Hopmouth Double IPA (Arcadia Brewing, Battle Creek, MI)

Draft poured on site with a nice, appropriate sized off white head that lingered a bit down the side. Amber ale with copper and gold highlights. Big, grassy smell right off the top—smells almost like a fresh hop ale—big fruit and citrus, grapefruit, hoisted on top of a strong, biscuit malt backbone (Maris Otter in description). Clean and simple base with a big hop on top that's a bit out of balance—but it's a DIPA. Full hop bite on the back side with a slightly pine and a woodsy resin finish. Nice, but grassiness and back end astringency builds too much for me—unless you really like chewing on your hops as you drink.

B-Craft Black IPA (Arcadia Brewing, Battle Creek, MI)

Nearly opaque black beer with ruby highlights in a strong back light from the summer sunset for my draft on site. Thick, light brown head with extremely tight bubbles. Clean and clear singular hop in the nose with a burnt biscuit and heavy malt underneath. First taste is burnt, charcoal tasting, but, oddly, no smoke. Heavy handed on the patent malt or similar? Very nice. Hops kick in quickly, and the light spice and floral of the nose turns into a clean, spicy bite on the tongue. Well balanced and fun. Roast/burnt qualities mellow as this 8.5% IPA warms and is still refreshing on a hot summer night.

Arcadia Brewing (Battle Creek, MI)

7/21/11

I didn't recognize Arcadia  from the pic on the BA site because I had to walk in the back due to construction work on the street in front of Arcadia. Follow the detour, and no problem. 

Walk in and there's an immense wooden bar with an angled rectangle jutting out into the floor space of this historic building. Brewery looks pretty big and is behind glass opposite of the bar. Maybe should've waited on dinner and had a pizza from the wood stove in the corner. Oh well.  

Hot in the bar, but with the heat wave outside, it's hard to imagine that any place is very cool today. I had a couple drafts--Hopmouth and B-Craft Black IPA. Both well served and delicious. Tried the homemade ale cheese with crackers, and, except for a personal taste of being too strong on the mustard, it was good. 

Arcadia has a friendly atmosphere with families, young and old all hanging out in the restaurant portion next to the bar. Attentive service. A very good stop that I would repeat if I found myself in downtown Battle Creek again.