I recently, about 2 weeks ago, tried two different Founders Brew's that were on tap at my most frequented local bar. Both brews were good although neither were for the commercial beer drinker. The first was amazing for its ability to reveal flavor in layers. I might have the name wrong but I believe it was called Dirty Bastard. It had a strong initial malt flavor that had hints for chocolate and coffee malt. As the malt gave way you tasted the initial hop flavors and as the beer finally washed past the back of your tongue there was a definite final note of Cascade Hops, those being the only hops I can currently ID by taste. The other Founders brew I tried I am even less sure of the name, but based on what I know about the beer and the descriptions on their website, www.foundersbrewing.com, it was probably Curmudgeon Old Ale. This beer is aged in oak barrels to give it a hint of Scotch flavor. I was totally in to this beer. While it wasn't as complex as the Dirty Bastard it was smooth and would probably be more palatable to wider range of beer drinkers. I would say they were good beers, but not beers that would make my top ten favorites. (Two of my top ten favorites are beers that I make.)
Founders is based in Grand Rapids MI.......
BUT......
In Kalamazoo MI, there is a beer renaissance going on. Bell's brewery, by far the largest brewery in Michigan, keeps building up and getting stronger it would seem. The have been more and more capable of bringing live music and entertainment to their Tap House in downtown Kalamazoo, acts such as The Verve Pipe and Dark Star Orchestra to name a few of the recent bands. http://www.mlive.com/kalamabrew/index.ssf/2010/04/kalamazoos_bells_brewery_inc_r_1.html
In the local news, however, there are two new breweries expecting to open up shop in Kalamazoo, one of them stating they expect to be open by this fall. Arcadia Brewing, so named for the Arcadia Creek that runs through downtown Kalamazoo, announced they would build a second tap house on on the edge of the downtown area right next to the Kalamazoo River. (Kings Highway and Michigan) Here is the news link to this story. http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/06/arcadia_brewing_co_1.html
Another brewery, Boatyard Brewery, is set to come to Kalamazoo and hopes to be open this fall. This one is a totally new brewery, we will have to see what their beer offerings are when it happens. Here is the news link to their story. http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/06/kalamazoo_to_get_new_brewery_b.html
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