OT: New Belgium Brewing Coming To Michigan
I figured all of the beer enthusiasts here would appreciate this news. The maker of the the popular beer Fat Tire out of Colorado (New Belgium Brewing) is coming to Michigan... Finally
Link:
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/03/fat_tire_new_belgi…
March 12th, 2012 at 10:42 PM ^
March 12th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
I don't think Fat Tire is the best beer that New Belgium makes. I prefer most of their others like Trippel or Abbey more.
On another note. I like oberon when in the midwest, but have found that it does not travel well to Phoenix. It usually tastes burnt so I don't get it. Two-Hearted and Hopslam (My Fav) are just as good here as in MI. Has anyone had the same experience with oberon?
March 12th, 2012 at 11:12 PM ^
Great Divide and Full Sail would be great additions to the market if they would find a distributor in Michigan. They are available in Toledo, though.
March 12th, 2012 at 11:32 PM ^
I've gotten Great Divide in Michigan. Specifically Tiffiany's in Kalamazoo.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:01 AM ^
March 13th, 2012 at 12:18 AM ^
Meh, like others here, I've never understood the Fat Tire hype. I'm not a huge amber fan, but Bell's make a much better one than Fat Tire. As far as IPA's go, I much prefer Two Hearted, Lagunitas IPA, any of the Stone IPAs, Founder's Red Rye PA (not a true IPA, but a great riff) and Alpha King to Ranger. (I know people like Dogfish Head, and that's cool, but to me the 60 and 90 minute IPAs are totally unbalanced -- all bitterness in the hops and no malt or even nice floral notes to balance it out).
If you want something exotic that you don't normally get in Michigan, start hoping for some 3Floyds distribution. You can criticize their beers for sometimes being too big, but they're always unique. To my taste, Fat Tire is just a boring version of a style that I'm not a huge fan of.
Any how, there are so many great Michigan breweries (Founders, Bells, New Holland, Dark Horse) and so many great ones coming up in Chicago now (Two Brothers, Metropolitan, 3Floyds, Half Acre), I wouldn't waste too much time with the west coast.
I am just not a 3 Floyds fan personally. I like their Alpha King and Alpha Klaus, but the few other things I have tried of theirs, I was just not impressed with. Their Dark Lord is by far the most overrated beer that I can think of. It's a cloyingly sweet mess. Drednaught almost seems like they threw a bunch of hops with no thought of making it taste good, Hopslam, RR Pliny, and even Hop Stoopid beat the crap out of Drednaught.
The only reason I would want to see their distribution here is for some of the other beers that I haven't been able to try yet.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:23 AM ^
But Trippel and Blue Paddle are truly special beers. Trippel has a fairly high alcohol content (7.8%) and is extremely flavorable. For those who love Oberon, you might find a friend in this beer. Blue Paddle combines two classic styles -- pilsner and lager. I taste more of the lager than the pilsner, but either way, it's New Belgium's best beer IMO. That said, New Belgium beers are second-fiddle to Yuengling, but that's another debate for another time.
Flavorable is going to be my new favorite word.
I am hearing Yuengling is coming to Michigan also, but I would hardly consider Yuengling to be Craft. It is more on the Bud/Miller/Coors level.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:47 AM ^
Being that i'm the brewer for New Belgium. I have to say this my favorite MGOBLOG post of all time (next to Sam Mcguffie commit). I can tell you one thing, we are terribly excited about brewing for the Wolverine State. We are fully aware that Michigan is possibly the hottest spot in the nation for hand crafted brews. We plan on making friends with Bells, Arcadia, Jolly Pumpkin and the rest of Michigan's top flight breweries. The brewery will roll out with the usual suspects at first...Fat Tire, Sunshine Wheat, 1554, Ranger and our seasonals. Eventually you will get the full spectrum as we release our Lips of Faith series to you. We will be doing collaboration brews with other breweries in Michigan as well. I am personnally blown away that after 9 years of brewing out here in Colorado i can finally brew for my family and friends again. Drink up, your New Belgium Brewer is on your side. Fuck Ohio. Hail Meeesh.
Best part about it....beer will be there by Fall Kick-off...and World Series.
Hail Michigan Beer and New Belgium.
Indirectly. I am a sales rep at one of your future distributors here in Michigan. I'm in love with 99% of your beer (Trippel is unbelievable and my favorite beer ever) and I'm a Michigan grad. I look forward to that first wave of 22oz bombers and can't wait to raise a bottle of it with my accounts; I can tell you for a fact that my town has been anticipating New Belgium for a long time and their will be many celebrations come August.
I hope to get an opportunity to meet you and welcome to Michigan.
Go Blue.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:02 AM ^
Now that I know the NB brewer is a Michigan fan, I will go buy a (nother) 6 pack tonight. I'm in Indiana so we already get 'em here.
Hey Bo, I'm in FC too. We've been slowly getting a little Michigan group together, and reserved the loft at the Mayor for most of the football games (done a few bball games too, maybe this Friday). Let me know if you want to get on the email list.
Yup, NB just jumped a bit for me knowing the brewer is a Michigan fan. Any chance you are going to stop pasteurizing the La Folie and go back to the caged and corked unpasteurized?
March 13th, 2012 at 12:53 AM ^
I'm not sure what the prices are in MI but in the Pensacola, FL area it's $18/sixer. I miss being a student and getting the Bell's 5L mini kegs from Kroger for $23. $18 if it's going out of season...
March 13th, 2012 at 11:05 AM ^
$18!?!? Which brew? They're all about $10 bucks here in Indiana...
My in-laws are in Fort Collins and I drink New Beligum and bring some home every visit out there. Makes the 18hr drive with my mother-in-law almost worth it.
I'd enjoy Michigan beers just fine too though. I think my favorite brewery is Atwater in Detroit. The Dirty Blonde and the Amber Ale are the best.
When will Bells come to TN???
March 13th, 2012 at 10:47 AM ^
After we have already plucked the best here in Michigan! On a serious note, Bells I believe used to be the 2nd largest craft brewer behind Sam Adams, but has lost a lot of ground Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Deschutes. So if they don't want to be left behind, they need to start getting into large markets like that.
I've been a New Belgium loyalist for 18 years. Fat Tire is not what it was 15 or 17 years ago--once upon a time, a little yeast remained in the bottom of the bomber and it was maltier, less carbonated--and I lament that they no longer do Old Cherry--but it's still a good brew and the New Belgium seasonals are superb. I'm usually drinking the seasonal (Dig pale ale, currently) backed with the Fat Tire, 1554, Blue Paddle or Mothership Wit.
I'd drink my fair share of Bell's Third Coast if it was available here.
I had some Old Cherry on a New Belgium tour in January. They made up a small batch for a party and were just serving it there. I wonder what keeps them from making it a seasonal at least.
I talked to the tour guide about not being able to get Michigan beers in CO, and he said Bell's is looking to pull out of some of the southern states and likely will be shipping here sometime in the near future.
Good to hear more variety of beer making it to Michigan. Detroit needs more craft beer. It's too much of a Bud Light/Miller Lite city. Although, I do love me some Canadian brew. Molson and Labatt's are a cheap "treat" when I head home.
I haven't seen any Fat Tire in Florida (granted, I haven't really been looking). It's a good beer, and I'd probably rather have New Belgium than a lot of different breweries, but Florida generally has a good beer selection. You can always find at least two Bell's varieties in the Publix supermarkets, which is awesome for the ex-Michigan people. One of the bars I like to go to has over 40 beers on tap with Bell's, Founder's, Great Lakes, and others. They're expensive, but two or three of the strong stuff, and you're feeling pretty good...
Darn, you guys have me craving beer at 10AM on Tuesday!
March 13th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^
Maybe you just need to know where to go for all the great craft beer in Michigan. Besides the Michigan staples and it's ever expanding new breweries, there are plenty of great breweries distributed here: Great Divide, Stone, Dogfish Head, Great Lakes, Goose Island, Sierra Nevada, Avery, Southern Tier, Flying Dog, Bear Republic, Victory, Lagunitas, Victory, Epic, Laughing Dog, and that doesn't even complete the list of great US brewers. Plus all of the imports, Michigan has one of the best distributions in the nation.
Lolz, double post. Here is a picture of a cat as restitution.
March 13th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^
The concept it embodies is so revolting that the publication or broadcast of the word is utterly forbidden in all parts of the galaxy except for use in serious screenplays.
This is great news that I have been hearing was going to happen for a little while now. So that prompts my Michigan distribution wishlist to be updated:
1) New Glarus
2) Surly
3) Russian River (was New Belgium)
4) Alesmith
5) Hair of the Dog
6) Deschutes
Very distant 7 tie) Oskar Blues and Three Floyds
And as for Fat Tire, I can do without. It is the rest, like the Lips of Faith series that I really want.
I get all these great brews and many many more. Also as a big fan of New Belgium both as a beer maker and all around decent company I'd encourgage everyone out there to remember 1554. It's one of New Belgiums best and if you see it soon in your store I reccomend you grab a six pack and enjoy.