Tag Archives: Beer City Brewsader

On Tap: Rockford Brewing’s birthday party, Wyoming’s Kitzingen gets passport stamp

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It’s always warm and smells like good beer in Rockford Brewing’s main-floor bar — music is upstairs this weekend. (Supplied/Rockford Brewing Company)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Rockford Brewing Company will be hosting a weekend-long party starting today to celebrate its 6th year of business. While there will be special food menu items, beer releases and live music both days, the moment you tip an imperial oatmeal stout while listening to Delilah DeWylde may well be the moment to have a spot at the bar.

On Friday, Dec. 21, through closing at midnight, patrons can bring in a stein and fill it with 32 ounces of select beer for $5, enjoy a Bavarian-themed menu, and also have a chance to win gift cards and mug club memberships throughout the day, that according to supplied material. Country/pop artist Kari Lynch will be performing at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 22, will be a holiday extravaganza with holiday-themed trivia (teams of four) starting at 4 p.m., with mug club memberships for the winning team, an ugly sweater party, a “Charles Dickens Christmas” inspired menu, and a holiday set from local rockabilly band Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys at 8:30 p.m. (Looking for a last minute gift and an excuse to go out and have a beer? All merch will be 50 percent off.)

Oh, and the beer? Rockford Brewing Company will be releasing two new beers: the aforementioned imperial oatmeal coffee stout and an amber ale.

“We’ve had an exciting six years in the Rockford community and now we want to throw a party for all of those who supported us,“ Seth Rivard, co-owner of Rockford Brewing Company, said in supplied material. “We not only want to celebrate our business but the customers and staff who have helped us get to where we are today.”


The Rockford Brewing Company is located in downtown Rockford at 12 E Bridge St. NE. For more information visit rockfordbrewing.com .

News for Brewsaders (hint Kitzingten is all in)

There are 43 local breweries in the new Brewsader Passport – including Brewsader newcomer and Wyoming’s own Kitzingen Brewery, as well as other newcomers Castle Brewing Co., Depot No. 36 Brewery, East West Brewing and HopCat Knapp’s Corner.

In case your not in the know, you just need to collect stamps or check-ins from eight breweries to get a free Brewsader t-shirt; but the shirt is secondary to the honor of having a passport bursting at the seams. You can get an app, of course, but that digital stamp doesn’t have beer stains as a bonus.

With or without the passport, go to Kitzingen for the seasonal German Hefeweizen or any of another dozen or so other German styles. And if you want to sound smart, bring up in conversation that Count Dracula is likely buried in a Kitzingen (Germany) cemetery.

For more information on Kitzingen Brewery, located at 1760 44th St. SW, Wyoming, visit kitzingen-brewery.com . For more information on the Brewsader Passport, visit here .

On Tap: New-school Brewsaders book, brews at the Castle, a ‘Feelgood’ tap

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Not only does the Beer City Passport program allow you to get great beers, you get to fly your Brewsader freak flag with a t-shirt. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The Beer City Brewsader Passport program recently celebrated the 10,000th Beer City Brewsader, which allows those “that have done the hard work of visiting 8+ breweries to earn the title and the t-shirt,” the group says.

 

For those of us for whom the t-shirt is just a bit of a show-off, the real reward of all that “hard work” is a book full of stamps and beer stains — my stamp book (not to brag; okay, to brag a little) has the original book filled, the first additional book almost filled, and the blank pages stamped with two new breweries not yet in the book(s).

 

Of course, there is also the new Beer City Brewsader app, and you can transfer your paper passport stamps to the app as people work toward their “Ultimate Brewsader” status. “Don’t worry, for those that love your paper passport we are still using those too! The app is an additional option,” according to supplied information.

 

For more information the Brewsader Passport (either new-school or old-school), visit experienceGR.com .

 

57 Brewpub becomes Castle Brewing (still has great outdoor music)

 

As reported here in December 2017, Greenville’s 57 Brewpub and Bistro changed ownership and now Castle Brewing Co. has launched their new “brand”. But don’t worry, its not some Medieval-themed place.

 

According Castle Brewing’s website, “About the name . . . no, our building isn’t a castle. We just wanted to pay tribute to the building that stood on the property for decades and those of us old enough to remember it.”

 

J.R.’s Roller Castle was once a roller rink but also a building that dates to the 1920s before being demolished in 2011.

 

“We’re sure we’re not the only ones who fondly reminisce about our first “hitchhike” skate at JR’s!” the website statement continues. “We know this space holds many more memories to come – we look forward to being a part of them!”

 

There is a little bit of new at Castle Brewing. They have an expanded list of beers on tap, both in-house and guest — I’m looking forward to trying their Red Castle red Irish ale (6.2 percent in case you keep track of such things). They still have their great outdoor seating and occasional music, but now boast a new and expanded beer garden.

 

Castle Brewing Co. is located at 1310 West Washington, Greenville. For more information on Castle Brewing Co., visit castlebrewingco.com .

 

Cedar Springs Brewing’s ‘Feelgood Tap’ helps local fight leukemia

 

Cedar Springs Brewing Company’s June “Feelgood Tap” is its Blood, Sweat and Tears Pale Ale, and during this month $1 from each pour goes to support Kohen Karn’s fight against leukemia.

 

“He is the child of our friends at Elk Brewing: Comstock Park and Elk Brewing: Grand Rapids, and part of the Beer City Brewers Guild family,” Cedar Springs Brewing explains in an email about the promotion.

 

Cedar Springs Brewing Company’s “Feelgood Tap” is part of a Michigan program which works with breweries to raise funds for various community causes.

 

Cedar Springs Brewing Company is located at 95 N Main, Cedar Springs. For more information visit csbrewing.com . For more information on Feelgood Tap visit feelgoodtap.org .

 

Perfect partners: GRPM’s Beer Explorers pairs beers, snacks

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum, as part of the Museum’s Beer Explorers program, is partnering with Creston Brewery for a beer and “beer snack” tasting and discussion on Thursday, June 21. To explore “how fermentation changes flavor,” brewmaster Scott Schultz will take participants through the science of how you get those flavors, and how to pair the beer best with foods, according to supplied material.

 

A sampling of beers at the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Beer Explorers program — yes there are glasses of what you like available for purchase. (Supplied)

Creston Brewery will feature five beers in this month’s Beer Explorers, including two with unique names related to Grand Rapids history — Fox Deluxe and Quimby. The museum will also showcase historic beer artifacts for participants to see a glimpse at where these names came from, as well as see artifacts not normally on display.

 

Class begins at 6:30 p.m., and will be held on the first floor of the museum. Admission to class includes beer and snack samples, and access to the museum’s first two floors to explore. A cash bar will be available.

 

Tickets for the event are $10 for museum members and $20 for non-members. Participants must be 21 and older. GRPM is located at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For information and tickets to Beer Explorers, visit grpm.org .

 

For more information about Creston Brewery, visit crestonbrewery.com .

 

On Tap: Cedar Springs pub crawl or passport stops, your call after Black Friday 

Beer, Entertainment, Food, Going Local, Holidays, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Our Cities, Veterans,

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

After a hectic Black Friday, looking for something to do on Shop Local Saturday? The 3rd Annual Cedar Springs Pub Crawl will take place Saturday, Nov. 25, starting at 5 p.m.

 

Cedar Springs Brewing is the host of the event, with the two other venues in town being The Gun tavern and the American Legion Glen Hill Post 287 — Cedar Springs Brewing has great German beer and food — been there, done that; and I’m a member of the Cedar Springs’ American Legion, so I can vouch for the patriotic local color.

 

Oh, and by the way, speaking of Shop Local Saturday, CS Brewery’s home brew business next to the pub is have a sale on home brew supplied.

 

First, always have a designated driver when your pub crawling. But, second, if your more in the mood to get your Beer City Brewsader Passport book stamped, after a visit to Cedar Springs Brewing, there is also a couple of other north-of-Grand Rapids brew pubs worth a visit: the Rockford Brewing Company in … wait for it … Rockford; and the recently relocated and expanded Cellar Brewing Company in Sparta.

 

For more information on Cedar Spring Brewing and the pub crawl, visit csbrew.com . For more information on Rockford Brewing visit rockfordbrewing.com and for Cellar Brewing visit cellerbrewingco.com .