Michigan Breweries, Bars, Eateries (2025)

yeah a store on the east side posted it yesterday and a distributor confirmed it. Haven’t seen a word on it anywhere else

 

Eternity Brewing in Howell just announced they are closing at the end of the month.

 

My local shop just got theirs. 5 different IPA’s

 

M4 posted about it today.
It's likely a one time drop for HOMES Nucleate festival because Other Half have done the same thing in the past although with fewer beers

 

well that just makes me sad

 

At the end of the month, I'm headed on a weeklong trip to Lake Michigan: the house we're staying at looks like it's closest to Saugatuck/Douglas (My wife's family is running point, so I'm just a spectator here).

I've been to the Manistee/Frankfort/Sleeping Bear Dunes area a handful of times but know nothing about this part of the state. Are there any breweries, bars, or stores that I should seek out? Thanks for any help!

 

Speaking of which, with the Nucleate festival this weekend, anything special going on nearby for the fest? Maybe anything on Friday?

 

You are a legend! Thanks so much for taking the time to write up the detailed response. This week is looking up!

 

Not much to add here, as @PapaGoose03 has got you covered. But if you have people in your group that enjoy cocktails, the Journeyman Distillery has a restaurant in Three Oaks that was quite good. Cocktails were tasty and everything we sampled on the menu was solid. Looks like their Indiana location has a brewery (Sea of Monsters) whose beers are on tap too.

https://www.journeyman.com/staymaker/

Enjoy your trip!

 

Not contributing anything here, just pausing to once again lament Waypost closing.

 

Near Saugatuck/Douglas, Saugatuck Brewing has already been mentioned. They're a fine option, but there isn't much else right around them. In contrast, Mitten Brewing is smack dab in the middle of Saugatuck, within walking distance of everything and across the street from the river. Excellent pizza, good beer, and a really nice (albeit smallish) patio. The Red Dock is a fun bar on a (shocker) dock sticking out over the water with great views of Kalamazoo Lake and Saugatuck. It's a pretty basic food menus, but they have live music. The Butler is a 2-storey bar in downtown Saugatuck. People go there for the view, not for the overpriced meh food/drinks. Virtue Ciders is maybe 20 minutes south.

Foodwise, Lady Bird is a newish upscale place with an excellent brunch menu. The Southerner has a patio right on the river. Our favorite group meal in the area is to get their family style fried chicken dinner. You can get a combo of regular and Nashville hot chicken, and all the fixins are really good, especially mac/cheese and the biscuits. Pennyroyal Cafe is probably our absolute favorite though. Sit outside on their patio, have a nice cocktail, and order the whitefish melt.

 

I'll second the recommendation of the family style fried chicken dinner at The Southerner. Absolutely fantastic meal and they have a surprisingly strong bourbon list with a ton of allocated options at fair prices.

The wait at The Southerner can be pretty long so strongly suggest joining the waitlist on their website in advance.

 

Thanks everyone. You guys are amazing!

I realize I've got to spend some more time on the Great Lakes board!

 

My Michigan beer knowledge is pretty dated at this point, but there’s Saugatuck Brewing, and a New Holland Distillery location in Saugatuck (but apparently their beers aren’t served there… weird. Could hit their original brewpub location in Holland tho).

Not too far from the area is Odd Side Ales in Grand Haven, and Founders & Vivant in Grand Rapids (which used to be considered one of the best beer towns in the region, if not the country). fyi- New Holland does have other locations which include brewpubs in Grand Rapids & Battle Creek, plus distillery tasting rooms in Grand Haven & South Haven.

A little farther out is Bell’s (Eccentric Cafe) in Kalamazoo, Transient & Haymarket (2nd location, out of Chicago) in Bridgman, and Greenbush in Sawyer, w Journeyman Distillery (cool spot) nearby.

In addition to those listed above, other Michigan breweries to seek out in stores would be Short’s, Old Nation (prob Michigan’s best haze producer), & Kuhnhenn. Have not had Dark Horse since they were bought out (2019), and looks like again (end of 2024), but they used to be a Michigan staple. You might also find Chicago-area breweries available like Hop Butcher, Pipeworks, Three Floyd’s, etc.

Western Michigan is awesome, enjoy!

 

Seems like a 2-5 different Hop Butcher beers come to Kzoo every month or so. I just saw 3 or 4 Hop Butcher beers at W Main Mega Bev today