It’s worth driving in pursuit of a great brew. But once you’re there, what else is there to do?
Here are our suggestions for brewery/activity pairings:
Albion Malleable Brewing Co. pairs well with a movie at the Bohm
Albion Malleable Brewing Company has the warmth of the city’s industrial past, balanced with the bright notes of future possibilities. Travel experts named AMBC as the place to find Michigan’s best burger.
It’s fitting that AMBC calls their porter “American Molder.” It honors the iron company that put Albion on the map while using hops grown by a local farm.
Follow up your beer and burger with a movie at the Bohm Theatre, a restored movie palace that thrived during the iron company days. If you look up into the balcony, you’ll see purple seats – it was where the notorious Purple Gang would gather to do business during matinees.
The Bohm is only a block away from AMBC. It shows the latest movies on the weekend.
Dark Horse Brewing Company pairs well with kayaking
Dark Horse pairs well with a sense of adventure, really bringing out a zest for life. They’re serious about making beer and serious about having fun. The beer garden is a great spot to find live music and dogs are allowed. Crooked Tree IPA is perfect for summer, and a Dark Horse classic.
The brewery is only a two-minute drive from the Marshall Recreation Department’s kayak launch, and they will rent kayaks and tubes if you don’t have one of your own.
New Holland Brewing pairs well with shopping at Horrocks
Smooth and sophisticated, New Holland Brewing goes down easy. The light-filled space in Battle Creek is just as good for a date night as a business lunch meeting. The covered garden is open all year round. There is more than beer to imbibe, with cocktails made from spirits distilled on site.
If you like cooking sophisticated food, then we recommend a stop at Horrocks. They have tons of unusual ingredients, exotic produce and exclusive olive oils that you can taste test before pouring your own bottle.
Handmap Brewing pairs well with a bike ride
For a relaxed taste and down-to-earth finish, Handmap Brewing has the essence of Michigan. Look at your right palm and point to the bottom left -- that’s where you’ll find this new brewery serving up craft beer in a renovated historic space on the banks of the Battle Creek River.
Bring your bike, because right across the river is the Linear Park. It’s 26 miles of trail throughout Battle Creek, and the section across from Handmap is part of the North Country Trail.
Territorial Brewing Company pairs well with disc golf
Raise a glass at this bold brewery with undertones of nostalgia. Even if you’ve never been to Europe, you can crave the German-inspired menu. Pilsner tops the list of mainstay beers, but you’ll also see lagers and a rotating list of whatever is currently striking the brewers’ fancy.
The backyard was once a golf course, and now on the rolling greens there are holes for disc golf. As a bonus, there’s ax-throwing on warm Thursday nights.