Mixed drinks from a tap. The very idea seems almost … sacrilegious, somehow, doesn’t it?
But with craft distilleries putting a deeper footprint in West Michigan’s food and beverage economy, spirit-makers are embracing yet another big-city trend — the draft cocktail. While the idea is relatively new, establishments in the area have found undeniable upsides to the format.
The path to opening a distillery can take many twists and turns. Just ask Nic and Joanna Merrill. The couple have been working on The Kalamazoo Stillhouse since 2013, when they purchased the building at 618 East Michigan Ave. Some three years out, they’ve yet to open, but the runway for them to start producing spirits is significantly shorter now.
Whether it’s a squat rocks glass carrying a perfectly crafted old fashioned or the long stem of a sophisticated martini glass, cocktails have an inherent style that speaks a language of personality and fine taste. It’s the reason you see so many people posing with an upscale drink in their Facebook profile pictures. But where exactly does the fascination come from? Check out these area bars who are creating cocktails that not only please the palate, but are also aesthetically interesting.
Bartenders play many roles, depending on the bar and the patron — armchair psychologist, liquid pharmacist, philosopher of debauchery and so on. Between all these roles, they play a valuable (crucial, even) part in the community. Ask pretty much any bargoer their favorite barkeep and the name of at least one enigmatic drink-slinger will rise to the top.
Earlier this year, Revue asked West Michigan that very question with our Best of the West survey. Here, we chat with the top 3 winners.
During this year’s ArtPrize, downtown Grand Rapids was filled with the expected sights — oversized artwork, misused crosswalks, the guy riding a fish bicycle. But there was a surprise greeting visitors who flocked to the eighth-annual event: Food trucks. All over the place. With lines in front of them.
By nature, distillers are a reflective lot. They make spirits and then often store them away in barrels for years on end to allow the wood and alcohol to mellow into a delicious quaff. That time-consuming process creates opportunities for introspection — and drinking, of course. Revue asked distillery owners from around West Michigan about their favorite spirits and cocktails. Here’s what they had to say.
This week, Rockford Brewing Co. took its new kitchen for a test drive with a multi-day soft opening.
Just a few years ago, most breweries could get away with treating their food menu as a greasy afterthought — maybe a few token appetizers or sandwiches to keep the regulars warming the barstools.
But breweries in Beer City and throughout West Michigan are learning, sometimes the hard way, that a successful operation needs more than just good beer to distinguish itself in 2016.
There’s no shortage of primo fish to reel in from our state’s tens of thousands of inland lakes (including four of the largest lakes in the world) and 300-plus rivers. And yet, nothing compares to an oceanic jewel like fresh king or coho salmon. That’s where Fish Lads comes in — purveying only the finest fillets in Grand Rapids’ own Downtown Market. We talked with Jeff Butzow, owner of Fish Lads, about his aquatic philosophy and plans for the new meat emporium, Carvers, set up just a few feet away.
HopCat is opening yet another set of doors this Saturday, Oct. 8 in Kalamazoo.
