It looks like you will be in a beer wasteland there, but this market in Tawas City may be your best bet of anything in the BA database. The last (and only) review was in 2011, so this place may not even be there anymore. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26427/?view=ratings You may have to stop somewhere on the way to Oscoda rather than taking a chance on it being any good. Wiltse's Brew Pub may be your best bet for any craft beer while you are in Oscoda. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2092/
I had to look up Oscoda...that's unfamiliar territory for me. I'm not surprised that it's a beer wasteland, similar to what @Mothergoose03 said, so I would suggest finding a place a long the way to take beer with you. I don't know if you're going around Lake MI to the north through the UP or around to the south through Chicago/SW MI, it's hard to say exactly where.
Slim pickings up there for bottle shops. Au Sable Market is your best bet. Decent craft selection, just picked up M43 there last weekend. I didn't look around too much, but they seemed to have a good selection.
I left from Central Wisconsin and came through the UP. There was a decent shop in Alpena. I found Vivant Bourbon barrel Stout and Perrin. They were out of M-43 but I did get a 4 pack in Escanaba. We are going home tomorrow via Indiana and IL. We are stopping at Old Nation on the way home. I was hoping to get some Boss Tweed but I see it's a ticked release. Thanks for your suggestions
I did look at the places page but unfortunately Nieman's didn't have much and the shops in Oscoda didn't have very much. I see these various party stores but not much selection either so I thought I might ask. I also brought along a bottle of New Glarus 20th anniversary and sour porter in case I run into a fellow BA to share or trade.
If you had given a bit more notice, I recall a thread about a bit of a hidden gem off I-75 somewhere that you probably could've hit on your way down from the UP. On your way home through SW MI, I'd recommend stopping at Transient to see what they have, and for bottle shops, check out Sawyer Home and Garden off exit 12 (shares a parking lot with Greenbush, which would be a good food and beer stop) and Barney's off exit 1.
I really enjoyed my stop at Transient, thanks for the recommendation. My stop at Old Nation was disappointing and I was looking forward to stopping there. My biggest pet peeve happened right away when I was seated. The first two beers I ordered were not on tap. It's annoying when a beer at a brewery is no longer on tap that they don't update their tap listings. Then they only had one beer for sale in 16 oz cans.
I see this problem at old Nation all the time. They hand you that little laminated card that has ALL of their beers. But the things actually on tap are above the handles and on big board on the east wall. Unless you mean the wall and above the handles was incorrect. Sadly seems like you were there during a lull. It does flow high and low with their offerings. But they do have 14 things on tap usually, possibly just not what you are coming specifically to try.
