Draft Magazine has an article in this month’s issue, “The Beer Drinker’s Layover” that outlines the microbrew selection in restaurants at various airports around the US. Many of the airports feature local breweries and selections on tap, increasing the attraction and local feel of an airport to it’s environs.

The sad part is at the top of their list of Airports to Avoid is Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). Michigan has a large, varied, and tasty selection of microbrews. There are over 53 brewpubs and microbreweries in the state, and 18 in the immediate airport vicinity. It’s a shame that no restaurants in the regional airport highlight this selection by offering it on tap. You can, however vist the “Guinness Pub”, “Grey Goose Martini Bar”, or “Jose Cuervo Tequileria”. Not quite local selections.

While I don’t live in Michigan anymore, I do tend to fly through DTW quite a bit and would definitely welcome being greeted with my local favorites. Something like an Huxell Best Bitter from Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor , French River Red Ale from Lily’s Seafood in Royal Oak ,or the very unique and well named Kentucky Breakfast Bourbon Aged Stout from Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids .

Note: the breweries above are marked up with hCards - however, not aware if there is an hBeer (perhaps hProduct?) markup.

The Magazine

If you haven’t seen it before, Draft is a bi-monthly magazine that covers the dramatically increasing micro- and local-beer scene and business. It’s kind of the Conde Nast Traveler for beer. What was most surprising was that I discovered at my family’s house addressed to my younger sister. I’m quite envious indeed.

This past weekend I attended the 9th Annual Michigan Beer Fest, this being my fourth. It was a great time, with over 42 Michigan breweries in attendance pouring more then 200 beers.

My note-taking fell off dramatically this year, as I spent more time just enjoying the beers rather than dissecting them.

A few notables were there, I offer them to you:
CJ’s Brewing Company’s VAT33 Indian Pale Ale (Commerce Township)

Fort Street Brewery’s Festivus 2006 - Sour Mash Ale (Lincoln Park)

Schmohz Brewing Company’s Bone Crusher Stout (Grand Rapids)

And the best of the bunch: The Livery’s Batch 50 IPA (Benton Harbor)

Technorati Tags: beer, brewing, festival, michigan

Spent the weekend boarding and skiing at several excellent Utah facilities. Doing a little touring, trying out new slopes. It’s all such a new world to me, after growing up on the east coast ski scene.

Of course, while in bountiful country, I was keen on trying out some local brews. One of my original exposures to “odd beers” was a trip long-ago with several other crazy graduate students. One such student (hi Jana) shared a 10-beer sampler with me, whereupon we went down the line, from Hefeweizen to Stout by way of Pale Ale and Red. It was pretty consistent that Jana preferred the darker beers, and I (a relative beer-newb) preferred the lighter ones. Of course, at that time I tended to gravitate towards Apple Ciders as my drink of choice, so my opinions were obviously very “colored” and that of a young beer-padawan.

I have since graduated myself to at the very least a Beer-Knight, and in hopes of one day becoming a Beer-Meister (note the spelling). But I am not there yet, the road is long, and when you’re having so much good brew, it’s easy to lose your way.

Now, back to the “State of the Utah beer”. Utah, being bountiful country (as I mentioned) tends towards mandates on allowable alcoholic contents of beers (capping it at 3.2%), this does not prevent flavor and variety of the beers.

Roosters (GoogleMap) was the target of choice this past Saturday. It is a new restaurant, located in the town of Layton. I got the “Polygamy Pale Ale”, the chocolate stout, the Amber Ale, and the Hefeweizen.

Interestingly, their Hefeweizen is the most popular due to the fact that it is their “lightest” (both in feel and ABV). The Polygamy Pale Ale had a very hoppy head and taste, but then an rather unlikeable metal aftertaste. I couldn’t recommend it until they fix the aftertaste. The Rooster’s Chocolate Stout was an excellent dessert drink, but a little much after a huge meal of hummus & pita, and very yummy capellini.

Just a short review of a suprise find where we were skiing - thought I’d let any other travelers know to take heart in Utah and sample some good, western brews.

Tonight’s beer, brought to us by the Florida Beer Company of Melbourne, FL.

Keywest Ale is an American medium bodied Amber ale with a tropical twist. It is brewed with pale and caramel malts, blended with hops, to create a crisp, satisfying taste.

Hrm, I don’t know if the label could have said less in so many words. I mean, what does a “tropical twist mean”? And I sure hope it’s a satisfying taste. What kind of beer claims itself to be a “soft, wimpy, unenjoyable taste”?

Anyways, it’s all the local liquor store had that wasn’t of the “Standard US National Variety” ™. I find it enjoyable, especially when sipped on a veranda overlooking the beach after a long day in a conventional hall. The taste is a little undefinable (read smooth, but indestinct) with a slight sweet tang at the end (perhaps that’s the aforementioned tropical twist).

I rate thee: 3/5

Had a little lunch-time malt & barley at a local dive restaurant on Ft. Lauderdale Beach via Shipyard Brewing Company:

SHIPYARD IPA - Feeling hoppy? Shipyard’s IPA is a single-hopped ale that will satisfy any true India Pale Ale enthusiast. A wonderful balance and deceptively smooth.

Hrm. It has a light golden color, and for a second I thought they had slipped me with some lager. However, after some more sampling, I could taste the I, P, and A. As a “true India Pale Ale enthustiast”, while I may have been ’satisfied’, I wasn’t ‘astounded’. In fact, while a good beer, I wouldn’t order it again. But, if there weren’t any mediocre beers, there wouldn’t be as much fun in sampling the unknown.