They are making great beers. Enough said. Now that being said some are just to weird for me to actually enjoy. Â The barrel aged brown is awesome as is the barley wine (if that is your style). The coffee blond was just to much for me though. For some reason the Citra IPA had a phenol off flavor when I had it on tap when it has always been fine in the bottle.
Review Source:In beautiful downtown Grand Haven Michigan you'll find a real craft beer lover's kinda bar. Â Set inside what was once a piano factory, Odd Side Ales features a cool, relaxed atmosphere that's perfect for hanging out with friends and enjoying the myriad beer offerings, all brewed in-house. Â
Whether you're interested in something unique and a little off-kilter, or if you just want to enjoy some really delicious pale ales (India and otherwise), "Odds" are (hyuck, hyuck) you'll find it here. Â Samplers are available, which we highly recommend since most every brew is great - and frankly, you owe it to yourself to try them all.
The "seat yourself" taproom is large and contains a variety of seating options, or weather permitting, there's also a nice street-side patio. Â We visited around 7PM on a summer Saturday, and found a nice sized crowd enjoying themselves both outside and in. Â Despite there being only two bartenders, they were fast, friendly and attentive - which made us feel bad for initially doubting them.
If you wanna watch The Big Game, you'll be disappointed with Odd Side's lack of TVs - but including any would pretty much destroy the overall charm. Â Fear not, the unique light fixtures and wall hangings will certainly keep you entertained, or else there's also the eclectic background music and live bands on weekends.
You can't help but feel everyone NOT at Odd Side is missing out, and you also can't help but leave feeling much cooler than when you walked in. Â We enjoyed everything about our experience here, and can't help but wish more beer bars were like this.
Mayan mocha stout is always good, and with a zip. Wife loves it. I enjoy their IPAs, right now they had a "Weed Party" IPA which had a great, earthy & floral hop character. Their beers keep getting better and they now have a reliable stable of brews that you can count on, even in the bottle. The Citra IPA is a great beer for those who like an entry-level craft IPA. The tasting room is kind of hard to find, and lacks much in the way of ambience or food. A nice place to drop by before or after going somewhere else (like for a Fricano's pizza!).
Review Source:There were many unique craft beers available, but it was pretty much self-service. Â My group found a place to sit, then had to go up to the bar to get drinks. Â The beers themselves were good (raspberry wheat) but the place didn't service food. Â Who's going to sit around and drink multiple beers on an empty stomach? Â So we had a beer and moved on.
Review Source:Second chances... I applaud and give Odd Sides Ales a big bravo on the excellent service and hospitality given to me and my friend upon our return to the venue. Proving that first impressions shouldn't always be the last say.
Upon arrival I was relieved to see the female bartender who served us during our first visit was not there. Even more elated to hear that she was let go soon after due to frequent complaints from customers similar to mine. With apologies and assurance from the manager, Erik, for my average to low first experience - he provided us quality service, conversation, and experience as he took care of us personally our entire visit. Serving us beautifully poured beers and complimentary samples (even a bottle to take home) of their limited bourbon-aged Mayan Chocolate Stout and Citra Pale Ale currently brewed. Big thank you!
Erik, most impressively wanted to know specifically what we did not like about our first visit with evil-rude female bartender and said none of her gross behavior of service was acceptable. Thus, Odd Side Ales strives and desires only excellence in their product and staff, they also value feedback and customer input to constantly improve their business. Wonderful!
My only apologies back is taking a while to post/share this AMAZING experience...
so readers and beer lovers -
don't wait any longer, and don't hesitate,
Odd Side Ales is worth your time and taste buds, no if, ands, nor debates!
Yay for rhyming! Cheers! (^_^)
I absolutely love this place. Odd Side Ales is such a cool, calm, chill place with outstanding beer. Very hipster, but any craft beer lovers MUST try this place.
It was a little tough to find at first because the "front door" is somewhat hidden and not such a main entrance. The bar itself is located in downtown Grand Haven in a strip mall, but there is very little signage.
The bar is small, but there are plenty of tables and couches to relax on. They have board games as well. My buddy and I had nail biting game of jinga while we enjoyed our amazing beers.
I don't remember what my buddy had, but I had the Mayan Mocha Porter. It was phenomenal. A touch spicy for me, but the overall taste was incredible.
I cannot wait to go back and try more beers. I am sure I will update this review.
Odd side ales offers a fun and diverse selection of beers, with something to fit almost any taste buds. My personal favorite is the Mayan Mocha Stout. Â That said, the beers are not as consistent as they should be - while I always enjoy the Mayan Mocha Stout, the heat ranges from minimal to almost unbearable, depending on the batch. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to come in and find a great deal of the taps are empty, occasionally limiting the selection to the less desirable beers.
Review Source:The name of this brewery describes the beers; very odd, but very delicious. I had the apple pie and tangerine dream pale ale. WOW. They were amazing. Â I tried the Pineapple IPA as well. Even though I am not a fan of IPAs in general, this beer was still pretty damn good. If it wasn't mid day, and I wasn't the DD, I probably would have tried a few more.
There is no glass or separate room between the brewery and the pub itself. Â When they are brewing beer, you are in the midst of the action. It was like sitting in a pumpkin sauna. I expected the bartender to start passing out towels.
Odd Sides Ales is craft beer at its finest. If you love the creativity of the brew, Odd Sides is the place to be.
This place was definitely hipster... cozy inside and there were many of their home brews to choose from. I chose the Pumpkin Spice Amber-very good pumpkin/spice ratio and the Apple Wheat-beer with a cider twist, it was good. We got the the $10 pint glasses, the first glass was free and refills were $1 cheaper. The only thing odd was whatever they were brewing at the time smelled strongly of squash? The smell was overpowering and the room got REALLY humid. We had to drink our beer outside. Definitely a place to stop by for a pint if you're in the area.
Review Source:This is a local brewpub located a few minute walk from the waterfront, tucked in a giant brick building on Washington avenue. It is a very laid back place with a youthful crowd, live music and a relaxed atmosphere. The decor is a refurbished warehouse, with solid wood floors, traditional pub tables as well as couches throughout the large, open room. They have games everywhere so it is a good place to come with friends and play a board game. Overall, it is a nice place to chat and I would describe the atmosphere as very conducive to a mellow evening with friends. In addition, the clientèle is the cool types you expect in a small brewpub, so it is easy (almost unavoidable) to have a conversation with interesting strangers.
As for the beer! They have many strange flavored concoctions, but also have decent stouts, ipas, session ales, etc. I wish they would focus on at least a few steady traditional beers. They should at least have a lager available for those with a plain-Jane pallet.
Whoever is the brewmaster must love experimenting, because every time I come in the list of beers is vastly different. The bartenders are generally friendly and will let you sample a taste of literally every beer they offer before you pick one. The prices are also reasonable, I believe only a few bucks for a pint.
I am from Grand Haven and haven't been home in sometime. I had received a tip to try this place and I am always for trying out local brew houses. I was impressed at the layout of the place very simple decor and loved the bar which was made up of a patter of hops and grains. Seemed very fitting and unique. I also was impressed at the variety of beers they had on tap. Â Very creative from a raspberry beer to one with a chili spice.
Review Source:I have been wanting come to odd side ales after sampling one of their beers at the Michigan summer beer festival. Â Being an ultra small brewery essentially, a large homebrewery allows them to do some strange and creative things. Â Similar to Dogfish Head and Shorts they are trying to push the norm with chocolate beers, fruit beers, sour beers, and beers with tea and mint.
It can be hard to find because they are in a small mall, but once inside it has a very cool atmosphere. Â They don't have a ton of space so you are sitting with aging barrels and stainless steel fermentors, a real beer geeks paradise. They have really set up a comfortable space that is more reminiscent of a coffee shop, including games, sofas, and tables, but it is all about the beer. Â They have no food except for a few snacks, the only reason to come would be to imbibe on their beer and homemade sodas.
As far as the beer, I had a sample of almost every beer available at the time. Â Like a large homebrewery everything was either hit or miss. Â A lot of the beers were very good or you could appreciate them for their uniqueness like the peach tea wheat. Â Unfortunately I did have one that had so much Diacetyl (a buttery, butterscotch flaw in the beer) that is was undrinkable. Â I also had another with a plastic phenol (another flaw that is caused by poor yeast health or lack of fermentation control or an infection from a wild yeast or bacteria.)
Even with the flaws I would recommend  coming to Odd side ales, its a nice space to hang with your friends. They have fun and different beers, and some were great.  Just try a sample before you commit to a full glass.
The only way you'll like this place is if you like weird, fruity, odd beer. Â Hence, the name. Â I understand that some people like fruity beer, but you need to have a pale ale, ipa, or some normal beer that doesn't have a fig or cinnamon in it for people that don't like odd beers. Â But if you're into that kind of beer, you'll probably like it. Â And their mug club has ceramic mugs. Â Any beer connoisseur knows you drink from a glass so you can see the color and clarity.
Review Source:On one of my monthly visits to Grand Haven, I was in the mood for checking out a new bar or restaurant, so decided to check the Yelp! machine and see what Grand Haven had to offer. Â Much to my surprise I saw Odd Sides Ales Brewery pop up and I was on my way.
First off, it took me a while to figure out how to find the place since it's in a shopping mall kinda place. Â After I figured out how to find the place, the rest was history.
Much to my amazement, the board displaying the beer selection had over ten different beers on tap...can you say WIN!? Â Not only did they have a big selection, but they had some rarities as far as styles go. Â Styles such as Berliner Weisse which you can NEVER find anywhere except in beer books and home breweries in the US. Â It was evident I was dealing with a brewery who wanted to really make their mark by being a bit "odd" :-)
The beers I did have were good and I did like the Berliner Weisse even though most people do not like sour beers, I was quite pleased with it. Â
The atmosphere of the place was VERY inviting, kinda had that artsy look to it, but not over-the-top. Â Also, there's a piano that anyone can play, if/when they ever decide to tune the damn thing (As of this writing I've been there three times and it's still not tuned/playable). Â
Anyway, if your a beer lover or looking for something a like odd in your beer, then check this place out. Â It's definitely on my permanent radar of breweries I like visiting.
The beautiful wife and I visited OSA last Friday during the afternoon and I walked away thinking "too much and not enough."
I was delighted to see a brewery in Grand Haven and more excited to see they had an imperial stout on tap. So, I was able to bribe the wife into a visit (thanks Pronto Pup!)
First off, I think this is a wonderful location for a brewery -- it just meshes so well with the brick and wood. And they've done a nice job with bar.
That said, let's get to the "too much" part -- they had 16 of their beers on tap, which initially falls into the "this is awesome, something for everybody!" and many of their brews have a unique spin on them. BUT, the quality, well, I just couldn't get excited by it. Now, the imperial stout was pretty good, but the others we had, not so good. They tasted more like the result of a friend's relatively competent home brewing, rather than a professional brewery (which is what I assume they're going for). The beers were either weak/watery or overpowering with the "signature" flavor. If they focused on, say, 6-8 beers, I'm sure they'd be able to produce top notch quality. But 16 just feels like way too many for such a small operation.
As for the "not enough" that goes to customer service. I felt that our bartender wasn't really interesting in serving us, nor really all that excited about the beers. When we were asked "have you been here before?" we said no (obviously) and I thought we were going to get a song and dance about the place, but instead, we were just given the song and dance about drink options (flights of six for $9, glasses (pints?) for $4 or $5). Growlers and a Mug Club are also available (more information on their web site).
I think this place has a lot of potential and just needs to focus a bit more.
Next time we're in Grand Haven, we'll be back.
What a find! Located in the mini shopping center in central downtown Grand Haven, Odd Side Ales does indeed carry odd ales.
You'll find sour beer, lemon beers, peanut butter stouts, and many other electic varities of beers. There of course is a mug club and beers run about $4-$5 bucks.
The best part of OSA (besides the beer) is the live music and ample among of board games. There is a place like this in Chicago, where you can also bring in food from outside places. It really is a great deal and there are a couple of leather couches, too :)
I thought the live band was pretty great. Then again, I love 80s/90s music and there was plenty of it!
There were a lot of young 21 year olds who were aimlessly standing around, but a decent amount of older folks who were just enjoying the music and a brew or too.
I would DEF check out OSA if you are in Grand Haven.
4 star venue + 2 star beers = 3 star experience. Â
When we found the website for odd side ales on the internet, I so wanted to love it. Â A really interesting beer list that you don't see in most places? Â Yes please. Â
Sadly, the reality was different than my expectations. Â The space itself was very nice - it looked more like a coffeehouse than a brewery, and there were people playing games and playing darts when we arrived. Â Nice art on the walls and the waitstaff was friendly. Â
The beer, however? Â I was really unimpressed with what they had on tap when we went. Â I tried a sampler pack of 6 beers - a raspberry, a raspberry wheat, a blackberry, a chocolate cherry coffee stout, an orange creme stout, and a cinnamon beer. Â The raspberry wheat was by far the best of the bunch, but it was just "ok". Â The chocolate cherry coffee stout was the clear loser - it tasted 100% like coffee with no hint of chocolate or cherry. Â Same deal with the raspberry, blackberry, and cinnamon - they all just tasted like light beers, really watery with almost no flavor. Â
I'd give it another shot, but I hope they work on their beers - it's a great idea, just needs some work on the execution.
This place is a bit tough to find, as its tucked into a shopping center, but worth investigating. Â The beer menu is eclectic, I have to agree that the peanut butter cup stout was awesome. Â The other beers that we tried were decent as well, but the stout just stood out. Â I just wish there were a place this small and laid back near me so that I could drink good beer all day long and feel relaxed...
Review Source:This place is so close to getting a 5 star review from me, it's downright dangerous. Because it's such a small operation at the moment, they run out of things SUPER quickly. The first couple times I went they didn't have the Peanut Butter Cup Stout and I reallllyyy wanted it and was looking forward to the idea of maybe being able to try it!! Luckily for me, the last time I went the clouds opened up and rained Peanut Butter Cup Stout down on me from the Heavens. And oh was it magical. I was actually a little worried it wouldn't taste particularly peanut buttery because in the past I had a Porter Colada (coconut beer) and a Pancake Porter (with maple syrup) and although delicious, neither tasted especially like their descriptions. But the Peanut Butter Cup Stout really does taste like a peanut butter cup. And they even have a wonderful concoction where they mix it with their raspberry ale black-and-tan style. That's the PB&J. Oh boy. Everything is like dessert in a glass. It's very reasonably priced too for the quality of beer you're getting and I like the decor and furniture. It feels very intimate and cozy. One of the best hang-outs in Grand Haven and I love how it's sort of tucked away and hidden within a plaza. They also have a mug club where you get cheaper drinks and you actually design your own ceramic mug and they hang it behind the counter. It looks awesome and it's such a good idea. This is a place so unique to West Michigan and it's perfect. Their taps change often which makes the experience fun because the brews are all so unique. The CPA is sooooooo good. DRINK IT.
*Odd Side has only their own brewed beer and that's it so don't expect wine, Miller Lite, or a mixed drink (they won't give you attitude if you accidentally ask for one though :) They also don't have food so feel free to bring your own or get it delivered there! Pretty cool :) So sit back and relax in those comfy chairs with some provided board games!
I was in Grand Haven visiting from Chicago. Â We stopped by here after dinner for a beer, which turned into a sampler tray and two beers each. Â I really liked this place. Â I love beer, and they had a great selection. Â
My favorites were the CPA (yum) and the Realignment Ale (reminded me of a raspberry cider). Â Runners up were the Sucker Punch (a Black IPA) and the Grand River (Nut Brown). Â
I loved the counter top - it has a pattern made of all the different grains that go into the beer. Â Very unique. Â I thought the lighting in the place was a little bright for a bar, especially at 8 pm on a Friday. Â They need a dimmer switch. Â But, the staff was friendly and gave us a taste of anything we wanted to try. Â Prices were reasonable. Â If I lived closer, I would definitely frequent this bar.
Grand Haven's first brewery! Not too bad either. This new place sits inside the Harbor Front Place downtown Grand Haven. They have 16 rotating beers on tap in small batches so something is always new. Very minimalist inside, no food so pack your own, order in or just run across the street and pick up as many gyro's as you can carry back from Mr. Kozak's. With any new brewery, you have to try the sampler and try something like Peanut Butter Stout or Belgium Copper Plum, bubble gum. Â Enjoy the local artist's works on the wall and settle into the couch for a tipsy game of Jenga.
Review Source:
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