Unruly Brewing Co.

I could hardly believe when I found that Muskegon is now home to not one but two breweries. Wow! Great news for this down-on-its-luck town.

Unruly occupies a cool space in downtown Muskegon, shared with a coffee shop. There is a stage for live music, plenty of sofas and tables to lounge around and the brewery bar. I dig the industrial-Blade-Runner atmosphere, complete with what you might call hipsters if you were in, say, Detroit.

They had 8 taps during my visit, including a Pils, Honey Blonde, Wicked 6 Black IPA, Altbier, 21 Guns Hoppy Wheat and a Espresso Shadow Imperial Porter. Good stuff overall, I loved the Imperial Porter.

Unruly was busy on a rainy Saturday afternoon at around 3pm, but it wasn't difficult to order a beer. Friendly folks behind the bar. They have some sandwiches from a local joint as well, but I didn't have any of the food.

Definitely a place to visit when in Muskegon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the best beer I've had. The IPA and DIPA were extremely tasty and not overly bitter like most IPAs these days - lots of floral, flavorful hops.

The cream ale and lager were extremely flavorful for the style, the best I've tried of either, and I enjoy a good lager.

The Belgian Bier de Garde, red ale, and brown ale were also impressive. The blueberry weiss was interesting but I don't have much to compare the style to. The stout I tried was alright.

Summary: Best IPA, lager, and cream ales I've tried. Someone at this brewery has excellent taste buds and knows how to pump their beers full of flavor. I did not expect this sort of quality when I came here. Pretty cool that they have an excellent pizza place in the same facility too. One of the nights we went they had live music (open mic) which happened to be excellent as well. Awesome place and my favorite brewery in Michigan. Now I need to convince the local taproom to get some kegs....

Edit: Forgot to mention, their wine was fantastic.

 

the beers are different. venue and food is great

 

 

 

 

 

Nice up and coming brewery in downtown Muskegon, MI. They do not serve food (yet), but pizza and subs are delivered there. They do not bottle their beer yet, hopefully soon. They only way to take it out is in a growler.

 

 

 

My wife and I stopped here on a Friday mid-afternoon as part of a mini pub crawl to try the beers at the two new breweries in Muskegon. The building is located on one of the main downtown streets, and, although it looks new from the exterior, it becomes obvious from the interior that this is an old structure that has been rehabbed into something good. The brewery shares this large open space with a coffee shop and a pizzeria, so those food amenities are easily available to brewery patrons. (A supply of sandwiches from a local sandwich shop is kept on hand, and is also available as a food choice.)

The place was not busy so we chose seats at the bar. There were 10 beers on tap, so we ordered sampler glasses of all of them so that we could evaluate everything. It was a nice selection from a light-flavored cream ale, to a session IPA, a coffee brown, an imperial IPA, an oatmeal stout, and a Belgian-style wheat ale. For a relatively new brewery the brewer has done a good job dialing the beers in to the recipes, except for the Pocket Change Pale Ale which we felt was below average and reminded me of a homebrewed beer, and the Cream Ale which had some sort of an off flavor. All of the other beers were scored at a C grade up to three beers that were at a B level. Especially notable were the Revel Rouser West Coast IPA, the Lunch Break Session IPA, and the Tropical Thunder Imperial IPA. Untapped shows a boatload of beers listed for this brewery, so they appear to be actively trying to find themselves and which beers are well-liked, or the brewer just likes to mix it up and is brewing anything and everything. We enjoyed ourselves and would go back again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twas me first visit upon Unruly today. Twas a day suited best for cold weather drivers with the fortitude of Michigan residence or some other lucky country in the snow belt or polar vortex. Blizzard like conditions swirled snow in all directions, but the mission was clear. Well worth it, it was. A great room greeted me and, although weary from the two block walk in 30 mph winds, I lapped up the treasures that awaited in me city's first craft brewery, or proper commercial brewery as it were, in decades. Twas a reward for me fortitude. There is a tall industrial ceiling with a great span over the nicely sized room. The lot is shared with a small coffee dispensary that I see swallowed by the brewery in the not too distant future which will add some more span to this already more than worthy piece of real estate. Bring your party here.

The first drink poured down me face was an IPA of 7.3% abv called Eazy E. One of me favorite gangsta rappas from history memorialized in a quite quaffable concoction I found suitable to my thirst. The service was impeccable. No thirsty individual went thirsty for long during my sit there at the bar. The bar which had a nice foot tray worth mentioning as sometimes me feet dangle precariously as I sit quaffing crafts. A proper thumbs up for a comfy chair and a foot tray so me feet didn't have to dangle. Wait staff was on their game collectively. I even had the chance, whilst bedazzled by me first dribblins of this oasis, to join up with a mug club that boasts life time membership (at present) and a dollar off each pour as well. The fledgling in me own city. The city that made me. Sign me up.

The selection was worthy of a visit. The majority were on the heavy hitting side of the fence. Alcohol by volumes of 7 point on up were standard. No sparing of the grain bill (or DME or cane sugar as the case may be). No pussy footing around on this premises. There is even a wine selection for the more pantie waisted of blokes or more likely the slightly less than proper bird who enjoys not the grain and hop and all of the complexity it offers versus the juice of the grape. I must tack on that the wine comes from a west Michigan winery and I have to give up the proper hand for this place piggy backing some local industry and promoting this region I have loved so as long as I have hated it.

The food comes in from another local in the heart of the city which be Fatty Lumpkins sangwiches. Nice Boar's Head meats they use for proper pub fare. There were also some appetizers listed which I cannot offer opinion on at present. I can vouch for the Fatty Lumpkins sangwiches as I have had them for nourishment in the past and they get the seal of approval.

The value is around 6 bucks for a pour. Me mug club enrollment provided me with a buck off so tipping felt within decent reason. These are some substantial drinks so that should be taken with the grain of salt that is sticker price. If you will fork over 3 bucks for a BMC down the road at the Tipsy Toad or the like, then you should delight in getting some delicious drink made right under your feet in heart of Downtown Muskegon. Pay up you wincing cheap skate and tip the bar maidens!

Overall, this was a trip that left me with a song in me heart. I am happy to have this dream realized in my area. I wish this establishment all of the best. I wish also for a change of culture that I hope will sweep the area and wash away the "Beer Tent Capital of the World" moniker that has stuck like an ugly stamp of low class and low self worth. Treat yourself to something better and head down to Unruly Brewing. Keep this going. I am there with you!