Some days time spent in the campground with family is just what the doctor ordered.
After a busy day in the sun and wind on South Manitou the day before – we all decided a more modest day with fewer activities would be nice.
After a relaxing morning at the campground doing some catch up work on both the camper and checking routine email – we decided that we needed to give the brewery scene in Traverse City one more try.
After looking over the beer selections on-line at several different local breweries – we decided to give Right Brain Brewing a try.
Winner, winner chicken dinner.
The beers were delicious and were some of the most creative I have had. They had fantastic regional twists to them – and the brewery itself was a step back to the 1970’s with pinball machines everywhere.
I elected to do a sampler and try 6 different beers.
The “Spear Beer” is brewed annually to help celebrate a local asparagus festival.
You guessed it – the beer is brewed with asparagus. It was a cream ale – with a distinctive asparagus after taste. While it might sound a bit unusual – and it was – I would certainly get it again.
Alas – the brewmaster (pictured below) said that “it is so weird we don’t sell it anywhere but the brewery itself”. So – no “spear beer” in cans or bottles for our friends back home in Washington.
The “Thai Peanut” beer was brewed with a bunch of spice – and it had a distinctive spicy hot after taste. Andrew Schulz would have loved it. The brewmaster told me some of his “regulars” complained it wasn’t spicy enough – so he doubled the spice for the next batch. I would say mission accomplished.
The “Cherry Pie” IPA had something like 60 cherry pies that were put into the vat as part of the brewing process.
We wanted something different – and we got it.
Before departing for our next ice cream stop, Noel decided to try her hand at pinball. She enjoyed the game and kept at it for quite some time before her $1 game was over.
Tricia had figured out our next ice cream place and suggested we try “Milk & Honey” for our afternoon dessert in downtown Traverse City. It was a local version of “Coldstone”. It was good on a hot day – but was not in the same class as Moomers.
Back at the campsite – we got ready for dinner at Tim and Tricia’s campsite. We enjoyed grilled steak, salt potatoes and a tomato/peach/mozzarella salad.
After two pretty full days – it was nice to just take it easy and relax “at home”.
It was our last evening together as Tim and Tricia are heading home tomorrow.
Kirk’s Travelogue 