11 Michigan Breweries to Visit

Tomorrow is the Michigan Brewer's Guild Winter Festival outside of Grand Rapids.  In honor of this festival and the hardy souls who are attending it, here are 11 Michigan Breweries to visit.

11.   New Holland Brewing Company.  Holland.
Grab some pub grub and enjoy a pint of Mad Hatter!
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=903

10.  Wiltse's  Brew Pub & Family Restaurant.  Oscoda.
Stop for an Oatmeal Stout on your trip up the Huron shore.
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=1423

9.  Kuhnhenn Brewing Company.  Warren.
How about a little Loonie Kuhnie or a Raspberry Eisboch?
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=727

8.  Keweenaw Brewing Company.  Houghton.
Let's go way up into the U.P. for a Pick Axe Blonde!
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=719

7.  The Livery.  Benton Harbor.
Step downstairs for a glass of Wheat Triplebock at this old horse stable.
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=771

6.  Jolly Pumpkin (Brewpub location).  Ann Arbor.
I'd suggest a glass of La Roja or maybe Luciernaga.
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=11123

5.  Michigan Brewing Company.  Webberville.
Have a Superior Stout in this very casual pub.
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=3910

4.  Bell's Eccentric Cafe.  Kalamazoo.
Pick your poison.  Two Hearted Ale.  Hopslam!  Oberon...
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=1459

3.  Dark Horse Brewing Company.  Marshall.
Fill up a mug of Crooked Tree.  (or Double Crooked Tree?)
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=341

2.  Founders Brewing Company.  Grand Rapids.
I don't think you can go wrong, but let's get one you don't find bottled.  How bout a Canadian Breakfast Stout!
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=459

1.  Short's Brewing Company.  Bellaire.
You can go hoppy with a Humalupalicious, or you could go with one of Joe's many wilder  creations like Key Lime Pie Ale, S'more Stout or Black Liquorish Lager.
http://beermapping.com/maps/reviews/reviews.php?locid=1198

Now get over to beermapping and plan that trip!

How I Learned To Stop Worrying & Love the Drive-By Truckers

I've started this post at least three times now, and I really just couldn't finish it.  The Drive-By Truckers are a band I really love, and I want my little attempt at writing to do them justice.  So let's try this one more time.

The Drive-By Truckers have had many members, but at the heart are two singer/songwriters, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley.  These two have been playing together for over two decades in some form or another, but the Drive-By Truckers came together when Hood bought some studio time and invited a few friends to record an album.  That first recording was self released in 1998 as Gangstabilly.  It was crude, and a little unfocussed, but the songs were solid.

"Buttholeville" is Hood's ode to his hometown.

"Panties In Your Purse" is our introduction to Cooley.

"The Living Bubba" is another winner from Patterson Hood.

In 1999 the Truckers released their 2nd album Pizza Deliverance.  It was still a little raw and wild, but Cooley's songs were solid.  (Brad Morgan joined as the drummer)

"Uncle Frank" really shows off Cooley's story telling ability.

2001 brought Southern Rock Opera.  It was the album that wasn't supposed to work, a double album rock opera loosely based on Lynard Skynard produced by an unsigned band.  The band added a third guitar to the mix to produce that southern rock sound.  Somehow, it worked.

"Zip City" brings Cooley back to high school.  (cover art by Wes Freed becomes another trucker's staple)

"Let There Be Rock" is Hood's anthem and homage to rock and roll.

"Angels And Fuselage" is the Opera's finally.

The Drive-By Truckers had arrived.  (not exactly fame and fortune, but they were actually making a living with their music)

The SRO tour brought a new member into the fold, singer/songwriter Jason Isbell.  There had been other contributors to the DBT songbook, but Isbell brought a third solid voice.  With Decoration Day, the Drive-By Truckers launched their next era.

"Sink Hole" was inspired by the short film "the Accountant"

"Marry Me" starts with Cooley singing "Your Daddy didn't pull out and he never apologized."

"Outfit" is Isbell's advice from his dad.

2004's The Dirty South added Shonna Tucker (Jason Isbell's wife) as bassist.  It's probably the best album of the Jason Isbell era truckers.

"Where The Devil Don't Stay" opens the record.

"Lookout Mountain" is the DBT at it's heaviest.

By the time the Drive-By Truckers recorded A Blessing and A Curse, relationships were strained.  When two of your band members are on the verge of divorce, it's tough to record and tour.

"Space City" is one of Cooley's best ballads.

"A World of Hurt" is a half spoken statement of Hood's philosophy.

11 Valentine's Day Beers

Here we go.  It's 11 beers for Valentine's Day!

11.  Russian River Temptation.  California.  (won't find outside CA)

http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/pages/brews/barrel.html

10.  New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red.  Wisconsin  (WI only)

http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/Beers.cfm?BeerCategoryID=1&BeerID=10

9.  Young's Double Chocolate Stout.  England.  (relatively easy to find)

ttp://www.wellsandyoungs.co.uk/home/our-beers/ales/young-s-double-chocolate-stout

8.  Lindeman's Framboise.  Belgium  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/lindemans_framboise.html

7. Abaye De Rocs Brune.  Belgium.  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.abbaye-des-rocs.com/page%20en%20anglais.htm

6.  Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue).  Belgium  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.chimay.com/en/chimay_blue_220.php

5.  Goose Island Sofie.  Illinois.  (somewhat available)

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/sofie/28.php

4.  Short's The Soft Parade. Michigan.  (Michigan only.  tough)

http://www.shortsbrewing.com/beer/our-portfolio/annual-beers/the-soft-parade/

3.  Rogue Chocolate Stout.  Oregon.  (relatively easy to find)

http://www.rogue.com/beers/chocolate-stout.php

2.  Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock.  Michigan.  (fat chance)

http://www.kbrewery.com/beer/beer.html

1.  Foothills Sexual Chocolate.  North Carolina.  (special release. NC only)

http://www.foothillsbrewing.com/brews.html

Sounds of the Super Bowl

I'll get right to it.  I'm going to tell you how to fix the Super Bowl.  (not the game, but the music surrounding it)  Let's start with the national anthem.  The Star Spangled Banner is a tough song to sing well.  Don't bring in some pop star to do the job.  Bring in someone with real chops and the good sense not to over-embellish the song.

Or we could do like they do up north...

... and sing it ourselves with pride!   (Beautiful stuff, eh?)

The there's the halftime show.  Does it really matter who the performer is?  Did anyone tune in to watch the Black Eye Peas?  Did anyone tune in to watch the Who?  Tom Petty?  Prince?  The format of the show is problematic, so why not bring in real experts?  That's right bring on the marching band!

or bring on mascot football!

These Go To Eleven: 11 Strong Beers for a Cold January Night.

The great Nigel Tufnel said "These go to eleven".   With that I introduce the first Hoppy Notes 11: 11 Strong Beers for a Cold January Night.  Sit in front of the fireplace, and pour yourself a glass.

11. Great Lakes Blackout Stout.  Cleveland, OH.  9%ABV.

http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/uploads/Beer/Profile%20Blackout%20Stout.pdf

10. Victory Storm King Stout.  Downington, PA.  9.1%ABV

http://victorybeer.com/beers/storm-king-stout/

9.  Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA.  Marshall, MI.  12%ABV

http://www.darkhorsebrewery.com/content.asp?PageName=OurBrew

8.  Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA.  Munster, IN.  9.5%ABV.

http://www.3floyds.com/our-beers-2/

7. Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout.  Denver, CO.  9.5%ABV.

http://greatdivide.com/#/beer

6.  Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout.  Munster, IN.  15%ABV.

http://www.3floyds.com/our-beers-2/

5.  Stone Imperial Russian Stout.  Escondido, CA.

http://www.stonebrew.com/irs/

4. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale.  Chico, CA. 9.6%ABV

http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/bigfoot.html

3.  Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher.  Akron, OH.  9.4%ABV

http://www.hoppinfrog.com/beers/

2. Bell's Expedition Stout.  Kalamazoo, MI.  10.5%ABV

1. Bell's Hoplam!  Kalamazoo, MI.  10%ABV

http://www.bellsbeer.com/brands/

The Afghan Whigs: The soundtrack of my 1990's.

It was a Saturday
I came home early drunk with love
And other things
I must confess I love it all       
(Double Day - Dulli/McCollum)


 I'm sitting here on a winter's night sipping a glass of Left Hand's Fade to Black.  I start my music writing with a band that I adore.  It's also appropriate timing as the Twilight Singers (frontman Greg Dulli's current band) will be releasing their next CD in February.


The Afghan Whigs came out of Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 80's and became one of the few bands to sign with Subpop not from Seattle.  The early efforts were a little raw, but not grunge.  Greg Dulli's inner soul singer filtered through.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54NNFMOfJJw


1992 bought Congregation.  The inclusion of "The Temple" from Andrew Lloyd Weber & Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar is clue that this band had different influences than the average alternative (does anyone use that in 2011?) band.  The Afghan Whigs were finding a unique voice.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf7CymaNbes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNFgLKJDmao


What should I tell her?
She's going to ask
If I ignore it, it gets uncomfortable
She'll want to argue about the past
(If I Were Going - Dulli)


This the opening of Gentlemen.  By this point, the Afghan Whigs have transformed into a post-grunge blue-eyed soul ensemble.  There's no teen angst, but there is heartbreak, cheating and abuse in their songs.  These are confessionals.  It's safe to say that the Afghan Whigs found their sound with Gentlemen.  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C26BI1kJdkk


Black Love followed in a similar vein.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8r5Xvz9CjE


Then their final studio album, 1965.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9hLB0p2tFA


and that was it.  The whigs were the next big thing that never quite broke into the mainstream, but Congregation, Gentlemen, Black Love and 1965 are still favorites of mine.  They contain rock music for adults. (adults with issues perhaps, but still adults)

In the beginning...

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Brian, and I'm here to write about a couple things I enjoy: music and beer.  Why would I combine these topics?  Really, there is no grand reason.  Those are just a couple topics I enjoy.

The beer I'm going to discuss isn't going to be the big multinational brands.  I'd much rather write about what most people call craft beer, and for the most part, I'll be writing about beer from the midwest.  I'll write about events, people and places.

My music notes should be varied.  Like beer, the music I like won't be found at the top of the pop charts.  I'm a guy with a wide range of musical tastes.  Every thing I write about won't be new, but I hope to throw out some music that's new to some of you.

Thanks for reading
Brian