Let's Go to the Movies

Do you like beer?
Do you like Michigan beer?
Do you want to know more about Michigan beer?

Of course you do. That's why you need to go see The Michigan Beer Film. And you're in luck, because it's coming to a bar, theater or park near you in the not-so-distant future.

The Michigan Beer Film has been a labor of love from the folks of Rhino Media Productions, based out of Kalamazoo. The crew has spent a year and a half traveling around to the best in-state breweries to showcase why Michigan deserves to be "The Great Beer State." The Michigan Beer Film spends almost two hours talking to beer-heads and beer drinkers about the boom in the world of Michigan microbreweries. I haven't actually seen it yet, but you can bet your ass that I'll be at Riverside Park for the official Grand Rapids Premiere of the film. The event says it's BYOB, so I'll have a cooler with me and I guarantee I'll be having a good time. When else do I have the opportunity to drink at a film premiere? Legally? Almost never.

Quick! Watch the Official Michigan Beer Film trailer here:
http://vimeo.com/75323089

If you liked what you just saw on the trailer, here are the upcoming dates and Michigan venues of the film:

10/17--Riverside Park, Grand Rapids
11/01--The Box Factory, St. Joseph
11/07--The Fillmore, Detroit
11/08--The Strand, Paw Paw
11/20--Bells Brewery, Kalamazoo
12/05--Wealthy Street Theater, Grand Rapids
12/06--Wealthy Street Theater, Grand Rapids

***Be sure to check out the website mibeerfilm.com to find out ticket prices and film times***

I've given you plenty of advanced notice to coordinate your schedule with your cool beer-drinking friends. Now you have no excuse to miss out on this Michigan-made film all about Michigan-brewed beer.

How to Drink Good Beer and Still Pay Your Rent

The Greater Grand Rapids Area has a special way of making me fall in love over and over again with craft beer. But at times I have to decide between buying groceries for the week and a night out at a microbrewery trying new brew. Good thing Grand Rapids has ways of letting us drink great beer for a good price. 

First, I bought a four-person beer flight Groupon from New Holland Brewing for $18. When you divide the total cost between my three roommates and myself it means I get to try multiple beers on the cheap. Seriously though, go sign up for a Groupon account. People might laugh at you at first, but then they'll be jealous as they watch you save some serious cash. I always see discounts at microbreweries and on anything else you think you want but probably don't need. That's just how Groupon works.

Also today, my aforementioned roommate brought me the latest issue of Revue Magazine—which is the  free West Michigan Entertainment Guide. This month the issue is all about Michigan beer, baby. We're kind of a big deal. People know us.

I realize that I talk about Michigan beer constantly. But I can't help but get excited about Michigan's rise to fame in the world of craft beer. Even though I did absolutely nothing to get GR on the map, I have the tendency to talk to people from my hometown like I was some sort of Sacajawea figure in The Grand Rapids Journey to Beer Stardom. Truth is, I wasn't even 21 when Grand Rapids was honored with the title last year. Now that I'm of age, I can see how much the Michigan beer industry deserves to be called "The Great Beer State."  

The unending stream of hard work and great product from Michigan Brewers is why the October Revue decided to devote an entire issue to our beer. The contributors of this issue covered all of their bases. One of the reasons I mention it on today's blog is because it has coupons, promotions and upcoming events all throughout West Michigan—not just in Grand Rapids. But it's also jam packed with places to buy beer and beer making supplies. Plus, there are articles on the history of old and new microbreweries from across this side of the state. Most importantly, I found out that Bell's Brewery sells hooded onesies with side pockets to hold not one, but two beers. Groupon better have a promotion on these soon, because I need one in every color.

I kid you not, it has a butt-flap.

Now you have just two things left to do:

1. Get a Groupon. Even if it's only to day drink with your friends for a discounted price—it'll be worth it. Right now there's an offer for 63% off of a sampler at The Hideout Brewery, you know you want to go.

2. Regardless of where you live, if you like craft beer you have to read about Michigan beer in the Revue. But if you live around here, feel free to take advantage of the promotions. And if you can't find the Revue nearby, or live outside of its distribution, don't fret. You can read it as many times as you'd like online, right here:  http://revuewm.com/current-issue

As an English major I've already come to terms with my future of financial instability. Groupon and special beer promotions are the only way to drink for less while still being able to pay my rent. Without the options of saving money on beer, I would most likely be living in a van down by the river by now. Thanks Groupon!

The Hangover: Homecoming Edition

This past weekend was my little college's homecoming. That means there was a lot of school spirit, a few lacrosse games, and a hopping beer tent. The beer tent was especially noteworthy this year because we only had Michigan craft beer—which was a first. I took full advantage of drinking as much Michigan beer as I could on Saturday, and had the hangover on Sunday to prove it.

The theme of the afternoon.

The beer tent opened its flaps to the public at 1 pm, but offered a special sampling an hour early. AKA—I was drinking by noon. Don’t worry, I had alumni and other beer nerds drinking right alongside me so there was no judgement whatsoever. Even the president of my college was there at high noon tossing 'em back with me. He's the best. All in all, I sampled six very different Michigan craft beers hailing from the East Side to the West. Bear with me as I try to describe them, the details are a little hazy. I may have pre-gamed the beer tent Jamaican Style:

Nothing like a few Red Stripes before noon.

  

Here's what I can remember about the six Michigan beers that we sampled:

Perrin's Golden Ale: This was the first beer of the sampling. It was super light and little bit malty. Some of the drinkers at my table found the Perrin Golden Ale to be comparable to Bud Light...and I can't disagree. But if you like your macro-brews, definitely try this out and support the little guys too.

Rochester Mills' Milkshake Stout:I was initially excited to see this sweet treat on the selection list because I love stouts, a lot. The Milkshake Stout was sugary with an obvious chocolate presence and coffee flavor. It was fairly thin though, which was fine for binge drinking on a Saturday afternoon, but outside of the beer tent this wouldn't be my first choice for a stout.

Arcadia's Jaw-Jacker: It was more like a shot of Fireball mixed into apple cider than a pumpkin beer. Don't get me wrong—it was good—but the immediate taste of cloves, sweet cinnamon and allspice dominated the overall flavor. Although, most of the drinkers at my table thought this was the best beer of the afternoon. It definitely was memorable.

Right Brain's Will Power Pale Ale: I'm pretty sure I liked this one. From what I remember it had a light burst of hops, which was welcome after all of the spice from the Jaw-Jacker. The Will Power was a solid version of the English Pale Ale—a little bitter,  hoppy, citrusy and a teeny bit sweet. 

Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest: I'm not sure what was going on here, and I'm not trying to start anything...but this wasn't very good. At all. And I'm 50% German, so it's not personal. Maybe the beer truck just had a bad batch, or maybe my palate isn't sophisticated enough to appreciate this style of beer. All I know is that my table thought this tasted like bready, dirty water. That's all that I'm going to say.

Petoskey's Mind's Eye PA: My beer drinkers were divided on this one. A few thought it was too bitter or too dry. However, I've been diggin' IPAs lately. Personally, I thought the assertive hoppy flavor was a good addition to the Michigan beer line-up.

Long story short: my hangover was definitely worth it. Sure, all the beers weren't home runs but that's what sampling is about. You find out what you like and then you know what to look for in the future. Plus, this style of sampling exposed me to microbreweries from all over Michigan, some that I had never tried before, and it only cost me $10. But, the shining moment of the beer tent was simply getting to day drink with my college prez. If you knew him, you'd understand.

Where My Ladies At?

Light a candle. Draw a bath. Listen to Lay, Lady, Lay on repeat. This Friday Favorite is like champagne/wine mixed with beer. Go buy Soft Parade by Short’s Brewing and have some “you time.” I know it sounds creepy, but bear with me. My dad thinks this beer isn't “beery” enough, but I love it, and so will you. 

Lately, I've been clogging up my blog with hoppy IPA’s or dark, rich, porters. It’s great that I love them but I need to branch out. I have an infinite amount of room in my heart for various  types of beers because I'm single—let's not bring it up again. It’s time to slow it down and class it up. 

Soft Parade is a great mix of both worlds. The fruit isn't artificial tasting—which often happens in blueberry or cherry beers. Instead, it incorporates an odd combination of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries into a high gravity ale. In case you’re like me and don’t know what a high gravity beer is: it pretty much means that the final alcohol content or gravity is higher. Soft Parade clocks in at 9% ABV. The only problem is: you can’t taste the high level of alcohol. After one of these mamas, I’m feeling it without realizing that it is highly alcoholic. I love that level of bang for your buck—am I right?

My roommate Gabi took this. She's pretty talented. 

So, I poured it into a tulip-ish glass and it looked like blush wine, ruby pink in hue, slightly bubbly with barely any head. You can immediately smell the fruits of the forest. By then you'll want to take a drink. It tastes like sleeping in late on the weekends and watching “Gilmore Girls” until noon. It tastes like every Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks romance movie ever made. If those details aren't descriptive enough, or you’re a man that needs more convincing—I’ll tell you the real sensory details. It’s immediately sweet but there is a significant taste of rye beer—which makes it worthwhile. The fruit flavor isn't overwhelming but the beer finishes like champagne: crisp and sweet. It’s almost like a wine cooler without the guilt of actually buying and enjoying a wine cooler.

Please don’t think you have to be a lady to drink this. This is not a feminine beverage. I am not sexist and I am not adhering to gender stereotypes, I am simply saying I like this beer, I’m a girl and other girls and guys should try it too. This is 2013, let’s start acting like it. 

It's Impossible to Turn Down Half Off Pints.

I know that I wrote about Founders last week when they reopened for ArtPrize. But that was all from word of mouth. Tonight, I actually checked out the expansion for myself, and it was impressive. I’m talking two open fire-pits impressive, and a whole lotta extra seating.

You may think that Founders is paying me for all of the publicity on my blog. But they are not— yet (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). I would be happy one day to try their beer and get paid for my inebriated ramblings about it, but that day is not today. But, I can still appreciate $2.50 pints on Mondays; it’s almost as good as free beer.

Tonight, my roommates wanted to celebrate a hard day of classes. I had a rough weekend of watching “The I.T. Crowd” on Netflix and drinking. Then today, I had one 75 minute class, so yeah; I was ready to cut loose for a night, keep your judgments to yourself. Plus, I have a few papers that I still have to write for tomorrow and drinking is one of the most effective means of procrastinating. What have I said before about “writing drunk and editing sober?” That it’s genius, and guarantees success.***

We found a DD for the night (god bless her) and headed down to the new and improved Founders Brewing Co. It’s beautiful. The porch now stretches almost to the road, with brick tiles, high top tables and two glorious fire pits. The ceiling is equipped with massive heaters that would scare the shit out of even the largest birds. Now the outdoor porch has its own bar, complete with an attentive bar staff, tall chairs and beer—duh.

The all-season eating/dining area has blossomed as well. The inside used to seem cramped, as though unless you arrived at an off time you couldn't find a table. Now the seating stretches past the kitchen and into a whole new alcove. Founders has managed to keep the cozy microbrew vibe all the while expanding to fit the booming industry. I know that Founders rushed to complete the project in time for ArtPrize, but they did a phenomenal job.

That's me, with the Inspired Artist Black IPA. I am absolutely feeling the 7.5%.

Speaking of ArtPrize, I finally drank the Inspired Artist Black IPA in the most delicious form: draft. I’m warming up to IPAs, and this one was gooooood. It wasn’t too bitter—as I always fear IPAs will be—but had a strong citrus flavor that mixed well with a hint of smoky pine. It was a 7.5% ABV, but it disguised the alcohol content a little too well for a Monday night (again, this is not a place to judge me). I ended up getting a Centennial IPA too. The Centennial IPA was  hop-heavy with more citrus and honey flavors than I was expecting. As my second beer of the night the flavors had the dangerous ability to hide the high alcohol content, which was a smooth and unassuming 7.2%. Although it was a Monday night and I have a long list of things to do this week, it was so worth it. Beer is always worth it.






***This is also a very good way to flunk out of college if you’re not an English major. Even if you are an English major, please don’t follow this advice.

ArtPrize and Beer

Founders just finished a massive expansion project —on a Monday, the day of $2.50 pints. It FINALLY reopened after closing its doors September 5th. It’s only been a week and a half, but it’s felt like forever.

Founders closed down recently to quickly finish construction before ArtPrize kicks off this Wednesday. This year the first official beer of ArtPrize is from Founders. The Inspired Artist Black IPA is a hoppy, malty, citrusy—if that doesn’t describe it well enough, than you’ll just have to try it for yourself. The 7.5% black IPA will sport the ArtPrize logo and be available throughout the event. As you can see, it was essential that Founders finished its expansion in time for the annual art extravaganza. Our city loves ArtPrize. It’s kind of a big deal.

After months of caution tape, limited parking, and orange barrels, Founders is ready to accommodate their many fans. Now the brewery on 235 Grandville Ave. is 40% bigger. They expanded the taproom to make room for more brewing. They added an educational viewing area for beer tourism. They expanded the patio to hold the growing number of cool people who all drink together and discuss art, music and movies (seriously, the people who frequent Founder’s are so hip). I can’t wait to go see it. There’s probably so much room for activities.

Founders is the golden child brewery of Grand Rapids. They have great food, an awesome atmosphere and some of the best beer in Michigan. Now is the perfect time to go to downtown Grand Rapids. You’ll be free to meander through the 1,500 pieces of art that have taken over our city. Once your brain hurts from trying to decipher what the artist “is trying to say,” keep wandering towards Founders. Order an Inspired Artist Black IPA, and I guarantee everything will make sense.*

*disclaimer: it won’t help you understand art. But, it’ll taste good. That should be enough.

Favorites Friday: Part Deux

So I may be drunk right now, but that wont stop me from posting this blog. As Hemingway said "write drunk and edit sober," but there's no time for editing--so whoops. I have a favorite beer to promote and my inebriation will not stop me. This is a hazard of the blog. It's my cross to bear.

This Friday, I'll actually promote my roommate's favorite beer: All Day IPA from Founder's Brewery, right here in good ol' Grand Rapids. This is a great segue into hopsational IPA's (India Pale Ale) because it's fruity and delicious and refreshing, without the bite. My roommate has great taste in beer.

The All Day IPA is exactly what it promotes. It is a beer for any day, any time and any season. There is a strong grapefruit taste, so if you hate grapefruit, this isn't the IPA for you. If you like grapefruit, then IP-YAY, because you're going to love this.

All Day IPA is best served out of a pint glass, on a front porch with friends. So enjoy the last few days of this Indian summer, kick back and nurse this sweet and gentle beer. 

I May be Bias but Michigan Rocks

Like I've said before, I live in Grand Rapids AKA Beer City, USA. It's a great place to be young and in love...with beer. But, it's not just Grand Rapids that has my drunken heart, it's this whole damn state.

Yesterday, my roommate gave me a fact sheet about the "Great Beer State." I'm not saying that "Great Beer State" should replace the existing motto of "Great Lake State," but we should at least make it an option.

Michigan currently ranks #5 in the country of in terms of the number of in-state craft breweries. I also discovered that you're never longer than an hour and a half drive away from a brewery. And with over 85 breweries throughout the state, you could hit a different brewery every weekend for a year and still not see them all. If that sounds like a challenge, that's because it is. Come to Grand Rapids, sleep on my couch, and I'll show you four microbreweries within two miles (Founders, Brewery Vivant, Harmony and Grand Rapids Brewing). With all of the local breweries nearby, it's kind of like an adult playground where I don't get kicked out for drinking: because drinking is the point! 

I guess what this love note to Michigan is trying to say, is that there is no better time or place to explore craft beer. The whole United States is embracing the craft beer culture, and I encourage you to fully explore it, but why not start here? Drive 90 minutes to Bell's, or Atwater or Short's Brewery to discover for yourself why Michigan is a top player in the national beer game. Absorb the atmosphere, eat some bar food, and try some local specialty beers. 

Just don't drink and drive, my mom would be so disappointed if you did that. 

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.