15 Carlyle StreetIt’s fall and that means a lot of extra work for me. I pick up overtime at work on Friday nights and will pick up a lot of side jobs and even more overtime on the weekends.
The work overtime started last week. I worked my regular 9:30-6:30 shift then headed to Battle Creek for the overtime.
I don’t really get much of a chance for a meal break in between shifts so over the years, I’ve kind of made it a habit to find a pizza place in what every city I’m working in and grab a pizza that I can eat as I’m driving between job assignments.
I’ve eaten at a lot of pizza places in Battle Creek and I always like to find new ones.
My first job site was near downtown and wouldn’t you know it, there’s a place that sells pizza near downtown that I’ve been wanting to eat at for a very long time.
Handmap Brewing is in downtown Battle Creek on the corner of Carlysle Street and Jackson Street along the Battle Creek. The brewery takes up the whole first floor of the Record Box Lofts. This historic building received $200K from Battle Creek Unlimited in 2017 to bring life back to it and to bring another brewery to downtown Battle Creek. Handmap Brewing is the brewery that filled that space.
There is a public parking lot on Jackson Street and a few street parking spots around the building. The entrance is actually kind of a garden level entrance on Jackson Street right next to the patio space. When entering the building, you really don’t see much that screams “brewery” at you. It’s just a non-descript door with a chalkboard sign pointing you in the right direction.
Inside that door is a totally different atmosphere.
The brewery makes great use of the historic aspects of this building. The garden level windows let in a ton of natural light that’s accentuated by the Christmas lights that run up and down the exposed rafters. The brick walls are left exposed and the floor is concrete giving the space a very industrial feel. The ceiling is lined with ceramic mugs for the brewery’s mug club. each one with a number on the bottom so you can reach up and grab yours before heading to the bar.
I had put my order in online so I just needed to head to the bar to pick it up. Again, this bar makes good use of the features of the building. There are large wooden posts used as ceiling supports that feel like they could get in the way but they just add to the charm of the space. There are even electrical outlets at the base of the bar so you can plug in devices to charge while enjoying a beer or two.
The bartender was filling a couple of mugs when I walked up. She saw me standing there and asked if I had the carry out order. I told her I did but not to rush. She finished what she was doing then grabbed my pizza box.
I ordered the Hot Honey Pizza. This pizza is topped with pepperoni, ricotta, hot honey and fresh basil. The cost was a little over $21.
I figured it would be amazing and I was right. This is easily one of the best pizzas I’ve had in the area. The sauce is super fresh and highlighted by the fresh basil. The pepperoni are crispy around the edges and that hot honey makes everything sweeter while giving it a bit of a kick. The pizza is cut in to long slices instead of squares or triangles which actually give it a little bit of an easier to share flare.
I was a t work so as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t sit down and have a beer. But, I have had many beers from Handmap Brewing in the past.
The brewery was scheduled to open on St. Patrick’s day in 2020. The the pandemic hit and restaurants were closed.
The brewery quickly shifted to canning and selling beer out the back door as many breweries did during that time. I made it a point to stop a few times and pick up beer during that period which I usually drank while grilling dinner on Sunday night.
They came out with a couple of interesting brews a year later tying in their Battle Creek heritage by brewing a beer using Froot Loops. So you know I had to make a trip over to grab a couple of those.
I’ve stopped a few more times over the years to pick up cans but never had time for food. This time I had time for pizza but not for beer.
I really like everything about Handmap Brewing. The space is awesome, the pizza is fantastic, and the beer is delicious. We don’t get to Battle Creek very often so it’s taken me a lot longer than I wanted it to to get a pizza. I was a little late to my first job assignment that night but it was worth it. I’m glad I didn’t skip out on the pizza.