Kalamazoo must try brew pubs?

Bells, Arcadia, Gonzos are stops I've made and enjoyed, I've also seen positive reviews of one well. The kalamazoo beer exchange can be fun too but it's not a brewery, just a pub...

 

I'll agree with mich34 that these would be my 3 choices too, but if you are willing to drive about 7 miles south of downtown Kzoo, Latitude 42 in Portage would slip above Gonzo's in my ranking.

 

Go to Bells if you have never been, their tap list always has interesting things you typically can't find.

Tibbs & Gonzos are very close to Bells and well worth visiting. Gonzos beers are solid and they have a pretty large list. Ever since Tibbs expanded, their tap list has also expanded so you can usually find 10 or so choices there whereas they used to have just a few. Their beers are quite good as well.

 

There is a triangle of awesomeness. Kzoo can be a little ghetto and these places are all right near each other so virtually no walking.

Bells Taproom, Shakespeare's, Beer Exchange. Olde Peninsula Brewing is also about a 1/4 mile walk away and had good brews. Gonzos and Tibbs are a SHORT cab ride away, as is Arcadia's Kzoo brewery/taproom.

The downstairs of the Beer Exchange at night is awesome. One of my favorite craft beer experiences!

 

I just took a trip to Kzoo late this past summer. Bell's was awesome as I expected. As I was leaving I saw Arcadia was just across the river (easy walking distance) Arcadia has excellent BBQ in the back and great beers. Also if you are able to drive Drak Horse is about 25 minutes away from Kzoo and worth it. Dark Horse has a nice chunk of land they call "the compound". They have good food too.

 

Depending on which way you are coming from, here are my personal suggestions for just 3 stops. If you are coming from the West on 94, I would stop in at Paw Paw Brewing (about 20 minutes West of Kazoo) and then my first two choices for Kazoo would be Bell's and Tibbs. (sorry Arcadia). If you are coming from the south on 131, I would stop at Latitude 42, then hit up Tibbs and Bells. Just recently opened is Brite Eyes Brewing south of downtown just a few blocks. Not a huge tap list yet, but have consistently had 4-6 solid beers on tap. Bell's will by far have the largest and most interesting tap list of any choices. Arcadia does have really good food and a really cool vibe, but for my personal taste, the beers aren't as interesting as other places in Kazoo. If time is an issue, then Bell's, Arcadia, Tibbs, Gonzo's, and Boatyard are all within just a few blocks of each other. Not brewpubs, but worthy beer bars all within the same few block distance are Kazoo Beer Exchange, Central City Tap House, and Shakespeare's. To be honest, Kazoo is a great beer city and you really can't go wrong there.

 

As someone that walks around downtown Kzoo quite often, I'm surprised & frankly offended by the ghetto comment

Hmmm, that's some FIBby driving there, it's more like 40min on I-94 to get to Dark Horse. Arcadia's food is legit great but I find myself consistently underwhelmed by their beer

I feel like there isn't enough love for Tibbs, I prefer Tibbs to Gonzo's, Arcadia & the rest of the non-Bells options downtown even though it is a small space

 

I'd skip Latitude 42. Everything (food, beer, etc) is fine, but has never excited me. They do usually have a pretty large selection of user-friendly beers for the non-craft though. Thus, I'd consider it as the kind of place to take your company's Christmas party, but not necessarily the one to hit up if you want the best beer around. #1 is Bell's. Gonzo's and Tibbs are very good recommendations as well. A place that hasn't been mentioned yet is One Well Brewing. Tiny place that's very easy to reach off of I-94. They're just celebrating their 1st anniversary on Black Friday, and it's not a huge tap list, but they have some really solid stuff, including a very tasty coffee donut porter (especially if they have the bourbon barrel version on).

 

you would have to be a certain level of lazy to consider getting a cab between any of these spots.

 

Or a certain level of drunk. Or a certain level of Michigan fall/winter evening. It gets freaking cold up there...

 

We went to Bell's Saturday and had Batch 2000, Double Two Hearted, Larry's Stupid Citrus Quadrupid hop bomb, and a coffee bomb porter called Milchkaffe.

 

One Well is easily one of the two best breweries in Kalamazoo, a must-visit.

 

Latitude 42 is like what Applebee's Brewing would be.

 

Yeah I know, we walk from Bell's to the Comfort Inn in the dead of winter. We survive somehow.

 

This list is awesome. Anyone have suggestions for bottle shops in the area as well?

 

There is nothing downtown that is a very good store. Mega Bev and Drake Party Center are the two where I shop. Mega Bev is way out on W. Main about a half mile past US-131, and Drake Party Center is also out west at the corner of Drake Road and Michigan Ave which is not quite as far from downtown. Tiffany's is also out on W. Main St. about halfway to Mega Bev, but they have the reputation of being higher priced. I can't validate that because I don't go there when I'm in town.

 

Agree that Bell's and Tibbs are musts. I'm from Kzoo and very familiar with the area, and it is NOT ghetto either.