DaK decided to take a short trip from July 9 – 11 (Sat – Mon) to northwest Michigan. The weather was perfect for us to enjoy bicycling, check out a couple new breweries, and relax by the water.
On Saturday we checked into our hotel (Hampton Inn Cadillac Hotel) and immediately hopped on our bikes. We rode from the north end of the White Pine Trail to the small town of Leroy, turned around and rode back to downtown Cadillac. (Just a note, the White Pine Trail is the longest Rails to Trails segment in Michigan and stretches from Grand Rapids to Cadillac.) We stopped at Clam Lake Beer Co. (an old favorite) for a couple of burgers and beers. We tried the Kickstand Birch Bark Porter (6.8%) and both really enjoyed it. After dinner there was a concert in the bandshell, on Lake Cadillac, right near the restaurant. It wound up being a very nice and full day.
The band, Red wanting Blue, just happened to be playing in Cadillac Saturday night. The timing was great as we finished our ride, had dinner, and then were entertained by some fine music. They played mostly original material and sounded great!
The next day we headed to Frankfort, MI for a bike ride and two brewery stops. We love the Betsie River Trail that runs from the shore of Lake Michigan (in downtown Frankfort) to the eastern shore of Crystal Lake (in downtown Beulah) and beyond. The trail is paved until you hit Crystal Lake then transitions to crushed limestone about 7 miles east of Lake Michigan. The western part of the trail runs along the Betsie River, but also crosses a bridge over Betsie Lake (full of wild life) and then hugs the shoreline of gorgeous Crystal Lake, the most beautiful inland lake in Michigan (in my opinion). The trail continues well past Beulah, but we decided to stop and have lunch at Five Shores Brewing. Their patio is just across the street from Crystal Lake. I was impressed with their Felix Brown Ale (6% A.B.V) as well as their Benzie Original Amber Lager (5% A.B.V). In addition, the grilled Turkey Panini was surprisingly delicious.
We returned from our 21-mile round trip ride to relax at the Frankfort Public Beach for a couple hours before walking over to Storm Cloud Brewery in downtown Frankfurt. They specialize in Belgian style beers.
Having been a year since our last visit, we had to get reacquainted with their beers. So after tasting a flight consisting of a Belgian Dubbel, a Belgian Triple, a Belgian Stout, and a Kveik Ale (all so good), I went with the B. Sirius Belgian Dubbel (7% A.B.V.) and Karen decided on the SunRunner Ale (5.2% A.B.V.). Accompanied by a satisfying dinner, it was an excellent stop to end our day in Frankfurt, MI.
On the last day of our trip, instead of heading directly home, we decided to take a detour to Manistee, MI. (another Lake Michigan beach town). This was our first visit to Manistee. They had a cute downtown, a mile-long Riverwalk, and a social district to enjoy the local restaurants food and drink.
We met some good friends (who were camping in the area) for lunch at the North Channel Brewery. I tried their Rauchbier (an old German beer style, dating back to the 1500’s), typically dark to amber in color and has a smokey flavor. It was excellent as we walked through the downtown shops sipping beer.
All in all, a great weekend away which included our favorite activities- running, biking, visiting breweries, trying good beer, and seeing great friends!Â
Dave
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