Black Lotus Brewing Company

Friday was my first visit to Black Lotus in downtown Clawson.  The brewery is in a nice location at the corner of 14 Mile road and Main and has plenty of free on-street parking nearby as well as a municipal lot in back.  

Inside, Black Lotus is a hybrid of your typical brewpub and a coffee house.  This makes sense, since in addition to their beer selections they have an impressive coffee and tea list.  There are a number of wooden tables and chairs surrounding the bar and there is a small stage area for live entertainment up front by the door.  

The bar itself looked nice and is fronted with fieldstones.   My colleague from Fermentation Nation informed me that the comfort level is not quite as good as the look, however, since the overhang of the bar top is short and fieldstones rubbing against your knees isn't particularly pleasant.

The "kitchen" is interesting as it is essentially a flat-top area directly behind the bar reminiscent of your neighborhood diner.

Black Lotus had a fairly decent variety of beers on during this visit.  They were pouring Detroit Hip Hops APA, Red Tao Amber Ale, The Gift (Strong Belgian Ale), People Mover Pilsner, Winter Wheat, Funk-n-A Apricot Wheat, and a Honey Chamomile Ale. 

My first selection was the Pilsner, which I found to be very drinkable.  The first thought that came to mind while drinking it was that this particular brew is the perfect example of what Miller Lite claims to be with its "Tastes Great, Less Filling" slogan.  The target audience for this beer is likely the group that bombs in looking for the typical American mass marketed selections.  I could see most of that crowd being satisfied unless they are the new breed that is looking for ultra low carb options, in which case I would suggest they stick to water.

For my second pint, I opted for the Red Tao.  Fermentation Nation report:

Very balanced, big caramel malt presence, medium body, a little bready yeastiness, mild hops, clean finish.  Rating 6 out of 10. 

My Companions also tried the Honey Chamomile, of which Fermentation Nation says:

Blonde -- 6.8% abv, creamy mouthfeel, herbal character from chamomile, low bitterness, big honey flavor but not overly sweet.  Rating 7 out of 10.

The menu was typical bar fare consisting of mostly burgers, nachos, a few salads, and appetizers.  We shared an order of the deep fried pickle spears served with the ubiquitous cup of ranch which were pretty tasty.  One of the vegetarian options on the menu was a lentil burger, which was an interesting option compared to what many places offer.  The most unusual item was battered and fried salmon which just seems the wrong thing to do with such a tasty variety of fish.

Overall, my first impression of Black Lotus was not bad.  While the food did not particularly appeal to me on this visit, I would like to sample more of the beer selection and will make it a point to do so next time.

www.blacklotusbrewingco.com