Great Lakes craft brew vacation ?

You've chosen three cities that have a very good craft beer presence but only giving yourself a couple days to enjoy each place after allowing for travel time (and don't forget about snowy driving conditions too). I'd consider just Columbus and Indy as destinations, and do them right.

However, if you want to hit Grand Rapids too (and we'd like your dollars being added to our economy), you really want to visit Founders even though that brewery fits the definition of "majorly distributed breweries" that you want to avoid. And while you're at it if you come to Michigan, your itinerary between Columbus and Grand Rapids will cause you to travel through the Kalamazoo area, thus Bell's needs to be put onto your list, even if that place is your only stop in town. Both breweries typically have a number of outstanding one-offs that make these places worthy of a visit.

Enjoy your trip.

 

Waiting for the BA that tells you to make a 200 mile detour (one way) because "There's this great little brewery and it's not that far off your route..."

 

That would be Lil' Beaver Brewery and they're only 173 miles out of the way!

 

<s>You should definitely check out Brickside Brewery, it's this great little brewery and it's not that far off your route. </s>

 

Is there any reason for Columbus? Kind of seems out of the way when you chart the trip as PIT->CBUS->GR->IND->PIT.

CBUS seems to would work better if you sandwich IND in between GR and CBUS rather than day 7.

 

If you are going to Grand Rapids anyway I would consider spending more time covering the Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids area. In the Kzoo area places to consider would be Bell's (just because it's Bell's), One Well, Arcadia and Territorial. Maybe a trip over to Dark Horse too.

In the Grand Rapids area you've got Founder's (again, just because), Harmony, City Built, Greyline, Vivant, Gravel Bottom (Ada), Trail Point (Allendale), Pidgeon Hill and Unruly (Muskegon), Odd Sides (Grand Haven), New Holland, Our and Big Lake (Holland) to only name a few.

 

If you let us know where you're staying in Indy and what type of beers you like I (we) can recommend some breweries around Indy. I used to live in GR so I can help there too.

 

Book a tour at Speciation in Grand Rapids, and stop by Brewery Vivant while you're in town for a unique brewpub environment.

 

Co-sign on the Brewery Vivant rec (duck nachos if you're at all into that thing).

 

If you are looking for smaller lesser distributed breweries, I recommend stopping in Ann Arbor between Columbus and Grand Rapids. You could hit HOMES and Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor and then head to Grand Rapids for Founders, Speciation, Brewery Vivant and others.

 

Depending on your route to Indy from GR, stop good stops along the way...

Greenbush ~ Sawyer, MI
Burn'em Michigan City IN
And Three Floyds in Munster, IN is only 20 minutes off I-65 if you take that to Indy.

 

I'll Add Transient in Bridgman; if you are going to 3 Floyd's from GR/Kzoo, it will be right on the way (mile off 94) - note Transient is not open until 4PM Wed-Fri, noon on Sat/Sun).

 

For Columbus, definitely check out Seventh Son. It was my favorite spot on my trip there over the summer. Hoof Hearted and Wolfs Ridge aren’t too far either.

But if you’re not familiar with Columbus Brewing, that should be near the top of the list too.

 

CBC doesn't have a brewpub/taproom at this point. He could certainly find bottles pretty easily, but there's no "spot" to go have CBC.

 

If you're coming into Columbus from 70, I would not sleep on a quick stop in Newark, Ohio. It's literally on the way into town. Several pretty solid breweries in that area (especially DankHouse if you want NEIPAs)

As far as Columbus goes, if you're just intent on hitting the main ones inside the outerbelt, then a day or so would probably do it, but I would highly encourage taking a couple days and also concentrate on some of the ones in the suburbs.

Brewdog, yeah, we've all had their beer, but it's a cool place to say you've been. Once you're out that way, it's worth a stop at Combustion in Pickerington as well. Several new breweries are popping up in the northern part of Columbus as well.