Speciation Artisan Ales

I got in as well. Mitch said production is going to be down next year since he is focusing on opening a taproom. Good time to be able to reserve bottles before the public does.

 

Hey folks, just curious how the Cellar Raid tickets work. When they say each ticket represents 1 bottle (on the Eventbrite site), is that a reservation for 1 bottle of the new releases they reference, with the option to reserve cellar bottles as well? Or am I way off?

 

It will be like the other releases. They just have the all the new beers along with all the cellar raid older bottles too in the same fashion. So you add whatever beers you want, new or cellar raid.

 

Speciation was hands down my favorite brewery of 2017 and I think this shows it. Didn't want to miss a single beer from them.

 

Oh hey! Anyone going on Saturday for bottles? I'll be going for the first time. Are they still doing the thing where they pour some beers at the bar or whatever I was reading? Or is it a get your bottles and get out kind of thing?

 

Haven't been able to make it but have a buddy that has been picking up my bottles via proxy. He was able to sample at least two of the beers last time when he picked up his bottles. I believe they have a taproom in the works but no opening date yet

 

They will have a handful of pours available there & the space continues getting larger as Mitch gets ready to open a taproom. You have plenty of room to walk around & chill with a beer before or after grabbing your bottles

 

While you're in town be sure to swing by D Schuler's bottle shop. They're releasing a beer tomorrow that Mitch brewed specifically for them that sounds incredible. An oak aged golden sour with lemon, passion fruit, and kiwi. Enjoy your visit!

 

So, Speciation's tasting room was open today and I had a couple of pours before I picked up my bottles. They are getting up to some Jester King type shit over there. Very happy I stopped.

 

Picked up a bottle. Thanks for the heads up. The bottle shop was incredible on its own. I could have easily dropped $500 on beer we don't really get in Chicago.

 

I'm going to be in Grand Rapids later this month, July 20-23. I know that's the wrong weekend for the monthly release, but does anyone know what shop(s) around town might have some Speciation on shelves then? D Schuler's?

Speciation's website has some contradictory information, so I figure I'll ask here--is the tasting room operating now on any hours outside of the monthly release weekend? Are tours worth scheduling through their online form?

 

I live in Kalamazoo so I'll let others chime in on the places to get bottles although I do know Cap N Cork right near Speciation has bottles.

As far as the Tasting Room it is not open yet so you can only stop by on the Saturday of release weekend. The tour is brand new, as in Mitch just announced it this week so I don't know if he has even done a formal tour at this point

 

There are other shops that carry bottles and typically they will be available for a week or two after a release. In addition to D Schulers, Cap N Cork, Copper Vine, Sicilianos, Rishi's, and others carry Speciation. At present, the taproom is not open other than release days. For $20 the tour may be worth it given you get to try 4 different beers, and I would be surprised if you couldn't ask to buy bottles at that time as well.

 

+1 for Siciliano’s

 

Horrocks also

 

Pleasantly surprised to see bottles make it to Oakland County. Had two of their beers at Sovengard earlier this summer and enjoyed both of them.

 

Howdy Michigan!,

I'll be coming home to MI (Detroit area) in December. Here in Texas, I'm a huge Jester King fan & collector. Naturally, I'm intrigued with Speciation. However (as with Jester King), it takes a while to figure out "what's, what". Meaning - Jester King doesn't have a flagship beer. They do about 50 different releases annually (some are new first time releases, others are annual releases).

Can someone give me a brief run-down on Speciation? What are some of their sought-out whales? Whats your favorite? And why?

Bonus points if you can do the same for Jolly Pumpkin!

CHEERS!

 

Hey there, not much time to rundown an explanation. I'll just do a quick rundown of some of my favorites.
To preface Fruited sours are my preference, so if they aren't yours, this might be a shitty list! . List is in no particular order.

Will denote club member bottles with "*"

Peach/Apricot Incipient*
Hopeful Monster
Magic Trait
Infusoria*
March of Progress
Peach Genetic Drift
Meotic Drive
Lake Superior (not fruited but a wonderful beer, very classic Gueze esque)
Pretty much all the tequila barrel aged beers, especially the latest one, Saltation, IMO
L'obel

These are just off the top of my head, I'm sure I'm missing some. I'm sure there's guys who could maybe weigh in that are from the East side on where to find some bottles while you're here. ( @abanton ?)
Cheers!

 

Now that the tasting room is open are they done doing monthly releases? I'll be up there on the third for CBS and thought I would try and grab some bottles at the November release but I don't see anything.

 

Specation will still be doing the monthly releases. They haven't announced the November releases yet.