The Spencer Brewery: Profile and Tasting

By Max Spencer

St. Joseph’s Abbey of Spencer, Massachusetts, made history in 2013 by housing the first Trappist brewery in the United States. The official name of the brewery is The Spencer Brewery, and we are lucky enough to now have them on our shelves. To those unacquainted with Trappist breweries, this is a huge deal. There are only eleven Trappist breweries in the world — six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands and one each in Italy, Austria and the United States. Trappist breweries are considered amongst the best in the world, and rightfully so — included in their ranks are the likes of Orval, Chimay, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren. But what exactly are Trappist breweries, and what makes them so noteworthy?

Trappist breweries are all run by Trappist monks at Trappist monasteries — there is no other way to achieve this designation. Trappist monks belong to the Catholic Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. The order began in the 1600s at La Trappe Abbey in France as a reformist movement led by Jean de Rancé in response to the lax attitude of other monasteries during that time¹. Trappist monks observe a strict monastic lifestyle, one based around prayer and work — ora et labora³. Much of their labor revolves around the production of goods to be sold to the public; products such as cheeses, chocolates, breads, jams, cleaning products, body care products, and — of course — beer⁴. The sales of these products support the financial needs of the monasteries and their charitable endeavors — meaning that your purchase of their beer benefits the entire community where the monastery is located³.

Spencer Refectory — from the website

Because labor is a central tenant to the lives of Trappist monks, they tend to put time and effort into their products on a level that not many other operations can't match. Their products are truly artisanal, truly hand-crafted and truly outstanding. The Spencer Brewery is no exception when it comes to this standard of quality and effort. When creating new beers, they meticulously create test batches before committing to a recipe to be released — 13 experimental brews over three years in the case of their Quadrupel Ale². They use many local ingredients, including a proprietary yeast strain, and are currently working towards farming their own barley.

The decision to open a brewery followed the need for additional income besides their famous jams and jellies. The idea originated as a suggestion from a monk with brewing experience and a passion for it. After approval, a group of monks went on a two-year research trip, visiting the other extant Trappist breweries to learn methods and gain inspiration³. The monks at The Spencer Brewery have made some unique decisions on what to brew relative to other Trappist breweries. While they have several classic Belgian offerings in their arsenal — a patersbier, a quad, and a holiday dark — they also craft some modern styles not traditionally attributed to Trappist breweries — an IPA, a pilsner, an imperial stout and an Oktoberfest lager. Try a beer from Spencer Brewery — maybe you will find a new love in beautifully crafted beers from an ancient heritage of monks.

The Spencer Trappist Ale (patersbier)

Gold with a lacey white head. Aroma dominated by a stone fruit character — specifically apricot. There are also prominent spice notes, including clove and cinnamon. Slight tones of citrus and grain. Palate follows the nose — stone fruit, spice. There is a clear slightly sweet grainy character, yet the beer is bone dry. Very effervescent. The finish is dry and spicy with a light bitterness. A great example of a classic Trappist beer. Complex, yet incredibly balanced between fruit and spice — dry yet easily drinkable.

The Spencer Trappist Feierabendbier (pilsner)

Straw gold with a white head consisting of fine bubbles. Classic pilsner nose — earth, spice and floral tones from noble hops with a slight grainy character. Palate follows the nose closely — there’s a grainy cereal character up front with notes of oregano, basil and dried flowers from the hops in the middle. The malt and hop character mingle in the finish. Very dry, pleasantly bitter.

The Spencer Trappist IPA

The first ever Trappist-brewed IPA to be commercially available. Orange-gold with a white head when poured. A hop profile including German Perle, Apollo and Cascade results in a piney, resinous IPA with tones of pineapple and citrus in the nose and palate. The malt build has a fair amount of caramel and biscuit character with some slight sweetness to balance out a medium-high level of bitterness. The bitterness lingers with a prominent note of pine needles on the finish. Reminiscent of a West Coast IPA with a brash character, but slightly more reserved than some.

References

¹ “A Newcomer’s Guide to the Trappists.” Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, 2017, http://www.trappists.org/newcomers/history/trappist-reform-17th-century.
² Keeley, Fr. Isaac. “The Spencer Brewery Releases New Beer: American Trappist Brewery Introduces New Quadrupel Ale.” The Spencer Brewery, 2017, http://spencerbrewery.com/.
³ ”Our Story.” The Spencer Brewery, http://spencerbrewery.com/index.php/our-story.
⁴ “Products.” The International Trappist Association, http://www.trappist.be/en/pages/products.

Speciation Artisan Ales: Take a Sip on the Wild Side

By Max Spencer

Mitch and Whitney Ermatinger — after creating and rewriting multiple business plans over the course of years — decided to found a brewery in the Grand Rapids area that focuses on mixed-culture wild ales after seeing how popular they were in the rest of the country. The result of their hard work and planning is the new Speciation Artisan Ales in Comstock Park. The name Speciation is a reference to the evolutionary process by which new species emerge — an appropriate name for a brewery that uses wild microbes in its beers. “We wanted to create a cohesive brand,” Mitch explained to me during a visit to the brewery, “a theme with a large pool of names to draw from.” The theme of evolution is well suited for wild ales, as wild microbes tend to impart a wide range of characteristics to beer and exhibit variation from batch to batch — from microbe to microbe.

Mitch has a strong history of brewing. He cut his teeth as a homebrewer and employee at O’Connor’s Homebrew Supply before moving with Whitney to Colorado. Once there, Mitch joined the brewing team at Former Future Brewing Company — now known as Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales. Black Project — run by James Howat — specializes in spontaneously fermented beers. It was during this time that Mitch learned a great deal about wild and spontaneous fermentation. James, Mitch and the rest of the team at Black Project won two bronze medals for their wild ales at GABF in 2014 and 2015. Then, in 2016, Harmony Brewing Company hired Mitch to assist them in creating their sour program.

Speciation barrels

The beers released by Speciation so far were fermented using a mixture of lab cultures, wild microbes and a yeast Mitch harvested from a crab apple flower in Holland, Michigan. “We plan on shifting towards 100% wild fermentations as time goes on,” Mitch said, “once we have coolships and a collection of wild yeasts.” Many beer styles rely on malt or hops for their characteristic flavors — but wild and spontaneously fermented beers are all about the microbes. Not that malt and hops do not contribute, but the acidity — AKA sourness — and most of the complex flavors found in such beers are the result of microbial metabolism. A reliance on wild microbes promotes experimentation, as microbes from different sources (various fruits, flowers, etc.) bestow beer with distinct flavors and aromas.

Open fermentation

Mitch has some unique and exciting projects in the works. For the summer, they will be releasing a series of Berliner weisses aged with different fruits. There are also plans for a dark sour, an IPA, and an array of variants using base beers with different additions such as mangoes, honey or rhubarb and vanilla. The most exotic of Speciation’s upcoming ventures is a family of spontaneously fermented beers currently codenamed the Laurentian Spontaneous Series. What makes the Laurentian Series one-of-a-kind is the intended source of the microbes — the Great Lakes. Mitch plans to place coolships on the shores of each Great Lake to capture the terroir of the individual lakes, releasing each separately and together as a blend. Additionally, Mitch has several bourbon, red wine and maple syrup barrels to age beers in — with hopes of incorporating oak foeders soon. Keep in mind that wild microbes can be finicky, and any future releases are subject to change based on results.

Fermentation tank

A new batch of beer is released every second Saturday of every month. The first two batches released were Genetic Drift, an American Saison contained in a solera system and dry hopped with Mosaic and Saaz, and Incipient, a golden sour dry hopped with Belma, Cascade and Mosaic hops. The next slated release, on March 11, is a variation of the Incipient with Black Currants. Currently, releases are handled through a ticket-based system on Eventbrite and leftovers are sold at bottle shops like Siciliano's — so keep an eye out!

Tasting Notes for Genetic Drift

An American farmhouse Saison open-fermented with Brettanomyces bruxellensis var. Drie, Belle Saison, and Speciation’s house strain which was captured from a crabapple tree in Holland, MI. The malt build consists of Pilsner, Vienna, wheat, rye and oats. To top it off, this batch was dry hopped with Mosaic and Saaz. Mitch is utilizing solera techniques (adding fresh wort to containers with already fermented beer) to create future batches of Genetic Drift—which should result in similar beers that steadily change over time due to shifts in the microbial community of the solera.

Appearance: Pale gold, hazy, with a delicate seafoam white head.

Aroma: Rustic, earthy funk. Overripened fruit, mango, pineapple, light stone fruit. Peppery phenols.

Palate: Follows the nose well—rustic, earthy, funky and lightly acidic. Fruit smoothie with tropical and stone fruits. Lemon. A light, grainy malt character. High carbonation. Pillowy mouthfeel with a light-medium body.

Finish: Dry with lingering acidity and bitterness.

Michigan Micro Caps - It's a game about beer

By Chris Siciliano

On the Buzz recently I wrote about a new Michigan craft beer-themed smartphone game being developed by Fusionary Media, the good folks who built the Siciliano's website. We're pleased to announce that the game—Michigan Micro Caps—is now available on the Apple app store. Go here to check it out!

Just a reminder, this free-to-download game also functions as a portable index, cataloguing Michigan breweries and providing users with links to websites, maps, and social media pages. In this sense, the app is a very useful (and did I mention free) tool that will most certainly come in handy on your next extended Michigan-centric road trip.

And who knows, with 101 breweries included, you might just discover one or two you never knew existed. I know I did. Red Jacket in Calumet, Jasper Ridge in Ishperning, Founders in Grand Rapids—tell me you've heard of these before.

Apologies Android users, Michigan Micro Caps is currently available for the iPhone/iPad only. Michigan MicroCaps now available for Android!

Collaboration and symbiosis in the craft beer world

When it comes to selling, serving, or brewing craft beer, no one business can afford to be an island unto itself (a peninsula maybe).

By Steve Siciliano

The other day when Barb and I were at Founders one of the bartenders mentioned that he recently sent some folks our way who were looking for some Michigan beers. I thanked him and said that we in turn direct many out-of-towners to the brew pub.

I love having this type of rapport with Founders, Hop Cat and other local brew pubs and craft beer bars. We are always referring folks to these establishments and they constantly send customers to our store. Sharing the common denominator of craft beer, our businesses have formed mutually beneficial associations that I like calling symbiotic relationships.

Two ancient Greek words meaning “living” and “together” combine to form the word symbiosis. It is a term that was initially used by anthropologists to describe how people in a community have to cooperate to live together. The word has, however, been appropriated by biologists and today is most often used to describe the mutually beneficial relationships that exist between separate biological species. Because I feel that it’s an apt way to describe the cooperative attitude that exists within the craft beer industry as a whole, I’m appropriating it back.

There is a refreshing non-competitiveness amongst folks in the craft beer community. Unlike mega breweries that spend millions on advertising trying to snatch a bigger piece of the market, the vast majority of craft brewers seem more interested in spending their dollars on producing quality beer. And unlike the big boys, craft brewers are eager to share ideas, knowledge and resources. I highly doubt, for an example, that we’ll ever see a collaboration brew from MillerCoors and Anheuser Busch.

Doubtless this spirit of cooperation exists because craft brewers realize that the strength of the individual enhances the strength of the whole and that synergy rather than cut throat competitiveness is the key to the continued success of the craft beer community. I feel fortunate indeed to be part of a community that realizes that symbiotic relationships can be mutually beneficial and more productive than Machiavellian business tactics.

The mystery of the squirrel in the bathroom

This little guy makes sure you
don't use too much toilet paper.

At the end of last week's New Beer Friday we asked if anybody knew the brewery in which the picture at left was taken. Turns out nobody did. At any rate, nobody felt compelled to leave the answer in the comments section. Too bad too, because the prize for naming the correct brewpub was unimaginable riches.* What, we forgot to mention that? Sorry.

Anyway, it's too late to jump in now. The correct answer is Liberty Street Brewing in Plymouth, MI, a fine establishment with some very tasty beer on tap. Next time you're in the area we suggest you stop in and have a pint. And while you're at it, be sure to keep an eye out for the charming (fake) squirrel who makes its home in the men's room.


*Editor's note: Truth be told, unimaginable riches were never at stake in this or any other "contest" run on The Buzz. We just put that in for dramatic effect. Again, our apologies.

Spotlight: High Five Co-op Brewery

What in the world is a co-op brewery? Former Siciliano's staffer and current Buzz columnist Wes Eaton gets the 411 from Dallas McColloch, official spokesperson for GR's cooperative beer movement.

By Weston Eaton

High Five Co-op Brewery is an unfolding story. Just a few months ago twenty-five-year-old Grand Rapidian and cooperative spokesperson Dallas McColloch pitched his vision to Grand Rapids 5 x 5 Night and won. His vision? Begin a brewery whose goals include inclusivity, an opportunity for participative learning, a diverse range of craft beers, and an institutionalized democratic ethos wherein profits are divvied between workers and members—not shareholders and profiteers. By the time we finished our pizza lunch at Harmony, I was ready to join in. And the great thing is, anyone can.

What does it mean to be a part of High Five? Most prominently, becoming a member means actively participating in decision-making processes. This is the democracy aspect. While some members may have the capacity to provide different levels of resources to the co-op, the nominal membership fee entitles all members an equal vote. The inclusivity component means anyone can spend time learning about and performing the tasks and duties it takes to run a brewery. McColloch gave the example of the brewing process itself being a place where greenhorns would be welcomed to learn some of the brewing essentials, such as sanitation and other brewhouse necessities.

In terms of organization, cooperatives are member run and member financed. The term “member” is another word for owner, and, as stated above, anyone can become an active member for a nominal fee. Voting means democracy—and democratizing conventional entrepreneurial models—which for McCulloch is the whole point. No matter your station in life, or financial resources, each member gets one vote. How does the organization operate? Members can join one of three working groups or “committees”, the Hu$tlaz' (Marketing and PR), the steering committee (essential by-laws and operational ends), comprised now of NGO and non-profit savvy individuals, or the brewing committee, which collectively discusses and arranges beer recipes, methods, and menus.

What’s so neat about this organization is that one’s skills can clearly be linked with others in a democratic way. New ideas are introduced to the “floor” at member meetings (intentionally thus far kept under an hour) or at committee meetings and everyone takes an equally critical look at their merit, leading to a majority rule vote. Remember, like membership, participation in these committees is open and encouraged—the only question is, what might you add to the group?

Tying existing High Fivers together (there were forty-five attendees at March’s meeting) is of course a love for craft beer. McColloch’s own connection to craftbeer is one that runs parallel with his vision for a cooperative organization. Raised in Battle Creek on Arcadia Scotch Ale and skater punk music, a career supporting touring musicians afforded many opportunities to travel to Europe and taste the great classics Germany and Belgium have to offer. Familiar story right? Tales of New Belgium’s Jeff Lebesch bicycling across Europe and experiencing “good” beer for the first time come to mind—but that was over twenty years ago. Legends such as Lebesch as well as Michigan’s own Larry Bell, John Haggerty, Joe Short, Nathan Walser, Ron Jeffries, etc., have helped reshape our local beer landscape to such a degree that Michigan is now one of the best places in the world to find diverse craft beers. Such was the environment that McColloch and his generation found when they first began developing their tastes and standards. 

But like so many increasing numbers of others, drinking professionally brewed beer was not an end in itself. Rather, McColloch wanted to brew his own. While this is a familiar story, it’s important to remember that the rising tide of massive popularity in home brewing is a new part of its history. Since the late 1970s when Charlie Papazian first organized the American Homebrewers Association and penned The Joy of Home Brewing, the number of home brewers has boomed exponentially. More precisely, the past five years alone has seen huge growth—just take a look at Siciliano’s recent expansion. For example, I remember not being able to find a hard cider recipe just over seven years ago, and nor more than a handful of folks who knew the basics. While this might be saying more about those in my personal network—i.e. generation—the point is that today McColloch is one of countless others who can site countless sources and methods for brewing ciders. The culture has spread, and with it the diversity of understandings of this practice.

So while home brewing means many things to many people, for McColloch, the meaningfulness of this hobby (lifestyle? culture?) developed hand in hand with his interactions with cooperative organizations—examples being credit unions, Kalamazoo’s food co-ops, co-op restaurants visited while on tour in Europe and especially Western Canada, as well as more collective efforts here in Michigan such as Grand Rapid’s downtown restaurant Barter Town. The result is a specific and tangible value system that sets the importance of people above the indelibility of profits. In other words, his motivation, and that of High Five, is for a redefined localism and community based organization of beer brewing. As explained by McColloch, the cooperative model is the best means to include people as it is inclusive by its very nature, and therefore more concerned with people than with profit. 

What does a redefined or re-appropriated localism and community ethos mean? The topic came up at the end of our discussion when McColloch invited me to a High Five event, a “trash free” tasting party. The co-op extends its aim to minimize exploitation-via-a-collectively-arranged-financial-organization to its impact-on-environment-via-nonessential-waste. So, for High Five, community means higher standards of respect and appreciation and a recognition that undue strains on people and things on multiple levels are wholly unnecessary.

While this is all good, I think McColloch would have folks first start with the more tangible components of High Five. To crystalize this cooperative brewery, its essential uniquenesses are in organization. To most its distinctiveness will be judged not on its social values but on its beers, something I’m sure McColloch will be happy with. So beyond the philosophical elements, McColloch envisions a diverse range of beers, especially often overlooked classics like milds and middle strength scottish ales. His medal-winning Sixty-One minute IPA (Siciliano’s home brew contest 2011) is sure to get a spot on the line-up, at least temporarily. You too could be on tap! Each month the co-op plans to hold a homebrew contest of its own, with the winner upscaling her batch and having her own release party—all part of the co-op’s vision for building an egalitarian learning community.

In the immediate future, High Fivers will be traveling to the only other brewery cooperative in the nation, Black Star in Austin, TX, where plans and lessons will be shared and translated. Look out for High Five in upcoming months, check out their facebook page, and ask yourself, what might I contribute to my brewing community?

West Side, Best Side, Odd Side Ales

Tim, aka Capt. Snowbeard

The following guest post first appeared on Great Lakes Guru, a Michigan-themed blog lovingly maintained by writer and Great Lakes enthusiast Tim Chilcote. Although Tim lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, bulldog, and Twitter account (@TimChilcote), he is both a Muskegon native and still frequent visitor to Michigan's more westerly climes. Here, Tim recounts his first visit to Odd Side Ales, Grand Haven's newest (and only) microbrewery. 

 

Quirky brews and a warm atmosphere make Odd Side Ales a perfect fit for West Michigan’s eccentric, hometown beer scene. Varieties include Candy Cane Red, Kentucky Jackalope, and Morning Wood -- fun for craft beer novices and interesting enough for geeks and experts. The odd brews are reminiscent of fellow West side envelope-pushers Right Brain and Short’s, and hold their own next to any Michigan beer. Perhaps as interesting as the beer, the brewing operation is housed in Grand Haven’s old Story & Clark piano factory, providing a unique industrial backdrop of large wood beams and pillars, and a sense of Grand Haven history.

Roll out the barrels

Owners Chris and Alyson Michner have been going strong for nearly a year. Chris, a former accountant, brews the beer, and his wife Alyson is manager and beer-slinger, that is, when she’s not busy at her other full-time job as an assistant dean at Hope College. The Odd Side couple has enjoyed success in their first year. The Michners now employ five people and, as Alyson says, “a brother and sister-in-law who work for beer.” Their business model seems relatively simple compared to their complex beers: no business loans, 80 hour work weeks, and over 50 different varieties of beer (though not all at once).

Chris, Alyson, Mugs

Local Grand Haven business Ceramic Cafe helps mug club members make their own unique mug artwork. Alyson proudly points out that mug club members can “bring a growler to drink while they paint.” An upright piano pays homage to the building’s original factory and is perfect for open-mic night or an impromptu tickling of the ivories. Fun lamps and artwork line the walls, along with a mounted jackalope that watches over the bar.

Mood lighting

Here are a few of the beers I sampled, all tasty: 

1. Blueberry Coffee (Nitro): Creamy and smooth with understated berry flavors.

2. Candy Cane Red: Odd, indeed. Starts like a normal beer but ends with a mint aftertaste. A good choice for a casual beer drinker on an adventure.

3. Fat Bottom IPA: Light on hops, heavy on citrus and sweet, almost fruity. My wife, who normally doesn’t like IPA’s, was a big fan.

4. Fudge Brownie Coffee Stout: Heavy stout, with a hint of fudge and a lot of coffee flavor. Good for fighting a cold wind blowing off Lake Michigan.

5. Kentucky Jackalope: Barrel-aged amber. Fantastic, one-of-a-kind flavor. My amateur palate can’t do this beer justice. I liked it, but I can’t pinpoint exactly why.

6. Morning Wood: Barrel-aged breakfast stout. Medium-bodied, tangy, and whiskey-y.

7. White Grape: Made with Paw Paw wine grapes. Easy -- too easy -- to drink.

8. Rabid Jackalope: An 8% imperial version of the Kentucky Jackalope, as evil as it sounds. I bought a growler, which I lost or gave away sometime on New Year’s Eve. Oops.

Left to right, top to bottom: Beers 1-6

Incidentally, I worked on the third floor of Odd Side’s Harbourfront Building during my post-undergrad days at Expedia.com, and surely would have squandered my rent had they been brewing downstairs. I also happen to own a Story & Clark upright, so I’m pretty well sold on the entire experience. And having spent a winter living in Grand Haven, I know just how slow things can get downtown -- I’ve definitely been one of two people sitting in the Kirby during a Saturday snowstorm. That Odd Side was full on a Wednesday night is a positive sign for these strange brews.

 

Jackalope, always watching

Post & pics courtesy Tim Chilcote.

 

Michigan's Little Bavaria

"Chug" Dorda

In his first offering to the new blog, Siciliano's staffer Doug Dorda records events from a weekend spent with friends and family in the historic town of Frankenmuth. They drank beer, they ate cheese, they bought a puppy. From what we understand, it was a pretty typical weekend for the Dorda clan.

In the deepest doldrums of winter it can often be difficult to look outside and find a reason for joy. So it was with an adventurous heart that I sought to break the mold of the mundane and dive head-first into the most abundant annoyance the winter has to offer: snow. Though the quaint destination of Frankenmuth, Michigan may seem best frequented in the brilliant summer months, it's worth seeing in winter, too, especially during the annual snow fest, which is hosted by local chicken aficionados, Zehnders. The festival is centered around the art of ice and snow sculpting, and never ceases to amaze. The entirety of the historic village is adorned with ice- and snow-art of a breathtaking caliber that is sure to delight both families and art buffs alike. The town is also peppered with Bavarian nostalgia and filled with shops of all kinds, none so intriguing as the legendary Cheese Hause, which will make even the most discerning foodie salivate with culinary possibility. To be steeped in a universe of such undeniable cultural influence is truly a unique experience.

I stayed the weekend in Frakenmuth with my parents and several close friends at the enchanting Bavarian Inn, famous for it’s multiple pools and entertainment options that accommodate any age group. Within minutes of unpacking it was time for the first round of drinks (designed to stave off the chill during our outdoor romp), and then we were off to the town square. Just a few moments walk from the hotel and we were already glimpsing a wonderful display of snow sculptures ranging from a broken light bulb to an incredibly detailed shipwreck scene. The “warming” drinks seemed to have had a bit more "warming" effect on my father, for it was no more than ten minutes into our walk that he fell in love with and then decided to purchase a puppy. Rather impulsive I admit, but really, who can resist a puppy. With my new brother Max in my arms we set off again – this time to the ice sculptures. Between the constant requests of nearly every tourist to pet the puppy, I was able to discern that the ice and snow work was stunning in craftsmanship and detail.

"Max" Dorda

Although the puppy was unbelievably cute, I decided to hand him to my father so that my friends and I could “warm up” once again. With swift feet we sought out the Frankenmuth Brewing Company (a legendary establishment, with a tumultuous history, worthy of its own blog). It was quite possibly one of the most beautiful restaurant/breweries I have ever seen. Given the chance to go back again, I could more accurately depict its stunning décor and warming ("warming") atmosphere, but my friends and I were single-minded and thirsty so the details will have to wait. Enter the munich dunkel, heffeweizen, and baltic porter, each a fine beverage indicative of its style. They paired perfectly with the local ambiance, and the magic of drinking German beer while in that particular town cannot be truly explained or overstated. However, it's important to remember that when enjoyed too quickly, carbonated beverages often result in hiccups (Here's a tip for you: eating snow so that it becomes water is not an effective way to rid oneself of hiccups. Trust me, we tried.).

Feeling quite warm and sated, it was off to the Cheese Hause to fulfill the wishes of the gourmet in our hearts. Once we were able to tear our eyes away from the 7- to 12-year-old cheddars, we split from one another to ogle in peace and seclusion. Settling on some aged moldy cheeses and a dozen or so meat sticks, we again set forth, intent on one last destination: The Lager Mill.

The Mill is a remnant of the historic site of the Brewing Company. It has since been transformed into a wonderful bottle shop, and will eventually house a beer museum sure to pique the interests of beer geek and domestic drinker alike. The store is designed by beer lovers for beer lovers, offering everything from Michigan-made micros to German-, Belgian-, and domestically-produced micros in an impressive array. Finally leaving the store after what seemed a lifetime of contemplative thought, we made it back to the hotel. The doors swung open and we were greeted by a host of family and friends with libations in hand. It felt as though our room itself was a German beer hall. Food was in abundance, beer flowed like water, and there was no shortage of conversation and laughter. Fireworks blazed in the sky as the night wore on and our “warmth” grew into full inebriation. My father and mother led us in a chorus of oooohs and ahhhs as the finale of the fireworks lit the sky. The night ended with spirited--if not correctly played--games of scattegories and charades. All in all it was one of the better weekend trips I have had in some time, and I guarantee my friends and family in attendance will agree.

The winter is often viewed as a season to stay shut indoors and forget the inconvenience that so often coats the ground. Most of you are people who find grand luxury in the simple sip of a beer; I propose extending the same mindset toward the winter season. Frankenmuth is a wonderful place to brave the cold, enjoy a meal, drink a beer, travel through time, or simply enjoy the company of your family and friends. Only a short distance from Grand Rapids, or merely hours from most parts of the state, it is a must see in any season. Did I mention they also host the world expo of beer in the summer? Something to think about….

Cheers!