Just a few miles north of Grand Rapids, there is a growing brewpub that is starting to shake up the craft beer community. It is called the Rockford Brewing Company, located near the White Pine Trail in downtown Rockford.
The Rockford Brewing Company was established in 2011 and opened in 2012, thanks to the efforts of its founders Jeff Sheehan and Seth Rivard.
Before establishing his own brewery, Sheehan worked for various breweries and gained extensive experience. He worked for Portneuf Valley Brewing in Pocatello, Idaho and learned a lot about small-batch brewing. He also worked for New Holland Brewing in west Michigan and learned a lot about brewing on larger scales.
After almost 10 years of working for someone else, Sheehan finally approached Rivard and built the Rockford Brewing Company.
But it’s known that west Michigan already has an extremely competitive beer scene. How can the likes of Sheehan and Rivard compete with all the great breweries in the area? Sheehan and Rivard has had no problem getting into the beer scene, as they have a very good niche in their hands.
The Rockford Brewing Company focuses on unique beers with influences from around the world. These influences include powerhouses like Belgium and Germany. But the influences within the United States and specifically west Michigan should also not be overlooked.
The best thing about these beers is the fact that they are made with local ingredients. Sheehan and Rivard have noticed the competitiveness of the farming scene in west Michigan and have decided to incorporate it to their brewery. They have approached farmers, so they can get local ingredients, including seasonal ones that result into seasonal beers themselves.
In collaboration with these farmers, the Rockford Brewing Company masterfully creates beers that are both unique and local. This technique is starting to make the brewery a very interesting player in the beer scene.
The brewery has what they call their “regulars,” which are beers that are available throughout the year. They are the Carriage House Ale, Hoplust IPA, Paradigm MPA, Rogue River Brown, and Sheehan’s Irish Stout.
Despite their names, these regulars are not just your regular brewpub beers. They are making a name for themselves, as they get raving reviews and sales. This is particularly true for the Hoplust IPA and Paradigm MPA.
This Rockford brewery’s seasonal offerings should also not be ignored. They have the Permaculture Series, a family of seasonal beers. These beers are made using fresh ingredients that are harvested locally in their peak seasons.
One of the family’s darlings is the Ain’t Jemima, a maple sap amber ale. It’s brewed during the early days of spring, when rich saps start to flow from the maple trees of Michigan.
The Rockford Brewing Company’s beers are also not just gimmicks. They are not pretentious beers that are only there for the sake of uniqueness, influences, and seasonality. Aside from the reviews and sales, there are other reasons to prove that the beers are truly special.
Back in 2017, the small brewery won three awards in the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. They won a silver medal in the Irish-style Dry Stout category for Sheehan’s Stout. They also won a bronze medal in the English-style Brown category for Rogue River Brown. And for the cherry on top, they also won the Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year Award.
This wasn’t just some normal beer competition. The festival attracted more than 2,000 breweries all over the United States. These breweries made up more than 7,000 beer entries for blind tasting by more than 200 international judges.
The Rockford Brewing Company winning in such an event was a testament to the quality of their beers. And it wasn’t just a one-time thing either. Back in 2015, their Rogue River Brown also won a bronze medal in the English-style Brown category.
Indeed, the general area of Grand Rapids is an extremely competitive place for breweries. But patrons have a lot of reasons to visit one of the smaller breweries in the area like the Rockford Brewing Company. Aside from the quality beers, the brewery also spices things up with their promotion of outdoor activities.
The Rockford Brewing Company is strategically situated between the Rogue River and the White Pine Trail. It’s in a perfect position to promote the active and outdoor lifestyle. The brewery hosts bicycle and paddle events. They even partner with other breweries, such as the Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids.
The Rockford Brewing Company also has different events for their patrons. So, each visit is a unique experience for everybody. On Monday nights, they have an open mic. On Thursdays, Fridays, and sometimes even Saturdays, they have live bands.
The best thing about these live bands is the fact that they are not just cover bands. They have their own songs. Sheehan has mentioned that this is their way of supporting the artistic and creative community. The bands can go indie, country, rock, or whatever else.
Another good thing about the music in the brewery is that they are not too loud. Also according to Sheehan, the reason behind this is that they don’t want to drive away patrons with loud music. The music should be in a reasonable volume so patrons can still communicate with each other. After all, isn’t that the point of going and drinking in a pub?
The Rockford Brewing Company truly deserves everything they have now. Sheehan and Rivard have a cumulative experience of more than a decade in the brewing industry. They know what they are doing. This is especially obvious from the awards their brewery and their beers have received.
The most awesome thing about this small brewery somewhere north of Grand Rapids is their support for the locals. They collaborate with farmers and showcase their ingredients through beer. They collaborate with bands and showcase unique music and not just covers.
If this continues on, it will not be surprising to see the Rockford Brewing Company grow further into prominence. This is really impressive, especially for one of the smaller players in the competitive beer scene in Grand Rapids.