rockford Brewing too but I did some shoe shopping instead.
I’d never been to either of these great breweries but I’ll be sure to visit them more in the future. Stopping first in Cedar Springs at the newly completed brewpub we saw a crowd waiting to be seated at the large communal style tables popular in Germany but luckily if you just wanted to drink you can skip the line and visit the bar. Cedar Springs brewery has a nice list of German inspired beers along with pale ale, ipa, sangria, cider and root beers for the kids. A quick sampling surprised me that the IPA was less hoppy than the pale ale and the Hefewiezen had very strong banana flavoring for me (I loved it). The food also got rave reviews from the people sitting at the bar and again was very German inspired fare. I’m excited to revisit in the spring since the building has many glass garage doors that should open to the outdoors and a large beer garden out back.
Our second stop was in Sparta at Cellar Brewing which we almost missed while driving, the building wasn’t really eye catching but once inside it felt warm and inviting despite it’s large industrial size. Cellar isn’t just a brewery though, they also distill liquors and make wine too so you’ll be sure to find at least a few libations to please every palate. The “Michigan Sunshine” stood out as similar to Blue Moon and a bit ironic because when we arrived it was a typical cloudy Michigan day but the beer was good! Actually all the beers hit the mark on their respective styles. I also liked the fact the brewery has a large selection of table games to play as well as a pool table, shuffleboard table and Foosball with plenty of tables for people to sit and sip their brews.
Next time you head North on 131 consider stopping at these two great breweries! Also I wore my Brewsader tshirt and at both breweries people stopped to ask about it, so it’s a great way to make new drinking buddies.
TagaBrew “tag your beer trail”
Have you seen anyone wearing small copper tags around their necks, or hanging from their growlers? Or maybe for sale at a local brewery? It was probably a TagaBrew! Created to provide people that visit breweries a cheap and tangible way to remember where they’ve visited without having to buy a mug or tshirt. It’s an interesting concept sure to appeal more to the female demographic and die hard brewery snobs but I’ll admit they caught my attention recently for sale at Dutch Girl Brewing.
Beer and Cider in Spring Lake
Took a drive out to Spring Lake, MI last Saturday to checkout the Dutch Girl Brewery and was pleasantly surprised to find that Vander Mill is located directly across the street! Be aware that Dutch Girl is located in a large building with auto parts stores on each side so it is easy to drive past without realizing the brewery is in that building but if you see Vander Mill you’ll know you arrived.
We used a Groupon at Dutch Girl Brewery to get two flights and two pints at nearly half price which is a great way to try a new brewery! After trying 8 samples of their beers I got a pint of Coastie Kolsch which is a nod to the Coast Guard heritage in the area. We also got some bar cheese after drinking all those samplers to help dilute the alcohol. Overall a very nice brewery that seemed to be getting quite busy as we left around 4pm.
We proceeded across the street to Vander Mill where we found the place completely empty so we got prime seats at the bar and ordered a flight of every cider they had on tap, turns out 12 samplers of cider is quite a bit! As they weren’t too busy yet Kelsey our bartender offered a personal tour of the production facility which was both enlightening and fun as she let us bring our cider to drink while touring. Turns out Vander Mill has the most advanced filtration system in Michigan for making cider, and their apple supplier uses a special storage system to create a vacuum allowing them to store apples all year and keep supply of cider steady. Another interesting fact from Kelsey is that 50% of Vander Mill sales are actually in the city of Chicago, who knew they loved cider that much?! Finally she tipped us to the fact that Vander Mill’s Grand Rapids location is expected to open in February 2016, so that’s coming up soon. After the tour the tap room filled up quickly and was quite busy by the time we finished all our flights of beer. If you’ve never tried all the various Vander Mill cider varieties you really should, I had no idea they made so many and the Totally Roasted cider tastes like pecans (because they actually roast the pecans in the kitchen, it’s amazing). As we left there was a musician getting ready to play for the people eating dinner and drinking cider, a nice cozy winter hangout at Vander Mill.
After all that sampling we had to call in a designated driver but it was worth it and the next morning our car was waiting for us in the parking lot, a safe and happy ending to a pleasant Saturday in Spring Lake.
Beer City Brewsader Passport
It’s official, I’m a Beer City Brewsader! Just picked up my free tshirt at the GOsiteGR after hitting 11 of the 23 breweries listed in the passport.
If you don’t know what a “Brewsader” is or why I would need a passport to drink beer don’t worry I’ll explain.
Experience GR has created a small booklet called a ‘passport’ that lists 23 of Grand Rapids breweries and as you visit each one they will stamp your book. If you visit 8 or more you can redeem the passport for a free tshirt that brands you a “Brewsader” or a person that enjoys drinking at breweries. Free, fun, simple, basically it’s a self guided brewery tour and the passport is full of information as well as space to write your favorite beers and breweries. I was also told that they are considering an even better prize for people that visit all 23 breweries but as of yet they are working out the details.
You can get your own Brewsader Passport at any of the participating breweries or the GOsiteGR inside the Grand Rapids Art Museum. To redeem it you can just mail it in or personally visit the GOsiteGR as I did, they are friendly!
City Built Brewing
Looks like City Built Brewing is coming soon. At least according to the banner now flying in the new 820 Monroe building being developed by 616 Developments.
Harmony Hall open on the west side
Harmony Hall had their grand opening October 6th so we went for lunch to check it out and were very impressed. Unlike their original location the new Hall has plenty of seating and space including 200 seats upstairs and a separate drinks only bar downstairs. Harmony Hall also boasts an expanded beer tap list with some interesting cocktails too.
While at first glance the Harmony Hall menu seems a bit restricted with mostly sausage options but there is actually a nice amount of variety. If you get a sausage platter the portions are actually enough to fill you up without ordering anything else. I got the Boudin Blanc and found it spicy and tasty just as the menu depicted. My companion got the Hopwurst and while you can’t see the cheeses when you bite into the sausage the taste is sure to please. Beware the sweet and spicy bean side, it’s got quite a spicy kick to it but I found the burn pleasurable.
For drinks I actually had a mixed cocktail and my companion had one of the Harmony beers which we both enjoyed. With the increased capacity afforded by this bigger location I expect they will have new and exciting beers for you to try everytime you visit.
Trail Point Brewery
I visited Trail Point Brewing on a Monday evening about a month after their grand opening. Entering the tap room I immediately felt comfortable, there is lots of wood and simple decorations. Luckily it wasn’t busy but there is plenty of seating so it shouldn’t be a problem getting a table even on a regular night. I was a bit surprised there weren’t more college kids from GVSU because it is just down the road from the main campus but maybe they were all studying. The bar tender was quick to provide a beer list and free pretzels. They have a range of beer styles from ales to IPA’s to stouts and after trying a sampler flight I can report that all the beers had good flavor. Going to use the mens bathroom you pass by glass wall that allows you to see into the brewing area and as you can see in the picture they were hard at work fermenting new beers for my next visit.
This seems like a well thought out brewery in a new area and while it’s a bit of a drive from downtown Grand Rapids I think it is worth the trip. They don’t offer food but you can bring your own so I’d suggest picking up a pizza or ordering one delivered if you plan to sit and try all their beers.
Long Road Distillery
I visited Long Road Distillery on June 8, about 10pm and was instantly impressed. The distillery is located next door to Mitten Brewery in an revitalizing section of the west side in Grand Rapids. As you walk towards the front doors you can see inside from large windows on the front that let you see how busy it is. Once inside there is a host stand and beyond that a long curved bar that leads to a large glass wall that protects the distilling equipment from the seating area. The shiny copper still with dials and pipes are mesmerizing letting you see the tools needed to make the distilled spirits that they sell all from local sourced ingredients. When I visited there were seats open at the bar and my friends and I enjoyed a variety of cocktails made from their liquors. The music and ambiance is very classy allowing conversation and encouraging drinking. The staff was well informed and the mixologist seemed adept at creating all the various drinks we tried. There was a mix up with my friends food order that was quickly fixed and he said the pastrami sandwich as tasty as it should be for the premium price.
Overall I left with a very positive impression and will be bringing all my friends and family to visit the Long Road Distillery but because the prices are premium to match their quality I don’t think it will become my personal hangout bar any time soon.
Elk Brewing now has food menu
Elk Brewing now has a kitchen so you can order food from the brewery instead of from nearby restaurants. Early reviews say the menu is simple but the food is tasty so stop in and let me know what you think! Update My friend tried the Faux Frenchie and loved it.
Railtown Brewing Grand Opening
Railtown Brewery grand opening is set for December 12th, 2014 from 3pm to midnight. They will have five beers on tap including a blond ale, a brown, an IPA, a milk stout and a weizenbock. The Cutlerville-Gaines Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. at the brewery before the doors open on Friday. The taproom has seating for 50 people so come early if you want to get a seat and they don’t serve food but you are welcome to bring your own.
Visit Railtown Brewing facebook page for updates