HOLLAND, Mich. — During Tulip Time, you'll likely do a lot of walking. You'll get hungry. You'll get thirsty. Might as well satisfy your taste buds while learning about the city of Holland at the same time!
That's exactly what the Tulip City Brewstillery offers with its Guided Beverage Tastings.
“That's how we trick you. We lure you in here with beer, and then, I'm like, 'Here's a history lesson,'” joked Alexandra Darland, the brewstillery's community liaison.
Your history lesson is served through a flight of four beers: Veldbeer, Wooden Shoe Like An IPA, Hop College and Kollen Park Porter. The beer gets darker the farther down on the menu you go, and each one tells a different chapter of Holland's story.
Veldbeer
A beautiful, classic, American-style lager.
"This beer represents the people that drink it, and the folks that we named it after. So, Veldheer Tulip Farm is the largest collection of tulips in the Holland area. ... The farm started as a hobby farm by Vern Veldheer in 1950 with 400 tulips, and has grown to millions of tulips." – Alexandra Darland
Wooden Shoe Like An IPA
A malty beer with soft bitterness and notes of caramel.
"Wooden shoes are just so ingrained in the Tulip Time tradition. They're typically traditionally made with Willow or Poplar. So, it's a very soft wood that tends to be more malleable and will adjust to the shape of your foot over time." – Alexandra Darland
Hop College
A non-aggressive beer with a malty body.
"Hop college is our nod to Hope College. ... Hope College was established by Reverend Albertus Van Raalte, who was the founder of the Holland that we know and love today. I think it is important to acknowledge that, prior to the Dutch settlers arriving in 1847, there was a strong Native American population. You can still see those influences here today. With that being said that the Dutch did arrive here in 1847, they had three main objectives: they wanted to educate children, they were seeking religious freedom because they didn't like how liberal things were becoming in the Netherlands and they wanted to build a very robust economy with a strong business culture.” – Alexandra Darland
Kollen Park Porter
A full-bodied beer, with a smooth and silky dark finish.
"Kollen Park was established by Mrs. Kollen. It was the original site of the King Basket Factory. With the passing of her husband, she wanted to honor him and give a gift to primarily the children of Holland. She wanted to provide a waterfront park for these children to enjoy.” - Alexandra Darland
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Tulip City Brewstillery also rolled out the Tulip City Thyme Lavender Lemonade for the festival. It's a light and refreshing cocktail, perfect for the warmer weather rolling through West Michigan. In addition to the wonderful taste, it also helps the brewstillery give back to the community that gives so much to them.
"Every month, we come up with a different cocktail for our Community Handle. The objective of the Community Handle is to highlight a nonprofit organization in West Michigan, and then to also not only bring awareness but to support them in a financial way through the proceeds from the Community Handle." - Alexandra Darland
TULIP TIME: Your ultimate guide to Tulip Time 2023