Ascension Brewing – Novi, Mi.

When I go to a brewery of course one of the first things I want to get is a good beer. If that beer can exceed simply being good then I feel like I might have found something pretty awesome. Now if that same brewery also happens to service some of the most delectable food around, well then my friends you have really found something special. Where does one go to find some of the best in both beer and food under one roof? Ascension Brewing in Novi Michigan is the destination that you are looking for.

I’ve been frequenting Ascension since they first opened their doors in 2015 (literally, I was lucky enough to be there for their opening night) and since opening the brewery has continued to crank out better and better beers. The brewery has a super mellow vibe too, it’s an excellent place to go just to have a nice mellow night and hang out. The patio is laid out nicely as well and there’s a garden right along the patio which not only looks nice but keeps a nice fresh smell outside that is different than what you get at most breweries.

The food though, man, I love the food at Ascension. Let’s start with the charcuterie board, a sampling of salty meats, delicious cheeses and bread that changes periodically through out the year but this is always a satisfying app. Charcuterie boards are something that my fiance and I order almost every time we see it on any menu, Ascension’s board has set the standard for what we want when it comes to this type of appetizer. We have actually made several trips to Ascension primarily to get this charcuterie board after being disappointing by lackluster representations of the same dish in other restaurants and breweries. It’s crazy because you would think a spread of deli cuts and cheese would be so simple, and it is, but it’s really one of the most satisfying things to see on my table.

Everything on the menu is super fresh too. So much so that it’s not entirely uncommon for the kitchen to run out of a dish on any given day. Personally I don’t see this as a negative at all, in fact I look at it as a good thing. It shows that what you’re ordering is not some doctored up frozen debacle and confirms everything is made in house the right way. I have never ordered a meal at Ascension and not been more than satisfied so rather than reading through the entire menu I want to point out the chicken mole nachos are absolutely fantastic (pictured above) and you can’t go wrong ordering the Ninja Pig, a pulled pork sandwich topped with thick cut bacon and house made BBQ sauce.

Now let’s talk about beer. Like any brewery Ascension brews up a diverse and ever changing taplist. 15 Mile Porter, The Phoenix and HOMES IPA are beers that are pretty regularly available in the tap room and are all remarkably solid beers. The beers that really grab my attention are the specialty IPA’s that rotate on and off the tap list. Beers like Reclassified, Tihkal, Spool Troof, and Full Spectrum are all amazing and unique spins on the IPA style and feel like fresh and welcome additions to the world of IPA. The India Pale Ale style is definitely the most well represented style of beer in the craft industry so when you get the chance to enjoy one of these beers and it doesn’t taste like something you have tried a million times it becomes a really nice change of pace. And we can’t for get the elephant in the room, a big 800 Pound Gorilla that represents the breweries imperial stout, and amazing beer that holds it’s own with any other imperial stout that comes to mind and the barrel aged variants are equally amazing.

Lastly I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the monumental achievement that Ascension accomplished that has never been done before. This is bigger than winning gold at GABF or earning the first Nobel Peace Prize for brewing. Ascension brewed a beer that my mother likes. My mind continues to be blown by this but after years of bringing my mom to different breweries she finally discovered Cherry Sanders, a beer she now calls “the red one named after that old guy who tried to be President!” Cherry Sanders is a cherry blonde ale that is light, refreshing and just a bit tart from the cherries in the beer. It really is a well made beer, not the style I normally gravitate too but it speaks volumes that a brewery can be diverse enough to be able to provide options for everyone, regardless if your a 35 year old craft beer semi-pro or a 70 year old woman who has spent years of her life telling anyone who would listen that she doesn’t like beer.

Novi is a small town, there’s a hoity toity shopping mall, some car dealerships, a movie theater and Ascension. Since opening Ascension has earned its place as the “go to” spot in this town. It’s a fun place with an awesome staff that always makes sure you enjoy your visit. If you are in the area I can’t recommend it enough, pop in grab some street tacos, a cold beer and enjoy!

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