Beercation: Midwest

For the last week I had been back to my Midwestern roots. We drove back so we could bring the pup (and maybe so I could cart back the loot I would find). Don't get me wrong I didn't really plan on this as a "Beercation" but as a beer geek pretty much anywhere you travel to turns into one. I knew I was going to go to Two Brothers Brewery as it is in my hometown of Warrenville, IL but other than that the trip was pretty much planned day to day. As it ended up I went up to the western side of Michigan for a few days, I am an alumni of Western Michigan University, and as I have written before Bell's Brewery is one of my favorites and why I am so much into beer culture today. We stopped by the brewpub and the general store and I got my fill of what I cannot get on this side of the Mississippi.

I guess it was planned that I would be bringing back a trunk load on beer. There is just stuff I cannot get out here in Denver, and if I have the opportunity I better stock up. I may not think I went overboard but some of you reading this might think I am somewhat crazy. To my credit the only place I knew I would be buying beer is at a liquor warehouse called Binny's. This place is just amazing...my only problem is that they didn't have a single bottle section so I couldn't come out with more variety. Other than that I would just go into beer geek mode and scope out what there was at the gas stations, convenience stores, or fridges at the brewpubs I ran into along the way.  I found a nice liquor store in South Haven, MI where they sold single bottles, picked up some Goose Island at a CVS downtown Chicago, and saw a sixer of mixed beers from Minnesota brewery Schell's at a gas station on the way back in Nebraska.

I picked up a total of 33 different beers, many that I have never tried before. Some singles and some six packs. I look forward to reviewing most of these beers on this site, and look more forward to drinking them. Here is my list:

New Holland Brewing Co: Golden Cap Saison Ale
Short's Brewing Co: Bellaire Brown
Short's Brewing Co: Pandemonium Pale
Founders Brewing Co: Red's Rye Pale Ale
Arbor Brewing: Red Snapper Amber
Magic Hat Brewing Co: Vinyl Lager  
Bell's Brewery: Amber
Bell's Brewery: Two Hearted Ale
Bell's Brewery: Pale Ale

Bell's Brewery: Third Coast Beer
Bell's Brewery: Oberon
Bell's Brewery: Third Coast Ale
Bell's Brewery: Lager of the Lakes
Bell's Brewery: Porter
Bell's Brewery: Kalamazoo Stout
Bell's Brewery: Expedition Stout 
Schell's Brewery: Firebrick
Schell's Brewery: Pale Ale
Schell's Brewery: Dark
Schell's Brewery: Pilsner
Schell's Brewery: Stout
Schell's Brewery: Snowstorm
Two Brothers Brewing Co: Ebel's Weiss
Two Brothers Brewing Co: Cane and Ebel
Two Brothers Brewing Co: Baretree Weiss Wine
Great Lakes Brewing Co: Holy Moses White Ale
Tyranena Brewing Co: Headless Man Amber Alt
Sherwood Forest Brewers LTD: Archers English Pale Ale
Crown Valley Brewing: Antique Amber Lager
Goose Island Beer Co: 312 Urban Wheat
Goose Island Beer Co: IPA
Goose Island Beer Co: Honker's Ale
Goose Island Beer Co: Summertime Kolsch

The Baretree is probably my prize, it was advised to age it for four more years

Most courtesy of Bell's General Store

More Bell's

Thanks to the Flying J in Lincoln, NE

Three great scores

Opposites attract

A few breweries I had never herd of

The whole treasure chest

I'd say that's a hell of a pull. In the near future I'll be giving some brewpub reviews on Bell's and Two Brothers, as well as beer reviews of the amazing little beauties posted above.