Michigan Breweries/Stores (2021)

Going to be a little long winded here but I’m gonna put all the info from my Traverse City trip here both for everyone who gave me input and for anyone who may be making the trip in the future. First, the haul of to go stuff.
Left to right: Rare Bird brewpub crowlers(3 for 24$, I thought that was pretty reasonable) all descriptions come from the site-Rose the Riveter: Rosé Blonde Ale. Brewed with raspberries and pomegranate to provide a crisp, fruity finish that's not too sweet.(5.8 abv)
No Pressure:3X TC Stout Challenge winner! Made with Higher Grounds French Roast coffee, chocolate, and a touch of vanilla.(8.0 abv)
Kushy Punch:A delicious brew with a huge hop finish that will punch your taste buds. Equinox, Citra, Galaxy and Mosaic hops. Winner of the 2018 IPA Challenge!(6.8 abv)
Beers drank at pub-
Chiefs coconut brown:American Brown Ale. The roasted malt profile lends well to the subtitle nutty flavor from real coconut. (5.5 abv) I liked this one. Rich coconut and malt flavors with light toast. Crisp and easy to drink but full enough to satisfy my expectations.
La Alemana:Beautiful copper color and light caramel notes. A classic Oktoberfest recipe but made with Mexican lager yeast for a global twist. (4.8 abv) I enjoyed this one as well. Very crisp and refreshing. Complex malt notes and light bitterness. Very sessionable.
Overall I gave Rare Bird a 3.99/5. It was inviting and I received good service. All their beer was packaged and ready to carry out so that was good as well. The only down fall for me was the cleanliness of the place. The table was sticky and for me that is a definite minus, however my expectations may exceed yours so don’t let it deter you. Overall I would recommend.
Next up is Stone Hound Brewing. Again, descriptions from the website. These were the only 4 beers available in cans. They do offer growlers but for my rate of consumption that is not a reasonable option.
Jam Sesh:Fruit ale with blueberry, blackberry, and aronia berry. Crisp, juicy, and refreshing! (5.6 abv)
Obligatory Dark Cherry:Brewed with German malts, Montmorency Tart Cherries from King’s Orchards and MI Local Hops. Rich chocolate and caramel followed by light cherry tartness and fruitiness. (7.2 abv)
Arbutus Triangle Hoppy Lager: Ripe melon, citrus, and floral aromas burst from the trio of Cashmere, Simcoe, and Centennial hops.(6.0 abv)
Headwaters IPA: Piney and citrusy, moderate bitterness. Notes of candied Orange and sweet bread. Centennial and Simcoe hops. (6.5 abv)
Beer consumed at brewery- Intermingling Kolsch:

 

Had an issue posting so I’m gonna pick up where I left off.
Intermingling Kolsch:A collaborative brew with our friends from Silver Spruce. Perfectly balanced. Grassy and herbal aromas from MI Local Tettnanger hops with flavors of fresh bread and honey from German malts.(5.2 abv) I really liked this one. Sweet honey and toasted malts. Grassy earthy taste. Very crisp and drinkable.
Overall I gave Stonehound a 4/5. Good staff, good menu. Clean place. Indoor and outdoor seating. Food available. Quiet and relaxing atmosphere.
Third, and least notable was The Workshop. I had one beer here and took nothing to go because of a very limited selection. This was a party spot. Loud dj setup blaring music in and outside the venue. So loud I couldn’t hear my wife speak. Cleanliness obviously wasn’t a priority here either. I doubt I’ll be returning. Maybe in the winter when there’s less going on. Nevertheless, beer consumed on site-
Stoker:Tart and puckering balanced with a subtle addition of mango. Wonderfully refreshing.(5.2 abv) I didn’t care for this beer. It was far to tart. Not enough fruit sweetness to balance it out. Super sour for lovers of that, if there are any. Overall I gave The Workshop a 2/5 for the reasons stated above.
The 4th and final brewery I visited was not planned but became a fallback because of the lack of success and time spent and The Workshop. Farm Club was my favorite visit out of all during my visit to TC and borders on my best brewery experience, period. Beers to go were-
Farmhouse Ale: Not listed online but this is an exemplary farmhouse style ale. Grassy and malty. Light funk and hop bitterness. Very drinkable(5.0 abv)
Pilsner: German-style pils. Hopped with German Hallertau Mittelfrüh and Saphir. Lagered for a month, natural carbonated. clean, crisp, floral. (5.0 abv) The online description does this good justice. Mellow hop profile. Clean and crisp tasting. Light carbonation. An easy drinking beer perfect for this time of year.
Beers enjoyed on site-
Spelt Table Beer: Great Lakes Malting Company Pilsner and Spelt malts, Hop Head Farms Zuper Zazer hops, Farm Club wild yeast and well water. (3.5 abv) I loved this beer. Soft but full head that retains thought out the drink. Very grainy and corn taste and smell with some toasted malt on the backend. Super easy drinking.
East Coast Pale ale:Hazy beer brewed with wheat, oats, and New Zealand Nelson Sauvin and Motueka hops. tropical fruit, green grapes, citrus(6.0 abv) Excellent hazy. Not over hopped and well blended making everything compliment the other. Piney, bitter, grassy, citrus, tropical fruit, and a delectable fill and thick malty feel. Overall, I gave Farm Club a 5/5. It checks all the boxes for me. The barn the brewery works out of is situated on 10 acres of grassy field overlooking the rolling pine forest of Western Michigan. Fruit trees and garden plots throughout the property. The building is very contemporary and modern inside. Birch accents and original paintings paired with ambient lighting adds an upscale but comfortable feel. Seating inside and an outdoor patio area with string lighting. Very kind and helpful staff, food available, family oriented, quiet and relaxing. Right up my alley. I will go back here again and again and recommend endlessly to those planning a trip to the area.
To conclude, I appreciate the input from each of you, and I hope someone can use these posts to give them an idea of what they are in for at some of TC’s most popular breweries. Cheers!

 

HOMES haul from today. One of all their latest plus 3 bottles of the one off HyperSurface BA stout collab with Equilibrium.

 

Awesome dude I’ll definitely check you out the next time I’m down that way. It says online you’re still closed for inside service. Is that true?

 

Maybe a long shot but has anyone had HOMES Soaker foeder aged Lager? And if so have you been able to find anything comparable? @CB_Michigan, I think I sent some to you and you had mentioned you enjoyed it pretty good as well, have you come across anything in that wheelhouse? I was getting ready to do my next order and I see they’re no longer offering it.

 

https://www.betterondraft.com/blogs/beer-labels/new-michigan-beer-labels-june-2021 Here’s our labels for June. Has anyone heard or seen any of this coming out? This is also my first time hearing of “Barrel and Beam” in Marquette? Has anyone been there before or had any of their offerings? It seems like they have some interesting stuff. Also, Uberon! I hope that makes it’s way out as well. Cheers!

 

I’ve recently become pretty interested in the “farmhouse” style stuff. Just the flavors that seem to come along with it and it seems like generally the brewers of that particular style seem to use local ingredients. Do they can stuff too or is it all in bottles that you saw? Also do you have any recommendations for brews of that style?