Pure Michigan Pints

Third Nature Brewing Company

Rockford, Michigan

The beers from this brewery outshined many beers in both Suds on the Lakeshore and Burning Foot Festival. I took notice, and they became a brewery on my radar. From the outside this place gives off a mix of brewery and winery vibes. Fresh hops (or maybe cannabis plants; I’m no botanist) hung down outside.

The place is big and spacious. I visited twice: once in the early fall which felt like summer—seriously, I wore shorts and a T-shirt in the beginning of October. Then again on a colder rainy day in early March.

Beer Selection

I thought there were more drafts available at first glance at their online menu then there were, but the tap list was impressive. They have lighter beers, fruity beers, IPAs, and some stouts/porters. The second time I visited they even had a double black IPA on draft (as well as more dark beers).

On my last visit (3/8/2024) they had a total of 12 beers on draft and I got to try all of them. Their scope is creative, and they took some risks with some of these beers.

Vibes

From the outside this place appears to be a good location. Inside it’s confirmed. I got newer vibes from this place. The outside hops are a nice touch and the outside seating proved spacious with tons of umbrellas. The first time I sat outside, sensing an optimal opportunity to soak up some of that sun before winter.

Their outside area boasts two fire pits, has Michigan shaped chairs, and all around provides a great environment. Unfortunately, it rained the second time I visited, but the inside seating was still nice.

Service

The service was good. The server was attentive and checked up on us. The bartender was helpful with the names of one of the beers as well. Both times the service proved exceptional.

Fun fact: it turns out one of the brewers worked in South Korea and opened up the first craft brewery over there. Some of the names play on some of the experience gained over there.

Beer Quality

As proven by the beer festival, there are some top-quality brews coming out of this brewery. Take for example the Cukes of Hazard, a cucumber beer. At both festivals they were a brewery whose tent I visited twice.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t a fan of the Nutella Stout, despite liking other Nutella stouts in the past. And the black IPA misssed the mark for me as well as their barrel-aged imperial stout. (And, yes, tastebuds are subjective.)

The second time I visited by favorites were Juicy Pineapple 3NIPA, a pineapple version of their New England Hazy, and Imp’s Oatmeal Cookie, an oatmeal cookie imperial stout.

Food

Their menu looked good overall. Nothing crazy but it did appear to be a touch on the spicier side of life. The beer cheese was decent. (I’ve had better, and believe me, I’ve had way worse.) I liked their hot chicken sandwich with Guajillo peppers. The chicken sandwich provided a ton of crisp. The apple slaw complimented it perfectly. But it could have been a bit saucer—I know it’s a Catch-22 with saucing it up and making it crispy.

Overall—Recommend

I recommend trying beers from Third Nature Brewing in general. Wherever you can get them—whether it’s at a festival or if they begin distributing their cans. The brewery is worth a stop. It’s an interesting place that went big in a good way and is clearly making an impact in the Michigan beer scene with quality brews.

Total—17/20