Pure Michigan Pints

One Well Brewing

Kalamazoo, Michigan

This is a place I may or may not have visited in a past life—that feeling of déjà vu hit upon entering (and I lowkey suspect I had gone here before based on a weird sense of familiarity about the name and concept)—but I cannot confirm nor deny this.

Upon entry the place is mixed between two similar looking bars. There are some arcade style games. And, of course, there’s the beer …

Beer Selection—4/5

They had more than enough drafts on tap. Some of their weird stuck out to me a little bit more—the maple beer, the pumpkin, stuff along those lines, but it’s what attracts me.

Vibes—5/5

The splitness of the place almost threw me off for a second, but I completely dug the bar and the membership mugs. One side offers arcade opportunities, which brought out the kid in me. I played a few games of Skee Ball (one of my favorites since I was a kid and remember playing at Craig’s Cruisers). This nostalgia feel of what I loved combined with the creative bar feel and the open tables created a unique spot; one I’d easily feel at home in and could find numerous places to enjoy whether at the bar, at the table, or hanging out by the arcade.

Service—4/5

Upon entry we were greeted and explained how it worked. Clearing up any confusion as far as ordering and the simple operation is key (and helpful). I don’t want to be left standing there like an idiot. We were given menus and told to have a seat and could go up to the bar (either one) at any time to place an order. The bartender was more than accommodating and offered free samples as well as fulfilling the flight. He got the food order placed in a timely fashion; I have no complaints in this regard.

(However, I do love to be waited on, but at breweries I get it’s not expected.)

Beer Quality—3.5/5

Maple Magic, a 9% abv autumn beer with loads of maple syrup, provided an interesting offering—I enjoyed it and would love to have it with brunch (but probably in a small quantity). The F’n Pumpkin (unsurprisingly a pumpkin ale, 6% abv) knocked you in the face with the flavors of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg; it’s exactly what you’d expect from a pumpkin beer. Bold flavors here. And State of Bean, a Butter Pecan Coffee Blonde Ale coming in at 5.5%, provided everything I’d seek from this style of beer with a uniqueness of the pecan. Maybe not completely original in concept, but it is a style I adore. (I like my coffee.)

There were enough interesting beers worthwhile to pique my interest.

Food—3.5/5

The pizzas provided intrigue. They had that stoner pizza vibe about them. While I liked the idea of the Monte Cristo pizza with turkey, ham, a bechamel sauce, cheese, and a raspberry drizzle, it didn’t work as a pizza and fell flat. However, the pesto mushroom pizza was sooooo good; it’d highly recommend this one and I’m not even vegetarian.

Overall—Recommend

I’d add this stop to your list of breweries to visit in Kalamazoo. It’s fun. There’s good pizza. Good beer. And arcade games. It is definitely worth checking out.