Arcadia Brewing Co.
Client Brewer
in
Elk Rapids,
Michigan,
United States 🇺🇸
Owned by
Short's Brewing Company
Associated with 2 Venues
Established in 1996
Closed in 2024
Contact
211 Industrial Park Dr, Elk Rapids, MI, 49629, United States
Description
For over 20 years, Arcadia Ales has been committed to a British Inspired – American Brewed stable of beers. We aspire to brew beers that achieve brilliance through balance – ales that satisfy the senses with complex flavor while providing pure refreshment that leaves you wanting more.
In 1996, our first 25 barrel batch was brewed on a Brick Kettle Brewing System from England at our Battle Creek, MI location. Fast-forward – today every batch is produced in our 50 barrel American-made brewhouse at our Kalamazoo Riverfront Brewery, Pub and Garden. Our 20th Anniversary in 2016 ushered in a new era of brewing possibilities with the installation of two new 100bbl closed fermentation tanks giving us the ability to use new yeast strains while we continue to brew classic Arcadia Ales using our distinctive, proprietary yeast strain in our traditional, open fermenters. The ability to brew with new yeast strains opens up the Arcadia Brewing Company portfolio of offerings, allowing our brewers to be creative in ways that were not previously accessible and broadening the scope of beers produced. With these changes, we still keep our promise to use only the finest domestic and English malted barley, along with the highest quality hops available from the Pacific Northwest and Michigan.
Admin Note: Formerly named Arcadia Brewing Co. In the spring of 2014, Arcadia completed a new production facility in Kalamazoo, MI. The Battle Creek facility closed in 2016. The company ceased all operations in September 2019.
In June 2020, the Superfluid Supply Co. division of Short's Brewing announced its purchase of Arcadia's beer brands and intellectual property. Whitsun Ale was the first release with plans to resurrect other recipes in the future as well.
Admin Note: Short's confirmed in 2024 that they have fully retained the Arcadia brand. They still hold the rights, but there is no plan to continue brewing Arcadia beers.
In 1996, our first 25 barrel batch was brewed on a Brick Kettle Brewing System from England at our Battle Creek, MI location. Fast-forward – today every batch is produced in our 50 barrel American-made brewhouse at our Kalamazoo Riverfront Brewery, Pub and Garden. Our 20th Anniversary in 2016 ushered in a new era of brewing possibilities with the installation of two new 100bbl closed fermentation tanks giving us the ability to use new yeast strains while we continue to brew classic Arcadia Ales using our distinctive, proprietary yeast strain in our traditional, open fermenters. The ability to brew with new yeast strains opens up the Arcadia Brewing Company portfolio of offerings, allowing our brewers to be creative in ways that were not previously accessible and broadening the scope of beers produced. With these changes, we still keep our promise to use only the finest domestic and English malted barley, along with the highest quality hops available from the Pacific Northwest and Michigan.
Admin Note: Formerly named Arcadia Brewing Co. In the spring of 2014, Arcadia completed a new production facility in Kalamazoo, MI. The Battle Creek facility closed in 2016. The company ceased all operations in September 2019.
In June 2020, the Superfluid Supply Co. division of Short's Brewing announced its purchase of Arcadia's beer brands and intellectual property. Whitsun Ale was the first release with plans to resurrect other recipes in the future as well.
Admin Note: Short's confirmed in 2024 that they have fully retained the Arcadia brand. They still hold the rights, but there is no plan to continue brewing Arcadia beers.
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
A hazy orange beer with a huge orange head. The aroma is sweet hoppy with some spicy notes that stings in the nose amongst the spices are spruce. The flavor is sweet malty with quite strong notes of spruce as well as light notes of grass and oranges - reminds me mostly of a good christmas beer. The body is a bit thin.
Tried
on 04 Jan 2007
at 12:02
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle. Nice solid stout. Poured black, with nice tan head and no layering. Malt flavor, a little sweet and and a little roasty at the end. Overall, good solid sweet stout.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Dec 2006
at 21:51
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Tap at HDG - very dark, nearly black out of the tap, with a large, bubbly, tan ice cream float kind of head - light, dry cocoa aroma, with hints of minerals, a little bit of coffee - smooth mouthfeel, but a little thin on the palate for my taste - somewhat sweet, and quite chocolatey, but there is a kind of milk-like sweetness that makes the beer start to taste like chocolate milk or yoohoo after a while - light bitterness in the finish tries to help balance this quality, but doesn’t quite do the job - decent, but I think I’m giving up on Arcadia.
Tried
from Draft
on 27 Dec 2006
at 20:13
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle, part of a sampler pack. Cloudy dark brown pour, smallish head. Dryish brown ale, with nothing real memorable.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Dec 2006
at 08:44
6.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle, part of a sampler pack. Pour is hazy orange / copper. Decent head that held for awhile. Lots of bright hops in the nose. Taste has a bit of malt, lots of hop and an acidic finish. Nice IPA.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Dec 2006
at 08:43
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle - Arcadia sampler pack. Pour is amber, with a slight orange to it. Big head, decent lacing for an amber ale. Taste is malty, with OK body. Picked up on the slightest sour (orange peel?) taste. Overall, pretty ordinary.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Dec 2006
at 08:52
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Pour is a cloudy orange with tons of floaties and a huge white head. Aroma is decent. Some hops show up along with a a nice dose of citrus fruits. Flavor is also ok. A nice fruityness is present along with some fresh hops and a nice tart finish. Don’t know about a wheat beer, this is almost a fruit beer with peach being the strongest taste. Still quite tasty and refreshing.
Tried
on 22 Dec 2006
at 21:05
2.9/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 2
Flavor 3
Texture 2
Overall 3.5
Had this on tap at the Trivia Pub in Moon Township. Looks like any other orangy/yellow pale yellow american style beer but the aroma is hops. Swirl it around in the glass and it appears a little thicker than most beers. Taste is overwhelmed with hops, as expected. The overpowering grapefruit flavor may be a turn off for some beer drinkers. Personally I don’t care for hoppy beer but this is just like any other double IPA.
Tried
from Draft
on 22 Dec 2006
at 07:02
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Lots of soy sauce in the aroma. This is a very English Imperial stout, which is what I would expect from Arcadia. Flavor has some coffee and considerable sweet malt. Light figs and prunes. Low carbonation adds to the English character. Quite good. No alcohol presence is noticeable. Smooth and a very good palate. Some coffee in the finish.
Tried
on 13 Dec 2006
at 00:02
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draft sampler at brewpub. Rating #998! Black in the deep part, with garnet highlights. It was in a sampler tray, so the head was gone by the time I got to this. Malts are a bit light in the nose, and that goes to the taste, too. Some ale fruitiness. I wouldn’t know about those roasted chestnuts they describe. I do know I get a slightly amped Scotch Ale bitterness, and a slight brandy burn that belies its stated abv’s.
Tried
from Draft
on 08 Dec 2006
at 11:07