Bell's Eccentric Cafe - Kalamazoo, MI

Our last stop on this short beer day was Bell's Eccentric Cafe of course serving Bell's beers but I don't believe this is the actual brewery.  I have had plenty of Bell's in the past, Expedition Stout has always stood out and Two Hearted IPA has been a constant favorite (although to me it hasn't been as good last year or so).  So going to this brewery was really exciting...it rounded out the big 4 on the trip of Founders, Three Floyds, Surly and now Bell's.  Getting there, I realized Kalamazoo is NOT a very good city. I didn't see much of anything I liked, and Bell's is in kind of a dead area.  They have private parking but not a lot but there's plenty of parking all around.  Inside there's a nice enclosed patio, plenty of seating inside with a big bar.  The bartender was very good and knew her stuff to help us decide what we wanted in our samplers since their menu is outrageous for beer. 

-As for the drinks we had so many I'm just going to list them..

Mead - champagne taste, smooth
-Wild One Intense Sour Brown - real good sour
-Wedding Ale Spiced Honey Wheat - tasted like Trix..not sure if that's good or bad
-Smoked Stout - typical but good
-Midwestern Pale - typical pale but not bad
-Sparkle Berry - nice after taste
-Exp Hop #2 Black IPA - hoppy nice
-Exp Hop #3 - not bad
-Le Pianiste French Farmhouse Amber - decent
-Debs Red - nice
-Roundhouse - very nice and hoppy
-Two Hearted - disappointed it was just okay
-Larry's Latest Lager - decent
-Dagger Stout - tasty real nice

-All in all I was disappointed..there was like 3-4 I enjoyed but the rest just weren't that great and I expected more from them.  I brought home a bottle of Kalamazoo IPA they just made and it wasn't good either.  So out of my the BIG 4 breweries I went to I would say this is dead last. They have a great gift shop but it was closed when we got there, we went the next morning since it was close by.  I still think it's always worth checking out, but I would plan on stopping here and driving right thru Kalamazoo I don't think it's worth a day trip but maybe I just didn't see the good part of this city...but check out Bell's bellsbeer.com/‎

Bravo! Restaurant & Cafe - Portage, MI

Now don't get this place confused with Bravo! the actual restaurant in malls and whatnot, this is a single location not a chain.  They are a brewery and make their own beer.  Just like Paw Paw they are off the thruway.  It is a very "fancy" type place once you go in.  Not your typical brewery but I would call it a nice restaurant that just happens to make their own beer. 

-The bartender was a very nice guy, the place was dead so granted he didn't have much to do but he still was very polite.  We ordered a pizza which was FANTASTIC.  They also give you little bowls of snacks, bread, and of course we got their beers.
-A-Damn Good Beer Pale Ale was real nice, Chefs Ale Amber Apple Cider was tasty and smooth, Vanilla Bean Porter was nice and smooth, Blonde Ambition Blonde Ale not for me, and the Summer Daze IPA was very hoppy I really liked it a lot. 

-Overall I would say if you're in the area, jump off the thruway stop in for a beer and lunch or dinner it's worth it.  Check out their website...www.bravokalamazoo.com/‎