Road trip help: best beer stores with easy access from I-90

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by LostHighway, Aug 4, 2014.

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  1. LostHighway

    LostHighway Pundit (986) Jan 29, 2007 Minnesota

    I'm going to be driving from Maine to Minnesota. The route will probably be I-90 with a likely detour up to Kalamazoo to see friends. Where 90 & 94 split in Wisconsin I'm not 100% sure which route we'll take but probably 94. I'm especially looking for recommendations for stores in Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois are more doubtful stops save perhaps for 3 Floyds. The trip won't be quite as leisurely as I'd prefer so I'm looking for stores with easy access off the highway: close to an exit/entrance and not involving a ton complicated navigation and potentially time consuming urban driving. Stores that open early and close late are an additional plus.
     
    #1 LostHighway, Aug 4, 2014
  2. RblWthACoz

    RblWthACoz Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2006 Pennsylvania

    #2 RblWthACoz, Aug 4, 2014
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  3. LostHighway

    LostHighway Pundit (986) Jan 29, 2007 Minnesota

    Thanks! That looks promising.
     
    #3 LostHighway, Aug 4, 2014
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  4. LostHighway

    LostHighway Pundit (986) Jan 29, 2007 Minnesota

    I should add that I'm just looking for relatively fresh stock of good beers that have no distribution in Maine or New Hampshire: Great Lakes, Fat Heads, Bell's, Dark Horse, New Glarus, Tyranena, Central Waters and perhaps Jackie-O's and Hoppin Frog. While it is always exciting to find rarer beers whale hunting is not at all my focus.
    For people in Michigan what is the story with Kuhnhenn? Do they have any distribution outside the immediate Warren area?
     
    #4 LostHighway, Aug 4, 2014
  5. BigSpeen3436

    BigSpeen3436 Pundit (827) Oct 23, 2013 Ohio

    Check out Rozi's in Lakewood, OH. They always get fresh Fat Heads beers and have a great selection in general. Lizardville is also just down the street and they have a pretty good bottle selection.

    If you take I-80 through Indiana, I like to stop at City Wide Liquors in Mishawaka (a bit off the highway but they have a great selection and are always stocked with more FFF bombers than the actual FFF brewpub). Chalet Party Shoppe in Elkhart is also a great bottle shop with a huge selection.
     
    #5 BigSpeen3436, Aug 4, 2014
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  6. beeronthesun

    beeronthesun Initiate (0) Jan 31, 2012 Illinois

    Woodman's Food Market is the easiest place in Wisconsin to stop for New Glarus, CW, etc. Some of them are right off the highway: Janesville (I-90), Kenosha (I-94 toward Milwaukee), and Onalaska/La Crosse (I-90 at the MN border), depending on your route. Liquor store portion is open 8am-8:50pm. Casanova Liquor in Hudson, WI, has a great selection too, just off of I-94 at the MN border. I've also stopped for the decent New Glarus selection at this gas station at the Mauston exit on 90/94 north of the Dells.
     
    #6 beeronthesun, Aug 4, 2014
  7. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    For now, Kuhnhenn really has no distro beyond their brewpub.

    For bottle shops in the Kzoo area I'll recommend Mega Bev on W. Main Street, or Drake Party Center on Drake Road at Michigan Ave. Both are on the west side of town.
     
    #7 PapaGoose03, Aug 4, 2014
  8. LostHighway

    LostHighway Pundit (986) Jan 29, 2007 Minnesota

    Thanks guys, really helpful suggestions.
     
    #8 LostHighway, Aug 5, 2014
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