Kuhnhenn Brewery and Winery

It seems like more and more breweries are expanding their operations to include wine, mead, and spirits.  An excellent example of this is the Kuhnehenn Brewery and Winery, located in Monroe, MI.
http://www.kbrewery.com/

We visited the taproom on a very hot, September day.  To our surprise, there was a home brewing store (Brew Shop) on the other side of the parking lot.  We decided to check out the store before the taproom.  The  Brew Shop was well stocked with supplies and brewing literature.  The store was also the meeting point for a local home-brewing club, as was evidenced by the numerous containers with fermentation locks and six packs of unlabeled bottles.  What caught my eye, though, was the bourbon barrel that was being used for home-brewing.  Cool.  The owner said he found it on the Internet for only $60. Hmm....just might see if I can find one for myself.

After the Brew Shop, we headed over to the Kuhnhenn taproom.  The place was nicer than I thought, judging from the outside.  The decor was hardwood, brick, and tap handles.  The medals that the brewery has won were hanging from the ceiling. The atmosphere was "sports bar," perhaps because Michigan was playing its first game of the 2011 season.  The wait staff were knowledgeable and attentive.

The selection of beer was impressive. There were about 12 bees on tap to choose from.  You could get a preselected sampler set of 5 for $9 or choose your own 5 for $12.  Among all in our party, I think we tried them all. Overall impression: Excellent craft beer! 

I choose to get a pint of White Devil instead of the sample pack.  My zymurgy-sense was telling me that I would want more than a taste of this Belgian Wit served in a chalice-style glass.  It turned out to be a good decision.  Here's how the brewery website described it:

"Our Imperial White Ale is a cloudy straw color, and has a zesty citrus nose and a medium sweet aroma. It is refreshingly crisp with a bit of a wheat flavor. With medium hop bitterness, this is a delightful brew for any season."

The drink menu also included 6 pages of mead and wine.  Wow.  We tried several of the meads.  I'm not much of an expert on mead, but the Michigan Tart Cherry mead was quite nice.  We brought a bottle home although it was pricey ($10 for a 6 ounce bottle).

All-in-all, a good visit...

Cheers,

Zymus