Oktoberfest Dinner & Brew Cruise on MI Princess

Every spring bicyclists gather at Rockford Brewing Co. and embark on the almost 15 mile group ride to Brewery Vivant, and each fall gather at Brewery Vivant for the approximate one hour return trip. The first go-round has become known as “Fly to the Coq” with each year’s return trip known as “Coq to the Fly”. The breweries have also made a tradition of collaborating on a special beer for each event with a version of the brew tapped before and after the ride at each respective location. For this year’s Coq to the Fly, the collaborative beer was a Dark Ale called “On Your Left” brewed with naked oats and dark malts.

For the third year, bicyclists gathered early at Rockford Brewing Co. for this year’s 14.7 mile Fly to the Coq group bike ride. The ride starts on the White Pine trail outside the brewery eventually making it’s way through the streets of Eastown to Brewery Vivant. Prior to the event, a celebratory tapping of the Fly2Coq Rockford edition collaborative brew occurred at 11 a.m. with bikers departing Rockford at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 7th.

Rockford Brewing and Brewery Vivant recently hosted their 2nd annual “Fly to the Coq” event, a 14.7 mile group bike ride along the White Pine Trail starting at Rockford Brewing and making the way to Grand Rapid’s Eastown Brewery Vivant. For many, the ride averaged around an hour and half, and while the temperature exceeded 80 degrees there was plenty of opportunities for thirst relinquishment before, after, and for some maybe even during the journey. Along for this year’s ride included representatives of both breweries and even some special guests such as John Svoboda, brewmaster for B.O.B’s Brewery in downtown Grand Rapids.