Drake Profile - Brewver (Dev)

Drake (1338) reviewed

Dixie Saloon Brewery (Mackinaw City, United States 🇺🇸)

6.2/10 — Setting 6 Selection 7 Service 7 Food Value 4 Overall 7

Thankfully some decent beer in the main tourist strip. Very busy. But its tourist season and a holiday weekend. Lots of wood. Several hundred dollar bills with inscriptions. They've brewed on premise since 2019. No flights, but 1-2 oz. samples and half pours available. IPA was excellent, stout decent, had a couple cocktails. Service was good, despite being massively overworked. Bartender was kicking ass and could have used help, but, the bar back is so small no one else could fit. Led for delays for me in ordering, but, not the bartenders fault. Food looked good, menu looked good, but did not eat. Kinda pricy, but that's to be expected in this area. Not the best beer in town (that is Biere de Mac), but the best beer on the tourist main drag. This is your stop if you're stuck here. Coincidentally, this building is the same age as my house (1890)!

Visited on 06 Jul 2026 at 02:12

Drake (1338) reviewed

Mackinaw Island Brewhouse (Mackinaw City, United States 🇺🇸)

1 month ago

3.2/10 — Setting 6 Selection 2 Service 5 Food Value 1 Overall 2

Located in the depths of the tourist drag in Mackinaw City, and easily the biggest waste of time. This is in one building with a winery and Italian restautant (and a build-a-bear workshop) that seems like they may be the same business. The brewery portion has some fermentation kettles, but I didn't see a brew kit, so, ??? Three house beers on tap. All three mediocre. Lucklily a Dragonmead tripel saved the day. The wine tasting room was two doors down and had more than 2x taps as the tasting room, but, mostly repeats from the tap room. It's a beer store too, but, rows upon rows of commons. The only possible benefit of that section is a decent mead selection. Overall this is dreak, and tourist hell. Avoid unless you're in town and have time to kill.

Visited on 06 Jul 2026 at 01:59

Drake added a new venue Mackinaw Island Brewhouse located in Mackinaw City, United States
1 month ago

Drake (1338) reviewed

Rusted Spoke Brewing Co. (Mackinaw City, United States 🇺🇸)

1 month ago

6.4/10 — Setting 6 Selection 7 Service 6 Food Value 7 Overall 6

Located a bit on the southside of the main drag just as you enter the main tourist drag from the South. . Visited 7/5/25. While they brew, restaurant and sports bar seems to be the main focus. Menu and food looked decent, and it smelled good, But I had already eaten. This is the few hours beers + guest taps model. Only one house beer when I visited but they had been wiped out during the J4 weekend. Understandable. Lots of guest taps, mostly common, but I ticked a couple new breweries. The house beer was a grapefruit wheat beer which was boring and thin. Hopefully the other house beers are better. Prices fine. Not worth a stop, at least not yet, for their house beer. The one available didn't give me too much confidence. But maybe they have a couple new MI breweries for you to tick?

Visited on 06 Jul 2026 at 01:46

Drake updated a brewery: TAQ Brewing located in United States
1 month ago

Drake updated a venue: TAQ Brewing located in Kaukauna, United States
1 month ago

Drake (1338) reviewed

Brewery Vivant (Grand Rapids, United States 🇺🇸)

1 month ago

8.6/10 — Setting 6 Selection 9 Service 10 Food Value 9 Overall 9

Wanted to stop by 14 years ago when I was last in Grand Rapids. So even though GR is a beer mecca now, wanted to be sure to stop by. Very glad I did. An easy walk and even easier drive from Speciation. It is indeed in an old church. The bar set into the former sanctuary looks beautiful. The rest looks a bit rustic and tired. Staff all helpful and my bartender Anthony provided great service while also working his ass off taking care of everyone else. Without him the business would have come screeching to a halt. Tried a couple IPAs, Belgian golden strong, saison. All very good, and pretty funky and interesting in a good way. Just like Speciation and OpenRoad from yesterday, orices shockingly good. Four beer flight (with upcharge on 3 of the beers), four pack of pint cans to go, and two crowlers was $55. I did get a bit of a discount since I was from out of town, but, still, great value. Parking could get tricky. Overall, well worth a stop as one of the OGs of the Grand Rapids scene, and the closeness to another good stop, well worth coming out this way.

Visited on 04 Jul 2026 at 19:12

Drake (1338) reviewed

Speciation Artisan Ales (Grand Rapids, United States 🇺🇸)

1 month ago

8.2/10 — Setting 10 Selection 8 Service 6 Food Value 8 Overall 9

In a nice little historic neighborhood. Parking could get tight. I had no trouble right at opening. Kind of set behing another building so pay attention. Nice inside. Comfortable. Bar, some tables, outdoor patio. Artwork amazing. Huge mural of undersea animals (coral, sea urchins, etc.). Beautful corvid art behind the bar. Video of pollinators playing (butterflies, honeybees, and a mantis which, while not a pollinator, sometimes pollinates accidentally). Very comfortable. Service good but a bit uneven. Beers all good. Definitely leaning sours and saison. But happy with all I tried. Prices fantastic. A corked and capped bottle, seven pint cans, and a four beer flight were less than $80. My Googling Grand Rapids breweries suggested this was one of the best, and the hivemind was not wrong on this one.

Visited on 04 Jul 2026 at 19:03

Drake (1338) reviewed

OpenRoad Brewery (Wayland, United States 🇺🇸)

1 month ago

8.4/10 — Setting 7 Selection 8 Service 9 Food Value 10 Overall 8

Nice place that exceeded expectations. Long, dark wood, bar with tables. Looks old school and considering its right down town that's because it is. Service was good, especially since one server was tending the entire bar AND about 6 tables. Tried a hefe, hazy, pale ale, and quad, and all were tasty and done well. Prices are shockingly good. I'm not sure if that's a regional thing, but, it was welcome as I'm on a tight budget. Did not eat but the food menu looks good and lots of others were eating. Easily found free parking lot a couple blocks behind. You won't find exciting new styles here, but you will find good beer and a nice experience.

Visited on 03 Jul 2026 at 16:18

Drake added a new venue OpenRoad Brewery located in Wayland, United States
1 month ago