Pure Michigan Pints

White Flame Brewing Co.

Hudsonville, Michigan

This brewery has been around for a while and opened its doors in 2012. Strangely, I don’t hear many people talk about this brewery.

I’ve visited probably somewhere between 7-10 times dating back to 2017. (Possibly 2016; don’t quote me as I wasn’t keeping a beer journal at this time.)

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the parking lot. They deserve Worst Parking Lot of the Year Award for a Michigan business and should win this award every year. It slopes down, is hella cracked, and frankly, doesn’t offer many parking spots; it’s nicer to park on the street.

But this is something easy to get over the second you enter this brewery. The brewery itself rocks.

Beer Selection

The brewery doesn’t offer an extensive tap list but has 12 beers on draft. They also offer wine and a variety of seltzers. (The Ginger Seltzer is so good; more on this later.)

Even though there isn’t a crazy tap list, the brewery hits on all the right notes, offering a red ale, a regular lager (Biller Lite), a stout, a few IPAs, and a spicy habanero beer.

I had no problem picking out a flight. And I attempted to make my flight versatile to try beers I tend to enjoy.

Vibe

It’s not a big brewery, but it’s a good sized brewery. It’s cozy. The bar area is great to sit at. There are tables, and there is an overflow room that’s fun to sit at too. (I’ve sat here on one occasion.)

The door/window to the kitchen is absolutely adorable. (I’m actually not typing this sarcastically.)

It has everything you need and want from a small brewery.

Service

The servers are spot on in providing beers and providing information about what they can get you. I’ve never had a bad experience here; they’re always willing to provide additional tastes as well. So while I got a flight with five tasters, I actually tried three more beverages. In addition, they take social cues well about when you’re looking to chat or looking to mind your own business.

Beer Quality

My flight proved to be well-balanced and the only beer I was a tad disappointed in was the imperial stout, Wookie Wuv. The others were good beers. This time around, my favorite was Chai Guy—an amber ale with chai spices coming in at 6%. (I’d love to drink this in fall, which would be perfect time of year for this beer.) They nailed the spice profile.

The Irish red ale, Dropkick Molly, was amazing, and I don’t care for reds that much. I’d have no problem drinking a few pints of this. The Smash IPA proved to be exceptional as well.

A surprise for me was the ginger seltzer (6%). If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, I recommend this one. (Drinking-wise. ABV is about the same as many of their other beers.)

Pro tip: mix the double tap session IPA with the Red Shoes IPA (Habanero beer).

Food

The kitchen has come a long ways. When I ordered stuff many years ago, it missed the mark and I thought, I could make a better sandwich at home. Now their menu is kickin’. I have trouble deciding what I want to order—which is a good problem. I’ve had one of the mac n’ cheeses here which was fire (and filling). I had a hard time venturing out and not getting a mac again, but I pushed myself.

This time around I ordered the Jimmy, a lamb gyro that hit the spot perfectly. (And yes, I forgot to take a picture before I devoured it.)

A part of me wishes I lived closer so I could try their entire menu.

Overall—Recommend

Do yourself a favor and check this place out; I’d be surprised if you were disappointed. It’s not a big brewery, but everything is right about this place: the food, the beer, the vibe, and the service. Nothing misses the mark.

But park on the road.

Rating: 17/20