The Marble Arch, Manchester, England

Congratulations to The Marble Arch on 125 years serving Mancunian patrons some of the finest ale! As a proud neighbour of this fine old Victorian Pub in north Manchester, it was a real treat to share the place with Heather. She came for her visit in November 2012 asking to have a pint at a proper English pub. Well, it’s safe to say that The Marble Arch delivered.

I love this brewery and their cask ales (all strictly vegan) and Heather was thrilled with the fantastic interior. It lends itself to close table chatting and cozying up to your neighbours. The ceiling is a work of art and the ceramic walls speak of an older era. If you’re lucky, you catch a seat near the fireplace and overcome the cold, wet trip you took to get there. Quintessential Manchester, don’t miss this pub.

I’ve had most of what Marble has brewed in the last 3 years, so I’ll give you my top 3.

Ginger – One of my favourites, fiery ginger copper coloured beer! 4.5%Vol

Pint – A good solid casked conditioned English bitter. 3.9% Vol

Lagonda IPA – A very hoppy Indian Pale Ale 5.0%Vol

Marble also has two other locations both worth a visit. 

- 57 Thomas Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter is a small pub with a large communal table in the center. This location has a much more hip and modern style. 

- The Beerhouse in Chorlton is a great mix between the classic Marble Arch and 57, with exposed brick and brilliant natural light.

Cheers,

Craig & Heather

http://www.marblebeers.com/

Goose Island, Chicago, IL.

Goose Island is a great Chicago/Midwest success story. In the late 80s, as craft brews were gaining popularity in the USA, Goose Island opened its doors (and brewing process) to Chicagoans. Success was almost overnight. Now Goose Island brews over 50 craft beers and is enjoyed by beer lovers in all 50 states and Europe, including Manchester! It’s a small world after all.  

The Clybourn location, in our opinion, is superior. The bar is magnificent, over 20 beers on tap, large windows in the dining area give way to great views of the fermentation tanks and they have some incredible eats. Goose Island is everywhere in Chicago so we have a bit more to say about their beers. We’ll give you a quick rundown of our favorites:

·      312 (Pronounced “Three One Two”)

o   American Style Wheat Ale, 4.2%

o   A Chicago classic!

·      Honker’s Ale

o   English Bitter, 4.3%

o   This Amber ale has hop aromas, malt taste and a soft body. A simple flavor that makes this a very quaffable Bitter.

·      Green Line

o   American Style Pale Ale, 5%

o   This beer is not all that fantastic, especially in comparison to the rest of what Goose Island offers, but the concept is great. It is only distributed in Illinois and uses all local ingredients, hence “Green” in the title. It’s a very easy drink.

·      Pepe Nero

o   Dark Belgian Farmhouse Ale, 6%

o   So RICH, dark and delicious. I love all that is farmhouse and Pepe Nero will give your mouth the complex earthy treat it is craving.

·      Sofie

o   Oak Aged Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale aged with orange peel, 6.5%

o   I love Sofie’s light, citrus, bubbly and tart effect. This is the beer I recommend to my “I only drink white wine and champagne” girlfriends.

·      Matilda

o   Belgian Style Pale Ale, 7%

o   So good! Matilda has a great aroma that stays with you. It’s a golden beer with a dryer taste and possibly my all-time favorite Goose Island brew.

·      Pere Jacques

o   Belgian Style Abbey Ale, 8.7%

o   So much malty goodness, but then the fruity flavors punch through too. It’s great. I once had this beer with dark chocolate and that was a good choice. Just saying.

Craig loved Goose Island so much he is now sporting one of their t-shirts all around England! I hope you all can find your way there soon.

Cheers,

Craig & Heather

http://www.gooseisland.com/

Brewery Vivant, Grand Rapids, MI.

When we tell people we recently visited this stellar brew pub in a revamped Abbey, they just assume we were recently in Europe. Belgium? France? The Netherlands?

No! Grand Rapids, Michigan! …Seriously.

Brewery Vivant was a wonderful surprise. As soon as you walk in, you are blown away by the large stained glass window towering over the uniquely shaped bar. High wood beams, light stone walls, long wooden tables and friendly Midwest faces make up this space and make it up well!

Craig started with the Vivant Flight ($10) which was delivered in 4 small snifters (Farmhand, Triomphe, Solitude and a choice of his own, North French Ale) in a wood platter. Delicious, delicious, delicious. I went straight for Hubris Belgian Quad and it kicked my butt at 11.55% abv, but was only $6! That's a big deal for a Chicagoan. Hubris was a lot in smell and taste. Thankfully, our bartender correctly instructed me to take my sweet time and savor every full drop. Mmmmmm.

I could go on and on, but instead I'll beg you to visit and make sure to get some grub too! 

Cheers,

Craig & Heather

http://www.breweryvivant.com/

Greenbush, Sawyer, MI.

We had this idea that Craig would illustrate a blog about our beer-scapades, and I would write to you all about the experiences. Hopefully, leading you to visit yourself, or at least find the brews at a local bar or store. I'm now realizing that my love of beer and travel doesn't naturally lend itself to writing a blog. So, I'm going to provide you with the most important information for now, and bit more finesse in the future. 

For now, here are the basics:

• Greenbush Brewery is damn good. 
• We love 1825, a must have, but a dangerous growler.
• Sawyer, MI is small, quaint and full of nice people. 
• The last time we went we met a nice guy name Frank and his two friends. They let us join them at their table when there weren't any open seats. We left that night friends, with an invite to party with him and company at his gorgeous Sawyer cabin (we saw pictures, a wonderful wooded oasis). 
• Grand Mere and Warren Dunes State Parks are oh so close. 
• One is a gorgeous beach with overpowering sand dunes, the other is wooded sand dunes with narrow secluded paths. 
• Sawyer is so close to Chicago!
• Makes for the perfect travel time : time at weekend destination ratio. 

Cheers,
Craig & Heather

www.greenbushbrewing.com/