[dean]

Well since I'm in Michigan now I figured I'd have to try some brews made here.  Wow!  Founders makes some decent beer and I don't normally buy beer that has screw tops!     Yeh, I'm going to have to get over the screw top thingy I guess.    

So far I've tried their PA, IPA and Dirty Bastard a Scottish Ale.  Wow, all good but the PA and Centennial IPA are loaded with hop flavor and aroma, they must put in a LOT of late additons!  

[little.dipper]

Dean, I'm not sure where in the state you're at, but a trip to Founders is very worth while. The beers you tried are their day-in day-outs, but some of their more extreme beers are where they really shine. Also, they moved to pry top caps this summer so newer offerings won't be twist-offs.

[klosterfocke]

We recently got Founders in NC, and I'm a HUGE fan of their breakfast stout, my current favorite.

[valorian]

Well since I'm in Michigan now I figured I'd have to try some brews made here.  Wow!  Founders makes some decent beer .....

Try their Breakfast Stout or better yet their Kentucky Breakfast Stout and let us know if you still think their beers are just decent. My mouth is watering just thinking about this beer.

[dean]

I guess I'll have to try to make it to the brewery, according to the label they're in Grand Rapids, so is Bell's.... might just make a day of it sometime soon.  Heheheh.     I'm 10 minutes east of US131 just off of US10 so I'm kinda in the middle of it all.  I've been kicking around the idea of trying some Iron Horse brews, they're only about a half hour from where I live... 

So far these are the only one's Founders makes that I've been able to find... and their Centennial IPA is Awesome... only other IPA that I've had that I thought was comparable is West Coast Green Flash.  I think Founders has more hop flavor and aroma though.  I think it may be the most over the top aroma and flavor IPA I've had to be honest and it clocks in at 7.2% abv so its not a small one. 

[hopfenundmalz]

Dean, Bells is in Kalamazoo for the Eccentric Cafe and the original Brewery location.  The production facility is in Comstock, but no tap room or tours there.

Iron Horse???  Do you mean Dark Horse in Marshall.  Good beers there.

Don't get me wrong, I like Founders, but once you get to the Breakfast Stout and the Barrell aged beers, it is not for me.  The Reds Rye might be my favorite from them.

There are many other great breweries in MI.  Shorts is a favorite.  Friends like Right Brain.  Many more.

[gail]

Hey Dean, Jeff makes a great point.  Michigan's got many, many good breweries.  We hover right around 70 breweries/brewpubs at any given time so you're undoubtedly going to find a dozen or two  that you absolutely love!  Do check out Short's when you can get "up north".
We're blessed in this state with fantastic lakes and great beer.  What more could you want?  A decent football team? 
At least there's the Wings...oh...maybe not so much this year?
Enjoy your quest.
Gail

[dean]

Yeh, its Iron Horse IPA by Mt. Pleasant Brewing Co.  Its okay, not what I like in an IPA but okay... tried it last night.  The store I've been going to is checking on other brews that Founders has to offer when the truck arrives Monday.     I don't know if they made a mistake or if they decided I buy enough craft beers or what but last night they didn't charge me for the Iron Horse and both the owners rang me up!  I'll have to ask if they made a mistake or were being generous. 

Short's... I've heard of it... where is is located?  Is it a relatively new brewery, like say in the last one to three years?  A friend mentioned that name I think.  He is a friend of the brewer's mother if its the one I'm thinking of.  Yeh, when I was younger homebrew was almost a cuss word amongst drinkers but a lot has changed, especially here in Michigan.  The two fastest growing "businesses" are churches and bars.   

[gail]

Hi Dean,
Joe Short's place, Short's Brewery, is located in Bellaire, sort of between Traverse City and Petosky in a beautiful part of our state.  It's been open at least 5 years and I think probably closer to 7.  Joe recently expanded with an off-site brewery operation that enabled him to bottle and ship.  His creative beers are now available around the state but his best (IMHO) and most original beers are still at the taproom in Bellaire.  If I have your location correct, that would be about 1.5 hours north of you, give or take .5 hours but well worth the trip.  Many, many other great things to do in that area, as well, including skiing, boating, fishing, canoeing, hiking, etc.
Gail

[hopfenundmalz]

Dean, thought you were talking about a brewery, not a beer name.

Gail is right, check out Shorts in Bellaire.  Good beer, good food, friendly staff.  I knew I liked the place as soon as I walked in.  Something to do with furniture made out of car seats.  It was done with craftmanship, but they were still car seats. 

[dean]

I finally found some of their breakfast stout... pretty good, it took a couple of swallows to appreciate the coffee and chocolate though.  I still have one bottle left and I've been drinking only one a night, last beer for the night.    I like mine better though, I don't used actual coffee or chocolate and I think I get more mouthfeel with the same taste.  EDIT: I literally had to come back and edit this because tonight I changed it up and had the Breakfast Stout before the Centennial IPA... WOW!   What a difference!  I think the Breakfast Stout may become my favorite too!     I guess I should have eaten a cracker or something to clean my palate before trying the stout after their IPA. 

The same store has a few other brews made by Founders that I'm going to try... next up is Backwoods Bastard... I think they named it after people like me.  

[dean]

Well crap, I made a mixed sixer and I thought I grabbed a Backwoods Bastard but it was their Dirty Bastard (which is a fine beer in its own but I wanted to try the Backwoods Bastard).   Anyway...

I'm liking their Red's Rye PA... great beer, not really a PA though... 70 IBU's and 6.6% abv!     I'm really liking Founders Brewing!!  Wohoooo!!  Great beers!!   

[craigg]

Try the breakfast stout with a piece of dark chocolate - unbelievable!