Short's is Where it's At!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

During my tenure in the great white north, , I did see a delicious uprising of micro brewed beers coming out of the woodwork. One of which I had the privilege of imbibing was that of Joe Short, the Bellaire God of Beer, (my words not his). Short brings the feel of care and divinity in every one of his brews. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe at the 2007 Epicurean Classic in Traverse City and indulging in a couple of great beers.

When I moved downstate, I had micro breweries coming out of the woodwork. I had 3 great places that brewed beer within a 15 mile radius. Not to take anything away from the other brews I have indulged in in the last few years, but normally the name Short's would come up when we would start talking about beer. Richard Gnarly, a good friend of mine from work, has lived in SW Michigan his whole life, and there is one thing that Richard knows: it's a good beer. When Richard mentioned that he wished he could get a Short's down here, I knew that the man had taste. When I walked into my favorite beer store appropriately called The Party Store, I perused the different coolers of fine Michigan beer. That is when I stumbled upon it. In between the Founders and the Bell's sat six packs of Huma Lupa and Pandemonium Pale Ale. My God! A bright light shone upon the two spots in the freezer, the clouds lifted outside, I do believe I heard a hummingbird start to whistle Zippity Doo Dah. I was happy.

Short's delivers a fine brew to many tastebuds. Whether you are looking for a bitter IPA or an even more bitter Huma Lupa or a Stout or an Amber or the list goes on, Joe Short does not skimp on the goods. He is the real deal. Thank God for people like Joe Short who deliver the goods and don't come a banging on your back door for $20/six pack. I am a firm believer that good beer will cost you more to drink, but also that you shouldn't have to give up your first born, your arm, your leg, etc to enjoy quality.

The Macro's are sneaking up on us. They are busier putting out new beers with new names and new looks than a one legged man at an ass kicking contest. Some decent, some the same old drivel with a new look. Be aware! Don't take good beer for granted folks. It is out there in droves and a lot of it reasonably priced.

Next time you are up in the north country, make it a point to stop at Short's Brewery in Bellaire, MI. You won't be dissappointed.

Back in the Saddle

Okay, okay, so I haven't posted anything for a few months. I've been busy. To tell you the truth, posting on my blog has been the last thing on my mind. The reason I'm back? For the past few weeks I have been getting really involved on my wife's blog, Coco is Cooking, and have realized how much fun doing a daily blog can be. My wife is very dedicated to her site and she has been getting heavier traffic on a daily basis. Coco's site is dedicated to food and it is something she is very passionate about. When I think about the things I am passionate about, good beer is one of them and what better way to share my love of suds than to get out and experience what the plethora of micro brewers, home brewers, and even the macro brewers have to offer.

I have also worked on my blog a bit so that people may leave comments. Please feel free to let me know what you are thinking about, whether you agree with a beer pick or you think I am full of poop. More to come.

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been

Please fellow bloggers of all things beer and malty goodness, forgive my absence for the past few weeks. It is getting easier to get wrapped up in the day to day things. From work to home, there never seems to be enough time. My philosophy: take the time!

Take the time to go out and have a burger with that long lost friend of yours! Take time to play with your children! Take time to take your wife out, even if it is to the local greasy spoon. In an age where there is no good news, make your own small victories at home count for something. When you go to bed at night, or during the day depending on what shift you work, let the tension ease out of your bones and try and realize that there are a lot of wonderful things out there that you enjoy. From a round of golf with friends to a Saturday night gathering of friends with good food and good conversation. In a time when all is bleak and even the most upbeat people are whispering depression in their minds, enjoy what you have! Enjoy the chance to get out of work early and surprise your wife with a rose! Enjoy watching the re-runs of Third Watch at night from your DVR. Enjoy that Bob Dylan song! Enjoy watching Tiger get beat on the 18th hole by some guy named Johhny Bertrand! Enjoy listening to the Detroit Tigers on the radio on their way to another World Series berth! Suck up all life when and where you can. Enjoy every single breath of it that has been given to you. And most importantly: Enjoy your beer!

I have been dubbed a beer snob by a lot of my friends and aquaintences. Even though I can appreciate a $18/6pack of Hopslam from Bell's it doesn't mean that I can't the $3/6pack Red/White and Blue either. Believe me, I have had my share, and his share-and his share-and his sha......, you get the picture, of $8 cases of Pabst, Milwaukee's Best, Blatz, Black Label, and Hamm's. There is something very refreshing and very soul cleansing about walking into a local tavern and seeing a Goebel's tap behind the bar. Usually very cheap and very mild, these American brews of yester-year provide the thirst quenching, and buzz enhanced, relief that we all need these days.

Sit a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada and a 6 pack of Olympia next to each other and ask me which one I would rather drink? Not really a hard choice, but if I was the one who lost the toss and the SN was chosen by the other guy, I would take that 6 pack of Olympia and get down with my bad self. Beer, my fine gentlemen, is really beer in the end. It all contains the same ingriedients and all comes in a bottle or a can. It all provides a little much needed laughter and kicked back feeling that we seem to all be missing these days. Whatever beer sits in your fridge, pantry, back porch, etc, ENJOY IT IMMENSELY!

Enjoyed by myself in the last few weeks have been a wide array of diferent brews. All Michigan, all very simple, and all very much enjoyable. Whatever state you live in, whatever local brewery supplies you with your indulgence, drink it up! In an economy where many businesses are shutting their doors, take time to recognize your local brewery and the people that work there. All fine, hardworking folks that make it their business to make your day a little more enjoyable.

Another Great Arcadia Experience

Went down to Arcadia Brewing again this afternoon with a friend and had another great time at the Battle Creek establishment. I have to comment on the bartender. Chris, does a excellent job of keeping his customers happy. Not too much in your face, but always attentive to your beer needs, Chris does a great job of making sure your glass is never empty and always willing to make a suggestion as to what pint would best suit your needs. Tonight had a couple of pints of IPA but left with a treasure that I had to blog about. On the way out the door I picked up a Double Hopmouth IPA that you will see here. Excellent brew with great hoppy tones. Not too much hops as some big hops beers claim. Some of the huge hop beers out there just make your pallate scream with pain. Not this one. The Double Hopmouth is just the right combination of a large hop addition without the glaring aftertaste on your taste buds. And at a whopping 8%, you will definitely feel like you have had a drink afterwards. And what the hell is wrong with that? I paired mine with a asparagus goat cheese quiche my wife made tonight and was very happy how the two complemented each other. The earthy tones of asparagus and tartness of the goat cheese did the IPA justice. Quenched my thirst and hit the back of my throat with a bang! If you are ever in the Creek, make it a point to stop by the Arcadia Brewing Company and try all of the different flavors they have to offer.

South-Western Michigan Goodness the Sequel

Ayy! A frosty mug of one of the finest brews this side of Kalamazoo!

A happy Matt with a Sky High from the Arcadia Brewing Company.

Howdy from the heartland! While exploring all of my favorite beers from Michigan I would be a fool not to post something about the taste treat I have in my own backyard. Arcadia Brewing Company in downtown Battle Creek, MI has some of the most fantastic beers your palate would ever crave. From the dry and quench thirsting IPA to the new kid on the block Sky High Rye, you can never go wrong. Stop in downtown Battle Creek for a $3 happy hour pint of your favorite adult beverage. Also known to serve excellent foods such as pizza, sandwiches, chili and soups. Try one with your favorite pint today! Thursday is growler day. Bring in your pre-drunk growler and get it topped off for a mere $6! Stop down any night of the week to watch the futbol game, catch the latest on ESPN or just listen to the lively chatter from all of the happy patrons. Arcadia is a jewel in the Cereal City!
This is my favorite feline Stella! Stella and I used to drink beer back in the day. Her favorite beer; the famous Goebel beer brewed in Detroit, MI. She has the look of about half a dozen of the fine Goebel beers right about now.

Southwest Michigan Beer Extravaganza

I've decided to review a SW Michigan beer for my first blog. First up is Crooked Tree IPA brewed by Dark Horse Brewery in Marshall, MI. This is an IPA lovers dream! Crooked Tree brings to you the very best of a standard IPA, but surprises you with the amount of hops, citrus finish, and hint of pine in every bottle. Dark Horse hosts a wide variety of tasty beers from the Raspberry Ale to the Scotty Karate Scotch Ale. Stop in for a Happy Hour pint for a mere $3 or fill your growler on Wednesdays for $7. As for the food, you cannot go wrong with their pizzas or sandwiches which all pair well with their brews.