Weekend/day Beer Adventures: Grand Rapids, MI

The Mural outside Pyramid Scheme

This past weekend, as some may know, I biked to Grand Rapids. Since moving to Holland, I have already made the trips to Grand Haven (22) Saugatuck (17) and Hudsonville (14) but had yet to really experience the night life in GR. Jen and I had made a quick trip out there to check out some of the brewing scene, but I wanted something more thorough. Eamon had offered to show me around and provide some housing during the trip, which would work out perfectly. So, following work on Friday (6/22/12), I dropped my pay case of at home and rounded up some stuff (i.e. running shoes, shirt, wallet, camera and hammock - just incase) and headed out. It was pretty hot out and I didn't bring any water. Therefore, I hit up the halfway mark at White Flame in Hudsonville for a quick pint. I had heard they had recently tapped a new hopped wheat, and for every pint a dollar went to breast cancer research fund. It was worth it. Drinking for a good cause, what's better? While there, several publicans heard I was making the trip and they started telling me of all these different routes I could take - only to confuse me more. I will one day, but the objective here was at least to GET to Grand Rapids. I settled up and hit the road.

Friday (6/22/12):
Grandville was a bit dodgy, but to my surprise, after speeding down a hill on Grandville Ave, I found myself in front of Founder's Brewing Co! I gave Eamon a call and we figured we could meet at Harmony Brewing Company as I had been there before and I relatively knew the general direction from where I was. I arrived an ordered a pint of the Cranberry Wheat (See the rest of my visit at Harmony).

BOB Spotting

Following Harmony, the decision was made to check out the Pyramid Scheme, of which was one of Eamons favorite wattering holes in the GR area. He had told me that they had a special connection with Short's Brewing Company and therefore was fruitful with their taps. Traveling by bike, we hit the down hill and made it there in a matter of minutes. The atmosphere of PS reminded me a bit like Three Floyds, but with a theme of Dynosaurs and Pyramids. Very colorful, but dimly lit. They had an arcade room and an open front that reminded me a lot of bars in Australia. We sat at a high table and ordered some beer. The taps certainly were over run with Short's. We split a pint of the Mustard Seed Pilsner - which carried the must common to the ground seed, but with a pleasant sweetness and the common bite in the finish from noble hops. And a basic session ale (the drink of the night predominantly revolved around session ales, as we were hitting quite a few bars). We had been in contact with Jack (the newest member at New Holland before me), so he arrived and we drank one more while contemplating our next stop. Decision landed on the B.O.B. as long as they didn't have cover, which they did. We finally decided on checking out Brewery Vivant, where we would meet up with Jack's Wife. With crumby bikes, we staggered back up the hill towards Eastown. Arriving we found a table right on the patio and ordered drinks. I got the Hefe, and I'm unsure what everyone else got, by then I was beginning to feel the taxation of the biking and beer. We stayed at Vivant for quite some time. When we were nearly finished with our drinks we were welcomed to get a brief tour of the facility. It was pretty cool, especially with the familiar C.A.S.K canning system. (Brewery Review coming soon). We settled up (Thanks Vivant for the discount!). By now, I was pretty buzzed and exhausted, but Eamon demanded we go to the Green Well, across the street. We ordered a sampler (which I don't remember of what) and closed the place out, By then it was around 12:00pm and we biked back to his house.
Saturday (6/23/12):
Today was Founder's fest. We figured most beer lovers would be there and the other local breweries would be empty. Right we were. I woke up around 7:30 and downed some tea. Since I brought my running shoes, I wanted to hit some roads for a quick run. We mapped out a 5 mile loop. Eamon runs a lot (70+ mpw), and he's in good shape, except he runs at 8-9 min/mile. Even for not running in a while (foot injury) I don't think I could do that. So we planned on clicking off some 7's, which, while still taxing, were manageable. Did that 5 in 34 minutes, nothing special, but Eamon said that was a pr. Haha. Following the run we ate some beans and headed out to check out Schmohz (See the rest of my visit to Schmohz).
We left and stopped to recover a bit at Eamons house. The next stop was the Hideout Brewery, which we planned on biking to because it was a bit more bike friendly to get there than Schmohz. Nevertheless to my surprise, the hills were a bitch! but the reward was worth it. (see the rest of my visit to the Hideout)
After leaving the Hideout, we headed a different route back, intended to be along the river. Prior to that however, we stopped at a small grocery store that boasted a very large beer selection. I found a bottle of Bear Republic's (my favorite brewery) 27th Anniversary Ale. I also bought some organic spinach and basil seeds and a bag of local tortilla chips to curb the plummeting blood sugar hunger from all the beer.
We headed a bit further down the road and stopped at Graden's Crossing, another beer bar that has an enormous selection (including Hatter on Cask) and locally sourced food. We split a 12 Oz tall can of Resin by Blue Point Brewing Company in New York.
Following that stop we biked all the way back to the B.O.B and Pyramid Scheme to check for Eamon's keys (he had lost them the night before, only to realize they were gone this morning), so back tracking commenced. No luck there. We then made a quick stop at Meanwhile, where Eamon said a couple friends were them. I wanted to check out the Eastown street fest so we split ways an I headed back to Harmony. To my dismay, the street fest was over, but it gave me an opportunity to try Harmony's pizza, which looked exquisite. Minutes later Eamon, Matt and Dave arrived and we sat at a booth for some pints. Eamon's dad arrived and told us to head down to a sports bar down the street where all the older folk were drinking. We did, and stayed there for a couple hours. I thought it was in my best interest to drink water after the long day, and it definitely payed off in the morning. After that, we headed back to Eamon's house and I was passed out by 10pm.
The next morning was chill. Woke up. Downed some tea. watched Dogs 101 and was on the road by 11:45.
The ride home was arduous and long, but I made it back an hour and 45 minutes later (took me 80 minutes to get to GR from Holland).
Well, that was my weekend in Grand Rapids. Thanks to Eamon and his parents for housing me and to all the breweries that made the experience worth our while. Stay tuned for next weekend.
Cheers!

Brewery Review: Schmohz Brewing Company - Grand Rapids, MI

To give a little context.... I had arrived in Grand Rapids the night before after biking 27 miles from Holland. The objective of the weekend was to check out the local brewery scene with Eamon. He graciously accommodated me with a place to stay (though I brought my newly purchased hammock just in case). We had been to Harmony Brewing Co and Vivant Brewing Co the night before. After a slow morning, a brief run and lunch we drove ( I know, but it was far) to Schmohz Brewery. I had only seen them before at the Michigan Brewers Guild Winter beer fest during my interview process with New Holland. We arrived Saturday Morning/Afternoon. These are the beers Eamon and I tried:

Bloody Red: Absolute clarity and a strong foam cream ring. Carbonation visible. Malt centered but with a toffee spicing to it reminiscent of rye, but I can't completely vouch for that interesting flavor. Starts with a bite from the carbonation and rounds out extremely smooth and creamy.
Pickle Tink: Golden color. Slight haze and a minimal foam white ring. White wheat fruit and a faint acidity. A typical light drinker but with a craft twist. Foamy biting zest and very dry resigned finish. Refreshing for sure.
Pilsner: Golden with a subtle haze. The lacing is speckled and styrafoamed. Carbonation visibly present. Brief malt base with an emphasis on the bitterness at the end. Some acidity exists near the end. Very drying in the end. Emphasizing The German nobles. Spicy.
Cream ale: Similar in color to the cirrus. Light malt sweetness of corn or rice adjuncts. Carbonation bites up front, but mellows into a foamy mouthfeel near the end. Some tartness present at the end.

IPA head retention

Cirrus Wheat: Yellow and cloudy, though not an opacity like a Hefe. No head and looks flat. Strong phenols of old world outdoorsiness and hay. Strong wheat and even vanilla near the end under the tongue.
Amber: Just as the beers name suggests...amber. Very clear with a basic white foam ring to make for the head. Still looking. Biscuit and toast malt base. Light body, but boasting a nice sweet malt flavor. Aroma is earthy but sweet.
Hop knocker: Basic amber with a color inhibitory cloudiness. Rich malt base of caramel and eatery of undertones of dark roasted dates and raisin. Alcohol is prominent but complimentary.
Razzmanian devil: Light amber with a tint of berry red. Little head in existence. Tart and berry fruit come through with a light body and strong carbonation. Little watery, but high drink ability.
Zingiberene gruit: Golden copper. Still looking. No head is present. High carbonation and zesty. Made with ginger but nice and light with a great bite to compliment a refreshing finish. Finish is dry.
IPA: Hazed copper amber with outstanding foam head. Fruity aroma, and the taste has a very eatery bite to it. Even some lacto going on to provide a tartness in the finish. Follows a more grassy hop profile.
Bone crusher: Extremely dark - oily black with a dark brown head with complete lacing down the sides. Server warmer. Smoky aroma with strong roasted barley. Carbonation held to a minimum but encouraging a velvety cream mouthfeel. Rich dark chocolate.
ESB: Darkened ruby amber with a dense film head with strong retention. Nice caramel toffee malt base with a pleated twist. Easy drinking and with a finishing spice
Pail ale: Copper with a cream film on top. Still with a faint cloudiness. Big biscuit malt base but with a grassy oriented buttering finish.  somewhat earthy

Brewery Experience: 
Eamon and I arrived and immediately sat down at the bar. Fascinated with the variety of options, we ordered a sample of all their beers. Two wooden paddles were laid out before us of which all got filled, and then some. I was fortunate enough to have Jen's IPAD so getting a quick note down didn't take very long. Nevertheless it took about 10 or so minutes to make our way through the tasters as we discussed the positives and short comings (if there even were any) of each beer. Chas, the brewer sat down at the end of the bar only a few minutes after we got there, with his laptop. It was amusing to see that only seconds later it seemed that a bunch of old guys sat down around him to talk beer. More than halfway through the tasted I felt the alcohol creeping up, so I retrieved some pretzels to shun it away. Once we finished (or at least I finished the reviews) we asked for a brief look around the brewery. Entering in a side door to a massive warehouse Chas gave us an opportunity to peruse the tanks and ask questions.
The Brewery:
At first impression the brewery came off to me with a dive bar theme and a Texas/western twist. And I still stand by that. Upon entry to are greeted with a very long room of seating, ping-pong tables, pool, dart and some arcade. At the very end of the long room is where the rather quaint bar stands. Several regulars were already in the midst of making their early afternoon rounds, establishing an impression that this bar often appeals to their locale and regular mug club crowd. The bar provided free popcorn and pretzels with their beer, always a plus. I found it an interesting choice with the copper bar top, which often stains with the acidity of beer, but nevertheless provided an aesthetic worn look to it. Seating at the bar was adequate enough for over 12 individuals and then some. Still, I felt the overall atmosphere quite homely and inviting. The brewery does put their stuff in bottles, and we did acknowledge its presence at a few other stops during the weekend, but "their overall tap presence in the community is spotty." Apart from that, I had difficulty deciphering the theme the brewery was trying to get at. An Indian man with a dagger and a machine gun? A pickle with a too-too? generally if I had to guess, there is a subtle medieval theme, but then there are quite a few random labels that don't fit (i.e. the pickle..).

Fermentation space and the bottle filler

The Brew House:
When Chas showed us around, I was surprised at the scale! They have a 20 bbl brew house with three tanks (Mash, Kettle and Whirlpool) enabling multiple batches to be made. Tank capacity ranges from 20 to 60 bbls with one very large Brite tank for carbonation and priming. Much of the beer is packaged in kegs, but some is also put into bottles. The bottle filler exists with 15 heads and can do around 55 bottles a minute. I was fascinated that the bottler hardly took up much room (relative to ours, and what I've heard are the drawbacks of bottling - space). The atmosphere in the brewery was a bit dingy/murky, but it was clean.... I think much of this had to do with the lighting. I wasn't able to see, but it looked like packaging and supplies took up nearly half of the warehouse! In any case it was a brewery and everything was intended to be as is.
Following the tour we returned to our beer, finished what we could, settled up and were on our way.
If you're in the Grand Rapids area, they should be a destination on your brewery list.
Check them out at:
Schmohz.com