The first Hudsonville brewery opened four months ago in late
January 2012: White Flame nanobrewery and taproom. It followed the first
Hudsonville winery (called Hudsonville Winery) which has since opened the
second Hudsonville brewery. Over the holiday weekend I visited White Flame. Owner and brewer Bill White – the
White part of the name while his wife’s nickname is the Flame part – took some
time from bartending to chat with me.
Bill had been a home brewer on and off for 20 years and
became a serious home brewer five years ago. He said that he learned brewing by
trial and error and online reading. He is clearly a fast learner, because his
beers are great. The brewery caters mostly to the locals (who had not had a
neighborhood bar in literally decades) with people from the Grand Rapids metro
area often stopping by on weekends. When I was there the back room was filled
with a bachelor party. They were being bussed around the area to different
breweries.
Here is their current beer list:
Golden Boy: For those who enjoy ‘domestic’ beers. 4.5% ABV
White Shoes Pale Ale: One of the best-sellers; it has a
balance of hops and malt. 5.2% ABV
Super G IPA: Another best-seller that showcases the
bitterness of the high alpha-acid hops. 5.5% ABV
Pale Otter Porter: The name comes from the English Maris
Otter pale malt. 5.0% ABV
Oatmeal Stout: The well-balanced sweetness brings out the
chocolate characteristics. 5.5% ABV
Hooterville Wheat: (Hooterville is Hudsonville’s nickname.)
I like an American-style wheat beer, and this one is topping the list. It has a
unique hoppy flavor, because it is dry-hopped. Well done - and my personal favorite. 5.5% ABV
Stop by White Flame and help Hudsonville change its history.
Growlers are sold on-site, and the only food available are pretzels and cheese.
They allow other food to be brought into the brewery, and they encourage it by
listing local take-out restaurants on the back of the beer menu.
No comments:
Post a Comment