Day Seven Assessment - Dark Horse Brewing Company, Marshall

Day Seven Assessment - Dark Horse Brewing Company, Marshall

Dark Horse.  Wow.  Among all the breweries we’ve visited to this point, Dark Horse Brewery stands alone as the most unique and extraordinary location to date.  From the thousands of personal beer mugs lining the ceiling and the hunting lodge atmosphere to the bold & flavorful brew selections and the rough and rowdy crowd of patrons, this brewery is one-of-a-kind.

Upon arrival, I was nearly overwhelmed by the number of people packed into this place.  I had to scratch and claw my way to the bar like an angry honey badger just to get a drink.  Once I secured my spot at the bar I could finally take stock of all that there was around me.  My thought as I looked around at the crowd was that, Jesus chose to eat with tax collectors and prostitutes and I had chosen to have a couple beers with them.  Don’t let that statement mislead you.  All are welcome here.  This was a diverse and peaceful crowd of joyful friendly people.  All ages, all walks of life, all rungs on the social ladder were gathered together in this one place to enjoy a relaxing Saturday evening.  Dark Horse was just such a welcoming place that, after only a short time there, you felt it had become your very own hometown bar that you’d been going to for years and years.

Neil arrived not too long after I did and joined me at the bar for the evening.  Shortly thereafter we spotted one of Dark Horse’s head brewers that we had seen at Corner Brewery on Octave day two.  In Lord of the Rings terms, he was a delightful mix of Gimli and Legolas with a dash of Saruman.  After we explained our Octave journey to him, he raised a glass in toast to us and joined us for a picture which I intend to have framed and hung on my wall.

The other notable character of the evening was Brian.  Brian was a self-described redneck former marine who was a regular at Dark Horse.  He joined Neil and I at the bar as we watched the Louisville-Wichita State Final Four game sharing stories, clueing us in to the better food and beer choices, and showing us videos of stuff blowing up.  After Neil left, I continued to hang out with Brian as he shared stories of his time overseas as a Marine, his battle injuries, his love of country music, and guns.  It was during our discussion of guns that Brian took me out to his pickup truck and showed me his Taurus pistol which was tucked underneath his cooler of beer and his shotgun.  The pistol was impressive, although a bit heavy due to it’s hammer-forged steel frame which I noticed as I took aim with it in the parking lot of the brewery.  Hanging out with Brian was a lot of fun and is just one example of what can happen in such an unconventional place as Dark Horse Brewery.

Then, of course, there was the beer itself.

I arrived eager to sample their Plead the 5th Imperial Stout but this once-a-year brew had sold out only a few days before we arrived.  Despite this little let down, there were still plenty of other brews to please the palate.  I especially enjoyed the Double Crooked Tree, which is the same as their delicious Crooked Tree but with double the ingredients, and Whatsupwiththemonkey Blueberry Ale, which was perfectly smooth and refreshing and genuinely tasted as though there were fresh blueberries in it.  The most unique brew was the Salmiakki Olut Porter with the flavor of black licorice.  At first I wanted nothing to do with it, but after I tasted it I realized I knew nothing of beer and should just shut up and drink it.

Dark Horse Brewery was full of surprises.  Whether it was meeting interesting people like Brian, sampling the bold and refreshing brew flavors, or enjoying the peaceful sounds of a babbling brook being broadcast in the men’s room, this place was, for me at least, the best blend of all things brewery in my new favorite local bar far away.

Day Six Assessment - Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery (Mash), Ann Arbor

Kevin- The downtown area was filled with Ann Arbor’s finest artsy-fartsy freaks for the annual Festifools celebration.  As a result, the Blue Tractor was overflowing with people trying to get a table.  When we arrived, there was a two hour wait for a table so we were forced into the bowels of the restaurant and brewery to Blue Tractor’s bourbon bar, Mash.  Luckily they serve all the same beer as they do upstairs so the Octave was able to continue unhindered.  Despite the massive crowds, we were able to take over a sizable section in Mash and were actually quite comfortable.

The atmosphere was somewhat different from the other venues we’ve visited.  Although the beer is the same, Mash operates as a distinctly separate entity from Blue Tractor.  The two locations are linked through a network of passageways so as long as you pass through the labyrinth and answer the riddle of the sphinx you can fairly easily navigate from one to the other.  Mash is also set up as a venue to showcase live musical acts which was the case during our visit.  For most of the evening there was some folk waif squeaking out his impressions of classic 70’s and 80’s power ballads (Does anyone remember the part in the movie Animal House where Bluto takes the guitar away from the guy playing sappy love songs and smashes the crap out of it?  I fought similar thoughts).  After the hippy was done, a Blues band presented their art.  Actually, both acts were enjoyable.  Another feature of Mash is the chalkboard ceiling where patrons can unleash their inner graffiti artist self-expressions.  Octave Of___ wanted to make it’s presence known as well so, once we located a rare phallus-free section of ceiling real estate, we inscribed our mark for all to see.

And then there was the beer itself.  See the reviews themselves for individual descriptions but overall they were all at least average.  That may not seem like a glowing review at first but it just means that there really wasn’t anything to disappoint in any of their selections.  The Belgian wheat stood out from the crowd not only because it was refreshingly quaffable but because it was the first of it’s kind that I’ve had on this Octave journey.  The other standout for me was the Bumper Crop IPA.  As far as I’m concerned, it marks the Gold Standard for what an IPA should be.  Other IPA’s will differ in varying degrees of the bitter bite of hoppiness but the Bumper Crop is an example of one that you can come back to time and time again when you want to zero the scale of your taste buds.

Mash only offers a few appetizer-style menu options but if you consider the full scale Blue Tractor menu and the overall beer quality, it makes for one of the best experiences in Ann Arbor and I don’t expect I’ll tire of returning there at any point in the near future.

Neil- It’s always on Thursday and Friday that the octave has gotten to be a burden for me. I’m seriously considering retiring after this year. Still, after this night, I remember why we still do this every year. It was a blast, and being on the “Mash” side of Blue Tractor changed my impression of this place for the better. The beer is average and the barbecue is below average (go to satchells on Washtenaw for some genuine bbq), but being here with friends and good live blues brings it all together. Definitely only come here on the weekend. Thanks to divine providence, we found about 30 seats next to each other in a place that packs sweaty college students in like natty lights in a dorm room fridge.

Your Reviews=

There’s a lot of cursive on this review pad (don’t you know cursive is a dead language?) but here’s my best transcription-

Adam on loch- "Lemonade and a watermelon seed spitting contest in a glass."

Lea on the Java Stout- “The Java Stout was delectable...dark, strong, with notes of coffee and chocolate...perfect Friday night complement to an underground bar atmosphere. And I want to write on the walls with chalk.”

Elise- “Beer in muffin tins... I like it.”

Kevin on Bock- “A box of crackerjack with an awesome suprise inside.”

Stream of consciousness from Duke- “The Beer is exquisite! A feathery light pilsner to die for! A dark mysterious Porter; a bock that brings with it the fullness of spring after the death of winter! My Word! ...”

Johnny on someone’s Beard- “Beard is a friendly mix of pulverized agate mixed with the ground yoke from a team of oxen. Boiled and strained to a perfect smoothness.”

Kevin on Pitmaster Porter- “Burt chocolate chip cookie dipped in french roast coffee.”

Duke on Belgium Wheat- “Riding through the wheat fields of Bavaria on horseback at break of dawn.” (Top review nominee)

Day Five Assessment - Liberty Street Brewing Company (Plymouth, MI)

Kevin "the Porter" of Porters on Liberty Street-

Liberty Street was by far the most surprising location for several reasons.  First of all, the facility was nearly pristine.  Nothing out of place.  Every surface sparkled with cleanliness.  I’m not sure how that’s important for a microbrewery but it certainly makes it stand out from the crowd.  The other shock was the beer itself.  Amongst the brewery standards (IPA, Amber, Porter, etc.) were a couple of flavored options that might raise a few eyebrows.  Typically, for me at least, if a brewery tries to add some sort of exotic flavor to a beer it pretty much spells disaster.  If you’re going to mess with a beer it had better be something extraordinary or let it be anathema!  Therefore, it was an eye-opener to me that Liberty Street’s flavored options were outstanding.  It was the first time in this Octave journey that both Neil and I wanted to take some of the beer home with us.  The final surprise was the number of people who came out to join us.  Since this was our longest distance location to date, I had quite expected it to be only Neil and I so I was pleasantly surprised when we ended up with about a dozen fellow Octivites gathered together for our fifth outing.

Unfortunately, due to other scheduled events, we were not able to spend as much time as we would have liked at Liberty Street.  As a result, this review is a bit abbreviated as well.  I know I would be eager to visit this place again soon and to spend more time enjoying all they have to offer.

With that, here are a couple of the reviews we gathered in our brief time at Liberty Street:

Kevin on the Vanilla Berry Stout - “Laffy Taffy and Leather.  Shockingly good!”

Neil on the Stout- “The most unique flavor I’ve ever tasted in a beer. Very very sweet, like cotton candy, but smooth and refreshing.”

Neil on the American IPA - “Tastes like a block of sharp cheddar cheese.”

Anonymous on Liberty Belle Blonde - “It’s like I’m eating Pixy Stix.”

Lea on the Vanilla Berry Stout - “Just how I like it - dark, strong, tinge of sweetness, definitely unique.”

Kevin on the Clementine Lemon Thyme - “Like chicken dinner with Stove Top Stuffing.”

And here’s Neil with a brief review on Liberty Street, and another uninteresting rant on unrelated topics....

This is where you come when you’re done playing 18 with your country club Volvo driving buddies. This place is for chumps... that’s what I thought until I tried a tyme flavored beer called the Clementine Lemon Tyme. Let it be proclaimed on the mountaintops, “let the beer be fruited!” During a week of constant (moderated) beer drinking, I almost bought a gallon of this to take home... for my friends... to drink. At the first sip, a song welled in my deep stomach “oh the summertime is coming! And the leaves are gently turning, let’s pick wild mountain tyme, all along the purple heather, will you go lassie go?”

and now for a rant on how...

Beer is the Linchpin of Society

...Here’s one reason why=

Men need fraternity, and beer produces fraternity (..and fraternities but that’s not what we’re here about).

Without brotherly interaction, the world would be in trouble. We need some time with our own kind. We cuss and discuss and get stuff figured out. We share good ideas and tear apart dumb ones. We hold each other accountable to our duties to our wife, our family, our work, our faith. Interaction with our brothers makes us aware of any irregularities in our character that we would otherwise develop in seclusion (I pick my nose in public, but thanks to brothers at least I realize it’s not right). Basically we would be crap without each other.

But in 2013 Midwestern America...

...men need an excuse for social interactions with other men. Most men don’t call each other up and have hour long conversations. Phones are for utility. We say what needs to be said and move on (Ruth are you reading this?). Men don’t retire to the drawing room and have pillow talk (although I will admit I can differentiate the drawing room from the music room in Downton Abby- I realize that’s wrong too). Men need a reason other than conversation to have conversion. Even if I do want to discuss relationships, or work, or whatever with my brother, I need to play it off like we’ll just shoot the shit while doing something else. I’ll find a UFC fight to watch with him because I know he likes that crap, or ill ask him to help me paint my living room (once I get one), or I’ll tell him to meet me at Casey’s because it was #1 on the Octave of Burgers’ top 8. These are excuses I need to make for it to be okay to have man-to-man intercour... I mean a confabulation.

Beer is  another great excuse- maybe the best because it’s the easiest to find. Sure, I’ll come over and try your new raspberry cherry espresso bacon pale ale. I’ll invite you back for a bud. It works.

And so the Octave of Breweries is our best expression of our idea of the Octave yet. We want to get people together - to create community....thank you to everyone who has joined us this week. Stay tuned for the last few reviews, final rankings, and octavite (you) review awards!

Day Four Assessment:  Grizzly Peak, Ann Arbor

Neil’s review-

I’ll put my name on this review because I have some bias about Grizzly Peak.  You should probably read Kevin’s review if you want to know about Grizzly Peak.

But I have a good reason for being biased.  They objectively have the best Pale Ale in the world and they have the best beer ever made - Victor’s Gold.  Your search is over.

More importantly, I had my first real beer with my dad here and have some good memories here.  My dad and I once biked to Grizzly Peak from Saline, had a beer, and then rode our bikes home with a growler of the IPA in our backpack... which reminds me,

...(dream vapors descending... flashing back to 1991... keep it together...we’re coming apart!... stay with me!)...

In Europe, the medieval pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James has be re-established.  I’d like to say that this octave of beer is re-establishing an ancient (early 1990s) pilgrimage that I shared with my dad...
A pilgrimage to beer is not something I’m unfamiliar with.  As many of you know, in the Bible Belt, we have what are called Dry Counties and Wet Counties.  We lived in the dry county of Boyle County, Kentucky and had to make a day long caravan mission across bogs, misty mountains, and over troll inhabited bridges just for my dad to get some brewskis (it was probably a half hour drive down the interstate but that’s what it seemed like to me as a 5 year old).  This was the best argument the Atzinger family had against Baptist Fundamentalism.  Why, in the name of all things holy, would any God fearing church make it so hard to get a little sudzy refreshment?  But when the Church is persecuted, she thrives...
Little did those Baptists know that they were setting the scene for some good, Catholic father/son bonding time.  This drive to the liquor store was my opportunity to ask my father about the mysteries of life.  All my questions were answered by this mustachioed sage.  I remember talking about the saints, about prayer, about Daniel Boone and about everything else a boy needs to know.  I grew up on those trips.  After eating the beef jerky he would buy my brother and I at the store, we’d be thirsty.  So on a drive back to Danville from the liquor store, that’s when we had our first taste of beer. ...Although mysteriously...not while we were in the car, because that’s illegal (look what you did Baptists!).

So, Grizzly Peak - go there if you want good fatherly memories.

Join us tomorrow at Liberty Street in Plymouth for the next stop on Il Cammino de Beer and read Kevin’s review if you want real information.

Keep up the excellent reviews!  Awards will be given at the end of the week for different review categories =


Ann Marie on Fuggly - “Bonfire. I don’t want to brush my teeth tonight.” (best review nominee)

Austin on Amarillo Shamrock - “Ethereal, evanescence. As easy to breath as to drink.”

Anonymous on Sheerwater IPA - “Warm and earthy - like a vegetable garden on a hot summer day.” (Nominee for The Review You Can Taste)

Cora on Bear Paw Porter - “This beer has multiple flavors, 4 to be exact.  It first enters your mouth as a deep forest and transitions into lightly charred oak with a hint of natural cocoa and ends with the crisp finish of a lumberjack axe.” (Best Review Nominee)

Visual of Beer Paw by Matt - “Looks like the mighty grizzly’s pelt after a short morning dip in the fresh spring river of northern Alaska.”

Kevin on EOB - "Fresh-cut dandelions floating in a pool of cool apple juice."

Thad on Fuggly Oak Porter - “As opaque in taste as it is in appearance.  Like a blanket of pure cocoa and coffee grounds covering your tongue with warmth.”

Ruth on Pale Ale - “Like biting into an orange without peeling it first.”

Mary Rzepka on Shamrock Seasonal - “I think of green frosting as I swallow this beer, and swedish fish.”

Maria on Irish Stout - “Guinness’ sassy older sister.”

Kevin on Steelhead Red - "Sweet strawberries dipped in motor oil."

Thad on EOB - “A beer fit for a goat:  Sweet to grassy.”

Austin on Bear Paw Porter - “Toasted Marrow.”

Anonymous on Pale Ale - “Apple with an orange peel.”

Anonymous on Victor’s Gold - “I’m bored.”

Kula on Pale Ale - “Tastes like sand hitting a coconut tree’s branches on a beach in Mexico.”

Neil on Victor’s Gold - “This is objectively the best beer in existence.”

Tom on Steelhead Red - “Good... in a forgettable way. Like a good bowel movement.” (Nominee For Most Brow Furrowing Review)



Kevin’s Brain Nuggets:

While I will say nothing that would detract from Neil’s heartwarming review, I will say that it is certainly a uniquely personal experience - one I hope we all experience in some way at some point in our lives.   As for myself, I have no significant attachment to Grizzly Peak.   I would like to say that leaves me unbiased but that would not be accurate.   I see Grizzly Peak as a microbrewery that lost it’s identity.  What it seems to be now is a large restaurant that happens to brew their own beer in the back somewhere.  That’s not to say the beer isn’t good or memorable (see the reviews above) or that the food isn’t palatable.  To me, it just lacks something in it’s character as a microbrewery.

As for the overall experience, even though we were tucked away in our own little corner exiled from the rest of society like a happy little band of lepers, it made for a pleasant atmosphere to mix & mingle in lively conversation.  We had a fairly decent sized group that trickled in and out over the course of the evening with several new faces to add variety to the reviews of brews.  As for the beer itself, what they brew at Grizzly Peak they brew well.   I don’t think anyone voiced any disappointment over anything they chose.

So, whether lost in a dream where Victors Gold tastes good or lucidly imbibing the BM of beers, Grizzly Peak will provide plentiful enjoyment of both food and drink for a father and his son, a gathering of good friends, or nearly any audience.

Day Three Assessment - Original Gravity Brewing Company, Milan

This brewery is out of the way (“nobody knows about us,” OG Bartender) but don’t you dare take the US-23 short cut.  I would drive down Saline-Milan Road at sunset every day for that scenery (I’ll buy you a beer tomorrow if you can find the hidden, antique Saline Mill that’s just off that road, even with a map).  The OG brewery at the end of the trail would make it worth it either way.  You’d be a hypocrite to call yourself a beermeister in Washtenaw County if you had not been to Original Gravity in Milan.
It’s a beer-garden layout like Wolverine and Corner Breweries, but Original Gravity is very different in atmosphere.  It’s just... it’s just Milan.  I arrived late after circling the town 3 times to find the place (which only took 10 minutes).  I figured would I just drive into town and see it on the first corner.  As I entered OG, I walked past guys wearing hooded duck jackets and muddy boots, youngsters with their dads, and a family reunion meeting together for a pizza party (ordered in).  I appreciated how the bartenders act like they have time for you, even though it was not uncrowded.  It’s homey.  It’s just... Milan.
That’s not to say these beers are “homey” in quality.  They would find a home on Liberty Street, Ann Arbor, or Lincoln Ave, Fort Collins for that matter.  These beers don’t have the skunkiness that I’ve experienced in most small batch microbrews.  They’re drinkable.
Get out of your bubble Ann Arbor and go get some Southpaw IPA at Original Gravity... but wait till next week because you need to come to Grizzly Peak tomorrow.

Sal on Primordial Porter - “Without words I’d say, ‘mmmMMMmmmMmmgrgrgrlmmm.’”

Neil on Southpaw IPA - “Jim Leyland spitting sunflower seeds covered in caramel glaze.”

     …. on 2-Wheeler Witbier - “cryogenically frozen sundried apricots.”

     …. on Old Man E.S.P - “I forgot I was drinking it. Bland.”

Kevin on County Street Amber – “Like drinking cold coffee with sweet cream, like those Nips candies.”

     …. And on Lumpy Oatmeal Stout – “like liquid tobacco”

Kevin’s Summary –

As far as an overall assessment of OG, I wholeheartedly agree with Neil that this place is a “diamond in the rough.”  I was totally surprised that this place has existed, almost completely unnoticed, for 5 years.  A part of me wants it to stay that way.  I expect that it will, given that it’s off the beaten path to the Ann Arbor crowd.  That being said, I would say the beers (only seven on tap) are in their sophomore years.  First impressions were quite good but the tastes seemed to fade into obscurity as we continued to sample them.  I think this place has great potential to develop into a noteworthy microbrewery.  Original Gravity is a welcome and unpretentious place for relaxation and conversation – even if that conversation devolves into heated political debate (Tony & Sal) – which is wonderful since it shows that a place like this is a warm and inviting atmosphere for friends to come together to share their faith, lives, and stories over a few pints of good quality beer.

Day Two Assessment - Corner Brewery (Arbor Brewing Company) and How Catholics Drink

Hey, this is Neil.  Before our review, let me make a second disclaimer...

It’s an issue that needs to be addressed - we are Catholics trying to live our faith, and we are drinking eight days in a row and publicizing it proudly.  Some of you might think I’m prudish even bring this up.  Others may think that I, a director of religious education and youth “minister” at a local church, am causing scandal.  Allow me an Ad Homines Scrupulosus...

Why didn’t we bring this up earlier?  Well, things should be done in order.  First priorities come first.  First, we need to note that beer is a gift from God.  I’m a firm believer in virtue based morality - meaning we aim for more than just purity.  We aim for excellence first and foremost.  Obligations fall from virtue, not the opposite.  Love precedes law.

... and I love beer?  No, let’s stay on the ground here.  What I want to say is beer is good.  We can say that much.  We’ve all heard the quote from Benjamin Franklin - “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”  This quote shows Benjamin Franklin had a very limited idea of God, so I prefer the quote from G.K. Chesterton - "The Catholic Church is like a thick steak, a glass of red wine, and a good cigar."  I seem to remember another quote from G.K. relating that one reason he became Catholic is because there is no contradiction between a cigar, a glass of scotch, and the cross.  Now there’s a good start.

I’ll just say that if we lived in Spain, Southern France, Italy, Austria, Bavaria, Poland, or any other culturally Catholic country, this question wouldn’t even come up.  That’s because the way they drink is different.  Drunkenness is abhorable.  But children start “drinking” at age 5.  It’s like being potty trained - it’s a part of social life.  In America, age 21 is a rite of passage and drinking before that is exciting and subversive.  When minors drink, they do it to get drunk.  And that’s how we learn to enjoy beer.  That explains the quality of beer we’ve had in America until the Micro-Brewery trend began (I happen to enjoy cheap beer, but not because “it get’s the job done”).

I could go on about this but let’s get to our review of Corner Brewery.  If you want more, I recommend this article (in which Chesterton has yet another quote about beer- he’s great) The Lost Art of Catholic Drinking.

So here is our Catholic review of Corner Brewery...

I came to Corner Brewery tired and irritable.  Time with friends is usually a remedy for this state and beer certainly helps as a salve.  As the article above states, I came for the conviviality that gatherings with beer can give.

Sitting there with 20 people within arms length yelling at the top of their lungs just to exchange pleasantries did not help.  Add a couple beers to that situation and you’re driving home at the end of the night getting angry about your fiance turning the heat down two notches in your car on the ride home because she doesn’t have a right to touch the buttons on a car she is not driving!  (Ruth, I’m sorry!)  I don’t go to any restaurant where I can’t relax, and until Corner Brewery opens up the outdoor beer garden in the back, I think I’ll need to stay away.

We experienced our first Octave of ___ miracle however.  One reason the place was so full was that corner brewery was hosting some kind of brewer’s guild.  The breweries came to us!  There were representatives from every Washtenaw Co. brewery and also some brew masters from other notable Michigan breweries, including Original Gravity and Liberty Street which are Tuesday and Thursday’s events respectively.  We met met Brewmaster Joe from Liberty Street who offered us a tour when we get there Thursday (don’t miss that one!).

To me, Corner Brewery has the most flavorful and thus most undrinkable beers of any brewery I’ve been to, but what do I know?  I’ll leave you with some reviews from fellow Octavites =

Kevin on the Bollywood Blonde - “Smells like smarties, tastes like roses.”

Ruth on the Bollywood Blonde - “Smells like a bucket of unwrapped halloween candy.”

Anonymous on RyeClops - “Tastes like a field.  In a good way.”

Anonymous on Sacred Cow - “Supposed to be an IPA, but some ne’er-do-well froggy must have hopped off with the hops.”

Neil on Fat Abbot  - “Clams and bananas.”

? on Phat Abbot Tripel - “The monks must intercede heavily for he who drinks too many of these!”

? on Buzz Saw - “On a scale of Peter Pan to Bane, this falls just short of arm wrestling a grizzly bear.”

Anonymous on Apple Cider - “Not beer. Blooms in your mouth like the first buds of Spring.”

Anonymous on Phat Abbot - “ After a few of these, even a fat Abbot would look attractive”

Anonymous on Bollywood Blonde - “ Tastes like just setting out of work at a soot covered belgian car factory on a Thursday before a long 4-day weekend where you and your buddies go to Mumbai to praise the virtues of waffles and chocolate to Indians who have never seen “Manneken Pis.”

Excerpts from Chris on the Irish Stout - “Let me...touch...the stout...Irish...WOW...right when...I started...I fell...and said...the...is that you?...statement...at the Corner.”

Thus saith Kevin:

Overall, I would say Corner Brewery has a fairly good selection of enjoyable brews and a welcoming atmosphere, and apparently every hipster in Washtenaw County thinks so too.  It might as well be like one of those pretentious restaurants that provides you with a dinner jacket if you are without one, only at Corner they hand you a pair of dark thick-rimmed glasses, a vintage ironic t-shirt, and a fixed gear bicycle.  These bohemian vermin occupied nearly every available space making it difficult to move comfortably or engage in any sort of conversation with those around you without relying on various nods, winks, and occasional semaphore.  They do have a fireplace which always adds bonus points in my book.  Plus, if any of the 90lb new-agers become too annoying they’d work great for kindling.  Even among the beatnik riffraff and their boardgames, there were plenty of average Joes and young professionals to make it a representative cross section of the Ypsi scene.  I like Corner Brewery despite its oft crowded nature (which is somewhat alleviated in finer weather by its spacious outdoor patio area).  It’s the same beer you’ll find at ABC in Ann Arbor so if the beer suits you it’s just a matter of choosing whether to drink it with hipsters of the city mouse or country mouse variety and whether or not you want to do so whilst playing Settlers of Catan.  By the way, I actually love hipsters.  It’s an opportunity for grace-filled humility to be around people who’ve done all the things you’ve never done, before it was cool.

Day One Assessment: Wolverine State Brewing Company

To begin, it simply cannot be understated how wonderful it was to see how many people came together to celebrate day one of the Octave of Breweries, a tribute to the fellowship and friendship elicited by the faith and joy we share in our resurrected Lord.

As for a review of Wolverine State Brewing Company, let us begin with a disclaimer from Neil, my co-captain in this Octave Of journey:

Taking beer from where it belongs as a thirst quencher, social stimulant, or end of the work day reward and making it the subject of an eight day review opens this week to becoming the tour of dork-dom. Men should drink beer, they should not be interested in it. Everyone convinces themselves and everyone around them that they are busy- it helps us legitimize our existence to our spouses, family, and friends. But what do we fill that time with? Connoisseur-ship - Concerning ourselves with poo we don’t need to know or be involved in. Men especially should have a disinterested knowledge of clothing, food, health, fashion.. and beer - So our one rule to beer reviews is that you can not borrow any taste description you have ever heard before. Nothing from the beer-snob cannon. Let it speak for itself.

With that in mind, let us begin.

First, it seemed to be a particularly slow evening for business since there were so few patrons there when we arrived but it made it a welcome environment for conversation for the group of people who were able to join us. Upon arrival, there was a distinct odor of stagnant beer deeply embedded into every inch of the facility - and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It certainly let you know you were in a place singularly devoted to the art of brewing of beer.

I selected 6 options from the lager list to create a representative beer sampler. I was most impressed by the Gulo Gulo, a pleasant and refreshing India Pale Lager, and the Faustinian Stout (what they called a Baltic Porter), a typical porter that one might pair with a thick steak. On the bottom end of the scale were the Breadwinner (a heavily malted lager), which I can only describe as a mixture of silage (look it up) and livestock, and Hop Stadt (an “award winning” amber), which tasted as though they attempted to scrub the aforementioned beer smell off the floor and walls and then squeezed the contents of that scrub rag into my glass - I was not aware there was such an award but it certainly earned it.

Tastes do vary by individual so here are some notes from other Octavites:

     Joe on the Gulo Gulo (the crowd favorite) - “The taste of forgotten falls, and expected      summers.” 

     Neil on the Barista - “Tastes like Nathan Mikkelson.”

     Unknown on Hop Stadt - “Like my thumb after I’m done sucking it.”

     Thad on High ‘n Dry - “It reminds me of hearing a song that you knew ten years ago, 

     but didn’t particularly like; a little boring, but comforting.”

     Adam on Hop Stadt - “...Good.”

     Kula on Basement Fire - “Tastes like manliness roasting on an open smoldy fire with
     mucus.” (...)

Overall, Wolverine State was a comfortable and relaxing place to gather with friends, as long as those friends have eaten before they arrive since Wolverine has no food whatsoever. They also had free-to-play dart boards and a Foosball table so you could impress your friends with your extraordinary barroom gaming skills.

Finally, I thought I’d leave you with this reflection from a sermon by Msgr. Ronald Knox on “The Risen Christ” that reminds us of the constant state of renewal we experience as we meditate on our Lord’s Resurrection.

“When Easter comes, the Church delights to remind herself of that newness which is the risen Christ. On Holy Saturday morning, a new spark must be struck from the flint, to light a new set of candles and lamps; new holy water must be blessed, and a new font: fresh cloths are spread on the altars, and the tabernacle itself, on Easter morning, is full of freshly consecrated Hosts. We are beginning all over again, making all things new. And we have a right to do so, for in the order of grace there is perpetual novelty. In the order of nature, there is perpetual affectation of novelty, which never comes to anything; there is nothing new, the wise man reminds us, under the sun, however much, at the moment, things look different. Whereas in the order of grace there is no change apparent, but in truth it is a perpetual spring, inexhaustible in its fecundity.

…There are so many occasions in life, aren’t there, when we say to ourselves, “Now I shall be able to make a new start”? We leave school; of course, all our troubles will disappear now. We go into business; now the world shall see what we are made of. We get married; that, evidently, is going to be the turning-point of our lives. We rise to a position of responsibility; now, our chance has come. We grow rich, and have more opportunities of leisure; at last our true nature will have the opportunity to develop. We retire from active work; now, with old age to mellow us, we can live as we would wish to die. Yes, but tell me, is there really all that difference between one stage and the next? But in the life of grace, ah, if we could only see it, there is a perpetual burgeoning of new life, not merely from one Easter to another, from one retreat to another, but with every worthy reception of the sacraments. Perpetual spring, perpetual renovation of our natures, if we could only catch the hour of grace, utilize it, make it our own. Whatever you are, and at whatever time of life you are, that possibility of spiritual renewal is with you no less surely than if you were a boy at school again, or just leaving school to make your way in the world. Christ is risen; those tidings can neither lose their force with age, nor be staled by repetition; Christ is risen, and life, for the Christian, is always new.”

A Beer Blessing

We ask Thee O Lord to bless this beer, Thy creature, which from the fruit of the harvest Thou hast deigned to bring forth to be a salvific remedy to the human race, and we ask Thee, through the invocation of Thy holy name, that whosoever should drink from it may receive from it health of mind and body through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Octave of Breweries - Day One

Here's the beer menu at Wolverine.

Easter Sunday - 8 PM at Wolverine Brewery

"In many parts of the world, we see a "diaspora" Christianity, which is put to the test because the scattered disciples of Christ can no longer easily maintain contact with one another, and lack the support of the structures and traditions proper to Christian culture. In a situation of such difficulty, the opportunity to come together on Sundays with fellow believers, exchanging gifts of brotherhood, is an indispensable help." (Dies Domini, JPII)

Octave of ___ offers its indispensable help.. Let's spend this day in prayerful contempation and joy of this foundational mystery. Then join us for beers, conversation, and fellowship for day one of the octave at 8 PM at Wolverine.

A most happy and blessed Easter to you all as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

THIS IS IT!!!  The official announcement of the theme for this year's Octave.

And so, without further delay, our celebration this year will be

The Octave of Breweries!

This is the list of breweries that we will being visiting throughout the Octave.  We will announce specific times each day so stay tuned here or on Facebook.  There is even a Twitter account if you'd like to follow the action live!  Please join us at any or all of these locations and help us to celebrate this joyous occasion together as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. 

We look forward to celebrating with you.

The Octave Of Breweries
Easter Sunday:  Wolverine State Brewing Company - Ann Arbor

Easter Monday:  Corner Brewery - Ypsilanti

Easter Tuesday:  Original Gravity Brewing Company - Milan

Easter Wednesday:  Grizzly Peak Brewing Company - Ann Arbor

Easter Thursday:  Liberty Street Brewing Company - Plymouth

Easter Friday:  Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery - Ann Arbor

Easter Saturday:  (UPDATED)  Dark Horse Brewery - Marshall, Mi

Divine Mercy Sunday:  Jolly Pumpkin Brewery - Ann Arbor

So, we have arrived at “Octave of” year three.  It also marks my third year since being welcomed into the Catholic Church.  My first year anniversary gave us the Octave of Burgers.  The second year was the Octave of Diners.  Soon we will announce the theme for year three.  So, for me, the “Octave of” series represents a celebration of so many gifts and graces that I have received over these last three years.
In the beginning, I had no idea what an octave was.  It was my friend Neil who told me of the Church tradition of celebrating the Resurrection of Christ in the week following Easter.  This was an exciting prospect.  I had done plenty of “celebrating” in my pre-Catholic days but never would I have imagined that the Holy Church I just joined would promote a celebration for eight days straight!  This Church knows how to party!
Our party took the form of our “Octave of” celebration.  I hesitate to call it divine inspiration, but it certainly seemed like this brilliant idea was bestowed upon us by some supernatural means.  The idea was simple.  We would get together each day of the octave with a group of friends and would honor the eight day feast with a particular theme, for year one it was burgers.  At the end of the octave we would rank the selections and determine the best one.  It was truly wonderful how people came together to enjoy this somewhat silly concept.  Our dedication to the octave was also remarkable.  On one of the days of the octave I was stuck at work and my dear friends came in to celebrate with me by having burgers from the hospital cafeteria (a unanimous decision for last place).
Year two, the Octave of Diners, was an experience as well.  Whether it was giving extra points for variety of clientele, (i.e. the old man at Big Sky talking about punching people in the face), if a waitress called you “Hon” or “Sweetie,” or the possibility of having a heart attack after eating the food (a full pound of bacon at The Bomber, yum!), it was definitely a memorable experience.  It was also thrilling and potentially dangerous since two of the places had violent crimes occur after we had been there.  Apparently word of our experiences in the “Octave of” celebration was spreading even to the seedy underbelly of the criminal world.  Thus the idea of creating a Blog and Twitter account this year so more friends, family, and criminals can more easily follow our exploits.
The silly themes of the “Octave of” celebration are really only part of the story.  It’s more about coming together as a community of friends to celebrate a core belief our Catholic faith.  As St. Paul says, “…if Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, your faith” (1 Cor 15:14).
That is the true purpose of this celebration; glorifying Jesus Christ our Savior together as a community – as a family – and spreading the good news of the Gospel to all the world.  We encourage as many people as are able to join us on this journey (or follow our exploits via our social media outlets) and we look forward to revealing our theme for this year’s “Octave of” celebration.

8 Days of What??

For Kevin and I, the theme for this year’s “Octave of” most accurately expresses the nexus of this annual event. This is a nexus that we are just now realizing on our third year. The inspiration for Octave of actually came from a conversation I had with Kevin while we were watching Jeopardy in Ypsilanti, and one of us said “hey, what’s one week where we could eat hamburgers every day?!” So this may or may not be only an attempt to give meaning to a meaningless week of indulgence but this is what I’ve discovered...

The Octave of Easter is one week and a day (octave=8) where we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. One Sunday is not enough to contain our joy... so the Church made there be 8 Sundays in a row (see what the papacy could do for you!). I wont go as far as to say that our version of the octave is a proper or pious celebration of the Eight Days of Eastertide, but I do say this=

 For Kevin and I (and I believe everyone who has joined us for our tour de grease), the “Octave of” has given body and findability to a celebration of the Eastertide (not just in the sense that our bodies have become more findable through increased girth). Even as a Christian who is attempting devotion, I’ve realized that before Kevin and I started making our annual 8 day pilgrimage to diners and burger stands, I had never really had an experience of the Octave of Easter that was different than my experience of the other 365 days of the calendar. I once went to holy mass every day during the Octave of Easter, but that was when I was in the seminary and was required to go to mass every day of the year. Our Octave of __ tradition keeps this week from just becoming another week. 

...Maybe we’re just hungry after having lived on a half a loaf of bread for 40 days. St. Francis, pray for us; all you holy men and women, pray for us - for we have a failed sense of piety. We’re just trying to bring 2000 years of Catholic Tradition into our small Ypsi/Arbor world. This is a celebration of Easter that our weak nature can grasp. Is it going to far to say we’re expressing the incarnational reality of God here? Could this lead us to holiness!? Lord have mercy...

With this plea, we announce this year’s Octave of ___. After much debate and after considerations of tantalizing prospects of burritos, Old Country Buffets, and BBQ ribs, we decided that the 2013 Octave of ___ will be...

...Stay tuned to this station!

The Archives

Last year's tour de greese, the Octave of Diners