Arbor Brewing Company

 

 114 East Washington 

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

734-213-1393

http://www.arborbrewing.com/

 Arbor Brewing Company was our second stop in Ann Arbor.  Every beer that I tasted were good enough to get a pint, alas they have so many beers on tap that Jonah would have had to carry me to the car if I did that. 

The Crye Baby Rye was excellent.  I love when breweries have ryes, I will always order it.  It's such a rarity and such a treat, an opinion I share with my cousin Mike Szymula.  There are two pubs for Arbor Brewing Co., we visited the ABC Brewpub (clever name).  The building had a great look to it even though the back room smelled like barf, something you have to live with being in a college town.

All in all, Ann Arbor is a great beer destination if you're in the Detroit area.

Jolly Pumpkin

 311 S. Main St. 

Ann Arbor, Michigan

734-913-2730

http://www.jollypumpkin.com/annarbor/

After Austin Texas, Jonah and I hit the skies again, landing in Detroit MI.  This is my second time in America's high five in search of breweries.  This time Jonah, I, and a handful of the Michigan crew set off to the land of the Wolverines, Ann Arbor.
Here's a picture of all of us, clockwise from the bottom left: Kurt, Lynn. Jonah, me, Kraig, Kristen, Joe, Michael, John, and Karol. (All the K names are siblings of my mom.)

The beer that intrigued me was the Burley-esque, a blood orange Belguim IPA.  This is a good place to go if you want to try some experimental yet still drinkable beers.  Definitely try to stop by for lunch, the food is delicious!!

The use of a pumpkin for the logo threw me off at first, I was worried that it would pigeon-hole the brew-masters to fruity beer and make for some lame merchandise.  Well I was wrong, Jolly Pumpkin does use fruit and spices in many of their beers, but not to an over-whelming or obnoxious level.  Also, the t-shirts rocked!  I am also a fan of the tap handles.

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100

Austin, TX 78752

512.452.BEER

http://www.blackstar.coop/

I didn't know what to expect from the world's first co-op owned and worker managed brewery, but this blossoming pub in Austin Texas did not disappoint.  Jonah and I are visiting his uncle in Texas and Chris suggested this brewery within a bike ride distance of his house.  We visit a lot of breweries and it's always a plus when you get the thumbs up from a local.  After only getting a little lost on our bike ride over, we met up with long-time friend Tyler, a transplant from Oregon, and his lovely girlfriend Katherine.  

The inside decor was very modern and the beers held up to the recommendation.  I started with the High-Esteem, a rye pale ale which turned out to be my favorite of the evening. Jonah had the Recalcitrant Dockhand, a poster with a lot of flavor. Although they only has three of their own beers on tap, they had 20 guest taps and most of them were Texan brews.  I was confused by the names of the beers, they lacked a relationship with the brewery and each other.  Also, there was no music playing, an odd decision for such a music-centric city. 

All in all, it is fun to experience a brewery that is just starting out.  I would like to come back in a few years and see how they evolved.  If you live in Austin, head down there and purchase a share; haven't you always wanted to own your own brewery?  If you're visiting, stop by for a beer and maybe dinner, the food is locally focused and delicious.  Also they are super nice to their employees.  

Thank you Austin.  We had a blast!

Coalition Brewing Co

Coalition Brewing Co.

2724 SE Ankeny

Portland, OR 97214

503.894.8080

http://www.coalitionbrewing.com/

Coalition Brewing Co. is awesome, hands down awesome.  Jonah and I were riding our bikes from Llyod Center back to SE Portland and just happened across the pub.  Coalition has been on my list since Portland grew 4 breweries while we were in Alaska, and I'm super pleased we rode by.

I started with the King Kitty Red which was an excellently hoppy red ale while Jonah christened the visit with the WU C.R.E.A.M. Ale, a smooth pleasant ale.  For the second round, I drank the Two Dogs IPA, a very solid IPA and Jonah had the complex and satisfying Loving Cup Maple Porter.

Also, the logo rocks.  Go to this brewery.  Seriously GO!

Boundary Bay Brewery

1107 Railroad Avenue

Bellingham, WA 98225

360.647.5593

http://www.bbaybrewery.com/

I have wanted to go to Boundary Bay Brewery since the summer of 2008.  That summer was my first Oregon Brewers Festival.  I went with Jess Stedman and we both shared a love for extremely hoppy IPAs. At that time my favorite was Boulder Beer Co.'s Hazed and Infused, I had been to the brewery the year before and it held up to my expectations.  Well, at the festival Jess and I (the second day we were there) grabbed samples of all the hoppy IPAs there and judged.  Boundary Bay, you will be glad to know that Jess voted for your brew but I stubbornly held on to my love for Hazed and Infused.  I know this isn't the way the story should be going for a review of Boundary Bay but that taste stayed with me.  Also did the intrigue of this northern washington brewery.  

So, over 2 years later, the ferry back from Alaska dropped us off within walking distance of this brewery that has been on my mind for all that time.  Jonah and I met up with Tommy McGinley, who we've beer-adventured with before, and Dani Hess, who I worked with up in Alaska.  Crazy enough, I did not get the IPA!!!

I don't know but I must have been in a dark beer mood, I started with the Dry Irish Stout and ate some wonderful stew.  I finished it up with the Imperial Oatmeal Stout.  Both beers were fabulous.

Plus, the merchandise rocks!

Skagit River Brewery

404 S. 3rd Street

Mount Vernon, WA 98273

360-336-2884

http://www.skagitbrew.com/

Jonah and I arrived in northern Washington off the ferry from Alaska, where our good friend Tommy McGinley lives, so we decided to stay with him to hang out before we headed the rest of the way south.  We got there early so had some time to kill.  After showering the ferry off us we went brewery cruising and found Skagit River Brewery.

I was floored when I saw that these were the guys who made Sculler's IPA!

I drank so much Sculler's IPA in college.  I had a roommate Brandy Rodtsbrooks who I explored beer with at our excellent local grocery store, and Sculler's was one of our awesome finds.

Sadly, they didn't have it on tap!  Now I will definitely have to go back, maybe I'll drag Brandy with me ;)  

Instead of the Sculler's IPA I had the Skagit River "Steelie" Brown Ale.  It was a solid brown but I will still have Sculler's on tap on my mind.

Haines Brewing Company

Haines Brewing Company

PO Box 911

Southeast Alaska Fairgrounds/ Dalton City
Haines, Alaska 99827
907-766-3823
http://hainesbrewing.com/

On our way back south, after spending the summer in Alaska, Jonah and I occupied the time waiting for the ferry to leave by fruitfully journeying to Haines Brewing Co.  The directions we received seemed easy enough turn right onto Haines Highway, then turn left after the school, following the signs to the fairgrounds.  Haines is a small town so we decided to walk.  We followed the directions and found a "fake city," Dalton City, the grounds of the Southeastern Alaska State Fair and the old set for the 1989 movie White Fang.  I wasn't until closer inspection that we realized this movie set was also the location of the brewery. 

I was already hooked at that point, but the visit kept getting better.  Paul Wheeler, the brewer hung out with us for the entire hour and a half we were tasting beers.  He told us a range of stories from the origin of the beer names to his opinions of other breweries.  We realized our commonalities of a history with the Forest Service and love of Portland brews; Paul even encouraged us to start our own brewery, a dream of mine and Jonah's.

On top of all that, the beer was awesome!  We got to try the Dalton Trail Ale, DMMDI IPA, Eldred Rock Red, Lookout Stout, Spruce Tip Ale, Black Fang, and the Barley Wine.  If visiting I would definitely suggest trying them all, HBC has tall tasters for $1.25.  If you can't then try the Spruce Tip Ale, it's Paul's number one sellers and is quite unique.  Also try the Black Fang, a local favorite, this imperial stout should be high on your list.  Definitely fit in the DMMDI IPA too, on second thought if you're all the way in Haines Alaska, drink them all!  It's worth it.