New Holland Brewing Company

Almost immediately after we arrived, the threatning rain finally arrived.

Like a 'we promise you you WILL get wet' water ride at an amusement park, the rain just fell and fell.

We were inside and had the promise of great beers in sight.  The bartender gave us the sampler tray menu and asked us to choose our beers.  We did:

We tried Full Circle (kolsch), Golden Cap (saison), Dragon's Milk (strong ale), Charkaoota Rye (smoked goodness), Black Hatter (black IPA) and El Mole Ocho (yum).

I didn't have my notebook with me, so I took no tasting notes whatsoever.  Which felt very liberating.  I was still a bit... well... off from so little sleep and non adequate nutrition, and I don't think my evaluation skills would have been that great.

We sampled and enjoyed.  Our favorites were the El Mole Ocho and the Charkoota Rye, both of which came home with us in bombers.

I had been on a quest for potatoes the night before.  Preferably with the skins on.  They say that drinking depletes potassium, and whether or not that was the reason, I needed potatoes badly.

After the denial of the Crack Fries at Hopcat, I decided to indulge my potato-age here at New Holland:

Much like the nachos from the night before, they filled a deep need in me and I declared them the perfect fries of the moment!

They also have a distillery.  We did sample the gin and the rum but they didn't make rum in the style we prefer (we're big Rhum Barbancourt 5 star fans) and it was going to be hard to unseat my unholy love for Magellan Gin

We headed back towards Grand Rapids.