Favorites Friday!

I don't have any children, but if I did, and I had many, I would imagine it would be difficult to select which one I like the best. I feel this way about beer, selecting one as the "best" would be impossible. I don't have a single favorite. I have a constellation of favorites. Fridays will be my day to embarrass my "beer children" by bragging about their accomplishments on a public forum. Here he is:

                                                 Vanilla Java Porter
                                           Atwater Brewery, Detroit                                

                        I bought this 6 pack for $8.00 at Meijer. Specialty stores probably sell it by the bottle (Siciliano's does!)

I used to think I was NOT a dark beer girl. I thought dark beer would be filling, and hoppy, and smoky and gross. This changed my beer outlook on life. I love coffee, I love vanilla and now I love porters. This beer is perfect as you transition into porters or stouts. At a decent 6.00% alcohol by volume, it is still very drinkable. I like to think of the Vanilla Java Porter as a treat, or dessert beer. There are some people who actually think this beer is too sweet, obviously I am not one of those naysayers. The aroma of vanilla is heavenly, so make sure to put it a glass and take a big sniff. In the picture above I used a Russian Imperial Stout glass, which did the trick. This is not a drink to keep in the bottle, so lovingly pour it into a glass, put your feet up and Treat. Yo. Self.

You're going to love it.

So Now What?

So you've decided to try some "good" beer. Does that mean you have to go to Founder's Brewery and randomly order to a beer off of the menu? Probably not. There are samplers at microbreweries to get a better idea of what you like, but that can be expensive- especially for a college student. Some beers can cost $6.00 a pint in house, which is a pricy taste-test.

My suggestion: go to a specialty store. Here in Grand Rapids, you can find a HUGE variety of beer to buy per bottle. This is perfect for the ladies who are commitment-phobic. Instead of buying a $10.00 six pack of the same type of beer, you can hand select whichever brands and bottles catch your eye.

Currently, I'm obsessed with Siciliano's Market on Lake Michigan Drive. They have a huge selection of domestic and imported beer, as well as wine and coffee. Every bottle has a price sticker and you can just grab one beer or fill up a 4, 6, 12 or 24 pack. The best part: the staff are as friendly as they are knowledgeable.  Ask questions, tell them what you like, what you don't like, and I guarantee you'll leave with some awesome brews.

Go check the store out. Or look at their website. Seriously do it.
http://www.sicilianosmkt.com/

Also they have free bumper stickers. Now you have to go visit.

Brew On.

Ladies, Step Away from the Franzia...

If you love slappin' the bag, please don't be mad at me. I just think if Sangria out of a nozzle is stopping you from experiencing beer in it's best form, you should probably put the box away. I'm no expert, other than I like beer.With that being said, I think it's time for introductions:

 I'm Kellie. I've recently turned 21, and am spending my first legal drinking year in Beer City USA(AKA Grand Rapids). So far, I'm enjoying it, but it's a little overwhelming at times.

I thought growing up with a wannabe brewmaster for a dad would make me savvy in the world of craft beer...but I'm not quite there yet. I'm drinking my way through the confusion though. Practice makes perfect.

What shocks me is the amount of girls I meet who tell me they " just don't like beer." This is not a man's drink. There is a beer for every lady, and your favorite doesn't have to be the same as your sorority sisters. There are a gazillion different types to sample, so if you don't like a piss flavored "lite" beer in an economical 30 pack, try something else.

I'm hoping to help you try "something else." We can explore Michigan craft beers, out of state and even imported. I'll try to explain the different types of beer(even thought at this point I honestly can't distinguish a porter from a stout). I'll even show you what I'm drinking and when I'm drinking, which is often.

My dad reads Draft Magazine, and has traveled all over the country to the best breweries, so he can be our spirit guide. Also, we'll do crafts, and pair food with our beers. Together we'll acquire the taste of hoptastic IPAs, and stumble our way through High Gravity varieties, and hopefully emerge as informed women in the world of beer.

Prost!