Heard about this last year, looks to be in process. More reason to go to the UP. http://www.imabeerhound.com/michigan-brewery-news/bells-to-purchase-up-property-in-escanaba.html
There have definitely been rumors surrounding this for a while. Figured it was getting close to official with all of the "Larry's Latest" trials showing up at Bell's. Word is that these are all his initial test batches. This will help put the existing UP breweries more on the map. Although Blackrocks and Ore Dock have been doing a good job with that one their own.
It wouldn't surprise me if they put in a tap room since larry lives in the up for chunck of the year.
Escanaba is closer to Chicago than his cottage, so that could be a reason? The lager trials at the cafe were said to be for the wood Stroh's vats at the Comstock facility.
