Michigan Brew Wulf

Beer Wine Food Music... But Mostly Beer

[michiganbrewwulf]

Had this a couple years ago the first time Vivant was brewing it. Glad to find it in cans! . . . . . #beer #craftbeer

[michiganbrewwulf]

A drink fit for a god! The glass however, fit for gnomes. #beer #breweryvivant

[michiganbrewwulf]

Drinking Melt My Brain by Short's. A golden ale brewed with juniper berries and tonic water. I felt like I'd never have enjoyed this beer, but it's quite refreshing.

[michiganbrewwulf]

Our camera even got a little tipsy in Grand Rapids. Our visit to #breweryvivant was yet another great one!

[michiganbrewwulf]

German brew, over a nearby Michigan creek. #beer #Michigan

[michiganbrewwulf]

PC Pils by the fire in the AM. Grand Rapids is good for pointing out the morning drunkards. #beer (at Founders Brewing Co.)

[michiganbrewwulf]

Look at all that wallet cleaning beer. #beer #founders #kbs (at Founders Brewing Co.)

[michiganbrewwulf]

Also, I got engaged to the most wonderful person I’ve been so lucky to have in my life. Emily, @memogram, has been someone that I have felt an immense connection to since the day we met. Our friendship bloomed over the years and felt like something that existed in a past life. With Emily, I feel that no obstacle is too much for me, and her confidence in me makes me a better person every day. I just hope that I do the same for her. Her happiness and safety in this crazy world are what I aim for, and I will always strive to provide for her. I thank you, Emily, for the brightness you bring to my life. I love you Emily Always yours, Cody

[michiganbrewwulf]

Leaving from camp we head out for my favorite brewery of Michigan, Stormcloud Brewing. They execute a proper Belgian style drink here and there, and this Harvest Trippel is no exception to that. The Trippel meets a bright hoppiness which I would assume comes from a wet hopping as is common among the harvest style. In addition to great beer, they also serve some pretty good food. I got the Stormcloud’s take on a grilled cheese, that comes with bacon on a pita rather than bread. It was easily enjoyed.

We walked to the end of Frankfort’s main street to find a beautiful pier with a lighthouse at the end. Naturally, we had to walk to the end of it and enjoy the view up close. The pier yields no railing for your walk to the lighthouse, however, we deemed it still worth the walk.

It truly was a beautiful view up close. The subtle sense of isolation sank in beneath the towering hulk of metal. Its age was evident, with rust creeping out of every joining panel and each bolt. Unfortunately, structures like this are unlikely to resist the temptation of vandalism, as each side of this lighthouse donned the names and opinions of many people I’d never have the luck of meeting. 

This was our last stop before our long ride home, and it was a beautiful place to finish off our weekend camping trip. We enjoyed some great food, superbly crafted beers, and some truly beautiful views. 

Stay Frothy, Cody

[michiganbrewwulf]

For my birthday Emily, @memogram , and I went to the Hop Lot on the Leelanau Peninsula. We had visited them the week they opened over a year ago and the charm is just as present. With a huge beer garden wrapped in hop vines, fire pits, and yard games strewn about this brewery is playing it right. While their beer may not redefine the industry, it certainly is enjoyable. Their Scotch Ale (depicted above) is a mellow addition to the style, its malt-forward body offers some slightly fruity and nutty notes that mesh with a cool Fall day well.

Following our visit to Hop Lot we stopped by Tandem Ciders, which was only about five minutes away.

I myself am not a big cider fan, but a friend recommended I visit them again, and bring back a growler or two. This small shack knows what it’s doing when it comes to cider, making some rather complex and dry drinks that even I can enjoy. However, cider could never replace beer for me, and we were quickly off to return to camp for the night. On the way, we stopped at Good Harbor Vineyards, a local winery, for samples of some pretty decent Michigan wine. No photos of the visit, but it was a nice finish to our trip up the peninsula of beer, cider, and wine. 

We finished the night off with The Down Low Ale by Lagunitas. A lot of people seek that big bill on ABV ranging 7% to 13%. However, I appreciate those really low ABV beers that you can drink all night. The Down Low Ale comes in at 3.5%, and it still has a whole lot of body and flavor. I was able to enjoy this big ole bottle and not even feel a disturbance in the force. 

By the end of the night, we were able to enjoy some great food and drink. Most people can’t be away from the praise of their birthday with friends and family. I enjoyed the solitude with a lovely lady, and nature’s embrace.

Stay Frothy Cody

[michiganbrewwulf]

What’s that smell? A faint “dankness” emanating from just up the street? Tiny green pinecone looking pods strewn along the sidewalk led to a blocked off street in Empire, Michigan. Emily, @memogram , and I were very fortunate to stumble upon the annual Empire Hopfest. Several breweries from Michigan, as well as local restaurants, came together for a wonderful event of great beer and food.

Sampling from some breweries we were familiar with, as well as some we hadn’t heard of, add two souvenir glasses and you’ve got yourself a nice event to happen upon. Stormcloud Brewing, The Filling Station, New Holland Brewing, and many other breweries made an appearance, most with a pretty good selection. Naturally seeking the yeasty and complex I hung around Stormcloud Brewing, but the other guys certainly served a nice selection as well. We also enjoyed some awesome tacos and German style brats, and on a cold day as it was, warm food and beer is all you need.

And no, the food we had earlier was not enough. We got back to camp for the night to enjoy some amazing grilling cheese known as Bruun-Uusto. This cheese is parbaked and all you do is heat it on both sides for about two minutes each. You end up with an easy to enjoy snack by the fire that you can eat with a fork. Yes, I eat this with just a fork, no crackers needed. After an awesome day of beer and food, we hunkered down for another very dark night in the tent. We looked forward to following day, which would bring us to exploring the Leelanau Penninsula a little more than we already have.

Stay Frothy, Cody

[michiganbrewwulf]

D.H. Day campground, while not as colored of Fall as we had hoped, was a very beautifully preserved plot of nature. I felt as though we were amid a rich history of stories before this time. The trails lead through the woods to the beach along the Lake Michigan shoreline. With the Manitou islands to the West, and the Leelanau Penninsula to the East the view was spectacular, even on a gloomy day. 

Emily, @memogram , and I climbed along the Sleeping Bear Dunes for some breathtaking views. The lake was very active with a storm on the way, and to watch it thrashing was somewhat pleasing. The shoreline, if followed to the West, would lead us to Glen Haven, a small village that existed as a docking and lodging place for the many ships during the early 1900s. It’s remained relatively true to its original form; there’s no gas station or grocery store here. There’s even an operating blacksmith shop where a professional blacksmith does demonstrations. We were very pleased and humbled with the simplicity of the village.

It seems as though the world is losing its ability to be humble and feel comfortable with the simpler things. I don’t have a particular solution or goal in mind when I speculate such things, and I don’t know if I’d say camping is for everyone, but you’d be surprised to feel the worries and stresses of your usual day to day melt away from sleeping floor level with the earth around you. But, I’m not here to expect anything of anyone. I’m here to share my journey, and talk about the food and drink along the way. Which we’ll be getting to shortly.

Stay Frothy, Cody

[memogram]

Talking Heads inspired power-sketch.

[michiganbrewwulf]

You know the best thing about camping? I don’t either. There’s too much to name. That close to nature feeling, the bonding with those around you, the sense of adventure on a long hike. It all adds up to one truly unforgettable experience every time. For my birthday weekend Emily, @memogram , and I always take a camping trip. Most people like to invite a bunch of people around them for their birthday, while I choose to hide from them. I don’t know why.

We chose a completely new place to stay this time around; D.H. Day National Campground of Northern Michigan. It was beautifully rustic, and the cold made bundling up around the fire feel great. The only thing we missed out on was the changing of the leaves, but it was still all wonderful.

We had a lot to explore between the campground and surrounding towns. The sights were splendid, and you can rest assured that there was beer. We camped in style cooking some nice food and stumbled upon some great people and places. And our luck this time around was much better in terms of our neighboring campers being respectful. Keep an eye out for the rest of this adventure, I will be posting more fairly soon.

Stay Frothy, Cody

[michiganbrewwulf]

Fall is here, and here's your reminder. #fall #autumn #beer #bellsbrewery #ale #autumn #owl #craftbeer (at Lake Orion, Michigan)

[michiganbrewwulf]

Our day in Pittsburgh wasn’t what we had anticipated. But we've never traveled for Labor Day. We started our day swimming at the hotel and grabbing breakfast. Then we set out for Penn Brewery, which is known for German style beer. We arrived as soon as they opened, and enjoyed some amazing German-inspired brews, such as their Kaiser Pils, and their Berliner Weiss. With some great brews to take home, we set out to discover more of Pittsburgh.

The downtown area of Pittsburgh on Labor Day is a nightmare made of even worse nightmares. I am the least happiest person in any amount of traffic, and downtown Pittsburgh doesn't move on Labor Day. We made our way out of downtown and headed for the East side of town in search of what else the city had to offer.

I was suggested we stopped at Fat Head’s Brewery on the East side of town. I’m glad we did, but not exactly fond of the artwork of this place. I don’t know what it is, but having this fat guy stare at me from every angle was just a bit overwhelming when trying to eat. Also on the east side, we discovered some pretty neat beer shops, and delightful views of the city and surrounding mountains. But after the more than enough excitement of the previous days, we decided we were ready to head home with another five hours to drive. 

The worst part about head Southeast out of Michigan is having to go through Ohio twice. I swear Ohio is 90% covered by one giant cornfield that is somehow connected throughout the entire state. The last 10% is just a highway. After only about two hours of driving through Ohio, which felt like six hours, we made it out alive with a rescuable IQ. I'm only kidding guys, Ohio is fine...

We made it home and were more than thrilled to see our animals again, and sleep in our own bed. Of course, I've been enjoying some Yuengling's and Penn Brewery beer we brought back, but honestly, I'm almost out and anticipating another run to the border where I can grab more. But until then...

Stay Frothy

[michiganbrewwulf]

We set out for Pennsylvania the following morning, with a six-hour drive ahead of us. Driving through the mountains is beautiful, but the pressure change in your ears is quite bothersome after some time. When we got to West Virginia and were but an hour from the Pennsylvania border a strange light came on on our dashboard.

Now I’ve had car trouble before, but not so far from home. Everything was performing well, however, our battery light had popped up about half way through our trip to Pittsburgh. Not really noticing any change in the overall performance of the car I pressed on. An hour and a half later the radio starts to turn on and off, then we lost power steering and ABS. This is not an unfamiliar feeling for me, I used to drive a 1979 VW Microbus, but any car from 2009 shouldn't feel like a 1979 Microbus.

I pulled off at a nearby exit, and the car quickly stalled out at a gas station. We were fortunate to have someone jump us, but it only got us to the next exit. Long story short, we took three hours to move ten miles, and stalled for good on I-79 in the Summer heat, only two miles from the exit to the auto parts store we were headed for. I had deduced the alternator was the problem. Tow truck en route, and arrival at the auto part store, we were fortunate the guy working knew someone who would change our alternator on the spot for little compensation, and on Labor Day weekend! I had attempted it myself, and the mechanic admitted that I was almost done with it, but with the sun dropping and still another hour to Pittsburgh I accepted defeat. 

With our car running again we made a 10PM arrival instead of our originally anticipated 4PM arrival to Pittsburgh. We decided to relax at the hotel bar, and enjoy some Penn Brewery Pilsner with our Pizza. A well-deserved rest from the eventful day, and we would enjoy Pittsburgh on the morrow. 

Stay Frothy.