Possible Chicago>Michigan trip, have questions

Discussion in 'US: Great Lakes' started by mdwalsh, Apr 8, 2013.

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  1. mdwalsh

    mdwalsh Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2009 Iowa

    This Summer We Will Be In Chicago For about 9 Days, And Might Take A Michigan Beer Trip. My Plan Is, Leaving From The SoutH Side, To Hit: Fff, New Holland, Founders, Bells. What Am I Missing That Is A Must, Where Will The Best Liquor Store Be, What Are Growler Laws In MI, and What Outdoor Recreation Or Food Sites Should We Look Into?
     
  2. crossovert

    crossovert Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2009 Illinois

    Go to greenbush, right of the highway near a big rest stop, not to be missed. don't know about growler laws but bell's doesn't offer them but I know greenbush does. And at FFF I don't know if it is a law but they wont fill anything bu their own growlers.
     
  3. autumnaldave

    autumnaldave Initiate (0) Dec 7, 2003 Illinois

    i'd leave on a friday and work into a saturday.

    leaving from the south side to FFF : 45 min. (so leave round 11ish am)
    FFF visit 2ish hours. (eat here)
    Leave FFF to Greenbush... another 45 min.
    gb visit up to an hour...(food is there, just small menu)
    gb to livery bout 20 minutes
    livery visit bout an hour. (sandwiches, decent pubgrub)
    from livery to bells about another hourish.
    bells is two hours. (more sandwiches) three if you walk down the street to shakespeares or beer exchange. you can liquor store in kalamazoo at tiffany's... drakes party store was meh at best.

    head north to grand rapids, hotel...(hour)
    dinner (recommended, brewery vivant... really great food, duck confit nachos) two hours

    sleep and start late. hotel should be walkable to founders/hopcat/downtown area.

    now the nice part about grap liquor stores is they open fairly early. international beverage and or siclianos should be your first stops for bottle shopping. but consensus is varying.

    breakfast at http://www.mariecatribs.com/ (generous portions) hourish.
    get back to your hotel and ditch the car.
    Get founders out of the way, 2 hours.
    Get hopcat out of the way... 2 hours. (crack fries as an app with the cheese sauce. or mixed in with the macncheeze)

    there's other spots fairly close... good retro vid game bar right across the way, stellas... there's pyramid scheme, they usually have on a good amt of shorts beer.

    heard good things bout the grbc brewing co... but haven't been to the newly owned one.

    either another hotel night... or sober up and then new holland on the way home... it's an hourish at best... our brewing company is in new holland as well... something to think about.... you could throw in the drive out to oddside, but that's entirely up to you... oddside and our should have beers at hopcat... (i would hope they would...) and you can go from there.

    these are my thoughts. for outdoor recreation.... roadsideamerica.com
     
    Bigtwin, otrejo, PapaGoose03 and 3 others like this.
  4. ehammond1

    ehammond1 Initiate (0) Jul 4, 2008

    I Have Heard Truly Amazing Things About These. Would Eat.
     
  5. mcaulifww

    mcaulifww Initiate (0) Aug 18, 2011 Virginia

    You Dont Seem To Be Missing A Thing In My Book. This Sounds Like A Really Well, Thought Out Trip. I Think You Will Have Fun. I Love Dogs.
     
    Steimie and strohme2 like this.
  6. auto_exec

    auto_exec Initiate (0) May 6, 2012 Illinois

    I just got back from a similar trip for the KBS release party... If you're going to Bell's, a little east of there is Arcadia (from experience, I'd say you can probably skip this one without missing much) and a little further east is Dark Horse (I'd recommend going to this one). Try to make it for the DH tour - for $6 or $7, you get the tour, 6-7 tasty samples (incl. BBPt5 if they have it), and a glass.
     
  7. imfrommichigan

    imfrommichigan Initiate (0) Jul 12, 2012 Utah

    Is the search function broke?

    *checks*

    Nope. There's about one bajillion threads on this exact subject. Either way though, you'll have a good time!
     
    GRBrew likes this.
  8. DROOO

    DROOO Initiate (0) May 5, 2009 Illinois

    listen to autumnaldave.

    when i traveled around michigan in february, the lady wanted some dragon's milk from the source, so we stopped in holland. i was more than pleasantly surprised to encounter Our Brewing Co about 2-3 doors down from new holland. great stop, and looking forward to my next visit.
     
  9. Gotti311

    Gotti311 Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2009 Wisconsin
    Trader

    Here is our trip Michigan Beercation. Dark Horse is cannot miss. Go on a Sunday and take the $7 tour. Will be the best spent money on the whole trip.
     
  10. kodt

    kodt Pooh-Bah (2,274) Mar 6, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Don't miss Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids.

    Some other options:

    Dark Horse and Arcadia, while near Bells.

    Odd Side Ales, while near New Holland.

    There is also Saugatuk Brewing not to far from New Holland.
     
  11. mdwalsh

    mdwalsh Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2009 Iowa

    Thanks for all the tips, everyone. I won't be able to go an a weekend, I think it will be a Monday/Tuesday or Tuesday/Wednesday. And it looks like we will be spending the night in Michiana Shores on the way out, if that has any impact, and this will be 4th of July week.
     
  12. mdwalsh

    mdwalsh Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2009 Iowa

    Okay, so we are for sure going to go Tuesday/Wednesday July 2nd/3rd. Leaving South Side Chicago around 4, hitting Three Floyds and then spending the night with a relative in Michigan City. being as more relatives just moved back to this area, this could be a shit show, so we'll see what time we get up in the morning.

    From Michigan City to Bell's is 1.5 hours. I'd like to leave the family around 9, but that's getting to Bell's at 10:30, a little early. Is there a stop where we could pick up bottles (liquor store or brewery selling them) or any other must hits that aren't beer related? Perhaps Tiffany's in Kalamazoo looks best? How are prices at the General Store? Also planning to eat here, good idea?

    After Bell's, top priority is Founders, so leaving Bell's by lets say 1, arriving in GR by 2. Other than Founders, I am probably most interested in Brewery Vivant in GR, but where is there a good tour/a good place to look around without drinking so much? Any can't miss liquor stores or non-beer sites?

    I'm thinking two hours at least to spend in Grand Rapids, so leaving around 4, and then 30 minutes to New Holland. Will an hour be enough time to spend at New Holland and Ours?

    So leaving Holland at 5:30 or so will get us back to Beverly by 8, which may be a little later than my brother is thinking, so we might have to tighten things up a bit.

    If I have to tighten things up a bit, I'll mostly be looking to cut out drinking, which means buying more beer to go, either in growlers or bottles, to consume later. Where would be the best places to get that, and can anyone clarify if these places will fill other people's growlers?
     
  13. adamdd

    adamdd Initiate (0) May 9, 2011 Michigan

    I'd personally avoid Tiffany's. Go to Drake or Mega-Bev. Both are close to 131. Prices at the General Store are on par with other retail. They usually have a good selection of Bell's. The food at Bell's is usually top notch. I highly recommend eating there. If you are in Kzoo early, walk around downtown.
     
    c64person likes this.
  14. kodt

    kodt Pooh-Bah (2,274) Mar 6, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    There is also Shoreline in Michigan City since you will be there.
     
  15. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,533) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    If you get to Bell's at 10:30 go into the General Store (opens at 10:00) for bottles and to kill time until 11:00 when the Eccentric Pub opens. And, yes, the food is very good if you want to eat there.

    Regarding growlers: http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/michigan-growler-laws.88085/#post-1303126
     
  16. mdwalsh

    mdwalsh Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2009 Iowa

    How is food there? We will technically be staying in Michiana Shores (literally a few yards from the State Line), but could probably convince the fam to meet us for dinner.
     
  17. mdwalsh

    mdwalsh Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2009 Iowa

    Awesome, thanks.
     
  18. ChicagoBeersFan

    ChicagoBeersFan Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2010 Illinois

    Don't forget about the time zone change. If you leave Michigan City at 9 Central, you'll get to Kalamazoo around 11:30 Eastern.
     
    PapaGoose03 likes this.
  19. mdwalsh

    mdwalsh Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2009 Iowa

    Good Call!
     
  20. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,533) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I've eaten there once, and I enjoyed the food more than the beer (although the beer is good too). The menu is more than pub fare. I didn't look, but maybe they have their menu on their website.
     
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