Tag Archives: New Holland Brewery

On Tap: ‘Strong beer’ in Cedar Springs, Tulip Time gin, and boots fit for Dragons

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Its almost time for a little summer beer tasting. (Supplied/Brewery Vivant)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

A sure sign that this spring and summer will be different than last (we can hope) is the return of the Starkbierfest — “strong beer festival” — to Cedar Springs Brewing Company, scheduled for Saturday, April 17, from 3-9 p.m., in downtown Cedar Springs.

The rain-or-shine event will feature a heated tent — you know those Michigan Aprils, right? —  with live music, limited beer release, and all the sausage you can eat.

“Besides the famous Oktoberfest, Starkbierfest … or Frühlingsfest, are the second big German beer festival times during the year,” according to promotional material of the event. “Historically, monks brewed strong beer or Bockbier which was higher in calories and a bit stronger to substitute for food during Lenten fasting. This “Liquid Bread” and annual brewing specialties have survived the times.”

The event is open to aged 21+ (w/valid ID) and $10 cover includes 2 hospitality tickets, valid for food or beverage. Tickets are available for pre-purchase and will also available for purchase at the door on the day of the event.

Among the beers to be released are a Küsterer Pale Weizenbock — one of my favorites — and a Wilderness Trail Barrel Aged Dunkel Lager (both in limited quantities), as well as eight other beers.

The live music scheduled includes Rudi Tegethoff, who we are told plays “energetic German polka” music, from about 2-4 p.m.; then Tony Halchak Music’s “Craft Brewed Americana”, from about 4:15-6:15 p.m.; and Hazy Past’s “vintage rock” from about 6:30-9 p.m.

For more information visit csbrew.com.

A little Dutch heritage with Knickerbocker Gin at Tulip Time

Holland’s Tulip Time is just around the corner — scheduled to return May 1-9 — and we are told that means over 37,000 tulips will be in bloom in Holland. And New Holland Brewing is getting into the spirit, literally!

To celebrate New Holland’s Dutch heritage, and the return of the Tulip Time Festival for 2021 after being canceled last year, New Holland’s distillery is set to release a collectible Knickerbocker Gin bottle featuring delftware artwork.

New Holland Knickerbocker gin in special bottle. (Supplied)

This commemorative bottle will be available for preorder through Sunday, April 25 (or as long as supplies last.) It will be sold as a single 750mL bottle for $29.99 (plus tax). Pickups will take place at our Holland or Grand Rapids store locations from Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 9.

New Holland promotional material notes that all preorders must be placed through their online store, however, the bottles will not be available for shipping. And every person picking up orders must present a valid ID showing proof of age of 21+.

https://www.tuliptime.com/2021

For more information on Holland’s Tulip Time 2021 visit tuliptime.com. For more information on the special Knickerbocker Gin bottles, visit here, or visit newhollandbrew.com and click on Shop/Online Store.

When you feed Dragon’s Milk to a Wolverine …

New Holland Brewing’s joint project with Wolverine — a limited edition Dragon’s Milk x 1000 Mile boot that also serves to support the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program — is on the verge of being sold out, according to the wolverine.com website.

 

Wolverine’s New Holland Dragon’s Milk boots, and some reason to walk 1,000 miles. (Supplied/Wolverine)

The “Deliciously Dark” Stout-colored leather boot is “inspired by the rich hues and notes of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and oak found in Dragon’s Milk,” according to promotional material.

The boot also includes the iconic Dragon’s Milk logo transformed into a metal fob and heat-embossed onto the boot, just like the burnishing on the barrels the stout is aged in. And we are told “Just as Dragon’s Milk develops its unmistakable taste through its aging process, this timeless handcrafted boot will gain character with every wear.”

Wolverine will be donating 10 percent of all sales of this limited edition collaboration to the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program. For more information visit here.

And if you are heading up the Traverse Road

Northern Latitudes Distillery recently announced it is opening its complementary tasting room in Lake Leelanau, with three new spirits — including, we are told, a Horseradish Vodka that a taste of can serve as the “world’s smallest Bloody Mary.”

Northern Latitudes Distillery tasting room. (Supplied)

“We have our tasting room set up to keep you and our spirit guides as safe as possible with plexiglass dividers, disposable tasting glasses, cleaning between customers, and strictly limited numbers to assure social distancing,” according to promotional material.

And after a tasting, you can settle in on their deck for, among other cocktails, a Plum Rum Mule, which features both their Whaleback Spiced Rum and Visions of Sugar Plums Liqueur. (Ps. The Plum Rum Mule recipe is 1 oz. Visions of Sugar Plums Liqueur, 1 oz. Whaleback Spiced Rum, squeeze of half a lime, and ginger beer — squeeze lime into a copper mug or rocks glass with ice. Drop squeezed half into cup as garnish. Add spirits. Top with ginger beer and stir.)

Note, the indoor cocktail bar remains temporarily closed due to COVID safety cautions.

  

Northern Latitudes Distillery is located at 112 E Philip St (M-204), Lake Leelanau. For more information visit their Facebook page here.

On Tap: a drink with a president, looking ahead to warm weather (and the 19th hole)

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Journeyman’s Not a King Rye Whiskey. (Journeyman Distillery)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Legend if not history has it that following his victory over the British, Gen. George Washington — soon to be the nation’s first president — was celebrated by the masses as the “King of America” but he famously responded by stating that he was “Not a King.”

To celebrate Washington and his also legendary distillery prowess, and almost all presidents, in the month of the President’s Day holiday, Journeyman Distillery again offers a patriotic tribute to our nation’s first distiller-in-chief with its Not a King Rye Whiskey release.

Batch #6 of Journeyman’s Not a King Rye was officially released at the Three Oaks distillery on Feb. 12, but to find where you can get it locally check out journeymandistillery.com/find-your-spirit.

Handcrafted from grain to barrel to bottle, with a mash of 60 percent rye, 35 percent corn and 5 percent malted barley, the limited release is, according to supplied material, “an interpretation of Washington’s original rye whiskey recipe” that  “takes drinkers back to the late 1700s with nuanced flavors reminiscent of the spirit America’s original settlers would enjoy.”

 

“The Crossing” has Jeff Daniels as Gen. Washington. (crop of publicity poster)

Aged 3 years in 30 gallon barrels, it’s the makings for a perfect Old Fashioned or Manhattan, with a twist of history, we are told. The offered-up mixology is a drink called “The Founding Father (2 oz. Not a King Rye Whiskey and 1 oz. Amaretto, shaken over ice and strained into a clean or ice-filled rocks glass, then finished with an orange peel.)

Me, on a cold February night, I say find the movie “The Crossing” — a fine period piece starring the great Jeff Daniels as the General — on your television, pour a clean shot, and drink with the president.

For more information about Journeyman Distillery, visit journeymandistillery.com.

North Kent Golf Course. (Courtesy)

Michigan Brewers Guild look forward to teeing off

The Michigan Brewers Guild usually holds big beer festivals each year, including one in Kent Country, and may still yet later in 2021. But this year, as last, things are different. Still the guild is looking forward to sunny summer days on the golf course, with a beer or two at the 19th hole, by announcing plans for three “Great Beer State Golf Outings” coming up this year, the first being local, on Wednesday, June 9, at North Kent Golf Course in Rockford.

The other outings will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at Forest Akers Golf Course in Lansing, and Saturday, Oct. 9, at Treetops Resort in Gaylord.

“The golf outings we have planned are not intended to replace our larger events and we are hopeful that we will be hosting beer festivals again this year,” Scott Graham, executive director of the guild, said in supplied material. “We are looking for additional ways to raise operating funds for our non-profit trade association, while also getting together with some of our brewery members, allied businesses and beer enthusiasts in a fun and safe way.”

Registration for teams and sponsors the first outing will open in March. Details for all events will be posted soon on MiBeer.com under the EVENTS tab.

Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild represents nearly 300 member breweries.

To heck with Punxsutawney Phil, summer is coming

New Holland Brewing is ignoring Punxsutawney Phil’s disheartening winter prediction for 2021 and has released a new style of craft beverage, a Watermelon Spritz — one part seltzer, one part sparkling ale, and a healthy splash of natural watermelon.

New Holland Watermelon Spritz can (Supplied)

If that doesn’t say summer nothing does.

The hybrid beverage, according to supplied material, is the result of brewing a wheat beer that is high in fruity esters, combined with natural watermelon and fizzy seltzer for a “bubbly, crisp and slightly tart” beverage with bold fruit flavor. Watermelon Spritz comes in at a “respectable” 4.3 percent ABV.

Watermelon Spritz hit the market this month in 6 packs of 12-oz. cans — their Summer Ale — a tart IPA  — will become available in May in the same way. For more information visit NewHollandBrew.com.

On Tap: New Holland Brewing & GR fire department brew up fundraiser

Beer, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,

Firefighters from the Grand Rapids Fire Department’s Bridge Street station and New Holland Brewing head pub brewer Jon Boer (front, in the grey shirt), in the production area in The Knickerbocker where a special beer was brewed. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

New Holland Brewing’s Westside Grand Rapids location, The Knickerbocker, and the city fire department’s Bridge Street fire station have joined together to produce a locally crafted beer — aptly named “Hose ‘er Down” — of which partial sales proceeds will benefit the Great Lakes Burn Camp.

 

Beer lovers, fire department supporters and those who wish to help raise funds for the burn camp can get “hosed down” this week.

 

According to supplied information, the Great Lakes Burn Camp exists to provide a unique experience that promotes healing, self-esteem, confidence, and general well-being for burn injured children. The camp operates entirely on donations and fundraisers. These donations allow the campers to come for a week of summer camp and a four-day winter camp with no out-of-pocket expense to their parents.

 

The collaboration between The Knickerbocker and the Bridge Street fire station will raise funds to allow Great Lakes Burn Camp to operate and continue to support as many burn injured children as possible.

 

The beer itself, named by the Bridge St. Fire Station, is a red pale ale which is described by the brewery as “an easy-drinking pale ale with balanced, hop-forward flavor and a fiery red hue.”

 

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, at The Knickerbocker, there will be a launch party for the beer. $1 from every Hose ‘er Down sold (as long as the beer is on tap), plus 10 percent of food sales the day of the launch party, will go toward Great Lakes Burn Camp. Those who come to the release also have the opportunity to meet and mingle with local firefighters and learn more about the burn camp.

 

For more information about New Holland’s The Knickerbocker, visit newhollandbrew.com/knickerbocker/

 

In other local beer news:

 

Rockford Brewing wins national awards

 

Rockford Brewing Company announced Oct. 7 that the brewery and two of its beers had been honored recently at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colo. According to its Facebook page, the brewery won the 2017 Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer awards.

 

In addition, the brewery won a silver medal for its Sheehan’s Stout and a bronze for its Rogue River Brown — my usual choice when sitting on the downtown Rockford brewpubs deck while watching the parade of people on the White Pine Trail bike and walking/running path.

 

For more information about Rockford Brewing, visit rockfordbrewing.com

 

Brewery Vivant to release new brew, host Halloween party

 

East Grand Rapids’ Brewery Vivant, this month, will have something special for beer lovers and Halloween fans alike as the brewery will “hop” up to a new brew and lay down its plans for a Halloween party later in October.

 

The brewery announced this week the release of “Hop Field”, described in supplied information as “an IPA following the brewery’s farmhouse roots while honoring Michigan’s love of hops.”

 

Later in the month, on Sunday, Oct. 29, the pub will host a “Stranger Things” themed Halloween party featuring the release of an exclusive small batch beer, which will only available for one night. Details on the party and brew will be coming soon, but you may as well mark your beer calendar.

 

For more information on Brewery Vivant, visit breweryvivant.com

 

Old-time brews: New Holland Brewing plans ‘throwback beer’ releases

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New Holland Brewery will be serving up some oldies but goodies during its “throwback” beer release event June 10. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, New Holland Brewing Company plans to release six throwback beers — both fan and brewer favorites from the past 20 years — during New Holland’s annual Hatter Days Street Party, Saturday, June 10, at the brewery’s Holland Pub on 8th.

 

In addition to being available at the Holland Pub — located at 66 E 8th St., in Holland  — the throwback beers will also be available June 10 in six packs at New Holland’s Grand Rapids westside’s The Knickerbocker, located at 417 Bridge St. NW.

 

“We are thrilled to include throwback beers as part of our 20th anniversary celebration,” New Holland President Brett VanderKamp said in supplied material. “We want to thank everyone who has supported us over the past two decades by bringing back some of our favorite brews. It’s a special time for us, and we’re excited to revel in the nostalgia of this milestone with the community at what will be our most dynamic Hatter Days Street Party yet.”

 

This year, New Holland Brewing will partner with Kids’ Food Basket for Hatter Days. Guests who bring items from the Kids’ Food Basket Wish List to street party will be entered to win one of many raffle prizes, including a private beer- and spirits-paired dinner for 10 persons.

 

The throwback beer lineup includes Kourage, a brown ale was originally named “Dutch Kourage” and a dark, aggressively hopped brown ale; Zoomer Wit, a summer-favorite wheat ale first brewed 1998 with orange, spices and American-grown wheat; Y2K, from 1999, a barleywine-style ale with deep mahogany hues; Green Hornet, also from 1999, an American-style golden pale ale; Jubilee, also first brewed in 1999 — “It was a very good year …” — that harmoniously blends fruit and fermentation character; and finally Blue Goat, dating from 2006, this doppelbock beer is chestnut in color with a nutty malt profile from its Munich malt.

 

In addition to the throwback brews, Holland’s Hatter Days will feature free, family-friendly event where all ages are welcome for a BBQ cookout, live music from local and national acts and all-day acts from Daredevil Circus from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Hatter Days will continue with an afterparty inside the Pub until 1 a.m.

 

The live music lineup includes The Ragbirds, Mucca Pazza, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The afterparty music will be from Rusty’s Big Ass Band & Silent Disco, with  DJ Dr. Joel between sets.

 

For more information visit newhollandbrew.com .

 

For semi-serious beer-fueled runners, a new pub run/crawl series

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Runners and beer lovers rejoice! The Beer Flight Running Series is coming to West Michigan.

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

If you haven’t already made your weekend running and beer drinking/crawling plans, HopCat’s Trivium Racing Team has a great idea for you — combine your two loves into one event.

 

Following up on last year’s successful HopCat Full Circle 5K, the people at Trivium have teamed with other West Michigan breweries to set up the first Beer Flight Running Series.

 

The series starts this weekend — Sunday, April 30 — with the Growler Gallop Atwater 5K in downtown Grand Rapids. According to supplied material, the 5-kilometer event features a free beer to all runners, a race t-shirt, a unique finisher glass, snacks, a keg for overall winners, growlers and howlers for age group winners, and a live band at the finish.

 

Next up will be the second running of the HopCat Full Circle 5K, scheduled for Sunday, May 28, also in downtown Grand Rapids. The event feature free beer at the finish, a live band, race t-shirt, unique finisher glass, a beer stop in the middle of the run sponsored by New Holland Brewery, awesome age group awards, and food.

 

Then, on Sunday, June 18, is the New Holland Pub on 8th 8K in downtown Holland. This event will feature free beer for finishers, live music, race t-shirt, unique finisher glass, age group awards, and snacks. Runners/crawlers can choose to run either a 5k or an 8k course.

 

The final run/crawl in the series, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 6, is the Race to the Bar Crawl — and this one truly can be a pub crawl. Runners will begin at a designated brewery and run to four other locations. Runners must get a stamp at all four before returning to the finish line.

 

According to supplied information” “You can take this serious and focus on the running; you can race and enjoy beverages, or you can choose to just have a fun bar crawl and take your time getting from place to place.”

 

Entrants who do all four events in the series will not only receive your finisher glass from each of the races, but also earn a beer flight paddle to hold all of the glasses.

 

For more information visit triviumracing.com .

 

Bar Divani dishes up delicious!

Our Cities, , , ,

My compliments to Chef Baird!

by Janice Limbaugh

 

It may be the dead of winter in West Michigan but that doesn’t mean it’s a buzz kill for fun and lively 100_0557excursions. Case in point – Cool Brews. Hot Eats. It’s the second year this celebration within a celebration attracts epicurean curiosities from around West Michigan by offering dates with dishes – very special dishes made up of locally crafted beer and fabulous food. After all, retaining the title of Beer City USA, also for the second year, gives greater Grand Rapids restaurateurs more food for thought. The abundance of craft beer varieties provide a greater menu of food pairings for area chiefs. One would think that for a chef, it’s like being a kid in a candy shop with all the possible choices. What comes first – the food or the beer? Time to ask the expert.

Bar Divani Executive Chef Jeff Baird presents his signature dish for Cool Brews. Hot Eats.
Bar Divani Executive Chef Jeff Baird presents his signature dish for Cool Brews. Hot Eats.

 

Bar Divani Executive Chef Jeff Baird has been on the local restaurant scene for over 23 years, creating culinary delight at well-known Grand Rapids establishments such as Gibsons, The Peninsular Club and Thornapple Village Inn along with SanChez and Rockwell/Republic.  For this GRCC culinary graduate,  choosing the beer first was a no-brainer. He and his Sous Chef had one month to come up with a Cool Brews. Hot Eats. signature dish. “We had our mind set on Dragon’s Milk from New Holland Brewery. It’s both our favorite beer.” Choosing favorites – that was easy!

 

Dragon’s Milk is a Bourbon Barrel Stout that New Holland describes as  ‘a stout with roasty malt character intermingled with deep vanilla tones, all dancing in an oak bath.’  I’ve had this beer on occasion and can attest to that description – even the ‘dancing in an oak bath’ part.  I think that’s why I like it.

 

To create this signature dish, Chef Baird says he started off with flavors he appreciated in the beer then considered food flavors that were opposite fittings.

Bar Divani's Braised Short Ribs, Bourbon Glazed Root Vegetables, Red Dragon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes paired with New Holland's Dragon's Milk.
Bar Divani’s Braised Short Ribs, Bourbon Glazed Root Vegetables, Red Dragon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes paired with New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk.

 

“The beer itself tastes slightly sweet and slightly bitter; perfect for pairing with braised beef short ribs. It also calls for something intense, like the earthy and robust flavors of roasted root vegetables in a Bourbon glaze balanced with Red Dragon Cheddar Cheese mashed potatoes.”

 

This statement sent my mind and mouth on an imaginary flavor rush. I mentioned I’ve had this beer before on occasion. This would be another of those occasions. And without a doubt, Chef Baird knew what he was doing with this dish! The combined flavors of the braised beef rib and the Bourbon glaze lent itself perfectly to a Dragon’s Milk finish.  But the additional blend of the roasted root vegetables and cheddar mashed potatoes truly unified this pairing. The selection of flavors were deliciously complimentary and satisfying on a bitter cold evening. It was my first partaking in Cool Brews. Hot Eats. and I have to say it was an excellent epicurean adventure! My compliments to Chef Jeff Baird for making it possible.