Pavlov’s Brewing Company, Temperance, MI

John Groll loves beer. 

John Groll is the kind of guy who can talk about the subtle differences between Scottish and Irish ale, or the various traits of English, German, and American hops. He can tell you the history of how the Indian Pale Ale (IPA) got its name or even recount the time he baked a hundred pounds of pumpkin in a friend’s industrial oven, in order to brew a special holiday ale. John Groll loves beer. When he and his wife, Joan, opened Pavlov’s Brewing Company in Temperance, Michigan, the establishment took the name of the famous physiologist Ivan Pavlov, who coined the term “the conditioned response.” Anyone who’s taken Psych 101 will remember the name and the experiments involving bells and salivating dogs. But the name of the brewery is not so much a tribute to the scientist as it is to John’s wife. Joan is blind, and the Grolls’ relationship with their service dogs parallels their relationship with brewing—one characterized by love, strength, passion, and respect. 

Over the past year, my wife and I have gotten to know the Grolls and it’s difficult not to notice their dedication to producing great-tasting libations. Of the many establishments we’ve visited across Michigan—trying to knockout the Tagabrew list—Pavlov’s is our favorite. We haven’t even made a dent in the list by the way; there are over 200 breweries in Michigan, alone.  If you’re not familiar with Tagabrew, it’s basically a list of breweries all over the country, that offer a chain, charm, and copper plate (a “tag”), unique to each brewery. Confluxcity Brewing in Portland, MI, for example, pairs their copper plates with a bridge charm modeled after one of the actual bridges in the town. Jolly Pumpkin Brewing offers separate trinkets—like a skeleton or jack-o’-lantern—depending on location. Breweries have stones, animals, crowns, whatever, always relative to the theme of their brewery. Pavlov’s charm, of course, is a dog. 

Occasionally, with visiting so many breweries, I’ll come across stale beers, over-bitter sours, skunky ipa’s, dull kolches, and that all too common “buttery popcorn” flavor.  But that is what I love about Pav’s: every beer is good.  Few breweries seem to match the quality of what Pavlov’s has to offer. There is always over a dozen beers on tap that don’t represent googled recipes for home-brews or gimmicky mixtures of obscure ingredients, but they are the result of a collective medium—barley, malt, hops, grain, fruit, spice, nuts, etc—used to create something greater than the sum of its parts, unique and delicious. 

John Groll lives beer. 

Last winter, my daughter was taking a brewing class at Lourdes University. One evening, she asked John about beer—the brewing, the process, the fermentation. He began answering her questions, but then: “Wait right here.” He went into the back and returned with a thick binder filled with nearly a decade of painstakingly-wrought beer knowledge. She held up her hand and swore an oath, “What I see here shall remain classified.” Inside the binder were ingredients and recipes, applications, methods and materials, scribbles, notes, reminders, trial and error—all of it the result of a life spent perfecting the art of brewing, and it can be tasted in every glass. 

Take the Bruiser Black Raspberry IPA, for example. It has a beautiful, deep red-violet color, teeming with vibrant raspberry notes that can actually be distinguished. Another IPA, Blurry Daze, is the refreshing, citrusy, grapefruit concoction you have been searching for to endure the hot summer months. 

Pavlov’s Brewing Co. 

Pavlov’s Submission Hefeweizen captures the distinctive notes of its German heritage so well, that it’s no wonder why this is Pavlov’s most popular beer.  It has the beautiful light-yellow color, the distinct aroma of German hops, and that characteristic opacity that tells you this is a good Hef. I know from many beer tastings that this distinct flavor must be difficult to replicate. Many strive for just the right German style, and miss. Submission hits the mark every time, and with flavor enhancements like blood orange or mango, Submission has the ability to become something unique to each beer drinker. 

John Groll knows beer. 

I was never a big fan of stouts before visiting Pavlov’s. When I thought of stouts, I only thought of Guinness. What I’ve come to realize is that these dark beers have to be some of the most creative concoctions in the business. 

The Peanut Butter Porter is one of the best porters you will taste. Anywhere. It’s thick, creamy, and its nuttiness is front-and-center bold—something missing in so many beers that seem too mild, beating around the bush, attempting to secure an unoffensive sweet spot that appeals to a wider scope of beer aficionados. This peanut butter porter is good because it’s not too bitter, too nutty, or too sweet. Like everything else on tap, it’s just very well-balanced. 

Ivan’s Russian Imperial is a mainstay at Pavlov’s and is simply the standard when it comes to aroma, color, richness, and depth for stouts. Its flavor profile is exceptional with mild, toasted notes of licorice and coffee. With an 8% alcohol content, this stout packs a punch in more ways than one. 

And then, around the holidays, there are stouts like Fetching Cherries—a cherry stout, Flying Rain Dogs, which combines a perfect stout with distinct traces of mint, and the Oatmeal Stout. These beers are “must try’s” when they’re on the board. One of my favorites is always on tap: Cuckoo’s in the Nuthouse. This stout has been described by many as “almond joy in a glass.” Pavlov’s does stouts right. 

Much of the beer here at Pavlov’s is seasonal, and many have come and gone over the last year. I await their return. By far, my favorite of these has been Pavlov’s Oktoberfest. John is already working on this year’s batch. If you venture into the brewery this fall, do yourself a favor and try the recipe that, for me, is unparalleled in the lager category. But be quick; last year, it sold out in three weeks flat. 

The downside to all of this great beer is that it gets you spoiled. After Pavlov’s, you will have a difficult time going back to the typical domestic options that populate the drink menus in most restaurants. Those brews will somehow seem less tasty, less interesting, and certainly, less crafted.