Bell’s Upper Hand Brewery to start production

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by BottleCaps80, Aug 29, 2014.

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  1. BottleCaps80

    BottleCaps80 Initiate (0) Jan 12, 2013 Iowa

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    By JENNY LANCOUR - Associated Press - Friday, August 29, 2014

    ESCANABA, Mich. (AP) - The new Upper Hand Brewery, recently constructed in Escanaba, is looking to start making beer next month, according to the president of Bell’s Brewery Inc.

    “We have staff to get started. We’re finally there and everybody’s excited,” said Bell’s President Larry Bell in a telephone interview with the Daily Press.

    Bell explained the Michigan Liquor Control Commission has approved the brewery’s license and the agency is expected to conduct a final inspection at the plant this week. Beer production will start soon after that, he said.

    “All the licensing is in good shape,” he noted. Earlier this year, federal and state licensing was taking longer than anticipated.

    Construction began last November on the state-of-the-art 11,550-square-foot brewing and bottling facility in Escanaba. The building was enclosed by wintertime so crews could work inside during the cold months.

    The extended winter delayed outside plans such as concrete pouring, paving and landscaping. Exterior work is now complete, said Bell.

    The building is ready for brewing beer, he added, expecting the production of draft beer for kegs to be in full operation by mid-September. Bottled beer production will follow.

    The tasting room has some work to finish and is expected to be completed in early November. A grand opening will be scheduled prior to the firearm deer season, he said.

    Bell commented there’s a lot of excitement in the Upper Peninsula to tour the brewery but at this time the company is working on producing beer.

    “We’re planning to start with three beers and get those established and grow from there,” he said.

    The three new regional beers are the “Upper Hand Logger,” ”Escanaba Black Beer,” and “UPA,” which stands for “U.P. Ale.”

    Bell’s Brewery is headquartered in downstate Comstock. The company’s expansion to Escanaba - an investment of $2.5 million - is part of a companywide capital improvement project totaling $15 million.

    The name for the local business - the Upper Hand Brewery - relates to how people show where the U.P. is with one hand and refer to Lower Michigan with the other hand, explained Bell.

    The new brewery is located on property in Delta County Airport’s Renaissance Zone which offers tax incentives to developers. The zone was created in 2002 to develop the property as a means to support the county airport.

    Bell has been involved in brewing beer for more than three decades. What started out as a hobby for him turned into a successful company with product sales in 20 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.

    Several local grocery stores and taverns offer a variety of Bell’s products including draft beer in kegs and bottled beer.

    The Upper Hand Brewery will manufacture and distribute beer but not sell beer directly to the public. Free beer tasting will be offered in the brewery’s sampling room by appointment.

    Bell’s employs just over 200 people at a brewery and pub in Kalamazoo, a distribution center in Galesburg, and a brewery and corporate office in Comstock. The local brewery will employ five people.

    Next month, Bell’s is celebrating its 29th anniversary downstate with a home brew contest and a Great Lakes Gala to promote water quality.

    Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...nd-brewery-to-start-production/#ixzz3Bn7LhF7E
     
    #1 BottleCaps80, Aug 29, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2014
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  2. GRbruR

    GRbruR Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2008 Utah

    LOVE LOVE LOVE
     
    #2 GRbruR, Aug 29, 2014
  3. JamesShoemaker

    JamesShoemaker Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2012 Michigan

    Wondering when this was going to happen, glad to see it's coming soon!
     
    #3 JamesShoemaker, Aug 29, 2014
  4. Hop-Droppen-Roll

    Hop-Droppen-Roll Initiate (0) Nov 5, 2013 Minnesota

    So - what is this? A new brand owned by Bell's? Will the bottles have the Bell's logo on them? Will it see distro only in MI, or across the entire Bell's distro footprint?
     
    #4 Hop-Droppen-Roll, Aug 29, 2014
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  5. mayran

    mayran Initiate (0) Dec 28, 2013 Michigan

    Love the references to "downstate". That's Yooper talk for sure, eh?
     
    #5 mayran, Aug 29, 2014
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  6. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    What a great move on Bell's part.

    And being married to a MI girl I love the name.
     
    #6 drtth, Aug 29, 2014
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  7. BobbyDigitali

    BobbyDigitali Initiate (0) May 26, 2014 California

    Oh yah, dontcha know about that der Yooper brew, eh !
     
    #7 BobbyDigitali, Aug 29, 2014
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  8. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Its like certain jokes. Ya hada be there or go there.
     
    #8 drtth, Aug 29, 2014
  9. Hop-Droppen-Roll

    Hop-Droppen-Roll Initiate (0) Nov 5, 2013 Minnesota

    Works for me, I've always wanted to visit the UP.
     
    #9 Hop-Droppen-Roll, Aug 29, 2014
  10. tkdchampxi

    tkdchampxi Pooh-Bah (2,473) Oct 19, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm also confused by this action. Is this going to be operated independently of Bell's?
     
    #10 tkdchampxi, Aug 29, 2014
  11. Hop-Droppen-Roll

    Hop-Droppen-Roll Initiate (0) Nov 5, 2013 Minnesota

    Doesn't sound like it, but what I gathered from the article was that it's a new sub-brand, that won't be distributed as wide...?
     
    #11 Hop-Droppen-Roll, Aug 29, 2014
  12. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I recall reading when this project was first proposed that the beer would be distributed in the UP, and also in northern WI and MN. Maybe this has changed, or maybe the first goal is to provide for the UP, and then later to expand to WI and MN.
     
    #12 PapaGoose03, Aug 29, 2014
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  13. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Makes a great driving trip and beercation.

    Don't know where you'd start from but you could do a couple of places in Green Bay then head across the "upper hand." Theres some decent breweries already there:

    http://www.michigan.org/blog/guest-blogger/the-ultimate-list-of-upper-peninsula-breweries/

    Once you get to the bridge (an impressive sight when approached from the side) you could drop down into the "lower hand" (maybe making a side trip to Shorts) and then head for Ann Arbor to Jolly Pumpkin and Arbor Brewing. Then you could head back across MI to do Dark Horse, Founders and Bells, and a few other places before heading around the bottom of the lake and back into WI.
     
    #13 drtth, Aug 29, 2014
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  14. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    And many, if not all, of the Upper Hand beers have been seen at the Cafe under different names.

    It's not like Bell's is taking anything away from us, or not taking care of us. I think Bell's treats us very well. How can we really complain about them taking care of others "in the same state for gods sake."
     
    #14 kzoobrew, Aug 29, 2014
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  15. core42

    core42 Pooh-Bah (1,862) May 5, 2010 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    The whole idea is Larry wanting to promote the state & he's done plenty to promote the LP so now he wants to do something to promote & bring jobs to the UP. I say good for him even though I'll likely never see Upper Hand brewery
     
    #15 core42, Aug 30, 2014
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  16. whatsleftofyou

    whatsleftofyou Zealot (666) Mar 12, 2006 Michigan

    This is it exactly. I live in Escanaba and was just at a Bell's beer dinner that was in part presented by Upper Hand's production manager. He said, "Despite what you've seen in some news articles, we're going to establish our footprint in the U.P. first and make sure the U.P. is well taken care of before we even think about expanding to those markets." He also said that the UPA has a ton of late Mosaic hops in it. Twist my arm!
     
    #16 whatsleftofyou, Aug 30, 2014
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  17. cl3

    cl3 Savant (1,244) Aug 16, 2013 Wisconsin
    Trader

    I guess I don't understand why anyone would get worked up about this. Granted I'm originally from Escanaba and all of my family is still there so I might be slightly biased. This beer is going to sell great in the U.P., as all of us BA's know how homerism works. Larry Bell made a smart business move. He saw an opportunity to grow his business in a tax incentivized renaissance zone and took it. I don't think people in the lower peninsula should feel slighted by this. If you feel you need to try this beer, go for a drive. Plenty of great things to do in the yoop, these beers along with the other great local brews would just be the icing on the cake.
     
    #17 cl3, Aug 30, 2014
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  18. Jaycase

    Jaycase Grand Pooh-Bah (3,858) Jan 13, 2007 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Forget the Upper Hand Brewery, what's the status on the Bell's Chicago team focused Sports Bar? NFL season is about to start and FIBs need a place to catch the Bears game while in Kalamazoo. And is Larry attending all 2014 Cub home games as mentioned? God bless his masochistic heart if he is. :wink:
     
    #18 Jaycase, Aug 31, 2014
  19. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    Its a ways off. Too many other projects have a higher priority at this point

    Oh and 2014ers and gonna keep 2014ing.
     
    #19 kzoobrew, Aug 31, 2014
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  20. kzoobrew

    kzoobrew Initiate (0) May 8, 2006 Michigan

    Just got back from Bell's, I am sure glad Larry hates us so much. Larry just "slapped me in the face" with Cinnamon Sunrise (maybe the best BA Double Cream variant yet), the second straight weekend with a new cafe only barrel aged beer. How am I ever going to cope without access to Upper Hand?
     
    #20 kzoobrew, Aug 31, 2014
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