The last few St. Patrick’s Days in Michigan had weather that pretty grand! Seventy to eighty degree weather, girls in short shorts without leggings, sun shining, and Diag laying! Following this bout of St. Patty’s beautiful weather, I started to think St. Patty’s Day would forever be warm–a preview of summer fun while Winter semester was still in session!
Now, I bury my face in my palm at the very thought of Michigan weather being anything close to consistent on an hourly, let alone seasonal, basis. Little did I know the bitter cold that was in store for St. Patty’s Day 2013. The all too perfect antidote to this lack of warmth? Bill’s Beer Garden!
You know the feeling of sitting around a bonfire, warming up mentally and physically? This is exactly the feeling I got from hanging out at Bill’s Beer Garden on St. Patrick’s Day. Black metal fire pits were scattered throughout the area in front on Downtown Home and Garden on Ashley Street in Ann Arbor. Bystanders wearing parkas, merrily mingling on what was a classically sunny (albeit chilly) day, congregated the area. (On warmer days, several picnic tables populate the space and the fire pits are put away.)
The beer I imbibed was Omission Handcrafted Lager, a gluten free, barley based beer. I must say that I didn’t miss the wheat one bit! A sweet (yet not too sweet) on the verge of minty flavor kissed my tongue. The second beer I had was Dragon’s Milk, a favorite of the past few months (and not just because I caved in and started watching “Game of Thrones.”)
Other savory sounding beers I anticipate gracing my palette at Bill’s Beer Garden in the near future are Bollywood Blonde, Primordial Porter, Final Absolution, and Wolverine Premium Lager, amongst others. Seasonal offerings such as savory sounding Irish Coffee, in addition to a sizable white and red wine selection, are also options.
I feel the slogan on the Bill’s Beer Garden website expresses its ambiance well: “Enjoy Michigan Craft Beers and Family Fun in an Urban Garden in the Heart of Downtown Ann Arbor.” This is the type of beer place parents can bring their kids to and not feel weird about it. This is a place to simply bring one’s child, hang out with your friends, take in the sunshine, and people watch.
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