Arcadia Brewing Company - Loch Down

This Scotch ale pours a deep, hazy brown with flashes of orange and garnet. There’s quite an inviting nose on this brew; look for caramelized malt aromas leading to an impression of moderate sweetness and a touch of brown bread, all overlaid with prominent flourishes of dried fruits akin to raison, fig, and prune. The theme carries forth onto the palate, too, where a dark fruit character melds with the 8%+ ABV and moderate hop acidity to deliver a distinct vinous character. We really enjoyed how well-integrated and balanced all the components are. The underlying mild residual sweetness and bready notes meet vinous acidity, dark fruit, herbal and earthy tones, and a touch of roast. This brew will work nicely as a nightcap, or try pairing with roasted meats. Arcadia recommends roast leg of lamb, roast beef, wild game, smoked salmon, Manchego cheese, and toffee pudding. Cheers!

Arcadia was founded in 1996 in Battle Creek, MI, by Tim Suprise and his wife, Mardy. Tim, originally from upstate New York, spent five years in law enforcement before spending another ten in the paper products industry, during which he traveled around the nation and the world visiting paper mills and picking up a taste for locally-produced beers. Deciding it was time for another career change, he jumped into the brewing business, determined to bring locally-made brews to the thirsty residents of Michigan. The Arcadia Brewing Company was founded as a brewery and pub, utilizing an authentic English brick kettle brewing system and open fermentation using English ale yeast. With little money available for an elaborate kitchen, a wood-fired stove was procured – a fateful decision it turns out, as the location is now well known for their wood-fired pizza, as well as BBQ.

By 2014, the Battle Creek location had proven just too small to support the continued growth of the business, so Arcadia opened a second location in Kalamazoo at the abandoned site of a former coal burning power plant. With developmental help from the city, the new brewhouse, restaurant, and beer garden is helping to revitalize the River’s Edge district. In 2016, Jim Lutz, formerly of Flying Dog, Old Dominion & Fordham breweries, came on board as Arcadia’s president while Tim retains his position as CEO. With the majority of Arcadia’s production now happening at the Kalamazoo location, which still has lots of room for more capacity, and the addition of Lutz’s experience, Arcadia is well-positioned to grow their business throughout Michigan and beyond. For more information on their Battle Creek and Kalamazoo breweries and restaurants, visit arcadiaales.com.