City Built Brewing Company has only been around for three years, yet it has grown to be one of the most-loved brewpubs in Grand Rapids. It found its way to the hearts of the people of Michigan so quickly that their Lifetime Membership loyalty program was almost sold out months before the actual opening of the brewery.
At City Built, beer brings people together and everyone can certainly feel the welcoming warmth that its environment exudes. The brewpub itself feels like a home away from home, making it the perfect beercation destination for tourists who want to enjoy beer at a homy yet refreshing venue. Located below 616 Loft along Monroe Avenue, the brewpub occupies a combined total of 6800 square feet of the building. Its taproom can seat up to two hundred guests while the parklet can seat more or less twenty people more.
If you want to enjoy your beer outside, you can do so at their newly installed parklet just right outside the taproom. When you come inside, the interior is naturally well-lit thanks to the wide windows. Most of its features — including the beams, ceiling, tables, and chairs — are built with wood that is finished with a light to light-medium varnish. The walls are made with light medium sized bricks complimented by a couple of steel frames and exposed overhead plumbing. Green fixtures and decorations are used to liven up the place. There are green diner sofas and some hanging plants here and there. All of these features combined, City Built gives off a vibe that screams “sleek yet comfy with a dash of industrial”.
City Built is the brainchild of Edwin Collazo and Dave Petroelje. Collazo serves as the general manager and Petrolje as the chief beer officer. Petroelje hails from California but eventually settled in Michigan with his wife. An avid cyclist, you can usually see him biking around town. Meanwhile, Collazo is originally from Ohio but moved to Michigan during his teenage years. Before co-owning and co-founding City Built, he was first a teacher. An educator at heart, he has taught in a camp, alternative learning facilities, and a prison.
Collazo and Petroelje, who have been friends for more than a decade, believe that their brewpub would not be what it is today without both its amazing staff and patrons. Just as important as their beers are the people who are tirelessly working to provide pub goers with the best drinking experience, as well as the people within the community who are equally resolute in their own lives. You worked hard and you deserve only the best mug of beer to conclude an eventful day. As they say at City Built, “You built our city; we brew its beer.”
The people behind City Built show their passion for beer brewing by transforming peculiarity to familiarity, and the ordinary to remarkable uniqueness. They are not particularly trying to be trendy, instead, the brewpub is steadfast in challenging the giants of the beer industry by continuously experimenting and innovating. This is evident in their pleasantly intoxicating lineup of artisanal beers which exhibits both mastery and artistry of the brewing process as expected from a Beer City USA brewery. They make sure that they add their own original twists to the classics, while also exploring recipes that are truly noble and first crafted at the City Built brewery. Indeed, it is a brewpub that cultivates diversity.
Whichever your preference is when it comes to beer, City Built Brewing Company will have something for you. While their specialty is concocting offbeat beers that are usually brewed with herbs and spices instead of hops, they also make conventional beers.
If you are looking for a crisp mug of lager with just the right amount of spice, you might want to try their Czech style pilsner, “Prague Underground”. This one is a crowd favorite for a reason. That subtle, earthy, spicy note is thanks to the Saaz hops.
If you are feeling extra bold, you can choose their 5-Hour Stout which is part of their specialty tier from the experimental Fibonacci Sequence series. Described as a “mouthful of Samoa cookies with a kick”, this imperial stout is boiled for five hours giving it a deep and full-bodied taste, and an ABV of 13.5%.
However, if you do not feel as daring and adventurous for the night, you can check out Alemania instead. It is a highly drinkable Mexican lager which tastes exactly like slightly toasted malt dashed with a bit of fruitiness. With an ABV of 5.3%, it is smooth, light-bodied, and delightfully invigorating — perfect on a hot afternoon.
When some days are so exhausting that you feel like you can eat a horse, you can also have lunch or dinner (or maybe both) at City Built. They will be happy to serve you delectable Puerto Rican snacks and dishes inspired by Collazo’s family recipes. Try some of their pastelón (lasagna made with ripe plantain, spiced ground beef, queso, and red sauce), longaniza (spiced sausage with pickled cabbage), or boriqua chopped cheese (spiced ground beef and beer cheese).
Aside from their amazing food, beer, and staff, perhaps the other thing that adds to the charm of City Built is the creative designs on their beer cans. It is sometimes colorful and quirky, sometimes bold and angsty, sometimes sleek and contemporary.
Interestingly, it appears that the artwork on their beer cans mirror the characteristics of the beer it contains. For example, the Prague Underground’s can is printed with a face of a roaring lion in burnt sienna tone, clearly inspired by the floral yet spicy features of the Saaz hopped pilsner. Meanwhile, their Mr. Bob Dobalina beer can is painted with a smiling man’s face in grayscale accented by bright pops of colors, resembling how the addition of passion fruit laces the American wheat beer with a refreshingly sweet and tangy flavor.
If you feel like downing some artisan beer at a pub that feels like home, drop by City Built Brewing Company. You can visit them at 820 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan or give them a call at (616) 805 5755.