Three craft beer spots reviewed: A Tour of Kalamazoo's Finest

Bells' Brewery, Kalamazoo, Mich., February 2015

I spent the last weekend in February 2015 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, experiencing firsthand why some consider it a craft-beer destination town. A beer tour wasn’t the original reason for the trip, just a pleasant side excursion while accompanying Jill on her business trip (with our 9 and 7 year olds in tow).

First we hit Bell’s Brewery and Eccentric Cafe, among a cluster of mustard colored brick buildings comprising the campus of the revered Midwestern institution, located in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo.

The cafe itself is a comfortable tasting room with counter-service food. A chalkboard with dozens of taps--mainstays as well as small batch brews--hangs on one brick wall, with stained glass featuring outdoor scenes and pop art decorating other walls.  Food and drink orders are taken at the bar, so a line quickly forms. We got a seat at a four-top, and my daughter enjoyed a blackberry Izze soda.

Jill and I shared a flight of tasters of the following:

-Kalamazoo IPA 6%: excellent, and we got a growler of it later.

-Hopslam Double IPA 10%: Very good.

-Roundhouse Imperial Red Ale 7.5%: Very good.

-Mead 8.6%: tasted like a crisp white wine.

-Red Nose ESB 6%: Jill liked it very much.

-Dagger Stout 11.2%: Intense.

For food, we ordered Pulled Pork Tacos to split, and both kids got the grilled cheese. The tacos were build-your-own, with a platter of tender smoked pork and pineapple salsa. There were many other enticing options on the menu (see below).

A second multi-purpose room hosts special events, including a world music festival the weekend we were there, and the outdoor patio--frozen in February--would undoubtedly be a summer hot-spot.

An adjacent building houses the Bell’s brand merch shop, with all the expected T-shirts, hats, stickers, and so forth. That’s where customers can get high-quality growlers with a Grolsch-style cap. Drawback: there are only a couple options for growler fills (we chose Kalamazoo IPA). An extensive home brew supply section rounds out the shop.

One more bit of advice: if you want Oberon, come during the summer.

The beer board at Bell's

The grub at Bell's, side one

The grub at Bell's, side two

I went solo to visit Arcadia Ales Brewery, on the outskirts of town on riverfront property. It boasts a sleek, modern stainless steel look with more natural lighting. Seating is more spread out, and frisbee golf goals dot the dining room (perhaps they are taken outside after winter?).

Food is ordered and paid for at a deli-style counter, separate from the bar. Smoked meats are a specialty here, with an array of sides and other dishes, including kimchi tacos. I thoroughly enjoyed the smoked beef brisket sandwich: it was tender, meaty and had a great smoke flavor.

I ordered a flight of the following tasters:

-ESB: very good

-IPA: solid

-Angler’s Pale Ale: very good

-Porter: OK

-Rapunzel: good

The merch section is in a small corner by the front door, and I didn’t see growlers as an option. A cooler offers six packs of the mainstays, with the option of creating your own variety six-pack, which I elected to do.

The third brewery we hit (the second as a family) was the least impressive of the three, although I would go back to try their food and give their beer another shot. We didn’t order, but the menu looked to be the most extensive, and a full dining room’s gotta mean something good is happening in the kitchen. Gonzo’s BiggDogg Brewery is also the newest, established in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo in 2013, just blocks from Bell’s.

Jill and I split a flight of the following:

-Chords of Winter Wheat Ale 6%

-Dogg Days Ale 5.8%

-Remember the Earl ESB 5.6% (Jill discovered she likes ESBs on this trip)

-Cloak of Darkness Black IPA 8%

Bottom line: We saw at least three other breweries that we didn’t have time to visit. Bell’s may have the most name recognition--and may be the best--but there is more to discover in Kalamazoo.

Gonzo's BiggDogg