Grand River Brewery: Arsenal, factories and Republicans

Grand River Brewery is located at 117 W. Louis Glick Hwy. in
Jackson, Michigan. 

Sometimes, it’s nice to go back to your roots.

After my three-month loan in Ann Arbor of covering all sorts of fun things: fires, hit-and-runs, drownings and general public discontent and looting (Man, Art Fair was one hell of a week), I had the opportunity to be in Jackson for a couple of week before returning to Grand Rapids, my official/unofficial second home.

I had a few afternoon appointments and found myself in downtown Jackson for lunch. Finally. Time for another tavern experience.

Admittedly, I was pretty sure I was in for a dull affair, all the elements of running into interesting things were working against me. I was in Jackson (I love my hometown—but, yeah) and it was in the middle of the day, not exactly considered a good ‘bar’ time. (But then again, refer to the prior sentence. Did I mention I love Jackson?).  

I was able to stop by Grand River Brewery, located here. Grand River is one of the brighter spots in the Jackson dining and drinking scene. The place is considered the centerpiece of the recent revival of downtown that has been happening since 2009, also known as right after I left for college. (Let’s hear it for the post-industrial steel town now giving a damn as soon as my friends and I leave!!!).

The place was pretty empty, a couple of business types enjoying lunch and a few folks at the bar. I got up to the bar and ordered a Jackson Brown and started watching the Arsenal game. Side note: four other people were also watching the game. Soccer-it's growing, and you can't deny that. 

The place is your standard brewery that has been popping up across Michigan as part of the craft beer revival scene in the state. Old-timey pictures of the original Jackson-area brewers, a stage with equipment for what appeared to be a folk-rock band that would performing that night and plenty of seating spaces besides the bar.

All and all it was a quiet affair and---holy hell it’s Terri Lynn Land.

A few feet to my left was Terri Lynn Land, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

Republican candidate Terri Lynn Land made a stop during my
visit. 

Land was with her road crew and her campaign bus parked right in front of the brewery. Being the political geek that I am I went up to shake her hand and snapped a picture of the campaign bus. Land was touring the place with the brewery’s owner, going over the day to day operations of Grand River.

Turns out Land is a pale ale fan. Odd, I pegged her for a stout drinker. You never can tell.  

I really found it bizarre that Land was in Jackson and happened to be at t
he place I happened to pick for lunch. First off, what are the odds. Second, candidates for statewide office don’t really campaign in Jackson, there is no real need to.

Generally, Jackson has four types of politicians you can vote for: Conservative Republicans, wannabe Libertarian Republicans who overuse American flags and misinterpret the Constitution in their pamphlets, mainstream Republicans that you went to school with their kids and Democrats who in all practical purposes are really Republicans. Generally, I think some of us are still pissed about the Civil War. And Lyndon Johnson killed the factories--don't ask why. 

Jackson invented not liking Democrats.
Everybody else are just posers. 

The city took a turn for the worst in the 1970s when the loss of Detroit hegemonic domination led to the inevitable collapses of all the towns that supported the Big Three. People not from the Eastside of the state reading this will not understand when reading it. But for those from places like Jackson, Dearborn, Flint, Saginaw and Bay City. Growing up we thought it was normal to see a run-down factory in the background (it completes the rustic look)

.

As far as I can see, campaigning Under the Oaks is really a waste of time and resources (insert your favorite Congress joke here).

Land shook hands with the staff and some restaurants, being the savvy reporter I was, I didn’t have a notepad or recorder on me, but I did have a mouthful of burger. So all hopes of a surprise interview were squashed--but squashed by excellent burger.

In my meager defense, I highly doubt Land’s road posse would let me pull of an interview.

After my brush with political stardom, I capped off my burger and ordering the Jackson Cream Ale (most of the beer selection are ‘Jackson themed’, named things like Cascades Stout, Under the Oaks IPA and Foundry Porter, it’s a little corny, but as a history nerd I appreciated it.

The place was pretty empty, but a good chunk of the staff was there, getting ready for the late lunch/evening shift. I was able to strike up a short, rather awkward, conversation with a young lady sitting next to me.

She said she was from the area, but I didn’t really know her so I can’t validate that statement (again, Jackson) and works at the Brewery. I asked her what her favorite beer was, and she didn’t have one. 

OK, if you work at a brewery, and you don’t have a favorite beer-shame on you. But if someone asks you, lie. This is an instant where making up a story works; customer service 101, it’s not that hard.

She explained that she was more of a wine drinker. Grand River does have an impressive wine selection, attributed to the many wineries in Southern Michigan. So she gets a pass.

I paid my tab for the burger and two beers and headed out the door. It was rather odd to exit a bar with the sun being out.

After getting in my car and pulling away and I had a thought. Statewide political candidates campaigning in Jackson, places to get craft beer, and now they are actually paving the roads.

Where was this Jackson when I lived here?

I then saw a guy with no shirt, a large beer gut and way too short shorts riding a bike down Cooper St. Ah, good to see some things will never change.