In the Plant: Collaboration Brew with Bangers & Lace

 

This Monday we had a hell of a crew from Bangers & Lace, one of the finest craft beer bars in Chicago, practically take over the facility for a brew day. After a night of serious gallivanting around Michigan, 15 of ‘em rolled in early in the morning (coffee and sunglasses in tow) to work on out the recipe for a Rye Porter, now impeccably named] It’s My Porter and I’ll Rye if I Want To. Catch a glimpse of the day in the photos below. We don’t blame you for being anxious, but your patience will be rewarded sometime next month when It’s My Porter debuts in the tap room and at Bangers & Lace.

Reviewing the recipe for It's My Porter and I'll Rye if I Want To

Grinding grain

Peering into the depths of the mash tun

Sparging

Noshing

Pitching yeast (yeah... we're missing a few hours...)

Bacon Bleu Cheese Dip

Mmmmmm…bacon. Mmmmmm…bleu cheese (or blue, if you prefer). This dip needs little introduction to those who have tried it before, so I won’t waste a lot of time. Our dear Joel seriously created a winner here. And please, don’t kid yourself, eat this up with potato chips–you’ve already gone this far, why sell yourself short?

Makes 1 1/2-2 cups of dip.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Generous 1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese
5-6 slices of chopped crispy bacon
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tobasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
Salt
Pepper

Mix all ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste.

Outside the Tap Lines: Bare Hands Brewery

Patrons and brewers alike are fully aware that brewing is a labor of love. Chris Gerard of Bare Hands Brewery in Granger, Indiana may know it better than anyone right now. Less than two months into opening Bare Hands, Chris and crew are cranking out beer as fast as they can produce it and STILL running out of stuff like their distinctive Thai.P.A in mere days.

One of our most memorable encounters with Bare Hands was at the South Bend Beer Festival last October. It was an absolutely gorgeous and unseasonably warm Fall day (for our neck of the woods, anyway). Out of everything, the one beer that Jill and I kept going back for more of? Bare Hands’ Thai.P.A., of course. We’ve seen members of the crew at Greenbush a number of times and a few of us finally made our way to Granger last weekend for a visit.

You’ll be excited to know that Bare Hands is magically close to Sawyer–a mere 30-ish miles as the crow flies (35ish as the car drives). The brewery is located on Sandy Court off of Princess Way–if you think you’ve gone the wrong way, don’t worry, you’re probably on the right track. Tucked away among office spaces, it’s the one with inviting dining-room-style tables and chairs inside. The space itself is very DIY and, frankly, rocks. In a very warm, unassuming way. With music from a variety of jam bands playing throughout the space and Umphrey’s McGee tour posters on the wall, the place definitely has a great, chill vibe.

Oh, you want to know about the beer? It’s good. It’s very good. When we went in, the guys had 6 brews on tap and added a 7th by the time we left. Chris’s attitude seems to be, “I’m just going to brew it,” as in, rather than brew smaller pilot batches, he goes full-on–his new Black IPA is an example. I thought the Russian Imperial Stout was excellent not to mention it was one of the four beers on tap over 9% ABV. We certainly share a proclivity for high-gravity beers. Their Black Ale was also very good, nice and roasty with medium body.

With Chris brewing like a mad man three days each week, the taproom hours are as follows: Wednesday & Thursday 3-10 p.m., Friday 3 p.m.-midnight, Saturday noon-midnight and Sunday noon-6 p.m.

Bare Hands Brewery
12804 Sandy Ct.
Granger, Indiana 46530

Behind the Bush: Ellie Mullins

If you’re ever looking for Ellie Mullins, you’ve got to first figure out that each day corresponds to a different job. Ellie, one of the hardest working women we all know, spreads her skills all around Harbor Country. You can find her caring for the cows at Middlebrook Farm, or of course at Local, the amazing sustainable meat shop she runs with her bacon-making husband, Pat. But on a few special days during the week she graces the taproom with her presence, pouring pints like she was born to do it. She kind of was; she was born in Belgium. Ellie is always smiling, always positive, and has her own set of regulars. Want to know more?

What do you do at Greenbush?
I tend bar, chat with customers, clean and most importantly drink beer.

How’d you get involved with the brewery?
I met Scott & Kristen Sullivan and Jill Sites about a year before the opening. We all became friends over good food and drinks, bonded over the fact that we were all opening up new businesses and thankfully when they were looking to hire they welcomed me.

What time is happy hour for you?
Anytime I get to sit and eat with people that I love.

You’re on a deserted island and can only have one case of mass-produced domestic beer dropped to you—what do you pick?
Ice cold Miller High Life in a bottle. It’s the champagne of beers!

Redeem yourself—what’s your favorite non-Greenbush beverage to drink?
Lillet Blanc with a twist of orange on the rocks, preferably on a warm sunny day around 4:30-5 o’clock.


What’s been your most memorable experience with Greenbush thus far?
I’d have to say the pop up kitchen day by Matt Maroni & Choo. It was so fun and so good! We should do another one of those!

What does your husband think about all this madness?
He’s super stoked! He thinks it’s great to have another great place for people to go in our beautiful Harbor Country!


When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to have my own business and so here I go!

If you were a Greenbush beer, which would you be and why?                            Jadis, because it’s sort-of Belgian like me and it rocks.

What’s your favorite food?
That’s hard! Cheese, pickles, cured meat… Can I just say Antipasto and cover all those items?

Where do you think you and Greenbush will be in 5 years?
In all super cool bars, shops and homes everywhere! BUT still with a great heart and soul in downtown Sawyer.


If you only had one item you could take with you to work at Greenbush, what would it be?
My husband Pat.

What’s the most exotic place you’ve ever visited?
New Zealand. Pat and I spent 3 months there in 2010, working on farms, backpacking and traveling around. It was so incredible! One minute you’re on white sandy beaches seeing sting rays in the water and the next you’re in caves full of glow worms and the next you’re touching a glacier… you get the idea.

Chicago or Michigan sports teams (or Indiana if you’re crazy)?                   CHICAGO! And for all of you that want to argue, “But you’re in Michigan!” we are technically closer to Chicago than Detroit so there!

Did you have a favorite brewery before Greenbush opened? If so, what and why?
Hollister Brewing Co. out of Goleta California, great beer and great people.

What’s on your nightstand?
“Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer” by Novella Carpenter and a glass of water (always!), lotion for my hands & feet and a little cute dish for my wedding ring when I sleep.

How many beers do you drink in a typical day?
I either take the night off or have 2-3 unless I’m going all out.

Rhapsody Hero (where you try to pick the WORST song for everyone to enjoy)—what’s your pick?
Probably anything by Nickelback…  I think they may be the worst. Ever. Thankfully I don’t know any names off the top of my head thank goodness.

BONUS question
. What’s your favorite pork product?
You’re killing me here! I have to decide on one?!? Okay okay… I have to say Mortadella.

Brew News: February Edition

Hey all. Jen here with all the Greenbush news that’s fit to print–we don’t want you to miss out on ANY of the incredible and/or wacky stuff happening at the brewery and beyond this month.

First things first, we’re hosting a mucho fantastico Viva el Superbowl party this Sunday, February 5 in the taproom. We plan on rocking your world with specials on pints and pitchers of Traktor and Red Bud all day long, plus an all-you-can-eat taco bar starting at 4 p.m. I’m also making key lime bars for my fellow sweet tooths out there. Stop on in the taproom through the rest of today (only) to pre-purchase a plate for $8 or pony up $10 between Friday and Sunday. Trust me, with Joel at the helm in the kitchen, it’ll be more than worth it. Anything else you need to know, check out our Facebook event page.

It seems like every week we’re hearing our beer is popping up in new spots–and we’re pretty darn stoked. In all of our running around between Chicago, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Grand Rapids last month, we managed to add tap handles at a good number of places, including a second one at the gorgeous Cricket Club in Battle Creek–home of possibly the longest bar in Michigan and an impressive 72 beers on tap.

Later this month, we’re participating in the second annual Harbor Country Chocolate Classic. On Saturday, February 18 we’re going all Willy Wonka with two chocolate beers and a plethora of chocolate fare available in the taproom, including chocolate-drizzled bacon (no chocolate-beer-flavored everlasting gobstoppers, unfortunately). Check out the website to see all the Harbor Country businesses that are participating throughout the month.

The big ‘un, however, the one we’re ALL looking forward to is the Winter Beer Festival in Grand Rapids. 50+ breweries representing with and certainly  more than 300 beers, all in one place? I can’t tell you everything, but all you really need to know is that we’re bringing our high-gravity A-game to the big event on February 25 and you will not be able to miss us. Head over to The Mash to take a gander at everyone’s beer lists. Whether or not you’ll be at the big show, keep an eye on our Facebook the Friday before and Saturday night–we’ll be hopping around all over town and would just love to see all your shining faces. There’s a chance that we just might, possibly, maybe have a pre-Winter Beer Fest event in GR. Stay tuned.

We also have some sweet collaborations on the books in February. Cleetus Friedman from City Provisions is coming back to brew a new batch of Terminator X and the crew from Bangers & Lace will be in later this month to collaborate on a beer.

So that’s our mad February. Thank goodness it’s a leap year. We’re going to need that extra day.

From the Ambassador’s Desk: A New Home

“Why Greenbush?” they ask.

“Well, you see, Scott and Justin are from Harbert, MI. Yes, that Harbert, just a few short miles away from the brewery. And before Harbert was Harbert, it was a whistle stop, called Greenbush.”

This is an interaction that takes place between any one of the Greenbush staff and a new customer in the taproom. Generally speaking, once said customer has had a few sips of the delightful brew they are starting with, this question comes up, and we are all somewhat trained to lead with this answer.

It’s easy for most of the staff. Scott, Joe, Carlos, Justin…all from the area. Jen, our newest addition to the full-time staff is also a direct native. Some have fled the area for different adventures along the way, and some are starting out their grand adventure right here at Greenbush. Discussing the reinvention of the area comes naturally to them, and they remember when Corvette Central was actually IN our building, and when the Stray Dog was Nick’s. (Or something like that.) But me? I might as well be from the other side of the planet.

I’m from New York. From a small town, Saugerties, that is similar to the Harbor Country area in so many ways. But often, when people hear NY, they automatically think “bright lights, big city” or “the big apple.” (That or Buffalo, which often creeps up in people’s machinations of what New York living outside the city must be like.) But I grew up in a small town 90 minutes north of NYC, at one point the boom of the IBM domination, slightly worse for the wear by the time I moved there. Now the town is having an agro-tourism resurgence, much like our area, and that’s just the tip of the similarity iceberg. It’s home, for all intents and purposes. Where I generally spend Thanksgiving Eve, where I went to high school, where skeletons I’ll never mention are much more out of the closet than in. I’ve moved around a bit since then, to Manhattan (the actual big city) and then Chicago, before getting swept off my feet by a musician/furniture genius and deciding to move to Michigan. (That’s a story for a much different blog post.)

Here, in our little corner of Southwest Michigan, I’ve found a second home. Sure, it took a while to get used to the lack of Asian takeout and invasions of ladybugs. But with those things came fresh-picked blueberries and apples for days. Living in this area led me to craft beer and then, Greenbush; a path I can’t imagine having followed living anywhere else. Here I can call a neighbor and ask for a snow plow, or I can feel free to pick wild raspberries from a coworkers yard. I’ve become a cook, a part-time-some-kind-of gardener, a cat lover and a great wife.

I’ve become The Ambassador, and that’s more than this big city girl ever really imagined.

Outside the Tap Lines: Infusco Coffee Roasters

If you’ve been to the brewery lately or happen to frequent our Facebook page, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Infusco Coffee Roasters–whether on a poster, at a tasting, or bursting in flavor from Mr. Hyde, our Sumatran cream stout made with coffee from Infusco. Today in Outside the Tap Lines, we’re going to further introduce you to this unique business.

 

Rich Siri and Seth Vander Ark started Infusco Coffee Roasters in 2011, but both have been coffee enthusiasts since high school. Master Roaster Rich has been roasting his own coffee beans for over a year now and the two of them kick-started the business to share their passion for the art of roasting coffee beans with the caffeine-fueled public (decaf lovers are welcome, too!). With a 70-lb. vintage coffee roaster in tow, Infusco’s goal is to get fresh-roasted, single-origin coffee beans into your hands as close to the roast date as possible; something that absolutely sets them apart from everyday coffee beans/grounds.

 

So what’s happening with Infusco now? A TON. Yesterday, they started moving equipment into a new space in Sawyer where they’ll do all of their roasting. Then, this weekend, Rich and his wife Stacey are heading to Kenya (yep, you read that right–Kenya) to source and purchase coffee beans directly from a tribe there.

 

If you want to get to know Infusco a better yourself, stop by the brewery this Saturday and following Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to sample a variety of brews, grab a cup to go, or pick up a sample bag of coffee beans to enjoy in your own home. This week, on January 21, they’ll be offering samples from the following roasted beans: Sumatra, Brazil Santos (previously only available in limited supply), Ethiopian Sidamo, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and a brand new decaffeinated Sumatra that boasts an all natural, chemical-free decaffeination process.

 

For more information and to stay in-the-know about Infusco, “like” them on Facebook and keep an eye on their website.