Tree Fort Beer Intro by Chris

My friend Chris B. wrote this review of the Tree Fort Release party at the Corner Brewery and he gave me permission to post it so here it is.

Chris B.

In an interesting partnership between beer and biking, Ypsilanti’s Corner Brewery hosted a joint release party on Feb. 21 for their new brew, Tree Fort Beer, and a fundraiser for the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, a 3,000-plus-member group that maintains over 1,000 miles of trail throughout Michigan.

            The collaboration links the Corner Brewery with Tree Fort Bikes through sponsorship of the bike shop’s race team and with the shop’s name gracing the label of the Corner Brewery’s newest beer. Matt Greff, head brewer and co-owner of the Corner Brewery, said the idea originated upon his first meeting with the bike store owners, after he took his mountain bike to the Whittaker Road shop for maintenance.

            “They asked if we’d be interested in sponsoring their team,” said Renee Greff, the Corner’s operational manager, co-owner and Matt’s wife. “We started talking with them about what kinds of beers work well after races. They wanted something that was light, but had enough flavor. So this is the recipe that we came up with together as the perfect beer to drink after a race, or, really, after any physical activity.”

            According to Marnie Tencate, executive director of the MMBA, it’s not uncommon for breweries to sponsor bike teams. She named off a half dozen Michigan breweries, including Bell’s, Dark Horse and Founders, which likewise sponsor bike teams.

            “You’d be hard pressed to find a brewery that wasn’t connected to a bike team,” Tencate said.

            Matt Greff described the beer as a hybrid between a German pilsner and English pale ale with wheat and victory malt added, which gives the beer a biscuit-like taste.

            “With this style of beer, you have the option of using an English hops or a German noble hops,” he said. “We decided to go the German noble hops route because I think it’s more quenching. The hops really stays in your mouth after the last swallow and that’s what we were going for.”

            Reaction to Tree Fort Beer from Corner Brewery regulars seemed positive.

            “I like it,” Archie Crawford, an Ypsilanti Township resident, said. “It reminds me very much of Bootleggers (a popular, but discontinued Corner Brewery beer), in particular because the finish reminds me of Cheerios.”

            Mug Club member Jeremy Baldwin agreed.

            “It’s lighter than the beer I usually drink,” he said. “I think it’ll be a good summer beer. I didn’t really realize that beer was such a biking fuel.”

            The MMBA sold special Tree Fort Beer pint glasses, which came with the first pint free and “happy hour” prices the rest of the evening, for $9 apiece as part of their fundraising. They also showed video from a 24-hour mountain bike relay that they organized.

            Matt Greff said he plans for Tree Fort Beer to be a year-round beer and six-packs will soon be available at local stores.

A Perfect Opportunity to sell Ypsilanti

On May 14th and 15th the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium will be in our own backyard at the Marriot. The MGCS is an event where emerging businesses meet with potential financiers to start or expand their businesses. I hope our city officials have something planned to cater to these folks in order to showcase our city as a potential place where these new businesses could develop.

A couple ideas I have are:
Perhaps a representative from the city of Ypsilanti could sit in the lobby with information on why Ypsilanti is where these businesses should choose to grow.

Perhaps we should set up a shuttle service to bring these folks into Depot Town or Down Town. My guess is that they will be more inclined to visit State Street’s Chain restaurants for food and entertainment then to travel into Ypsilanti or they will just go to Aubrees and BW3s which are right across the street.

Maybe we could get places like the Frenchies, the Corner, EMU and others to set up entertainment that might appeal to these folks (I don’t know the demographic but I’m sure the organizers might help).

We need to be clean and ready for these folks. This is an opportunity we shouldn’t squander. Hopefully Downtown and Depot Town will have their outdoor tables set up and people should be encouraged to visit downtown that night.

Below are the details of the Symposium

The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) is the premier event where financiers meet the ‘Best of the Midwest’ in new businesses and emerging technologies. As one of the longest running programs of its kind, this year’s symposium is expected to bring together 450 attendees including investors from across the country, executives of early stage and emerging growth companies, and related stakeholders. MGCS 2008 will be held May 14&15 at the Marriott Resort in Ypsilanti.

MGCS 2008 will feature:

* 2 Keynote Luminaries
* 65+ Investment Firms Represented
* 30 Top Midwestern Companies Seeking Funding
* 35 Premier Panelists
* 7 World Class Panel Discussions
* 2 Days of High Level Networking

A carefully screened group of 30 companies, representing industries ranging from information technology, life sciences, and alternative energy, will present for an audience of venture capitalists, angel investors and institutional investors. These companies represent high potential deals in the Midwest and are seeking their initial investment, a first institutional investment or expansion financing. This is a tremendous opportunity for startups to meet, network and showcase their innovative investment opportunities to a leading group of investors. Year after year, this is the conference where deals get done!

Parish House Inn recognized as a great place to stay.

TransworldNews.Com has an article titled “Candlelight & Whirlpools Offered by Best Budget-Friendly Bed & Breakfasts in Michigan” I’m happy to report that our own Parish House Inn made the list of seven. The excerpt below is the type of press we need here in Ypsilanti.

Best of Breakfast Cookbook Chef Found in Ypsilanti
Next door to Ann Arbor’s University of Michigan is the charming community of Ypsilanti where your wallet and your appetite will both be satisfied at the Parish House Inn. All 8 rooms, each with a private bathroom, are decorated with period antiques as well as comfortable beds with handmade quilts. And you will be treated to a bountiful breakfast prepared by Owner/Innkeeper/Chef Chris, who has published the “Best of Breakfast Cookbook”.

Another Ypsilanti Business Success

I’m not a golfer so I don’t visit ‘Miles of Golf’ on Washtenaw but I have read enough about them to know that they are recognized as one of the best Golf shops in the county. To add to this notoriety one of their instructors Paul Haase was selected the 2008 Michigan Instructor of the Year. Congrats Paul and thanks to Miles of Golf for being an outstanding business.

Kurt

Art Exhibit at the Ypsilanti District Library

So far Ypsilanti is one of only 3 places to be showing the Smithsonian art exhibit The Dancer Within. The show will be at the Ypsilanti District Library on Whittaker Road from April 5th through June 1st. Hopefully this exhibit will attract people to the city since it’s not being shown a lot. The library has planned a lot of lectures and events around this exhibit throughout it’s run including a presentation by the creator Rose Eichenbaum on April 5th at 2pm.

The Dancer Within pairs Eichenbaum’s striking color action photos and black-and-white portraits with excerpts from her conversations with ballet icons, Broadway stars, modern dance luminaries, Hollywood legends, and prominent choreographers. Eichenbaum captures the character and vitality of Fernando Bujones, Jacques D’Amboise, Katherine Dunham, José Greco, Cynthia Gregory, Bill T. Jones, Anna Sokolow, Russ Tamblyn, Tommy Tune, and some 30 other dance professionals while eliciting candid reflections on their lives and careers. Eichenbaum is author of Masters of Movement: Portraits of America’s Great Choreographers (Smithsonian Books, 2004).

Lunch in Ypsilanti #2 — Klucks

For the first time in my life I visited Klucks Drive-Inn in Ypsilanti.  I’m not a fan of Drive-Inns and was happy to see they have a self-serve area for people like me.  The menu includes pretty typical Drive-Inn fair, Coney’s, Hamburgers, Wing Dings, Shakes, Floats, and various fried items.   Today I chose a Cheeseburger and a Coney.

The Coney was $1.35 and was pretty small but in the case of Klucks this worked to it’s advantage.   The bun was able to hold both the dog and the sauce which made it convenient  to eat in the car.   I thought the Coney Sauce was really good.  The Coney seemed to have more relish than onions but neither was overwhelming, it was a good balanced coney dog.   According to my tastes I would rate Klucks the number one coney in the city.  There are extreme differences in the tastes between a Klucks Coney and a coney from Bill’s Hotdog Stand so opinions will vary widely.  I have found both Klucks and Bill’s to be very distinct from the regular Coney Island taste found at Abes and even the Chick-Inn so if you like Coney Dogs visit them both and decide for yourself.

My Cheeseburger was also distinctive well almost distinctive.  I say almost because the cheeseburger tasted very similar to a Roy’s Big Squeeze.  In both burgers there is a strong black pepper taste topped with your usual toppings and Thousand Island dressing.  I grew up on Roy’s burgers and was surprised to find a similar taste.

I enjoyed my meal from Klucks and was very happy that they have a taste all their own.  Take my advice and pass up the McDonald’s and the Burger King and go to Klucks.  The service was fast and friendly and I plan on trying some of their other menu items in the future.

Lunch in Ypsilanti #1 — Haabs

I’ve been making it a point as of late to shop Ypsilanti businesses and these include the local restaurants and eateries. I tried going to the Wolverine the other day but was disappointed to find out they close early (hopefully the new blueprint will convince them to stay open long hours). I remember going there as a kid and getting Ice-cream sundaes after visiting the downtown bakery and meat market but I don’t have a current update on the Wolverine but here are my thoughts on the other local Ypsilanti eateries.

I invite you to comment with reviews of menu items or other restaurants to visit.

Haab’s -- I never visited Haab’s as a child, it always seemed to be an ‘old person’ place but I’ve started visiting a bit lately (and it still seems like an ‘old person’ place). It is a comfortable family dining room like atmosphere where everyone is very friendly and the food is good. I’ve never had their steak but they claim notoriety for being a premier steakhouse.  I did see some steaks prepared in their open cook area I can tell you the cuts do look excellent. The hamburger I had was a bit overcooked (You just can’t get rare anymore) but it was a classic hamburger with an onion slice equal in size and weight, it seemed, to the meat.

Haab’s has another thing going for it and that is their happy hour which they spread into two hours each day Monday through Friday 5-7pm. The Haab’s happy hour is titled “Almost 2 Good 2 Be $2″ and it is true for 2 hours almost everything is 2 dollars.  Please note you must be in the bar area to take advantage of the Happy Hour specials.

Draft Beer — Last time I was in they had switched to all Arbor Brewing Company Beers which disappointed me. I’m very happy Matt and Renee are getting their beers out there but they seemed to have taken over the town which is limiting my drinking varieties. Haab’s also has a fake Guiness Draft which involves a can of beer poured into a glass and then put on a machine to create a head so it looks like draft.  Don’t fall for this evil ‘draft’ trick but getting a can of Guiness for 2 bucks isn’t all that bad.

Bottled Beer, Mixed Drinks, Martinis and Manhattans are also two bucks. I’m a fan of Manhattans and the Haabs happy hour Manhattan is amazing. I think the normal procedure is 2 shots of Jim Beam with some Vermouth although last time I was in they used a well whiskey. Warning these Manhattans and I suppose any other $2.00 mixed drink aren’t for the faint of heart they are strong.

The two dollar food items are great too they include;

•  A basket of onion rings — I haven’t had
• A basket of Fried Mushrooms — Now these are different than what you are thinking.  At Haabs the basket includes 4 jumbo mushrooms that are deep fried with a very fluffy breading.  Eating this basket by yourself is a very large accomplishment
• Basket of Cajun Fries — I haven’t had
• BBQ Meatballs — This includes a plate of small meatballs in BBQ sauce which are really good by themselves but since it is Haabs you can also ask for a small loaf of bread and make your $2.00 meatballs into an excellent dinner.
• Shrimp Cocktail Combo — It’s only 4 shrimp 2-fried 2-regular but they are large and excellent
• Deep-Fried pickle spears — I haven’t had these at Haabs yet (Sidetrack has good fried pickles) but deep-fried pickles are really good.

Don’t forget Haab’s also has the roll back pricing day in October to celebrate their anniversary this year they will be celebrating their 74th.  I’ve never attended this event because their prices are so reasonable anyway that waiting in line for an hour or more isn’t worth it me for the $10 bucks I might save and I think the crowd might spoil the relaxed eating experience that makes Haab’s what it is.

I will also suggest that you give them your email address to receive monthly notifications about specials and things happening at Haab’s.