Jolly Pumpkin to open location in Chicago

Good for them - hope it turns out well. I can't imagine I'll ever get down there.

 

At their flagship location in Ann Arbor they don't have enough beers on tap (or at least not enough La Roja) for my liking, but their Red Chicken Nachos are great, and a ton of food for $9.

 

must be hit or miss. I've been there three times since the release of Oro de Calabaza GR and each time they had La Roja and even had Biere de Mars one time which is one of my absolute favs.

 

They've had a ton more rotation in the past few months than in, like, 2012-15. Possibly because of the ridiculous number of collaborations they've brewed recently. Those nachos are great, the pizzas are fantastic.

And yes it is weird when they don't have La Roja.

 

Yeah, I'd always found the lack of rotation/variety disappointing, but was always happy if they at least had La Roja. Seems like in the last year, the rotation/variety has improved significantly, but La Roja is only on probably 1/3 times I go in there (I live about two blocks away.)

 

I still enjoy visiting the AA location when I'm in town, but I will say the Detroit location typically has a much better draft list. Its been excellent both times I've gone. Hoping for good things here.

 

Surprised at the choice of Hyde Park, will get more tourists than locals. Nice area but not enough public transportation choices, last thing I want is to go to a brewery then drive home.

 

I think Uber/Lyft makes the lack of public transportation down there not as relevant. I still won't probably make it down there, though...it just isn't convenient. I think there will be a good deal of locals, though.

 

The JP in Midtown Detroit is doing well, and there is zero transportation there. That will change about March/April when the Q line/M1 Rail street car starts up. There is a stop conveniently close by. ;-)

 

Hyde park locals, ya but not those who will regularly make the $20 uber each way from the north.

 

But you think tourists will go to Hyde Park and pay the same Uber/Lyft fares to get there? Especially when there are other options closer to most of the hotels (e.g. Mag Mile, River North) that have beer that people will probably like more (i.e. non-sour beers)? Plus, those other breweries (Goose Island, Half Acre, Revolution) are more "Chicago" than JP - that's not a knock on JP, just that the other places were established and developed here as opposed to just having a location open up.

I don't know all that much about the Hyde Park area, but thought it was a bit of a hipster scene with the university being nearby, so that's why I thought JP could do OK down there.

To be fair...there is no transportation anywhere in Detroit outside of a car at this point. Also, the competition for breweries in Detroit vs. Chicago is quite a bit different due to some of the options I mentioned above.

 

Wait, we both overlooked the People Mover. ;-)

There is a terrible bus system, and you can even ride the Amtrak Wolverine From the New Center Station to Chicago.

Cars are the way to get around. That includes cabs, Über, Lyft.

The Q-line/M1 Rail will be a welcome addition. I know a tasting room owner in Ferndale that wishes the rail would go farther north.

 

I think beer tourists will, not tourists tourists.

 

Yeah, I figured that's what you meant, which is why I pointed out places like GI, Half Acre, Revolution. No way would I ever recommend a tourist of any sort to go to JP over those places.