On the corner of Michigan Street in the heart of Kalamazoo, OLDE PENINSULA BREWPUB had a central bar with extravagant mahogany mantle, back-and-side dining, and fine pub fare, August ‘06.
Glass-encased brew tanks served barley-dried wheat-chaffed popcorn-like Haymarket Light, slimly grape-soured apple-spiced pear-juiced caramel-dipped Sunset Red, soapy raspberry-tart lemon-pitted sourly-embitteredRockin’ Razberry Wheat and creamy black coffee-chocolate-fronted, oaken black cherry-dried, nutty-tarred Midnight Stout.
Better choices were sweet banana-nutty clove-spiced Summer Hefe-Weizen and piney red-fruited floral-spiced alcohol-empowered Opie IPA.
Across the street from Kalamazoo Brewing, in an old yellow brick factory, KRAFTBRAU brewer Jim Quinn relinquished several well-rounded beers, August ‘06 (closed February ’08).
Creaky wood floors, antiquated wood furnishings, small indie band stage, billiard table, and garden deck festoon the rickety walnut-oak bar.
A certain Belgian yeast profile seemed to flutter through buttery, bubble-gummy, coriander-spiced, mandarin orange-grapefruit-banana-fruited Summer Alt and creamy wildflower-honeyed yellow-orange-fruited Pale Ale.
Daintily carbonated, caramelized apple-dipped, fig-clipped Munich Red and subtle coffee bean-fronted, berry-citrus-date-aided Raspberry Porter completed the score.
Two worthy brewpubs and one excellent microbrewery dot this midsize Western Michigan University metropolis perused August ‘06. KALAMAZOO BREWING, located in several large interdependent brick buildings just outside the center of town, is rightfully celebrated for its terrific line of Bell’s bottled stouts and ales. Its brewpub, open since 1991, offered free samples of Beron Wheat, Sparkling Ale, and Porter (reviewed in Beer Index with at least 50 more Bell’s beers).
On a larger scale, since the 90’s, Kalamazoo’s lineup of Bell’s beers, especially the stouts and other ‘big’ beers, have been featured on taps all across America. Easily one of the country’s best breweries.
Across a small bridge and within walking distance of Brugge Brasseire was beige tiki-styled BROAD RIPPLE BREWPUB (visited August ’06), Indiana’s 1st brewpub circa 1990. In the hip northeast section of Indianapolis along the White River and servicing nearby Butler University, its back bar had olden feel due to antique mahogany furnishings and gold hotel ballroom ceiling tile.
Several dinky dining sections found customers munching pizza, fried pickles, mussels, and sandwiches while right side brew tanks offered decent variety of beers.
Light tea-like wheat-chaffed grassy-bottomedLawnmower Pale Ale, sweet malt-fruited tea-honeyed Red Bird Mild, earthen-wooded peppery-hopped floral-grapefruit cask ale ESB, and hazelnut-walnut-almond-blanched hop-charred Diving Duck American Brown were smoothly mild.
Better still were zesty mandarin orange-juiced, lemon-bruised, bubble-gummy Farmhouse Saison Ale, creamy-frothed apple-tangerine-grapefruit-dabbed, piney hop-smoked IPA and coffee-caressed chocolate-milked light body Monon Porter.
Visited Indianapolis’ vibrant Broad Ripple section, August ’06. A recreational riverbank village north of midtown, its small boutique shops and affordable night clubs make this a perfect hotspot for young adults.
Demure tan-bricked BRUGGE BRASSERIE (closed April 2020) did a fascinating job re-creating Belgian ales in an odd mod upscale environment distinguished by weird purple-blue walls, metal chairs-tables, small central bar, and cozy outside deck. Fab menu included crepes, fritas, soups, and stews.
Better than comparable Karmaliet Tripel was creamy Chardonnay-like Tripel De Ripple, a sticky butterscotch-vexed, tartly mandarin orange-hexed, bruised lemon-soured, cotton-candied treat with a slight medicinal kick.
Just as delightful was sweet-n-sour citric-centric fig-pecan-spiced hop-roasted burgundy-barleywine-finishing digestif Dubbel.
Docile ‘American-styled’ Belgian Withad washed-out lemony tartness, candied orange surge, and minor floral-cardamom-chamomile tinge.
Bought bottled selections from Greenwood’s Oaken Barrel Restaurant & Brewery, located 10 miles South of Indianapolis near remote airport. Situated in small Western-styled mall, this exquisite brewpub offered wood-furnished family dining and television-ensconced right side bar (with rear brew tanks). Check Beer Index for reviews of Oaken Barrel’s Alabaster Wit, Gnaw Bone Pale Ale, Razz-Wheat, and Snake Pit Porter.
Across the street from Alcatraz Brewing in downtown area, visited middling RAM RESTAURANT & BIG HORN BREWERY, June ’04. I had dry wheat-chaffedBig Horn Light; blandly wheat-dried yellow-fruited Indy Blonde; flat-hopped banana-clove-soured Big Horn Hefeweizen; red fruit-spiced, tobacco-leafed relaxant Buttface Amber; mild Colombian coffee-roasted, black chocolate-affected Total Disorder Porter; and, most important, majestic perfume-spiced grapefruit-orange rind-embittered Big Red IPA.
Beer snobs would be better off at nearby BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL & BAR. Unlike other chains, bar manager Brian Forsyth and owner Mike De Weese make sure finest tap brews are available. First tasted fabulous J.W. Lees Harvest Port Cask, fruity Upland Maibock, Mad Anthony Ol Woody Pale Ale, Bell’s Winter White Ale, and Arcadia Lake Superior ESB at this unassuming joint (reviews in Beer Index). Take note: Belgian tap selection rivals Pittsburgh’s Sharp Edge.
June ’04 Mid-America trip brought wife and I to stylish central Indiana municipality. As the state capitol, Indianapolis is the third biggest Midwest city (behind Chicago and Detroit). Along the White River and surrounded by prairie lands, its neoclassical limestone-bronzed Soldiers And Sailors Monument overlooked fine downtown San Franciscan-styled ALCATRAZ BREWING (closed September 2013).
Done up in Southwestern motifs and offering decent mid-range brews to go alongside lunchtime fish tacos, burgers, and pizza, this centrally-located restaurant-brewpub attracts businessmen and families. Soft wheat-husked Search Light Golden Ale; light-bodied sunny-spiced citric-hopped sedation Weiss Guy Wheat; and dry red-fruited perfume-hopped caramel-malted Big House Redwere readily approachable.
Black tea-embittered grapefruit-peeled floral-dried herbal-hopped Pelican Pale Ale; wood-burnt mocha-malted English-styled Birdman Brown; and mild chocolate-spiced cherry-wooded coffee-roasted dry-bodiedOld Glory Stout each had greater character.
Former mining community, Central City, is a rustic gambling mecca with one fair brewpub (visited August ’07). DOSTAL ALLEY operates as both slot machine casino and modest brewery. My wife, Karen, played the downstairs slots and won $45 on a single quarter. Small street level bar had gorgeous murals and opposing TV’s and served simple pizza dishes while pint-size deck abutted rear parking lot.
Ridiculously cheap beers ($1.75 for 10-ounce) included corn-sugared oats-toasted citric-embittered grassy-hopped barnyard-dried American City Pale Ale, lazily citric-dabbed, mildly caramel-malted She Said Red Ale and superior creamy vanilla-surged, black-brown chocolate-y, hop-charred, espresso-finishing Shaft House Stout.
Just over the mountainous terrain west of Denver lies one large-scale microbrewery and one rustic brewpub-casino, visited August ‘07. Right off Route 70 in former mining town, Idaho Springs, TOMMYKNOCKER BREWERY resides inside an old warehouse. Cove-like left dining opposes centralized bar and massive brew tanks.
Ate traditional American pub fare alongside tart Tundra Beary and nutty Imperial Nut Brown (reviewed in Beer Index). Afterwards, quaffed malt-spiced floral-honeyed Pick Axe Pale Ale. Take scenic OhMyGod Trail from Central City for awe-inspiring journey.
Formerly an 1880’s landmark blacksmith-hardware post one-mile south of University of Maryland, industrial retro-contemporary tin edifice, FRANKLIN’S RESTAURANT & BREWERY, featured downstairs general store, right side bar, cafeteria dining, and exposed ductwork. Bright red, yellow, and amber paint matched café-styled tablecloths and menu included sandwiches, pizza, soup-salad, seafood, and meat dishes on November ’06 visit.
Behind upstairs left bar were glass-encased brew tanks, where several fine brews were crafted. Both lemon-soured wheat-straw Kolsch-styled Bombshell Blonde and bark-dried, grapefruit-peeled, lemon rind-embitteredAnarchy Ale had maize-hazed hop depth.
Dryly phenol, piney-hopped, apple-pear-inferred Sierra Madre Pale Ale was bettered by similarly mannered, daintily juicy-fruited, English-styled Twisted Turtle Pale Ale. Mocha-burnt cherry-pureed fig-dried Coffee Stout went well with dessert.
Best bets were oak chip-burnt, sharply red-fruited, floral-hopped Chaos and more deviant crystal-chocolate-malted, ice coffee-segued Rubber Chicken Red.
Not to be outdone, watercress-like, earthen-grained, cherry-apple-apricot-spiced Private IPA and its stylistically superior banana-creamed cherry-oozing Nitro IPAare highly recommended.
Bought Green Flash West Coast IPA, Ridgeway Lump Of Coal, and Three Floyd’s Brian Boru Irish Red Ale at Franklin’s general store (reviewed in Beer Index).
During January 2011, sojourned once more to Franklin’s, meeting brewer Mike Roy for short conversation before drinking five previously untried brews at upstairs bar next to glass-encased brewtanks.
Brown-sugared caramel-creamy chocolate-roasted molasses-malted raisin-dried cherry-soured Old Miser Old Ale and equally fine chocolate-browned cocoa-milked vanilla-daubed cherry-pureed peat-malted Highland Hugh Scotch Ale suit dessert connoisseurs.
Cask ale heads will enjoy nitro version of Oatmeal Stout, a soft-watered oats-toasted with black coffee, dark chocolate, and vanilla tones.
Approachable medium-bodied Private IPAcontrasted twiggy bark dryness, orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering and fungi yeast funk against perfumed peach-pineapple-mango tang.
Just as interesting, though bitterer, Northwest Alpha Double Black IPA paraded roasted mocha malts and easygoing tar-like hop-charred bittering across citric-juiced fig-date conflux and latent licorice lick.
Across Hudson River ten miles West, New Paltz-based GILDED OTTER came to prominence in the ’90s before being sold to Clemson Brothers in 2018. On my initial visit, Gilded Otter served several premier brews October ‘04. Its exquisite cultured stone exterior, interior lodge-styled wood design, and covered side deck perfectly fit the hilly terrain, as additional dining, arcade games, and a pool table reside upstairs.
Vast beer menu changes frequently, but standard fare included delicately citric-hopped straw wheat light-body Huguenot Street American Lager, tea-like mocha-smoked soft-spiced New Paltz Crimson Lager, pale malt-sugared orange-lemon peel-embittered hop-spiced Rail Trail Pale Ale and sharply fruit-spiced pine-needled Three Pines India Pale Ale.
Expressive dry-roasted coffee-burnt maple-nutty Chief Mat SaySay Porter and milky-sweet hazelnut-coffee wood-chafedStone House Oatmeal Stoutreached perfection.
Variegated autumnal seasonals include light-bodied pumpkin-cinnamon-clove-fringed mash tun-soured Ottertoberfest, pumpkin pie-encrusted cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice-spiced Clove Valley Pumpkin Ale and bolder pumpkin-spiced vanilla-creamed stout-backed Stumpkin Ale.
On September ’08 revisit, met long-time brewer Darren Currier with beer pal Al Gutierrez and sucked down soft-bodied lemony banana-clove-centered sour-candied popcorn-buttered herbal-tinged Hefeweizen and strangely illuminating aluminum-hued Back Porch Summer Lager, with its washed-out blueberry frontage, club soda fizz, and dry husked wheat backend.
Better yet were bittersweet molasses-glazed malt-smoked chocolate-roasted fig-soured twig-teased dry-bodied Dusseldorf Altbier and lactic black chocolate-y espresso-creamed coffee-burnt sarsaparilla-tinged wood-smoked Stone House Export Stout.
Currier then brought out 12-ounce bottle of private stocked Centennial Barleywine, a heady top-shelfer with creamy cognac urgency serenading red apple-ripened apricot-cherry-pear fruiting, subtle brandy-burgundy boozing and bruised banana-orange swirl over buttery caramel-toffee malts.
Driving one-hour South from Albany, October ’10, I quaffed a few more libations before a late-afternoon Yankees-Rangers playoff showdown came on. Discovered two OK brews that might not have reached the glorious heights set by Dusseldorf Altbier and Stone House Export Stout, but were gratifying nonetheless.
Next up, cascade-headed mahogany-bodiedStone House Cream Stout may’ve lacked expected creaminess, but its lactic milk-sugared entry and cocoa-dried chocolate caking accrued cherry-pied grape-stemmed dried fruiting above dinky vegetal nuances to good affect.
PREFIX: Perhaps the greatest bottled beer selection in America resides in Poughkeepsie, a rocky terrace town off the Hudson River sixty miles north of Manhattan. Even after sucking down 2,500 different beers by July ’03, I found 50 more (including new local selections by Wagner Valley, Middle Ages, Southern Tier, and Cooperstown) at spectacular HALF TIME, then 25 more, August ’04, another 22, October ’04, and 18 more, September ’07.
Up North ten miles from Half Time on Route 9W lies HYDE PARK BREWING, a cozy farmhouse sports bar with brew tanks both above the central wooden bar and to the right upon entering. Located in Franklin Roosevelt’s hometown, this New Hyde Park brewpub, across the street from Marist College, has dartboards, arcade games, and a fabulous antique beer can collection, visited October ’04, then September ‘07.
From lightest to heaviest, its fair-to-middling brews included lemony hop-embittered, wheat-strawed, corn-starched, Munich-styled Helles, Big Easy Blonde; softly carbonated metallic-rimmed maize-dried Saaz-hopped earthen-backed Bohemian-styled Winkle Lager; tart orange-peeled banana-dried Barrel 9; and cherry-orange-tart, tobacco-sweet, butter-nutted, wheat-biscuit-y Rough Rider Red Lager.
Prickly-hopped, Band-aid-wafted, dried-fruited, diacetyl-laden S.O.B; cocoa-nutty fig-soured coffee-oiled Schwarzbier-styled Von Schtupp’s Dark Lager; soft mocha-dried Mary P.’s Porter; and creamy espresso relaxant Chaos Dry Stoutwere only slightly weightier.
KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
