A Grand Time in Grand Rapids, MN Part 2: Rapids Brewing & the Forest Lake Restaurant
After saying goodbye Andy, I am off to check into my hotel. I get in the car and Google Maps tells me that it is only a few minutes from Klockow Brewing to my hotel. This is a nice coincidence. My destination is the IM Hotel By Timberlake. This is not to be confused with the Timberlake Lodge, which is directly across the parking lot and several tiers nicer. In fact, Google Maps doesn’t quite know the difference between the two. I arrive at what I think is my home for the next two nights and instantly realize that this cannot be what I booked. The high ceilings and ample lighting in the lobby seemed like they were a bit above the $110 per night lodging price.
The IM Hotel By Timberlake-Low on Cost; High on Characters
I approach the woman at the front desk to check in. She says she doesn’t see a reservation under my name. Then she asks if I might be staying at the IM Hotel by Timberlake. Mystery solved. I head across the parking lot in the pouring rain and park my car under the overhang. I walk in and instead of high ceilings and ambiance, my senses are met by a loud, vehement, one-sided music debate that a customer and the “concierge” are having about music. “Well, Anthony Kiedis is a groomer, so I just can’t anymore!” The gent behind the desk is dressed in a vest and a button-down shirt. He has black curly hair and a beard.
I am waiting in the check-in line behind 3 ladies that look like they could easily be in town for a community theatre production of The Golden Girls. You might be asking how and why they got into a discussion about the Red Hot Chili Peppers given the fact that the ladies seemed like more of a Lawerence Welk crowd. However, just like long division, I find it best to let some things remain a mystery to me.
It is finally my turn to check-in and I have a mental note to not bring up anything remotely connected to music. I am offered a freshly baked cookie, which is a nice touch. I get the keys to my room and head down the long hallway to see what it looks like. It is a long walk to the end of the hallway. I get to my room and click the key card on the scanner to reveal where I will call home for the next 2 nights.
It is nicer than I thought given the cost. Although there is an odor that I feel might be a proprietary blend of pledge and water damage. I grab the rest of my stuff and change into some drier clothes. Tasha will be picking me up in the lobby soon for dinner at Rapids Brewing. I get the text that she is here and I head out. I get in the car and explain the hotel mix-up and she says that is not uncommon given the fact that they are owned by the same company.
Tasha asks if I want a do a little driving tour of the city, and I happily accept her offer. We drive around a bit so I can become familiar with where all the stuff is. We drive by the Blandin Paper Mill, which is one of the largest paper mills in Minnesota. Tasha points out a coffee shop called Brewed Awakenings, and I make a note of that for tomorrow morning. We do a little more traversing of the city and eventually find ourselves ready to park and head into Rapids Brewing Company.
An Old Fashioned in a new place-My first visit to Rapids Brewing Company
The rain is not as heavy now, but it is still coming down. Rapids Brewing Company has a nice patio, but that will have to wait for another day. We head in and the taproom is bright with a lot of space. There is a large pizza oven to the right and a bar kind of on the back left side of the taproom. I see that they have a encyclopedic variety of Bourbon so gravitate towards an Old Fashioned. We order some food. Tasha gets the fish tacos and I go with a smash burger. We also decide to split some fried cheese, a kicked-up version of cheese curds.
We grab a booth and settle into some good conversation. One thing that we also find ourselves participating in is their musical take on Bingo. We decide to play and it is a fun experience. The bingo card is filled with song lyrics. However, it does make it a challenge to hear each other without having to use my teacher voice. The Old Fashioned arrive and they are delicious and strong. I went with the Wilderness Run Rye Old Fashioned. Before long, our food arrives and it all looks tremendous.
Thanks to Tasha’s vast knowledge of Grand Rapids, I also learn that Francis Gumm, more commonly known to people as Judy Garland, got her start in the very basement of this building which used to be a theatre. Tasha explains how she balances brewery ownership and family. She is quite extraordinary with how she juggles so many things-taproom, sales, and beer events. A lot of people think owning a brewery is a financial gravy train, but the reality is that it is a grind.
This is why I’m not a beer influencer
I realize that I was so wrapped up in the conversation and delicious food that I did not take a single picture. This is fine with me. I like to be in the moment. This is probably why I don’t have thousands of Instagram followers. You will just have to go to Rapids Brewing for dinner on your own and take my word for how great everything tasted. The smashburger is a two patty monstrosity with perfectly gooey cheese. There is a bit of lettuce, some pickles, and the bun had enough structural integrity to keep things from becoming a 5 napkin situation. The fried cheese is actually two different kinds of cheese, one mozzarella ball and one pimento cheese ball. They are piping hot and I am not sure how to avoid scalding my face with the molten and delicious little pockets of cheesy goodness.
A Visit to The Tied
After several rounds of bingo, we are invited by Bill Martinetto, the owner of Rapids Brewing, to check out The Tied, a dive bar recently opened by Bill. Now, we certainly can debate whether a dive bar can be called a dive bar when it is new, but that is probably a post for a different time. What I can say is that they have the right beers on tap to qualify as a dive. I see Hamm’s, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pfeiffer’s, as well as the Rapids Brewing She Gone rye lager and their take on an American light lager, Biller Lite.
I figure I better start with the rye lager since I have an affinity for any beer with rye in it. It is quite delicious and the rye gives it some complexity and bite. Although The Tied is open, there are still some finishing touches needed. There are still more signs that need to be hung, and there aren’t nearly enough stains on the floor or wobbly barstools to truly be considered a dive bar. What The Tied does have going for it is that the beer is cold and the conversations are engaging.
I am introduced to Darin Jensen, the Rapids Brewing Head Brewer, who offers to buy us a pint. I go with the Biller Lite that Rapids Brewing brews for The Tied. Biller Lite is akin to a Miller Lite and it is crisp and clean; perfect for the vibe. The Tied is filling a void in Grand Rapids because there aren’t a lot of great options to hang out for a beer late at night. Especially for industry folks wanting a beer after their shift, The Tied will provide a much-needed place to imbibe. The bar at The Tied is unique because it is made of the wood from a pickle barrel. We finish up our beers and our conversation and it is getting late. So, we say goodbye to Darin and I tell him I will stop by tomorrow for a look at the brewhouse.
I am dropped off back at the hotel and I thank Tasha for her hospitality and companionship. I head back to my room for a much-needed night’s sleep.
Good Morning, Grand Rapids!
The alarm sounds and I roll, out of bed. I wouldn’t classify my sleep as restful, but it was sleep. The downfall of beer travel on a budget-the bed was not really that comfy. I know that as soon as I get some coffee and breakfast in my system, all will be right with the world. I head down the hallway to the free breakfast and it has all the basics-cereal, waffles, toast, and breakfast sandwiches. So, I grab some food and set my mind to waking up. I know that the hotel coffee is not doing the trick so I begin to look for how to get to the Brewed Awakenings coffee shop. It is not far so I finish up my food and get ready to depart for the day.
Brewed Awakenings & An Invite To Taste Some Bourbon
The previous night’s rains are a distant memory. Today is sunshine, blue skies, and the fun memories from the night before. I drive to Brewed Awakenings and it has a bright, kind of 50s diner aesthetic. I order a cup of light roast and set up at a table. As I am starting to jot down some notes, a familiar face from the night before strolls in. It is Rapids Brewing Company owner, Bill Martinetto. I flag him down to compliment him on incredible Bourbon selection that Rapids Brewing has. He thanks me for stopping in and asks if I had any favorites. I told him that he had so many I hadn’t had before that it was tough to choose. Then, he asks what I am doing this evening. I tell him that I have no plans. Bill says that he has to drive his kids to and from T-Ball, but after that, he would love if I could come by to try some Bourbons at Rapids Brewing. Well, I ecstatically accept his offer of hospitality and tell him to just keep me posted on teh timing and that I will plan on stopping by.
So, I have a plan for the end of the day, I just need to fill in the gaps. One of the best things about having a summer off is filling the time of the days on my terms. Tasha, being the kind soul that she is, has sent me a Google Map pin for where the Mesabi Bike Trail starts. It is shaping up to be a great day for a bike ride. So, I sip some more coffee and read a few more pages in my book before I am ready to head back to the hotel and prep for my bike ride.
I also get a text from Jim Stroner, a friend who is up at his cabin in Remer, Minnesota, and we plan to meet at Rapids Brewing Company for a beer. So now I have the middle of my day planned. All the more reason for me to get on the bike trail.
My Ride on the Mesabi Bike Trail
The Mesabi Bike Trail has way more miles than I am capable of seeing in one ride. From what I can tell, it is has way more elevation changes than the Paul Bunyan Trail jaunt I did a few days ago in Nisswa. So, I am going to see how it goes.
The Mesabi Bike Trailhead is right by the Itasca County Fairgrounds. In fact, when I step out of my car and take my bike off the rack, I hear a goat shrieking off in the distance. It sounds like this poor beast is receiving a backrub from Edward Scissorhands. I am not sure if this is a part of some type of training for the after dark show for adults only, but I figure I better get on the trail. It is definitely hot out and I chug some water before heading up the hill to start my ride.
My hopes of getting in another 19 mile ride are dashed within about 10 minutes of acquainting myself with the trail. There are lots of hills that careen in and out of beautiful shady woods and sunbaked asphalt. This is definitely a workout. Thankfully, there so many built-in breaks where I stop to take pictures. I get about 6 miles in and realize it is a wise move to turn around so I can get back to my car. I am sweating bullets and my water is almost gone when I get back to the car. The goat has been silenced, and I definitely need to quench my thirst so I beeline it back to Klockow Brewing to grab a pint of something cold and refreshing before meeting Jim at Rapids Brewing.
The Travelin’ Jack Hydration Station
I walk in and I see Tasha behind the bar. She is chatting with another regular and I order up a pint of Travelin’ Jack, an IPA that tastes perfect after my bike ride. I thank her again for the dinner and conversation from the night before. She asks what I plan to get up to today and I tell her I am going to meet a friend at Rapids and then to go the Forest Lake Restaurant for dinner. She says that sounds like one heckuva plan. I finish my beer, and head back to the hotel to drop my bike off.
I discover that Grand Rapids has a very central and compact area where all the things that a man in the throes of unbridled relaxation could want to enjoy. Whether it is coffee, food, beer, or recreation, in Grand Rapids, you are literally 14 minutes away from everything you could want to make your day a little better. This is an underrated joy that I seldom experience.
Rapids Brewing Company
I head to Rapids Brewing Company and I find that it is difficult to even get through the free agent pick-up segment of my fantasy baseball podcast before I park and am walking into the brewery. I find Darin Jensen, the Head Brewer at Rapids Brewing, who is busy in the back with something, and let him know I am here. He greets me and lets me know that he just needs to tie up a few loose ends and then he can show me around. He sets me up with a flight and I get busy tasting. A few minutes later, Jim Stroner is walking in the door.
Jim is the quintessential craft beer ambassador. He used to be an investor for Tin Whiskers Brewing Company, a St. Paul craft brewery that shuttered their doors several years ago. Tin Whiskers played a key role in my evolution as a beer writer because that is where I did one of my first brewery articles back in the day. Jim would be at many a craft beer festival and I always recognized his tall frame and long hair.
Eventually, Jim and I became friends through Eric Wentling, whom I met via beer blogging. I have since gotten to know Jim and his better half, Lori, and while it is hard to meet up since Jim and Lori travel a lot, I am excited to meet him for a beer today. He arrives and orders a beer. Of course, he is a sucker for a good lager, so he gets the Maibock. My flight consists of their Noble Pilsner, Papermaker Cream Ale, Hands on Hazy IPA, and Rock Out with Maibock Out. Between these beers and the ones I had that brew for The Tied, I think Rapids Brewing has some quality products.
My favorites are definitely the Noble Pilsner and the Maibock. Both of them are clean and where the pilsner has a grassy, earthy hop bit to balance out the light bread malt notes, the Maibock has a heftier malt flavor that is more akin to caramel to play with the pronounce hop finish. I think that I would happily order a full pour of either again and be quite happy. The Hand on Hazy IPA is full-on juicy with a nice little bitter finish. I think it has a nice body to it without feeling too heavy or muddled.
A Brewery tour at Rapids Brewing
Darin comes out to chat and I introduce him to Jim. Darin offers to show us the brewhouse. He has brewed at many places, most recently Alaskan Brewing. Darin wanted to be closer to family and brew on a smaller scale so he is at Rapids Brewing. He also moonlights as a brewer for Thirsty Pagan Brewing in Superior, Wisconsin. This is a good thing because the last time I was there, the beers tasted like they were stuck in a time warp in both style and quality. I am keen to revisit Thirsty Pagan Brewing knowing that Darin has revamped and simplified their menu.
The brewhouse at Rapids Brewing is quite efficient. Being a brewpub, they don’t have to kick out the crazy amounts of beer that a craft brewery does, but they do lagers, so it is still a bit of a shell game with lagers that need more time in the tanks. Rapids Brewing also has an event space where people can pick from their beers to have for private events. This keeps Darin busy. The brewhouse has a little bit of room for expansion, and so Rapids Brewing is in a good spot for space.
Darin brings us next door to The Tied again and I order up a Pfeiffer’s beer. Pfeiffer’s is a brand that has been around for a long time. However, this is first time I am getting the pleasure of trying it. It is a light lager along the lines of Hamm’s or PBR. Thirst-quenching and non-complicated, Pfeiffer’s is the beer your grandparents drank.
Jim and Darin are chatting about beer travel because the Rapids Brewing crew is going to Germany in the fall. Jim is retired now and has really explored the globe. Although he loves doing all sorts of trips, he has curated many an itinerary for the beer traveler. If Jim were a writer, he would have several travel books out. He has so many great stories and I love listening to him tell his tales.
As time always does when you are in the company of friends, the time is going faster than an ice-cold Pfeiffer’s. Jim has to get back to his cabin and I have a date with a steak. So, we say our goodbyes and thank Darin for the hospitality and time. I am always cognizant of the fact that brewers have so many things happening at once when they are in the brewhouse. The fact that Darin was willing to take time out of his day to show us around is profoundly generous.
A Classic Northwoods Steak Experience at the Forest Lake Restaurant
One of the true Midwest pleasures is the supper club experience. Wisconsinites probably are spitting out their Spotted Cow reading this because they have long laid claim to inventing this particular dining subculture. So, way back when I was planning my jaunt to Grand Rapids, I wanted to have one of the bingo squares on my board be a supper club-type dining experience. I asked online and one of my friends suggested Forest Lake Restaurant. The website and menu looked encouraging. However, I wanted to be sure and ask some locals to be sure that this would help me get my steak fix. Most people agreed that Forest Lake would fit the bill for what I was looking for.
Always Sit At The Bar
I arrived without a reservation and saw that there was a restaurant and bar areas separated by a wall and a bar. I inquire about sitting in the restaurant as a table for 1. They did not have room in that part of the restaurant, but they said I was welcome to try the bar area. Once I confirm it is the same menu available, I head towards an empty bar stool. Sitting at the bar when you are traveling solo is really the only way to guarantee any semblance of dinner conversation unless you want to talk to yourself. So, I grab a spot near the middle of the bar. I order up an ice-cold Castle Danger Cream Ale and peruse the menu. My eyes land on the 20 ounce ribeye dinner and I know that is what I want.
I Ordered Off Of The Nostalgia Menu
The meal comes with an adorable loaf of bread, a side salad, a choice of potato, and the steak. I order it medium rare with the hopes that it comes that way. My bread and salad arrived and i start enjoying the bread that is warm enough to melt the butter. The salad is just what I was hoping for. Let’s be clear, this is not the salad you will find at a contemporary restaurant, it is old school. Iceberg lettuce, some red onions cut in substantial rings, cucumbers, and some semi-ripe tomatoes. This meal is not about organic food or any kind of farm-to-table, this is about nostalgia. The blue cheese dressing has colossal chunks of blue cheese in there and that makes me quite happy.
About the time my bread arrived, a gaggle of locals sit down directly to my left. They order drinks, a brandy and diet coke and a glass of red wine, and began chatting with the bartender. I can tell within 2 minutes that everyone knows each other. It is like the Cheers of the Northwoods. However, instead of playing my usual role of Norm, I am just another guy at the end of the bar. There is the Grand Rapids equivalent of small-town gossip and catching up. To be clear, Grand Rapids is not a small town. In fact, there are roughly 16,000 people who live here. However, it is also Minnesota, a state that feels like one big small town. So, it is not surprising that many of these folks are connected through social and possibly familial ways.
As I am finishing up my salad,the steak and au gratin potatoes arrive, bringing with them a cacophony of aromas from cheddar cheese to perfectly charred beef and it smells divine. The potatoes are still bubbling from the heat so I know that unless I want a tour of the burn unit at the Grand Rapids hospital, I better let them cool. I continue to eat my bread and enjoy the salad. It is almost impossible not to want to listen in on the conversations next to me. So, I kind of let one ear focus on what is being said to my right. There is talk of fishing. Someone is talking about how the fishing in Florida is these days. I learned that grouper is the sought after fish for one of them, but it is quite costly to be able to keep them for food. All of this is pretty much your typical, run-of-the-mill Minnesotan conversation.
My food is still pretty hot. I put a fork into the au gratin potatoes and a geyser of steam emits from the thick barrier of melted cheese crust. It is a savory, cheesy creme brulee. So, I know I need to let it cool just a bit longer. The steak is still resting, however, I can only hold off so long. After another 17 seconds, I give in to my stomach’s not-so-silent protest of stomach growls and cut into the steak. The charbroiled masterpiece is perfectly kissed by flame and there is a satisfying crust on the outside. Inside, the steak is done to perfection, perfectly dark-pink and juicy. My first bite is so satisfying and I just sit there smiling to myself. The salty crunch of the sear on the steak combined with the perfectly juicy beef is the perfect bite.
It is in that exact moment that my meat-induced reverie is interrupted by the conversation moving from fishing in Florida for grouper to a friend who is currently about to have a C-section birth.
Dinner and a show
Now, as a person who is happily kidless by choice, there are about 48,000 other conversation topics that I would happily enjoy listening to other than the miracle of birth. Yet, they are really doing a deep dive on all the, shall we say, logistical anomalies of the aforementioned medical procedure. At one point, as I am cutting into my medium rare ribeye, the woman to my left leans over to me and says, “Oh, you probably don’t want to be hearing about this while you eat,” and giggles. I tell her that I love learning new things, especially while I am dining, so it isn’t a problem. We have a good laugh and then I go back to enjoying my steak.
Minnesota is One Big Small Town
You may be thinking that getting sucked into this spoken word episode of ER was a bit of a nuisance, but it is the exact reason I sit at the bar. Well, maybe not the graphic details of what happens during a C-section, but I do enjoy eavesdropping on conversations around me. I was hoping for a unique interaction with some strangers and I was about to get my wish. It turns out that the couple next to me are locals who live in Florida for half the year. Mark is retired and Renee is still working in the medical industry. We get to talking because I can tell that Renee isn’t as thrilled with the conversation about fishing as the rest of the group. It turns out, I teach in the same district that her niece, who is now a Meteorologist in Wisconsin, graduated from several years ago. Minnesota is one big small town.
Renee asks if I am doing a review on the restaurant and is that why I was taking so many pictures. I said that I am just visiting and just wanted to document my experience for my beer blog. At this, her eyes lit up and she proclaimed, “Oh, I love beer!” Then, with a gleeful exuberance typically only seen in overly-caffeinated magicians, she exclaims, “I never met a beer I didn’t like.” I responded, “That is good!” We shared a good laugh and proceeded to chat. She was also insistent that I put that line in the blog article. Being a man of my word, I made sure to include it. When I told Renee what my podcast was called, she followed it right away. She and Mark drive to and from Florida and they have lots of time in the car. She loved the punny name and said she couldn’t wait to listen.
Well, this conversation is proving the old adage that beer brings people together. We wind up having a great conversation. I find out that they know Mike and Nicole Hoops, some dear friends of mine who live up there. Renee is not the typical Minnesotan in the sense that she immediately welcomed a stranger into the conversation. The time is winding down and I am ready to head back to Klockow Brewing for some beers with Andy. We say our goodbyes, I pay my bill, and walk out of the Forest Lake Restaurant with both my belly and my heart full.
Back to Klockow Brewing
Now it is back to Klockow Brewing for the third time in three days! Andy has graciously invited me to join him for some beers at his brewery. We knock back a few Stranger Rangers, their light American lager as we chat on their patio. The evening is perfect and there is a slight breeze. I am becoming well acquainted with the vibe at Klockow Brewing since this is my third stop in two days. As Andy and I chat about industry things and favorite other people and places in the industry, we find we have so much in common. I always treasure the opportunity to get to know someone in craft beer better. With each sip and laugh, the time moves forward. I mention that I am supposed to be over at Rapids Brewing to meet Bill for a Bourbon sampling and I invite Andy to join me. He is all for more time with good people.
A Nightcap of Epic Proportions at Rapids Brewing Company
So, earlier in the day when I Bill Martinetto invited me to Rapids Brewing to try a few bourbons, I was thinking 2 or 3. I guess I should have gathered after spending two days in town that a common thread of the people of Grand Rapids is hospitality and kindness. Andy and I arrive at Rapids Brewing and head in to find Bill wrapping up some things. He has set aside a fine collection of Bourbons for us to try-way more than 2 or 3. I see an Old Forrester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky, a Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, a Parker’s Heritage Bourbon, a Four Roses Bourbon, and a Russell’s Reserve 15 Year on the table.
We taste through them all and have some great conversation about Bourbon. Bill certainly has a great palate for Bourbon and I learn a lot just chatting with him about the different ones we are trying. All but 1 are new Bourbons to me. While they were all quite impressive, the Russell’s Reserve 15 Year Bourbon is the clear favorite. I know I will probably never try it again, so it is special. So smooth and oaky, this Bourbon is special.
How does Bill get his hands on such impressive bottles of Bourbon? Well, he does sells a lot of Wild Turkey Old Fashioneds. This gets him access to the allocated Bourbons from the Wild Turkey family of brands. I am thankful that he was willing to share his Bourbons with me because it truly added to my visit.
As the Bourbons are being tasted, my eyelids are growing heavy. I am sampling very prudently since I am driving, so it is time to call it a night. We say our goodbyes to and I head back to my hotel. I don’t know how I could put a better cap on two days of wonderful experiences between the biking, beer, Bourbon, or people. I cannot wait to come back to Grand Rapids again in the future. Cheers.
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