Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:02 pm
As for Michigan, we have many great breweries, and it seems another opens every month. Of course Bell's is the most well known, but I have to say Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor and Traverse City is the brewery that I think does the most interesting beers. It's nice to see a craft brewery that's interested in something other than how extremely hoppy they can make a beer. They do a lot of sour/funky stuff, and age most of their beers in oak barrels and blend. Short's is another really creative brewery, always doing something new and experimental. Brewery Vivant, which recently opened in Grand Rapids has some excellent Belgians, but for now they don't bottle or distribute. The bar is REALLY cool though, a restored old church. Dark Horse in Marshall is good and seems to be getting even better all the time. I have never been that high on Founder's - it's OK but I have never drank one of their beers I felt was truly outstanding. For those of you who have never been to Bell's eccentric cafe, you miss out on the many beers they make that are only served there. As for their bottled standards like Two hearted, I could take or leave them(You know you're spoiled when you're actually sick of Bell's beer). And I am starting to think that I HATE hopslam. Don't get me wrong, I love hops(I am a brewer after all). It just seems that most American microbreweries are currently in a contest to see who can make the hoppiest beer. My tongue is about to melt off! Pretty soon they'll just be serving us a mug full of wet hop flowers to drink out of. I haven't drank an IPA in months, I just can't take any more ultra-hoppy beers right now.
