Why Else Would a Geek Call Kalamazoo Nirvana?
Written: Sep 30 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: One of the very best breweries in America
Cons: Kalamazoo is more than five miles from my home
The Bottom Line: This is Nirvana for a beer geek; an absolute must visit.
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| fuche_bu's Full Review: Kalamazoo Brewing Company |
The recent road trip to Chicago featured a lot of activity and travel. The "official" purpose of the trip was to see the Cubs play a game at Wrigley Field. But somehow you had to know that a few brewpubs would work their way into the agenda. I look things up on the internet and consult brewspapers in planning out trips. Luckily, most of my closest friends and traveling companions share my enthusiasm for the Art of Beer. In what I view as a subpar effort, 17 brewpubs in 7 different states were visited in 6 days.
Knowing that the city of Kalamazoo would only require about a 45 minute detour each way made it absolutely essential to finally visit the Eccentric Cafe and the Kalamazoo Brewing Co. This brewery was founded back in It would have been a mortal sin for a beer geek to be that close and not make the effort. I would have been kicking myself in the @ss, were this opportunity squandered.
Most people who are serious about drinking craft beer in America are familiar with the Kalamazoo Brewing Co. Bell's Beers are generally regarded as being among the very best in the country. Larry Bell founded this brewery back in 1983. It is one of the earliest microbreweries in America. They used to be difficult to find in my area but are becoming (to my great delight) increasingly available. But still a glance at a map made this the perfect opportunity to finally make a haaj to this mecca of beer.
A few wrong turns delayed arrival at the brewpub although we saw exactly where it was. Finally, we arrived in the parking lot. I fell to my knees outside the door. A man and his two children were exiting at this time. They walked carefully around me with puzzled looks on their faces. My spiritual rapture was lost on them.
Then I went up the steps to walk into the cafe. It is an old warehouse type of building but any true beer geek would tell you it is a beautiful sight. The old adage about not judging a book by its cover could not be more true than here. I promised myself I wouldn't cry when I got there but once I mosied up to the bar and ordered a Bell's Porter, I was overcome with emotion and fought back tears. The porter is among the best in America. It rivals Great Lakes Brewing's Edmund Fitzgerald Porter for the top seed.
The brewpub part of the brewery is aptly named. The decor is very eclectic. They have African masks, maps from 1852 etc. One table has several checker boards painted on it so one could play a game if they had the pieces. There is also a beer garden which features a stage set up for live music.
It is also interesting because there is no television in this brewpub. You have a bar and a number of tables. They offer light fare like sausage sandwiches and nachos for the hungry drinker. They had seven beers on tap and also offered numerous other beers in bottle. I was disappointed because they had kicked a keg of the wonderful Two Hearted Ale the night before. (I must be psychic because I had the vision to drink an imperial pint of Two Hearted at the Clark Street Ale House in Chicago the night before.) This is one of the best IPAs in the country and it is only available September through April. They will have more but that won't help me any.
In addition to the Porter, I also had the Consecrator Doppelbock and the Kalamazoo Stout on draft. The Consecrator is 8.1% abv and really hits the spot. It's one of the best American interpretations of the style around. The beers helped wash down some nachos. It was inspiring to be able to drink these fabulous beers right at the source. There is something special about getting beers right where they are brewed. These beers are spectacular. If I lived in town, I would probably be there all the time.
In addition to the brewpub, they also have a store where one can buy take out beer and other merchandise. A half litre boot glass, a hemp t-shirt and six different kinds of Bell's Beers left the store with me. I purchased Two Hearted Ale, Expedition Stout, Third Coast Old Ale, Bell's Porter, Java Stout and Double Cream Stout to go. They allow for mixed six packs and cases so these six beers only amount to a single case of beer. I'll have several chances to relive the memories in the coming weeks.
The employees at the brewery were great. The bartender slipped me a few coasters at my request. The girl in the store was also knowledgeable and eager to help with any problems or questions. Tours of the actual brewery are not being offered currently due to expansion. They do plan to offer them again in the future.
This is a brewery that many beer geeks rank among the three or five best breweries in America. I am among those who issue such lofty status to this brewery. They were among the leaders of the craft beer revolution and continue to take many newer breweries to school. This is not the most convenient or central location in America but if you want to taste great beer right at the site of its birth, then an effort should be made to get here. It is a venture you will not regret.
One side note in closing the review: There is a brewpub in Lawton, MI (also off of I-94) called Old Hat Brewery. It was at one time run by Kalamazoo Brewing but a Michigan state law forced them to sell their interest. Old Hat continues to operate as a brewpub but under different ownership. Several websites are still reporting this as being run by Larry Bell. That information is incorrect. So if you visit, don't expect Bell's Beers
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: George Schaefer
Location: West Bristol, PA
Reviews written: 1103
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Busy at work and missing a lot of epinions fun.
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