The Great SW Michigan BEER RUN!

The Great SW Michigan BEER RUN!

There is no better cigar drink than an ice cold beer.  Not some watered down Coors Lite, a good full flavored beer.  I am lucky enough to live close to many great craft breweries. This Saturday, me and a couple buddies embarked on The Great SW Michigan BEER RUN!  During this 15.5 hour excursion, we traveled a total of 275 miles and visited 8 local craft breweries.  The map of our adventure is below...

1.  Round Barn Brewery - Baroda, MI 



A beautiful brewery with fantastic grounds and facilities.  Included on the premises are a round barn for wine tasting, a distillery, and of course the beer barn.

Round barn for wine tasting.

A view from the beer barn.

 

Ceiling inside the Round Barn

The Beer Barn!

LINE 'EM UP!  Ellie (my daughter and designated driver for the evening) and Tommy.

The beers were delicious.  Some of our favorites were:  Cocoa stout, Oaked IPA, and Bob's your uncle. 

Beer rating (2.5 out of 4).  Overall experience 3.5

2.  Greenbush Brewing - Sawyer, MI

 

What an iconic facade!

Set smack dab in the middle of the little town of Sawyer, MI.  A very friendly neighborhood place.

 

A rainbow of Greenbush beers!

The beers were a step above.  Some of our favorites were... Closure (a hoppy pale ale), and Distorter (porter) and Rage (black IPA 14.6% ABV)

Beer rating 3.  Overall experience 3.5

3.  The Livery - Benton Harbor, MI

This was a cool looking building from the outside.  However the inside was nothing special.  The atmoshpere was dismal.  There was a woman folding Livery T-shirts in the middle of the bar.  the only other people in there were a family with several noisy kids.  The beers were horrible, actually almost undrinkable.  The only beer that was even tolerable was their Basket Case Oatmeal Stout.  Will never go back! 
Beer rating 0.  Overall experience 0.5



4.  New Holland Brewery - Holland, MI

Holland, Michigan is a beautiful quaint little town.  This brewery is situated right in it's heart.  Nice looking facilities.  The food was good and they also make their own gin and whisky.  I have a bottle of their Knickerbocker gin at home (from a previous visit) and its is very tasty.  After our visit to the brewery, we went next door to Kilwin's ice cream shop and enjoyed their rum raisin.        





A sampling of New Holland Beer.

Some of our Favorite New Holland Beers were... Dragon's Milk (ale aged in oak barrels) and Night Tripper (imperial stout). 

Tommy sampling a Sun Dog.

Beer rating 3.5.  Over all experience 3.5

5.  Founders Brewing Company - Grand Rapids, MI

 

What a beautiful day for drinking beer!

This was the largest facility that we visited.  Beautiful building and great active atmosphere.



Ellie, Smitty, and Bdawg inside the hallowed grounds!



Smitty can't wait to imbibe!

Great beer.  A step above.  Some of our favorites were...Double Trouble (imperial IPA) and Curmudgeon (old ale brewed with molasses).

Beer Rating 3.5.  Over all experience 3.



6.  Brewery Vivant - Grand Rapids, MI

This brewery is set inside an old church and specializes in Belgian Style beer.



Inside an old church now converted to a brewery.

Check out the stain glass window which is also in the picture above.

The beer was decent.  Some of our favorites were... Solitude (Abby ale) and Big Red Coq (twss) (amber/red ale).  

Beer rating 2.5.  Overall experience 2.5

7.  Schmohz Brewery - Grand Rapids, MI

 A cross between a dive bar and a brewery.  But the beer was OK.





Cigar smoking was allowed in their beer garden which really increased the overall experience for me.

Beer Rating 2.   Overall experience 2.5



8.  Bell's Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI

Entrance to Bell's tap room!

Bell's is beautiful brewery with a cool interior and 2 gorgeous beer gardens.

What a beautiful sight! 11 of Bell's Best!

The best overall beer in the run.  Every beer would be rated a 3.5 or 4.  Some of our favorites were the Best Brown, Oberon(wheat ale) and our #1 favorite beer of the day... Two Hearted (intensely hopped ale).

The whole gang!  Smitty, Tommy, Stella (the bartender), Ellie, and Bdawg

 Beer rating 4.  Overall experience 3.5