Lansing is small enough that I usually know the latest "haps," if you will. But I stumbled upon this new business purely by accident. I randomly decided to take a different route to work yesterday and saw a small green building labeled "EagleMonk Pub and Brewery" approximately 2 blocks from my job. They opened less than a month ago, and I eagerly stopped by after work that same day.
The main room was bright with about 8 tables, several of which were taken up by patrons. There was a small bar with about 6 beers on tap (Stout, Rye, IPA, Pale Ale, Irish Red Ale, and Hefeweizen). They also had a few wines on tap, and even a few sodas on tap! When in doubt, I go for the IPA, so I gave the Annie's IPA a try. Pints were all $4.
It was a decent-looking beer. Amber colored with a thin white head that quickly disapeared. Truth be told, I have a cold so my taste and smell glands were possibly subpar. But even with the cold I could smell bitter hops but also something sweeter. Some caramel malts soon, but also something gum-like. The taste was also sweeter than I expected with plenty of caramel malts, but a bitter finish. It was a medium and soft-bodied beer; light and pleasant to drink. 5.5% ABV and well-balanced, so it has good drinkability. This was not a hop-heavy in-your-face IPA (which is the way I like them) but it was certainly pleasant.
Besides the main dining room there is a small game room off to the side which simply holds a foosball table and a shuffleboard table. I'd love to see some couches, dim lighting, fun music (I don't recall what music, if any, was playing while I stopped by).
This is a great location for me (post-work beer!) and I will definitely stop by again if for nothing else than to try the Hefeweizen and Stout. And to enjoy the monk and beer decor and definitely some shuffleboard. :)
B
