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United States > Michigan > Grand Rapids
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Beer Available At HopCat (arranged by most recent)
Dark Horse Thirsty Trout Porter 89, Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA 94, New Holland Imperial Hatter 96, Right Brain Black EyePA 85, HopCat Hoppopotamus IPA 87, Dragonmead Final Absolution Belgian Style Trippel 94, Brewery Vivant Contemplation , HopCat Ginger Slap , Brewery Vivant Barrel Aged Triomphe Belgian IPA , Brewery Vivant Triomphe Belgian IPA 70, HopCat 12oz to Freedom , HopCat Frontiersman , Avery Old Jubilation Ale 97, HopCat Hopasaur DIPA , Shorts Ginger in the Rye 86, HopCat Banana Split Stout , Odd Side Ales Derelicto Pineapple IPA 82, Mikkeller Ris a la M’ale (2011) 85, North Peak Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA , Dark Horse Lambdick Framboozin
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rockerd (1),
does not count - explanation | | February 6, 2012
What a cool place. Nice location right downtown. Place was jam packed with 20 somethings. I felt a tad old at a meager 34 years old. Very large bar area where there are different tap stations. Amazing local Michigan beer tap selection. No Michigan brewery is snubbed here. It seemed that 60% of their taps were local. The decor is great, lots of stuff to look at.
We had the pretzel as an appetizer which was very good. It came with a white liquid cheese and horseradish mustard. For dinner we had the veggie burrito which was amazing and I highly recommend it!
Got a personal tour from C.B.G.- Steve Smith which made the experience that much greater. This is a must destination for any beer connoisseur!! | | blackflag321 (15), Dimondale, Michigan | | January 18, 2012
I can’t say it better than the other Ratebeerians. I was planning a trip to Founders for my birthday last year, but a friend recommended HopCat. I never made it to Founders. Can’t come here often because of the distance, but plan to make it my regular birthday treat. | | Travlr (500), Washington, Washington DC | | January 15, 2012
I can’t say enough about this place. It’s a cozy neighborhood local. It’s a place for paired food and beer dinners. It’s a jazz bar. It’s a place to discover new and interesting brews from the region and around the world. And, of course, a place to make new friends. The vegetarian chili was shockingly good. Taster sizes of the beer were free for the first three, then a dollar each. But I think they didn’t charge me for half of them, chalking it up to "beer R&D.". I had 3 different servers, each better tahn the next, but Steve in the plaid short stands out as a real star. An unbelievable place. Don’t miss it. | ICEatALAMO (8), Troy, Michigan
does not count - explanation | | January 13, 2012
If I were to ever open a bar, it would be just like Hopcat! Outstanding selection, not only on tap, but also in blttles. It is a college town, so the service is just okay with a lot of the staff not being overly knowledgable about beer. Every time I go to GR, I make sure to stop at this bar. | | adnielsen (256), Denver, Colorado | | November 29, 2011
Stopped by here after Founders on the Michigan beer tour. There was some nice local selection but I really had a hard time finding anything that odd or rare to taste. Maybe it was just a downtime when I was there, but I wasn’t overly impressed. Good beer bar nonetheless. | | bruwery (21), Lowell, Michigan | | November 15, 2011
48 taps, with a couple hundred more in bottles. Several unique and hard-to-find offerings. One tap is dedicated to a rotating "lawnmower" beer, half a dozen or so are Hopcat’s own brews made in-house on their system, with the rest devoted to a variety of styles and brewers. There’s a heavy emphasis on Michigan beers.
The taps evolve constantly, with several new beers up each week. Every time I’m in, I can’t decide where to start.
The service is usually quite good - many of the servers are true beer people. The place is often very busy, though, so it can sometimes take a few minutes for your server to get back to you.
The food is outstanding. I’ve liked everything I’ve eaten here. The mac and cheese is especially terrific, and the crack fries are indeed addictive.
| | cratez (96), London, Ontario | | November 2, 2011
First stop on a recent trip to Grand Rapids with nicktbm and our significant others.
This legendary pub is a beer geek’s wet dream. Inside sports a massive old-fashioned bar, 6 towers with 50 craft taps, countless tables throughout the interior, and a bustling, party-like atmosphere with killer background music and lots of college-aged beer drinkers. We grabbed a four-person booth beside the bar.
Our waitress was very friendly and efficient. Drinks and food arrived quickly and she made some helpful beer suggestions to my oenophile girlfriend.
The draught and bottle selections are redonkulous. All of the beers are sorted by style and they have tons of rare and cellared offerings from around the world. As an example of how insane the beer menu is, they had 6 barley wines on tap. That alone is worth a "15." Our group ordered a 2011 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Arcadia Hopmouth DIPA, Hop Cat Weizen, and Bell’s Oarsman Ale on draught and a Saint Somewhere Saison Athene, BrewDog Mikkeller I Hardcore You, and Baird Red Rose Amber out of the bottle. The Hardcore and Oarsman were my favourites of the night.
Food is pretty good as well. I went for the Applewood Smoked Bacon Grilled Cheese while the lady had a Turkey Bruschetta Burger. Each came with a side of Crack Fries and both dishes tasted fantastic. Prices are incredibly fair as 8 drinks and 2 entrees came to less than $70.
Overall, this place boasts an unmatched beer list at excellent value with a really fun vibe. Hop Cat is the main reason we came to Grand Rapids and we were not disappointed. An essential stop in Michigan and the best beer bar that I’ve encountered so far. | freehafe (2), Jenison, Michigan
does not count - explanation | | October 20, 2011
Very awesome bar in Grand Rapids, atmosphere is chill. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful if you have trouble deciding. Epic beer selection here is epic. 49 on draft, 150 bottles.
The food here is decent, try the crack fries or the mac and cheese, wide selection, several vegetarian options. | | KPD (49), Michigan | | July 17, 2011 [ Updated November 24, 2011 ]
Really great place, outstanding selection including their own brews. Great service, smart bar tenders, very comfortable place to have a few, food pretty good too. A must stop for any beer drinkers in western Michigan. | slipy120 (6), Michigan
does not count - explanation | | July 11, 2011
Amazing place. Food is ok and crack fries are pretty good but its the beer that you go there for. They brew some excellent beer of their own and have plenty of beer on tap and in bottles from all around the world as well as plenty of local Michigan brews. Loved it and will return often. |
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Scene
No smoking in main bar area, smoking lounge upstairs. Belgian, European feel to the decor. Mahogany.
Staff
Knowledgeable.
Music
Live music approx 2x per month. Blues, eclectic.
Parking
Free parking after 6 PM for regulars.
Events
Brewery crawls, guest brewmasters, beer tastings.
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