Griffin Claw Brewing Company (GCBC) Beer Tasting Construction Update Event

Last Summer, we heard the announcement for the groundbreaking for a new brewery in Birmingham,  Griffin Claw Brewing Company (GCBC), which certainly incentivizes us to hunker down here a little longer.  Birmingham has no shortage of a fine dining; however, it does lack a great craft beer bar and more specifically, a brewery.  Looking back through my blog history, we really only have Dick O'Dows and The Corner Bar (in the Townsend) that are truly more of a bar than restaurant.  Many of the other places in town - Edison's, Streetside, Toast, Luxe Bar & Grill, and Townshouse - are restaurants that happen to offer a decent bar, but their craft beer selections are just standard.  And it seems every time I read a Michigan brewing-related article, it's announcing a new brewery in Michigan.

Thus, the idea of GCBC is very, very exciting to us even if it essentially replaces Big Rock Chophouse's Brewery.  What we found out tonight is that Big Rock just employed a brewmaster to brew beer for its restaurant, but it never had the appropriate license to actually distribute the beer.  We have really only tasted their beer once in a few years ago when we ventured over to Big Rock, at Scottie's holiday party (well, he has), and at the Michigan Brewers Gild Beer Festivals (which apparently they can attend with their license).  Now as an official brewery in a separate location, they will be able to grow their footprint, create their own following, build their own brewery that includes a tasting room, restaurant, and beer garden, and continue to supply Big Rock.

GCBC will be located in Birmingham's emerging new Rail District and hopefully opened by end of Spring/early Summer 2013!  The brewing equipment from Big Rock has been sold, and they have acquired all new state of the art equipment from a supplier in Lake Orion, Michigan.

We found this all out from our friend, Jason, over at Clubhouse BFD, who mentioned we should attend the Beer Tasting that the folks from GCBC held this evening at The Reserve, which is a banquet hall also associated and located next to Big Rock.  For $25, we learned a little about GCBC, munched on some appetizers from Big Rock, and tasted some unique beers from Big Rock's distributor, who educated us on the styles of "Winter Warmers" beers chosen for this evening.

We sampled the following beers:

• New Holland Dragons Milk
• Founders Dirty Bastard
• Bells Hopslam
• Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic
• Ayinger Celebrator
• Beer Republic Black Bear Stout
• Roque Chocolate Stout
• Rogue Brutal IPA
• Southern Tier Iniquity
• Arcadia Cereal Killer 
• Dan's famous Big Rock Wheat Wine.

Surprisingly, I really liked this year's Hopslam, so that might have been my winner for the evening although I do like the New Holland Dragons Milk.  Stone's 12.12.12 Vertical Epic also gets big ups.  Even more surprising is that Bear Republic Black Bear Stout and Roque Chocolate Stout just didn't do anything for me.  Maybe I'm getting full of stouts?  Nah.