After a pleasant drive through the rolling hills and blossoming orchards of northern Kent County this past Tuesday, my wife Barb and I decided to check out Cellar Brewing Company's new digs in downtown Sparta. We're glad we did. Solid beer, well prepared food and a comfortable taproom made for an enjoyable late afternoon visit to this nicely appointed brewpub located in the heart of west Michigan's fruit-growing region.
Cellar Brewing's new facility is only a short distance away from the old, but in terms of a comfortable and inviting space the two locations couldn't be more different. The old location was windowless, dark and somewhat gloomy. The new facility is bright and airy and has a large, triangular-shaped bar situated in the middle of the large taproom. Patrons can look down through a glass wall at the basement brewhouse, two large windowed garage doors face the street and five gleaming 10-gallon fermenters are lined against one of the walls.
Guests also have the option of enjoying head brewer Adam Mill's excellent beers and chef Nathan Ingersoll's solid cuisine in another large and nicely appointed dining space adjacent to the taproom. The facility offers cider and a large selection of wine, and owner Chuck Brown plans on having locally produced Bier Distillery spirits available in the near future. Visit Cellar Brewing Company's website for hours and additional information.
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| Cellar Owner Chuck Brown and Steve Siciliano |
New and Returning Beer
- Bell's Pooltime, $1.89/12oz - "Pooltime Ale is a refreshing Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale with light clove notes. The truly distinguishing feature is the use of 100% Montmorency tart cherries grown in the Traverse City region of Michigan. These cherries add a subtle tartness and bright counterpoint to the other flavors, enhancing Pooltime’s fruity character and making it the perfect beer for all summer activities" (source).
- Brewery Vivant Devastation, $6.59/16oz - "Devastation is a curious experiment of what happens to hops when aged in wood. Tree Bucket, our Belgian inspired DIPA, is aged in freshly drained bourbon barrels until the balance of hops and wood is just right. This hedonistic pairing of huge mango aromas from Citra hops and rich vanillin from charred wood will make your wonder why it's dark beers that get the barrel time" (source).
- Founders Doom, $3.89/12oz, $11.99/750ml - "Doom may be impending but that doesn’t mean you have to fear it. A collision of worlds, the intense hop character of our imperial IPA mingles with the warm vanilla and oak notes imparted from time spent in our favorite bourbon barrels. Like all good things, Doom comes to those who wait" (source).
- Grand Armory Mother Schmucker, $2.09/12oz - "A blonde ale with 100 pounds of raspberries added to the fermenter. Try pairing with Nutter Your Business for a Grand Armory PB&J! Or as we like to call it, "Nutter Your Business, Mother Schmucker"" (source).
- Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, $1.29/12oz - "Our brewers selected the finest, most flavorful hops, pushed them beyond their limits and forged them into this all-new triple IPA. This reimagined Hoptimum is our hoppiest beer yet, providing a blend of tropical and citrus hop aroma that delivers a refined yet aggressive character" (source).
- Sierra Nevada Ovila White, $2.29/12oz - "The monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux hold themselves to a higher standard. So when they challenged us to create a beer that transcends all others, our brewers blended Old World tradition with modern-day mastery to deliver the perfect expression of Belgian witbier worthy of a goblet but comfortable in a pint" (source).
- New Belgium La Folie 2017, $15.99/22oz (1 per) - "La Folie, French for "the folly," is a beer steeped in New Belgium brewing tradition. This wood-aged, sour brown spends one to three years in big, oak barrels, known as foeders. And when the beer finally hits the glass, La Folie is sharp and sour, full of green apple, cherry, and plum-skin notes. Pouring a deep mahogany, the mouthfeel will get you puckering while the smooth finish will get you smiling. Not a beer for the timid, La Folie is a sour delight that will turn your tongue on its head. Find out why it's considered one of the best sour beers around" (source).
- Deschutes Hop Slice, $1.79/12oz - "A trio of hops come together in this crisp session IPA. Brewed with Meyer lemon, Hop Slice balances floral hop notes and a subtle citrus kick. Malt: Pale, Honey malt, C 60, Munich. Hops: Galaxy, Azacca, Amarillo" (source).
- Right Brain Spinal Tapper, $1.79/12oz - "A medium bitterness IPA using only Calypso hops, a new crossbred variety from the West Coast. Expect an earthy hop flavor accented by subtle notes of pear and green apple and showcasing a beautiful copper/orange color similar to that of Oktoberfest style beers" (source).
- ROAK Beach Lord IPL, $1.69/12oz - An India Pale Lager.
- Avery The Reverend, $3.29/12oz - "A divinely complex and beautifully layered beer with hints of dark cherries, currants, and molasses, complemented by an underlying spiciness. Sinfully smooth considering the high alcohol content" (source).
- Ommegang Pale Sour, $3.29/11.2oz - "A beautifully clean and balanced sour beer that drinks like a fine white wine, Pale sour pours a bright golden hue with a brilliant white head. The flavor is an elegant interplay of subtle sweet malt, and clean lactic sour. With a soft mouthfeel, a delicate body, and a bright clean finish, Pale Sour Ale is eminently drinkable" (source).
Video of the Week | La Folie
The history of New Belgium's sour program.
Cheers!
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