Quote:
Originally Posted by GloucesterChief
Visited Grand Rapids a few weekends ago. Part of the trip was a brewery crawl. Visited five:
Grand Rapids Brewing Company: Had lunch and beer. Honey Brown Ale was pretty good.
Founders: Had Dirty Bastard and Mango Magnifico. Magnifico is a dangerous beer 10% ABV with not a hint of alcohol taste. Tasted like a Mango- tamarind punch with a spicy kick at the end.
Elk: Got a flight of ESB, Hefeweizen, cream soda ale, amber ale, and coffee stout. Coffee stout was the best. Hefeweizen was most disappointing as it was weak. Cream Soda ale was odd. Sweet up front, then beer bitterness, then a cream soda vanilla aftertaste.
Brewery Vivant: Had Wit, Raspberry ale, Malt Guild, and hard cider. The cider was the best very tart and dry. Everything was good. Wished they distributed outside of Michigan.
Harmony Brewing and Pizza: Had Grand Jubilation which was a Berliner Weisee half and half with lemonade. Very good and sour. The lemonade wasn't sweet so it didn't come off as cloying.
Ranked:
Founders
Brewery Vivant
Harmony
Grand Rapids Brewing
Elk
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I just got home from a business trip to Grand Rapids and did a 5 Michigan breweries in 5 days self challenge.
Brewery Vivant - great taproom (old funeral home) and friendly people. Good beers, just not my preferred styles.
Founders - I've been before but it's another good taproom. Tried a couple experimental hopped beers and BA reDANKulous
Bell's - swung through Kalamazoo on my way home. Of course had to get a Two Hearted at the source
Tapistry - eh, across the street from Transient Artisan Ales
Transient Artisan Ales - finally got a chance to visit their taproom. Super raw space, but his barrel aged releases are on point. Highly recommend any TAA beers you can find.
I brought a haul of MI beers home with me, mostly Odd Sides we don't get here and some Jolly Pumpkins. There's certainly worse places to travel for work.