Two regular dudes who happen to be huge fans of American craft beer.
Based on Rich’s twit from yesterday I wouldn’t mind getting a taste of ’09 Baume at the brewery. Also, according to their blog, they should have released Big Hugs, their American imperial stout. It is the perfect time of the year to go have my first at the Half Acre Beer Company while picking up a bomber and possibly a growler of Daisy Cutter.
Everyone have a happy and safe New Years Eve. Enjoy!
Hard to believe it has been nearly a week since I have found time to write something here. Hopefully the next few days will be a flurry of posts with the highlight a vertical of Short’s Brewing Company beers.
The trip erupted from a brain storming that my wife and I had Christmas evening. Yes, the kids had all their toys and were happy, but getting out of the house for a day (at least what I was thinking) would be fun, especially since it centered around beer. She one upped me and said that we should spend the night in or near Grand Rapids, Michigan since there was several places in and around there that I had mentioned I wanted to visit. nike cortez femmes Reservations were quickly made for a hotel (under $65 total, damn thrifty wife) and breweries, brew pubs, and beer stores quickly scouted for address information.
Early Friday we were off with our first destination set in the GPS to New Holland Brewing Company. I was looking forward to doing a brewery hop while attending the 2:30pm (local time) brewery tour. Of course things are never as they seem. As we meandered through an industrial park we found a sheet metal sided building with no name on it being pointed at by the GPS. Luckily the basketball hoop had a New Holland sticker on it or I would have no idea where I was at. The next thing we noticed: no cars. Yes, it had been snowing but not enough to keep everyone away!?! The “truck” entrance on the side of the building was open and a single man walked. He said that everyone decided to take off for the holidays. That is great but how about publishing it on your website and/or on your phone recording. Honestly, that pissed me off.
We then set the GPS for New Holland Restaurant which was only a few minutes away and located in downtown New Holland. This place is well worth the visit. The food, the service, and, of course, the beer are all top notch. The prices are better than you would expect. I even got a free Dragon’s Milk on tap as the bartender somehow screwed up and poured an extra. Oh darn.
Next destination: Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids. I really enjoy their beers and this was probably the place that I was most excited about visiting. Unfortunately, everyone, outside of my wife, fell asleep on the ride over. 🙁 Oh well, I took an outside picture, went inside, checked out the bar (the place is really a bar as ordering of food after 3pm seems to only take place through a little hole in the wall into the kitchen), and looked in awe at their brewing equipment. You could only see the equipment through windows, as they don’t give tours, nike kobe 9 but they have a huge facility/capacity based on what I could see. The place was jumping midday Saturday, so I couldn’t chew the fat with anyone.
The short visit was over. I didn’t have a beer as I didn’t want to keep my wife sitting in the car doing nothing while I enjoyed one of my vices. Off to Hop Cat which was less than a mile away.
Hop Cat is a cozy street corner bar and brew pub. It was sort of dark and my oldest and myself just walked in to check it out. It seemed like all eyes were on us when we walked in. No matter. The patronage seemed a little more upscale but that was based on a quick scan of the bar. We walked to the back of the beer pub to look at their brewery. Small. About the size a master bedroom. Once again, because of the amount of places I wanted to see, nothing more than the walk through.
Siciliano’s beer store was our next destination a beer store that I have read good things about. I was a little apprehensive as other stores that had come highly recommended have come up short, way short, in the past.
Holy Cow! This place was awesome. Not big but a great use of space. Very friendly and helpful staff walked me around and helped me pick out beers not distributed to Chicagoland. Each beer on the shelves and in the coolers are all individually labeled for sale. Yes, you do not have to buy a six pack of anything. Just pick the beers, pick up an empty sixer cardboard case, and start filling it up. What a great idea and well welcomed idea. I ended up getting some 20 different beers, as I picked up a couple of doubles for Rich.
We stopped at the Hideout Brewing Company but they were closed. No indication that they would be closed.
Off to Grand Rapids Brewing Company for a pint and dinner. The nostalgia that they had all around the restaurant was pretty cool; dating back to the early 1900s. nike kobe 9 elite gs Unfortunately that’s where they goodness sort of ran out. My wife and I had a pint of their beer that was average at best. The food was the same. Nothing special, nothing horrible, it just didn’t make us say wow like New Holland’s food did. The prices were average all the way around but based on the quality, I guess you could say overpriced. Our waitress was nothing fantastic as she made the job seem more like a chore. I would stop again to give them another chance.
Grand Rapids and area has a great wealth of breweries, brew pubs, beer stores, and beer bars all seemingly worth the visit. All the places I visited, especially Founders, I would like to go back on an adult tour so that I could have a pint or three at each of the places. Enjoy!
Flossmoor Station Brewery beers that they bottle and sell locally througout the Chicagoland area.
Tomorrow, Friday, Rich and I will be heading out to Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery in Flossmoor, IL to hang out with the brewer, Bryan. Sandi, who I contacted via email air jordan spizike was awesome enough to set up this entire get together and we plan on being there around 10:00am to see what the day will bring.
Flossmoor is actually my old stomping grounds while growing up as I lived my entire pre-married life in Homewood. So it will be a sort of home coming of sorts for me. I have been to the station before for a few drinks but never to check out the brewery.
We will be taking some pictures, asking lots of questions, and, hopefully, tasting a few beers. Realistically I don’t know what the day will bring but I know that we will be able to get the inside scoop on a quality brewery from the south suburbs of Chicago. Enjoy!
Surly Brewing Fest Poster - I know it doesn't go along with the aritcle, but it is from Surly and it is pretty darn tootin' cool.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to go with a friend of mine up to Darkness Days at Surly Brewing Company in Brooklyn Center, MN. I was super excited as that night we also enjoyed a wonderful bottle of Darkness. It was impossible not to be excited: I would have the chance to pick up six bottles for myself (yes, I would share) air jordan 7 and enjoy in the festivities of Darkness Days.
As is life, I was thrown a curve ball the other day that will completely abolish my plans to attend. I am a little upset as I always get worked up to go to cool happenings but I know it if for the best and my presence elsewhere will be greatly appreciated.
I just hope Mark shares another bottle and takes a few pictures so I can get an idea of what I will be in for in 2010. Enjoy!
Two Beer Dudes home page is just about done being marked up. The navigation design is still to be decided on, the footer is about 90% finished, while the seasonal indicator is about 50% figured. Otherwise the rest is what it will probably be when the site goes officially live in October (hopefully).
Check out the design: http://www.twobeerdudes.com/page/index2 and provide your feedback, we welcome it. Enjoy!
Anytime we take a trip more than an hour from home, I try to find a beer store or brewery that we can stop off at. Today we were headed to my cousin’s house in Dyer, IN to go apple picking. I have already been to Three Floyds this summer but I can’t pass up a chance for another stop. Also, I have heard about a beer store nearby that has Stone and a few others not available in Illinois.
We put in the address for the Liquor Store in Highland, IN first. After an hour or so of driving, Michael, my two year old, air jordan 9 and I headed into the store while everyone else was sound asleep.
From the information I have read on the net about the store I knew the American craft beer section would be just inside the door. Anticipation. The staff at the store isn’t that helpful. The beer selection for Stone is outstanding and they have a fair amount of Three Floyds to boot. They have various other regional beers too. A nice selection but not great.
My purchase list is full of Stone and FFF with a thrown in from Michigan Brewing Company.
Not a bad haul and at a fair price. air jordan 10 At the front register they did have a big table or two with at least one six pack of every Oktoberfest beer they had on hand. A nice touch for someone looking for a season brew. I plan on visiting this store in the future.
Next, off to Three Floyds in Munster, IN, only a 10 minute drive away. By the time we arrived, my oldest, had to use the bathroom so her and I headed into beer pub.
The beer pub was full but not bursting. The bathroom is very close to the end of the bar so I asked one of the bar staff what they had on tap I couldn’t get any where else and if they had any bombers I couldn’t get outside of the brewery. He quickly replied they had Arctic Panzer Wolf on tap, which is an American Double IPA. I had one of those, darn tasty. He also said they had Jinx Proof in bombers. I grabbed one of those.
A successful beer trip to Indiana. Thank you to my wife for always allowing me to tack on these beer expeditions to our trips. Enjoy!
Some good old cows by the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Oh yeah, it is Wednesday, time for another beer store visit. Even thought I promised my wife I wouldn’t be purchasing any new beers (unless life-or-death), I still brought my wallet. If she asks, it was out of habit
I don’t know if I have ever mentioned this in roshe run flywire the past but I thought it was a safe assumption: since the site is based on American craft beer, my purchases and questions center around that idea. When I go to the beer store, there are many other foreign and macro beers that they get in each week, just not that interested.
This week was a little slow with the following new faces:
The Torpedo Extra IPA was just a refill as they haven’t had it in stock for a while. It is a year round beer. Anniversary Ale is one that is made around this time every year by Sierra Nevada. Hoptober I purchased up in Wisconsin recently, strange that it took another 2 – 3 weeks longer to get here. Best Brown is a really good beer and I almost pulled the trigger but it has hard to hide a five liter in your pocket. 🙂
Travis and I did get a few minutes to chat about beer and brewing. Always two topics on the top of my list. We both have been curtailing our drinking as of late, so we could only talk about beers of days gone past. Enjoy!
Yes, I go to the beer store every Wednesday like most people attend church on Sunday morning. It is my break in the week that I really look forward to and can’t wait to find what liquid goodness is on the docket for the current trip. But as most of us, I am feeling the tightening grip of the economy.
No, I won’t stop going and letting everyone know what new refreshments can be had each week, I just won’t be actually buying. nike zoom hyperrev Caveat: something rare or something that I have been anticipating.
With the Great Lakes Brew Fest, Two Beer Dudes Oktoberfest site kickoff party, and a trip to Surly Brewing for Darkness on the horizon, I can’t afford to waste my hard earned pennies.
What was new this week:
It was really tough not to pick up Robert the Bruce as I would really like to try that one. About as close as I think I will get to detoxing as I started to get the shakes as I left the beer store empty handed.
Only three more days until Great Lakes Brew Fest. Love that feeling of anticipation. Enjoy!
In my quest to brew my first beer, I have been scouring the internet for a cornucopia of brewing knowledge. No matter how many online radio shows or articles I listen to, it is nothing like actually brewing and/or talking to live people who are answering your question(s) directly. Hence my bug to brew has grown even more and my search for a local brew shop upped in precedence.
So this past weekend I decided to see what was in the area. I emailed several different stores and even brewing clubs with not much reaction. Finally, I received a quick reply from a home brewing club right out of Aurora, IL: Headhunters Brewing Club. They are close, seem super nice, and their next monthly meeting is this Friday, September 18th. The guys I talked to via email: Jason and Tom, let me know more about the club, what they are about, nike lebron 11 and even the fact that they have a mailing list for asking questions.
They invited me to the meeting on Friday and said they are more than happy to take a look at my 12 year old, hand-me-down, brewing equipment. Yes, I am very excited because, after this meeting, the only thing left for me to do will get enough bombers to fill up when I brew. My wife is getting my brew kettle today on her lunch hour. She is awesome 😀 Enjoy!