As you are making the rounds around the Grand Rapids area checking out all the breweries, there is a place that is just Southwest of Grand Rapids in Byron Center, Michigan called Alebird Taphouse and Brewery. Alebird opened their operation in 2019 and has been slinging suds to the thirsty beer travelers of the world from the very beginning.
Alebird Taphouse is in a standalone building just off the main street that cuts through the heart of Byron Center. When you walk in the first thing that you will notice is the beautiful woodwork that is on display throughout the entire building. The next thing that will stand out is that they have a big U-shaped bar that can seat approximately 20 to 25 craft beer lovers. There are plenty of tables placed around the dining area for your drinking and culinary needs.
In addition to the downstairs area they have an upstairs area, unfortunately it was closed during our visit to the brewery, but it has quite a bit more seating available for the thirsty public. There is a second bar upstairs, albeit a little smaller than the downstairs bar, this bar seats maybe 6 to 8 people at best. Last but not least, they do offer an outdoor seating area, my visit to Alebird was in the month of February so the outdoor seating area was not available during my visit.
The brewery is home to quite a few events throughout the year including but not limited to fundraisers, wine and canvas days, live music and more. Check their socials and website to see if any events will be occurring during your trip to Alebird. As mentioned before they have an upstairs area that is available to rent for private events and other engagements. Reach out to the brewery to book your next celebration.
Are you getting hungry from all your beer travels? Alebird has you covered with a full kitchen that includes such options as Shareables, Salads, Burgers, Sandwiches, Entrees, and various rotating special menu items. We tried some Brewhouse Nachos, and the Pub Pretzel on our visit to the brewery, both were outstanding. Highly recommend grabbing something to eat here while you are enjoying a couple of beers.
When it comes to the non-beer drinker in your group, they do sport a full bar at Alebird Taphouse and Brewery. They offer various Handcrafted Cocktails, Mixed Drinks, Wine, and Ciders. For the non-drinker in your group some of the options include Mocktails, Sodas, and various juices and non-carbonated beverages. Alebird will have something to quench anyone who visits their taproom’s thirst.
For the beer, in addition to their own line of products, they do offer a bunch of guest taps from various other Michigan breweries. During our visit to the taproom they were a little light on their own beer selections, and since it was a Winter time visit, almost everything was dark at the time. We had a Caramel Macchiato Coal Coffee Stout, and their Byron Hotel Porter with Peanut Butter. Both of these beers were very good dark beer options for a cold February night.
If you are really looking to warm yourself up on a cold February night, go for the End Boss. When we visited they had the 2022 version of this beer on. This Imperial Stout definitely has the right name attached to it, clocking in at 18.5% ABV, this monster of a beer will definitely turn your lights out quickly if you let it. This beer is aged in Eastern Kille Bourbon Barrels for about 10 months. It has a sweet chocolate and vanilla flavor with hints of coffee, and plenty of Bourbon on the back of this one. This is absolutely delicious, but definitely consume this beer responsibly. If not, you might actually be breathing fire by the end of your night.
As you are traveling around the State checking breweries off of your list, make sure to take a trip to Byron Center and Alebird Taphouse and Brewery for a couple of great beers in a really cool building. Prost!
#cheers #brewery #brewerylife #drinklocal #craftbeer #michiganbeer #beer #beerlovers #byroncenter
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