So I made the stunning transition from non-smartphone owner to iphone owner in December. What's stunning about this is that I am in my twenties, so I understand this makes me an anomaly, being a millennial that just joined the 21st century, but not owning a smartphone.... well, to put it gently, it showed me how to not be an asshole.
I have, too many times, been that person that sits and tries to have actual face to face conversations with people who hardly look up from their device(s) to give me the time of day, and I just do not want to be that person, ever. There are too many real, tangible experiences you'll miss out on!
However, having an iphone has allowed me to actually take pictures, on the spot, no preparation necessary. Something I have never been able to do, so every time since I've gotten this phone, taking a photo has been equally liberating and exhilarating.
We had a great tour, ate a delicious meal complete with every type of pizza on the menu and the best wings I have ever had in all the years I have lived on this earth. Honestly, they made chicken taste way better than anyone else has ever been able to. So juicy, full of flavor, and the perfect amount of hot.
One of Greenbush's winter offering, Mammoth
Some images from the brewery tour with Scott and Jen, their marketing director. You can't not stop if you're anywhere near Southwest Michigan.
I feel safer already!
Between myself and my coworkers, we tried pretty much every beer on the tap menu for the day. Each and every one was delicious, which you should already know coming into the brewery considering Greenbush brews some of the most highly sought after craft beers in Michigan right now.
My favorite of the day was certainly Delusion (11.7% abv), a rye whiskey barrel aged imperial cream stout. Commence cravings.
There's no point in having this image in color. This beer is black.
I adore this beer for so many reasons. It has strong aromas of butterscotch candies, irish cream, espresso, and definitely whiskey. This beer is such a high ABV, even the smell is hot, on the inside of your nose, your eyes, and the back of your throat without burning. You know you're in for a treat.
Right up front, the flavor is whiskey is there, but it subdues into a lot more complex flavors. The booziness doesn't overwhelm other, more delicate notes, like vanilla cream or bittersweet chocolate. There's a consistent, lingering flavor of butterscotch, which was also the predominant note in the aroma, so it's not a surprise. It actually makes this one of the sweeter beers I've had from Greenbush, but not your typical sweet beer by any means. There's a little bit of caramelized sugars, but the bittersweet chocolate, oak and roasted espresso beans balance out the sweet very nicely.
Mouthfeel is substantial, medium body with little carbonation.
Though Delusion is available in bottles (very limited supply), having this beer on tap is a great excuse to finally get down to Sawyer and visit this awesome, up and coming Michigan establishment.... Can we still call Greenbush up and coming? Sometimes it feels like they're exploding in the Michigan beer scene, despite their youth. But Greenbush is truly worth the trip, whether you live near or far. Go down and visit sometime, and tell me when you do! I just might join you...
Though I'll have to bring my mother, she can't pass up antiquing in Sawyer.
