Grand Rapids in April.

After Founders, only two other breweries tend to stand out from the others in town for their beers, Brewery Vivant and Perrin. I think Grand Rapids Brewing is close to that stand-out group. All the rest of the breweries have good beer so I won't say anything negative about them, other than Schmohz beers have never impressed me when I tried them (but I have not had anything from them for a few years now).

I haven't been to Kitzingen Brewing in Wyoming yet, but they are on the top of my list to visit the next time i'm in town.

 

^This. Depending on how far you're willing to drive. The trip out to Odd Side Ales, Unruly, and Pigeon Hill is worth it as well. I would argue that Pike 51 is definitely worth a visit, and while you are there, White Flame is only a couple of blocks away. They're also on the way out to the lake shore. Cedar Springs is also worth checking out - they're newer and finding their place, but their German inspired beers are well done...the food is also fantastic (get the sprouts).

 

You may want to reconsider trading for 2015 Hipster or Hazels Nuts (B1) as some of the "flavors may have changed" (according to the brewery). Or if you ask anyone that has tried them recently, they may well tell you that some of them are infected.

 

They need to dial the German beers in. My Dunkel looked and tasted like a Mätzen. The Oktoberfest/Mätzen the wife ordered had banana notes. Banana I that style is a serious flaw. Sorry, that is what we experienced. The Pretzel was good!

 

"Märzen" (no 't') is amber and a separate year-round beer than the Dunkel, which is a winter seasonal and dark red.

If you found "banana," wife may have had the Original Weissbier, which is also amber colored and has expected estery notes, but never noted esters/fruits/bananas in the actual Märzen, which has always been clean and caramel-ly IME.

Rockford & Cellar also worth the drive in the northern area, although neither serves food yet.

 

My spelling in Deutsch is not the best, but it looks like either I spelled it wrong both times fat fingering the t next to the r.

The wife ordered a Märzen. I ordered a Dunkel. Either they served us both the wrong beers, or they need to dial those in. If it was the Weißbier where were the wheat and clove notes? The Dunkel I had was dark red, but lacked the character of Dunkels (dark bready character, high in the Maillard reactions that give that flavor and aroma). I just didn't hit the flavor and aroma of the ones I drank a lot of in Franconia, the Oberpfalz, and Niederbayern last Nov. and December.

Been to both Rockford and Celler.

 

I will say the Breze was prety good.