west michigan roadtripping

It’s October!

Even though it feels like it was literally summer for about fifteen minutes, I’m pumped for fall.  Stereotypically, I love sweaters and burning leaves and pumpkin everything and apple picking and all things Halloween.  I also love the crisp fall weather (I broke out a pair of yoga pants for an evening walk the other day and I can’t remember ever being so comfy before in my life).  Of course, thus far it still feels mostly like late summer – which is making me crazy because that first taste of fall has me itching for it to get cooler, even though I’m not really ready to stop wearing dresses every day and go back to dress pants for work.

I’ve been saying goodbye to summer with a slew (okay two) of West Michigan roadtrips.  Western Michigan University is my Alma Mater, and I have a ton of nostalgic feelings associated with the four years I spent living on that side of the state while I was in school, so I never pass up an opportunity to go back.  In early September, my best friend in all the world turned 28 and on her birthday Taking Back Sunday, The Used, & Frank Iero and the Cellabration were playing in Grand Rapids, so a group of us journeyed out there to spent an evening moshing (like old people) and drinking microbrews.

My very favorites!

I saw these guys in April; saw them again in September, loved every second just as much.

At The Hideout in Grand Rapids you can get a "flight" that consists of literally one of every beer they have on tap.

Special props to the 9am Hazelnut IPA, the Maple Oak Pilsner, & the Cinnamon Red Velvet Ale.

The presents my boys sent me home with - AKA why I love them the very best.

It was truly the best time – I almost felt like it was MY birthday, surrounded by my favorite people, listening to one of my favorite bands, and coming home loaded up with a stock pile of beer courtesy of three separate GR/Kalamazoo/Flint-centric friends.

Not to mention we had decorated Alyssa in a fancy blinking crown which we surrendered to the mosh pit during TBS’ late song (makedamnsure) - & it just happened to crop up again the next morning…..!

I also had another Kalamazoo visit planned for late September – it was a quick one, but jam-packed with (surprise!) beer and adventures.  Last summer my college bestie Tom and I took a quick southwestern Michigan beer tour – but we didn’t make it quite all the way down the side of the state, so we’ve been planning the follow-up ever since.  With an entire beautiful day laid out in front of us, we got extra-motivated and decided to drive all the way out to 3 Floyd’s in Indiana, the mecca of metal music/weird Asian fusion style/super hoppy beers with outrageous names. 

It was a little disappointing that they didn’t have cases of Zombie Dust, but we made out with some bombers of Arctic Panzer Wolf, Broodoo, & Chevalier, not to mention a glorious cheese platter, and more than a few half pints.  Standouts included Secret Sub Lair, Space Station Middle Finger, and my favorite weird experimental beer of the journey, Oh Myyyy Takei, made with sake & kolsch yeast. Um, YUM!

The line outside of 3 Floyd's........at 12:30 (they open at noon).

Showing off the spoils!

And the locale <3

The very best part about 3 Floyd's is a solid toss-up between the beer itself, and the names of said beers.

WAR MULLET.

We also hit up (for the MI part of our tour) Pleasant House (where we ate a lunch of the best pasties in the universe), Greenbush and Tapistry, with a side jaunt over to Journeyman Distillery (that gin, though...) before calling it quits for the day (two breweries shy of what we had planned – we’ll get you next time, Cravings & Arclight!), heading back to Kalamazoo, and collapsing with a gross amount of Big Burrito, more beer, and a night full of Hyrule Warriors.

The best pasties I've ever had - steak & ale, traditional, and mushroom & kale. Plus peas & mint.

Quality ales - Snobbler is one of the best browns I've ever had.

Beautiful evening at Greenbush.

Ring of tasters - including a cherry porter that's my new favorite thing in the world.

Getting the crap side-eyed out of me at Tapistry by my college BFF while I drink blood oranges & oatmeal cookies.

Should have bought it.

Picked this comfy beauty up from the Greenbush general store!

The next morning of course was the traditional Crow’s Nest breakfast (the literally BEST brunch spot I have ever experienced in all 28 years of my life - I make a trip every time I get out to Kalamazoo) before I headed back to Michigan to resume normal life…….officially the worst ever.  

Omelette with sausage, mushrooms, sun-dried tomato, pesto, red pepper aioli & house made zucchini bread. No brunch is greater than Crow's Nest brunch.

I already miss my Kalamafriends, but I’m looking forward to my next weekend adventure – Northern Michigan bar hopping next weekend!!