Three Floyds Brewing
9750 Indiana ParkwayThere have been a couple days already this summer where J and I have had to go home to Chicago for some kind of family event on a Sunday. Since I work until Saturday night, J’s mom has been coming to stay with us for a few days then she, J, and L will make the trip on Friday leaving me alone in Kalamazoo.
When that happens, I always scout out someplace I’ve been wanting to stop at on the way home. Since I’m by myself, I can take my time driving and hit up someplace that J may not be as interested in as I am.
The first time I did this, I stopped at Greenbush Brewing in Sawyer. I was in the mood for a beer on this trip too and there’s another brewery along the way I’ve heard great things about.
Three Floyds Brewing is to the Chicago area brewing scene what Bell’s is to Kalamazoo’s. The brewery is in an industrial park a few miles off I-94 in Munster, IN. When I pulled up to the Indiana Pakway facility, I was shocked to see the parking lot packed and overflow parking on the street. This was supposed to be a quick stop on the way home on a Sunday afternoon. I didn’t expect the place to be super busy.
I found a spot to park then headed inside where I was met by a guy checking I.D. I handed over my license as I was looking around the packed bar hoping there was a spot for me. The bouncer (?) looked at my I.D., said, “Kalamazoo? Nice.” and pointed me towards the bar. He said there was one seat left all the way at the end in the corner.
The pub is of the ecclectic brew pub type. It’s a minamist design with the sort of retro feel you expect from places like this. At my bar stool, I had the unique view of watching the turntable that was pumping tunes in to the space. The bartenders were flipping records every so often to hear what they wanted to hear.
After I sat down, the bartender came down to where I was with a clipboard. Attached were the beer menu, the guest draft and bottle menu and the food menu.
I was going back and forth on two of the beers on the list. I ended up choosing the Dreadnaught over the Artic Wolf Panzer. Both are Double IPA’s. The Dreadnaught is described as a “hopheads dream beer.” It’s served in a half pint (for $5) so it’s kind of expensive. The aroma is pretty strong, but it doesn’t have a huge hop flavor. It’s much smoother than I was expecting it to be with a citrus, fruity smell.
When I put in the order for the beer, I also put in an order for a sandwich. The menu is pretty small and on the upscale side of things. There are some charcuterie plates, small plates, a couple sandwiches, some pizza options, and a handful of entrees. Everyone around me at the bar had some kind of sandwiches and that’s all I was really in the mood for.
My selection was the 3 Floyds Short Rib Burger which comes with Bernaise sauce, bacon, and swiss cheese on a brioche bun with fries. The perfectly cooked burger was juicy, tender, and slightly pink in the middle. The dense brioche bun soaked up those juices and held everything together. The patty was covered in a slice of Swiss cheese then topped with the bacon and a couple slices of pickle. The whole thing was very hard to put down. The fries were thin and crispy and dusted with a seasoning I couldn’t quite place. There was definitely salt, but they had a texture and flavor that I couldn’t make out yet it was very yummy.
Like the beer, the food is a little on the pricier side, but you will end up with a fantastic plate of lovingly crafted food. The sandwich was $12 which brought the total bill for my stop to around $17. I was debating on another beer, but I seem to have a low tolerance lately. Plus, I had to get back on the road to meet my wife and in-laws for another meal.
I have heard a lot about Three Floyds from @mattvandyk and a friend of mine from the Chicago area who looks forward to Dark Lord Day every year. J asked me later if it was a place we could take L. It’s not super kid friendly just because it’s always going to be packed. That, unfortunately, means J and I won’t be able to stop on our trips back and forth to Chicago unless we just stop for a six pack. For beer lovers, it is definitely worth the trip. A unique atmosphere in the pub combined with an incredible beer selection make this a must visit on any beer trip.
3 Floyds Short Rib Burger w/Fries
Dreadnaught IPA
SW Michigan Dining 