OT: Breweries
My friends and I are talking about driving into Ann Arbor/Ypsi for a weekend once it warms up a bit more to go around to do a tour of local beers.
I obviously know about Grizzly Peak and Arbor Brewing Co, but are there any other places that would have samplers for us to try? I can't find any places that have Frog Island, Dark Horse, Arcadia, etc. beers or even samplers.
Are there any other local beers that I should be looking for? Places that I can find these beers? Bars we should check out? What are your favorite beers? etc.
April 12th, 2009 at 10:30 PM ^
not necessarily a brewery, but if you're in ann arbor and it's a nice day then go to Dominicks. don't ask questions, just go.
April 12th, 2009 at 11:22 PM ^
True that. Best sangria ever. I always enjoyed the days when weather was good, as I'd hit up Dominics by early afternoon to start knocking down the half gallon sangrias. Simply good stuff.
April 12th, 2009 at 11:50 PM ^
Dominick's is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too expensive for a gallon of total swill sangria in a jar of ice. Great atmosphere for the most part, but good god is it not worth the cost or the hassle.
until I moved to NYC. I think it's about $24 for a pitcher.
They jack up the prices every year. Pretty sure it's close to 30 now. Not worth it.
April 12th, 2009 at 10:32 PM ^
Ashley's. they definitely have Dark Horse and (i think) Arcadia. I know for sure the Heidelberg has Arcadia.
As for local beers, Arbor Brewing, Jolly Pumpkin, and of course (not so local) Bell's.
April 12th, 2009 at 11:43 PM ^
Ashley's is definitely the place in Ann Arbor for craft beer.
Some other good local breweries worth trying are Kuhnhenn and Dragonmead (both in Warren, and there should be some of both at Ashley's)
April 13th, 2009 at 12:17 AM ^
I would check out the Jolly Pumpkin brewery in Dexter, Michigan. As a big beer drinker, it is a wonderful brewery that makes top shelf stuff. I would definitely check it out.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:34 AM ^
I read that they are hoping to open a location in Ann Arbor by June. If they pull it off then I will for sure try it.
Dominick's sangria is overrated. Whenever I've been to Ashley's the service has sucked but I'll always recommend it because its list is the most interesting in AA. They have some of the obscure Dogfish Head stuff too...
...if you're looking for the best brewery (period) y'all need to head down to Munster, Indiana.
the suds coming outta munster? I can only hope falstaff has not re-commenced beer production.
The heidelberg is a good place to drink suds but last summer the ruladen made me somewhat ill. We ate/drank at cottage inn downtown and everything including the setting/service was delicioso.
Sun ra's first intergalactic Law of Fusion: Ann Arbor > x > Columbus
Then there is always the Blind Pig for the nitecap. Good Nivana u-tube footage available if anybody still likes that kind of thing even though it's not IN.
April 14th, 2009 at 12:38 PM ^
Munster = Three Floyd's
The Blue Tractor. Just opened this year. Great bar b que, good beer. Fantastic fantastic appetizers. On Washington across from ABC.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:43 PM ^
i'm a big fan of the blue tractor
The food is great there, and they make an outstanding dopplebock. Other beers are good, too, but the bock is the bee's knees.... be a man, get the 30 oz. mug
Sidetracks and Corner Brewery in Ypsi are great. Cheap, great atmosphere awesome food.
That is owned by ABC, so I think they serve the same beer there as they do at ABC.
I know they don't necessarily distribute locally in the Midwest, but do you guys ever find Yuengling in Michigan??
doesn't distribute east of PA or north of NY. I know I sound like an internet beer snob, but I think its a good alternative to Miller Light. I just can't understand why people pine for it.
Because they're certainly in NJ.
I know they have no imprint in the Midwest, but was just curious if there are any specialty shops around AA that truck it in or something to that effect.
I have some ties to Yuengling, both personal and professional. I actually did some advertising for them and got to browse through their archives... pretty amazing legacy that builds up over 125 years.
I just knew some guys in college from PA that would talk about that stuff nonstop. For the longest time I assumed that it was something different (for lack of a better word) like an Oberon or at the very least a faux high class (but still good) beer like Sam Adams.
but AFAIK trucking alcohol across state lines for resale is not exactly a clean ordeal, so I doubt anyone has it where they "aren't supposed to".
The similarities between Ying and Sam Adams are many. Good stuff.
You're not going to find Yuengling in Michigan, I've looked. I just have my friends from Pennsylvania bring me a case when they visit home.
As far as breweries around here go:
-Blue Tractor- its a new place, owned by the same folks as Grizzly Peak and Cafe Habana. Their food is unbelievable- awesome BBQ. Has quickly moved up my list of fav's in AA.
-ABC and the Grizz are good, of course.
-Jolly Pumpkin- its over in Dexter, they have limited hours for just coming in to drink, so you'll need to check their website to look at their hours. The Blue Tractor has a beer or two of theirs on tap so you can try them if you order a flight (the owners of BT are going to be opening the aforementioned Jolly Pumpkin location here in AA).
-Ashley's is my fav. spot in AA, but as mentioned before, the busier it gets, the worse the service becomes, but with 65+ brews on tap, its hard to mess with.
-Leopold Brothers- god rest its soul.
Where are you coming from? If its from the West Side, you need to stop for a pint in Bells beer garden, Dark Horse, or the Livery.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^
Leopold's was an interesting place, but frankly, their beer was not good. Mostly blah, and some of it had some serious diacetyl problems.
Dark Horse is probably my favorite brewery to stop into, such an odd place unless they've expanded and renovated. It's like the size of a prefab trailer-like home, with handmade mugs for their mug club members hanging everywhere. Nice big outdoor space too.
I always was of the opinion that Arbor was a brewery that also had good food, while Grizzly Peak was a restaurant that happened to brew beer, if that makes any sense. I.e., Arbor clearly focused on their beer and made some interesting stuff, while Grizzly's beers were decent but the interesting stuff was usually on the food menu.
And of course, Ashley's is awesome. I think they usually have a beer or two from Short's on tap, a great Michigan brewery way up north about 30 minutes from Traverse City, along with the other more well-known Michigan breweries.
Also, if planning to come in this summer, why not do it the weekend of the MBG Summer Festival (don't know the actual name of it), the big Michigan beer fest in Ypsi. My wife and I are doing that, staying in Ann Arbor, and hitting up all the old favorites.
Leopold's opened a few months before I left AA, and count me among the group that disliked it. The beer was just not good at all. Their ale was hopped to hell, IIRC.
The beer was bleh, but man-oh-man they made AMAZING gin. And vodka. Delicious. And now, so far away :(
April 13th, 2009 at 10:08 AM ^
Ashley's is hands down the best place to have a good beer in AA. Try the Belgian flight or the Stout/Porter flight. Or if it's warm enough by then the Wheat beers flight.
It's been said before but sheeeit here's another...
Ashley's is the bomb. Pricey but their selection is second-to-none (they advertise more than 70 beers on tap ... plus bottles). They also have an excellent selection of scotch and a variety of bourbon, but not so great for other liqours.
Over on Main Street is the Heidelberg. They have a good deal on Arcadia bottles ($2.50 per, last I was there... a good deal for Ann Arbor, anyway) and you can get draught beer in a big glass boot. Their selection isn't astounding, but it's a great atmosphere and yeah, like I said, boots of beer.
dude, the arcadias arn't 2.50 anymore! i was so pissed when i got my bill...
April 13th, 2009 at 11:17 PM ^
They were $2.00 only a year ago...