MiBrew Trail - Issue 8, Fall 2022

From the Publisher

Welcome to the fall edition of MiBrew Trail Magazine. As the fall season begins, the Michigan craft brewery industry hardly has time to take a breath from a busy summer! Beer festivals were filled with enthusiasts and beer gardens and patios were packed all over the state with people looking to get back to a “normal” Michigan summer.

Our very own festival, Great Lakes Beer Festival, was a great success. We can’t thank enough the breweries,

the attendees, the sponsors and the many volunteers that all worked with passion to launch mid-Michigan’s biggest party! We are excited to announce its return on August 19, 2023 at beautiful Dow Diamond in Midland! Be sure to mark your calendars now!

We are excited to introduce Michigan Brew Trail’s Readers’ Choice Best of the Best rewards. It is super easy to participate. Look for details in this issue. We want to hear your voices!

As always, we are out on the Michigan Brew Trail looking for the stories about the people and places that help to make our state’s craft beer scene uniquely Michigan. We hope you enjoy the many stories we are telling in this issue.

If you know of a story we need to tell in an upcoming issue, please feel free to reach out and let me know.

Cheers!

Ed Fritz edward.fritz@hearst.com ED FRITZ

On the Trail…

Tony Garant MiBrewTrail

Fall is here! And that means breweries across the state of Michigan are pumping out great beers and ciders to compliment the cooling temperatures. Oktoberfests, Pumpkin Beers, Ambers, Stouts, Porters, and so much more can be found at your favorite watering holes to satisfy your seasonal cravings. Be sure to secure some extras to share with your loved ones this holiday season.

While the Fall beers are in full swing and the Winter beers are peaking around the corner, the Michigan Brew Trail would like to take the next couple of months to appreciate the Michigan craft beverage industry with a Readers Choice Awards

campaign. This contest will allow our readers to vote on anything and everything craft beer related in Michigan. This is your chance to have your voice heard all around the state and to give some public recognition to your local craft beverage establishments.

You can go to www.mibrewtrail. com to find the online platform and begin casting your nominations and votes for all your favorite Michigan brands. From beers, spirits, ciders, meads, and the people in the industry that make it all happen. We want to hear from you, so we can find out who is the Best of the Best!

See you on the trail. Cheers!

Tony Garant tony.garant@hearst.com

Did You Know?

842,216 Barrels of Craft Beer are produced per Year in Michigan. This ranks 10th in the U.S. -Brewers Association 2022

MEET THE BREWER: Joe Powers

Mike Lerchenfeldt MiBrew Trail

Joe Powers is the head brewer and production manager at Homegrown Brewing Company in Oxford. He is dedicated to putting his time into high quality, craft brewing.

Homegrown goes by the motto “get down to earth” which reflects how they want to brew an excellent example of core styles to help make craft beer more approachable in their lively community.

Joe started home brewing around 15 years ago and developed a passion for it. When his dad joined him, they found that they made a great team, and it really grew from there.

While Joe is technically self-taught, there is a lot of overlap in information from his previous career in Environmental Engineering, where he used to work in the Upper Peninsula, Florida, Australia, and New Zealand.

He has also benefited from the knowledge shared by peers in the industry, such as Annette May from Schoolcraft College and Know Beer. The Brewers Association has great educational resources, and the Cicerone Certification Program has been helpful.

Joe was surprised how welcoming the industry is to newcomers. Homegrown is surrounded by amazing breweries in Metro Detroit and throughout Michigan. Before opening their doors to the public in 2017, they received advice from local stalwarts like Brooks Brewing and Brewery Vivant.

Homegrown has seven flagship brews that they strive to make superb examples of their style, and about five or six seasonals where they get to experiment more, plus seltzers. They make new beers almost weekly, which keeps it fun for Joe. Staying on top of the planning and management of keeping 16 taps full and fresh can be tricky. Homegrown has had incredible brewery assistants but always seem to be looking for and training new ones. Since opening, they have received numer-

ous awards for their brews. In 2019, the Oxford Ale, a cream ale, won a gold medal at the World Beer Expo in addition to The Zephyros Hazy New England India Pale Ale winning gold and Ruck-a-chuck American India Pale Ale receiving bronze at the New York International Beer Competition. The Zephyros started out as a hazy experiment and was so popular that they added it to the permanent line-up.

At the 2020 New York International Beer Competition, Homegrown was named Michigan IPA Brewery of the Year, received gold again for The Zephyros, as well as bringing home the bronze for their Pine Knob Spruce Tip Pale Ale and White Pine Coffee Porter.

At the 2021 New York International Beer Competition, they were named Michigan Belgian Style Brewery of the Year, received gold for their Poly Ann Witbier, silver for Oxford Ale, and bronze for Steamboat Stout.

Homegrown was also named Best Brewpub in Metro Detroit in the ClickOnDetroit competition in 2020 and 2021 recognizing them for creating a pro-kid, family-friendly environment. Their beer-pairing dinners are a huge hit and have a bit of a cult following.

Joe is very proud of their local sourcing ethos, for both brews and their fromscratch kitchen. They have so many fresh ingredients available nearby and they love to support local suppliers. Homegrown even hosts an annual Makers Market to celebrate their local farmers, veggie growers, coffee roasters, and beekeepers.

Down the road, their friends at White Pine Coffee supply them with delicious beans. They order a special double strength cold brew to make their coffee beers.

One of their brews was an all-Michigan IPA made with specialty malt from Detroit’s Motor City Malthouse, hops from MI Local Hops in Traverse City, and a yeast from Craft Cultures in the UP. Unfortunately, Craft Cultures is now closed.

Tap

Jon Becker MiBrewTrail

History is being made in Royal Oak this fall. Eastern Market Brewing Co., a community focused craft brewery based in the heart of Detroit’s historic commercial district, has announced plans to open Michigan’s first fully self-service taproom this month (October). The new concept, Lincoln Tap, features a 30-tap self-pour draft system powered by iPourlt technology. It will serve as an interactive showroom for craft beers brewed by Eastern Market Brewing Co., and its experimental arm, Ferndale project.

“We are very excited about Lincoln Tap,”

said David Mates-Knapp, operations director for the Eastern Market Brewing Co.

The excitement for the long-anticipated self-tap room follows Governor Gretchen Whitmer signing into law a bill allowing the use of self-pour tap wall technology for bars and restaurants in the state of Michigan. Eastern Market Brewing Co. officials said iPourlt, billed as North America’s leading provider of self-pour beverage dispense technology, helped with efforts to get the legislation passed. With the addition of Michigan to the mix, the self-pour market can now be found in 45 of the 50 U.S. states.

The self-serve tap wall system will offer

a rotating selection of beers, plus wine and cold brew coffee. Guests can explore details for each product on touch screens above the taps and pour as much or as little as they please. RFID-enabled wristbands are used to activate the system and track the ounces.

“This has been in the works for some time and we’re excited to be able to partner with business owners and entrepreneurs to bring the self-pour experience to Michigan,” said Darren Nicholson, VP of Sales at iPourlt. “The new legislation requires that patrons have their RFID token affixed to their bodies while using the tap wall so our system’s built-in wristband solution is perfect for this market.”

Eastern Market Brewing Co. has become a popular destination since first launching as a taproom-focused brewery in the center of the bustling Detroit open-air market, back in 2017.

Its opening marked the first brewery to call Eastern Market home in more than 30 years. It has staked its reputation on brewing a variety of craft beers using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible to support market vendors and local businesses.

The production facility at the new Royal Oak location will triple the size of its brewing system to expand expanded distribution. The company has, over the past five years, grown its footprint and experimented with a variety of other ventures including direct-to-consumer

beer delivery, coffee roasting, vegan donuts, and Detroit-style pizza.

Mapes-Knapp said the company’s partners initially were reluctant to consider the self-serve model. That changed when they found themselves at a selfpour taproom in Florida earlier this year.

That eye-opening experience inspired them to consider the technology for their own business and led to research-and the discovery that a bill was being advanced in Michigan to allow self-pour systems.

Self-pour technology creates an entirely new, more personal experience for taproom customers. We all know that some of our most serious, as well as some of our most lighthearted conversations,

take place over a cold one or two.

“Customer service is the foundation of our business and the experience that our staff creates is integral. With self-pour technology, they can focus on storytelling and creating an awesome, inviting experience,” said Dayne Bartscht, co-founder and managing partner of Eastern Market Brewing Co. “Being able to operate more efficiently is also a big benefit. We like to innovate, so being one of the first is exciting.”

The grand opening will be held at a yet to be determined date in October, with soft launches proceeding. Lincoln Tap is located at 330 E. Lincoln Ave., Royal Oak. Visit www.lincolntap.com for more details.

Photo credits: Tony Priemer

TWO MICHIGAN BREWERIES TAKE GOLD IN DENVER

Ed Fritz MiBrewTrail

Denver, Colo. - The 2022 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition award ed 300 medals to the best commercial breweries in the United States. Two Michigan breweries won gold medals.

Presented by the Brewers Associa tion (BA), GABF is the nation’s largest professional beer competition and the premier symbol of brewing excellence.

Award-winning breweries received prestigious gold, silver, and bronze medals in 98 beer categories covering 177 different beer styles (including all subcategories), establishing the best examples of each style in the country.

In addition, three GABF Collaboration medals pairing two professional brewer ies, and three GABF Pro-Am medals pairing homebrewers with professional brewers, were announced. The awards ceremony was held at the Bellco The atre in Denver during the 40th anniver sary Great American Beer Festival.

The Royal Oak Brewery won gold for its

Northern Kölsch in the German-Style Koelsch category and Springfield-based Territorial Brewing Company won in the American Fruit Beer category for its Berry, Berry, Quite Contrary.

The competition took place in three phases over a period of nine days and was judged by 235 beer experts from seven countries, including the U.S. In addition to 9,904 commercial brewery entries, the judging panel also evalu ated 35 Pro-Am entries and 94 Collab oration entries. The competition was made possible with the help of 310 volunteers.

“Each year the Great American Beer Fes tival showcases the best that American brewers have to offer,” said Chris Wil liams, competition director, Great Amer ican Beer Festival. “With 9,904 entries, this year’s competition was the most competitive to date. Congratulations to all the winners who truly demonstrated why the U.S. is the best brewing nation in the world.”

The Royal Oak Brewery describes their Northern Kölsch as “our lightest beer,

brewed with one hundred percent German malt. Delicately hopped with a crisp, clean finish. A refreshing first or last pint.” It is brewed with 100% Ger man hops, and 4.2% alcohol by volume.

MiBrew Trail recently spoke with Jeremy Altier, the brewer of Northern Kölsch. He tells us their Kölsch has been a cornerstone of their brewery for years with events surrounding it, usually once a month in the warmer months out on their patio. These usually take place on the 2nd Saturday of the month where The Royal Oak Brewery will serve the Northern Kölsch in the traditional way as originated from Cologne, Germany. The beer is served in a cylindrical glass called a Stange, served on a tray called a Kranz. The tradition is that you don’t ask for it, you just receive it and when it is empty, you will receive another one until you tell them to stop serving you beer.

Territorial Brewing describes Berry, Ber ry, Quite Contrary as a “Brut Rosé Lager.

Sometimes you just really feel like a beer

Jon Becker MiBrewTrail

Sometimes you just really feel like having a beer. And when you have to rely on others to satisfy your thirst, well, that can be a problem. Ted Linabury, founder of Kalamazoo’s newest brewery & taproom, the uniquely named Brewery Outre,’ traces his inspiration for becoming a brewery owner back to his college days at Michigan State University.

“I started home brewing just over 10 years ago, shortly before I turned 21,” Linabury said. “I was working as an engineering intern in Asheville, NC. My roommates there were kind of square, didn’t drink much, and didn’t like buying me beer.”

What to do when going beer-deprived as a college student simply wasn’t an option?

“I took matters into my own hands when I realized I could simply order homebrew equipment online. Asheville was already a

burgeoning craft beer destination. As soon as I turned 21, I started exploring the scene. I almost immediately became obsessed with brewing.”

Following his summer internship, Linabury returned to East Lansing and started brewing with other members of the MSU Student Housing Cooperative, where he lived at the time. In the spirit of cooperation, the budding brewery entrepreneurs wrote a business plan for a cooperatively-owned brewery they called “Twin Pints,” a play on “Twin Pines,” the official North American symbol of cooperatives.

“We actually won some prizes in a couple college student business pitch competitions which ultimately went towards buying better homebrew equipment,” recounted Linabury.

Following college, Linabury continued to hone his brewing skills, his passion burning deep.

“I became obsessed with the idea of

starting my own brewery,” he said. “I started experimenting with Saison and Brettanomyces beers, identifying it as a niche in the market. While going down this path, I stumbled upon a recipe that combined a home winemaking kit with a simple Saison recipe to make a truly unique type of fruit beer.”

The experiment turned out to be a smashing success.

“The beer turned out fantastic and won much acclaim from friends and family, some even asking for it as a birthday gift,” he said. “I knew I was on to something, and very few commercial breweries were making them.”

Linabury may not be the originator of the beer-wine hybrid style, but if you talk to patrons of Brewery Outre’ “having it down to a science” comes up frequently.

“I always tell people that we’re not the inventors of the style (Dogfish Head has been making them for over a decade),

but I’m astonished they haven’t caught on more. The flavors of the grapes carry through fermentation much better than other fruits and they mesh incredibly well with the flavor and aroma contributions from yeast and hops.”

Brewery Outre’, located within walking dis tance of downtown Kalamazoo, specializes in beer-wine hybrids, Saisons and new vari ations of classic beer styles. Linabury came up with the name for his brewery and taproom while researching Saison beers.

“I happened upon the term ‘outre’” being used to describe a very off-the-wall beer experiment. Referring to something taken too far in French, the word has been adopted in English to mean weird, far-out, shockingly different. I thought this was perfect to describe my unique French-Bel gian inspired Saisons, and Brewery Outre’ was born.”

Initially, looking to get his beer in the

hands of consumers without drowning in debt, Linabury partnered with another Kalamazoo brewer that provide him the opportunity to began brewing and selling his own brand of beer through the compa ny’s distribution channels.

“Our first sale ever was a keg of Sauvignon Savant, a French Saison fermented with Sauvignon Blanc grape juice, to the Union in Kalamazoo. My goal, however, was always to open my own taproom in down town Kalamazoo.”

That dream was realized earlier this year. After securing funding through a com munity lender that specializes in start-ups and small businesses, Brewery Outre’ found what it considers an ideal location: the new Harrison Circle Apartment Building, which went up in early 2021, in the River Edge Commercial District. The former mechani cal engineer is delighted to have a space to call his own.

“We held our grand opening on, no joke, April 1, 2022,” Linabury said. “We did a ton of work ourselves. This included building the bar, cold room, seating and setting up all of the brewing equipment.”

The 2,300 square foot taproom is full of light and uses natural materials like wood, tile and copper accents to contrast the industrial concrete construction. It’s an airy, contemporary space with high ceilings that also offers cozy nooks with couches and board games. The outdoor dog-friend ly patio is partly shaded by hop vines growing onto string lights.

“Niagra grape vines will soon be crawling over the fence, too,” enthuses Linabury. “We don’t have our own kitchen, so outside food or delivery is encouraged.”

There are many nearby restaurants that offer takeout, including Louie’s Trophy House, People’s Food Co-op, Elysium and Water Street Coffee.

“We’re hopeful that a new restaurant will soon be opening in the commercial space next to us,” Linabury said.

Brewery Outre’s current beer menu has four beer-wine hybrids, including two sours, and two IPA’s. Their flagship beer is Blanc Slate IPA, an Oeno beer fermented with Sauvignon Blanc grape juice, using a unique yeast strain that was captured from honey at a Pacific Northwest farmhouse brewery.

“We describe the beer as a hybrid of a juicy IPA, and a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Citra and Hallertau Blanc contribute aro mas of mango and pineapple, and double up on the grape and lime flavors. Complex but easy drinking, it’s one of our favorite beers ever and was a major inspiration to open our new taproom.”

The entire taproom menu can be found on the company’s website: https://www. breweryoutre.com/taproom-menu

Photo credits: Ted Linabury

A COMEBACK STORY FOR THE AGES

Jon Becker MiBrewTrail

Nostalgia sells. And when you combine that with three beer-loving buddies who also share a passion for their hometown of Detroit, you have a formula for a come back story for the ages. All centering on an iconic Motor City beer brand.

Altes Original Detroit Lager, one of Mich igan’s oldest beers with origins dating back to 1910 that changed hands a few times over the years before disappearing entirely in the 1990’s, is being revived by Eric Stief, Pat Kruse and Carl Erickson. The three co-founders of Altes Detroit Brewing Company have relaunched the historic Detroit beer with an eye on restoring it to its former status.

“After World War II Altes was the top selling beer in Michigan,” said Erickson, who grew up in West Bloomfield and now resides in Gaylord. “Over 800,000 barrels were sold a year. Strohs and Altes went back and forth for years as the leading beer in the state.”

The business partners grew up togeth er. Many fond memories of their youth involved that hometown favorite, Altes.

“All three of us love beer, love Detroit and love Michigan,” Kruse said of the decision to dive headfirst into reintroducing the

brand. “We wanted to launch a heritage beer. Altes was the best choice.”

“It was the first beer I stole out of my father’s refrigerator, Erickson said. “He never said anything to me. The brand was shockingly abandoned by the previous

holder. It went into the public domain and we acquired the brand and trademark.”

When the trio relaunched Altes Beer com mercially in May of 2019, they were fully aware of its long association with Detroit, and how it came to embody the working class grit of a town that loves its sports and Bavarian-style beer.

“We’re a German-style lager that goes back to the European tradition of brewing,” Kruse said. “It’s a very unique lager in today’s market. We make it as a premium product. We’re not just putting another American pilsner on the shelves. We only use imported German hops. That’s why it tastes a bit different from beer made with American hops.”

There is nothing ordinary about an Altes Beer. It’s a Detroit original, brewed for decades at the corner of Mack and Hurlbut on Detroit’s East Side, its history going back to at least 1910. By the time Prohibi tion began in the United States in 1920 it

Left to right - Carl Erickson, Eric Stief, Pat Kruse

MICHIGAN BREW TRAIL

WELCOME TO THE TRAIL!

As Michigan’s emerging craft beer scene continues to grow and evolve, the craft beer lovers of the state are growing in numbers and evolving too. And as we do, it’s not just our palate for craft beer that is changing, it is our desire to seek out the craft beer experience. With Michigan now ranking sixth in the number of breweries in the USA, there are plenty of great experiences to be had.

learn more from our local partners by scanning the QR codes

UPCOMING EVENTS

More details about these and other events at MiBrewTrail.com/events

Nature Uncorked Beer & Wine Tasting

Fri, Nov 4 • 2-10pm

Troy Community Center 3179 Livernois Rd, Troy, MI

Polar Run - Mills Production Facility

2022 MI Brewery Running Series

Sun, Nov 6 • 12-2pm

Rochester Mills Production Brewery & Taproom, 3275 West Lapeer Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Flapjack & Flannel Festival

Saturday, Nov 12th • 12-6pm Jacob’s Farm • 7100 E Traverse Hwy, Traverse City

Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival Nov 18 & 19, 2022

Devos Place 303 Monroe Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Treetops Resort Beer & Wine Festival

Saturday, Nov 20, 2022 • 6-10pm Treetops Resort • 3962 Wilkinson Rd, Gaylord

Ada Chili & Beer Festival

Dec 3, 2022 • 11-3pm

Downtown Ada on the grounds of The Community Church

Whiskey & Wine Fest 2022

Saturday, Dec 10, 2022 • 6-10pm

Royal Oak Farmers Market 316 E 11 Mile Rd Royal Oak, MI 48067

Dingle Dangle Ball 2022

Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 • 5-11:59pm

B.Nektar Meadery • 1511 Jarvis St, Ferndale

12 Great Michigan Beers for Fall 2022

With the fall harvest season upon us, it’s time to look at some delicious autumn beers that won’t remind you of Grandma’s potpourri stash.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The crisp afternoons and evenings are perfect for gathering with friends and family to celebrate another beautiful summer and look forward to the holiday season. Part of the joy of fall are the beers that showcase the harvest. The following are some of the many Michigan beers that make the fall beer season sensational.

Chuck Marshall MiBrew Trail #1 HARVEST ALE

Harvest ale is less of a beer style and more of a celebration of the fall hop harvest. These beers showcase fresh floral hops in all their splendor. The latest offerings from Arbor Brewing Company, Short’s Brewing Company, and North Center Brewing Company are some winners in this lineup.

We stopped into Arbor Brewing’s Plymouth taproom to try out their Harvest IPA, which features hops from our friends at Hop Alliance. This beer is bright and fresh, like a sunny Saturday in October. At 6% ABV, it might be a wee bit heavy for tailgating, or maybe not.

ARBOR BREWING COMPANY

BLACK FIRE WINERY & BREWERY

SHORT’S BREWING COMPANY

Short’s Pure Michigan Autumn IPA certainly lives up to its name. Using Michigan malt from Empire Malting Co, Great Lakes Malting Company, and Valley View Farms, with hops from MI Local Hops and Hop Alliance it is a beautifully balanced IPA. The crisp finish makes for the perfect ending to a day spent hiking in the woods.

Over at North Center Brewing Company in Northville, they are taking fresh hops to a new level with their Freshy Fresh harvest pale ale. Using Aztec hops picked from the hop yard at Mr. Wizard Hops in Monroe, this pale is bursting with flavor, hinting at lemon, lime, and green tea. The dry satisfying finish will go great with a bowl of chili.

DARK BEER

Fall is the perfect time to embrace the colder weather with a dark beer.

#4

Black Fire Winery in Tecumseh brews sumptuous beers in addition to their great wine and cider offerings. Their chocolate hazel stout is a fudgy nut brownie in a glass. Relax on their deck with this beer and feel all the cares of the world drift away.

Head to Original Gravity in Milan and snag a pint or two of their Shinebox Dunkelweizen. You get the lovely roasted notes of a Dunkel with the refreshment of a wheat beer in one tasty package. Shinebox will surely stir your loins.

BLACK FIRE WINERY & BREWERY #5

#6

The brewers at Eastern Market Brewing Company hit the bullseye with a s’more-inspired sweet stout called Flannel Weather. This low ABV beer is the go-to when you want a luscious dark beer that won’t put you under the table.

OKTOBER FEST

Nothing says fall like the coming of the Oktoberfest beers (aka Märzen or Märzenbier). These malty wonders are songs of celebration.

ORIGINAL GRAVITY

EASTERN MARKET BREWING COMPANY

Leading the pack this year is Grand River Brewery in Jackson. Their Oktoberfest is a full-bodied amber jamboree.

RIVER

Last but not least is the Oktoberfest served up by Salt Springs Brewery in Saline. This light amber beer is full of October sunshine and should be enjoyed with friends over a game of euchre.

Another fantastic celebration lager can be found in Marquette at Blackrocks Brewery. I had a chance to try this beauty at the recent U.P. Fall Beer Festival, and its marvelous caramel notes are outstanding.

FALL HARVEST

I had a recent conversation with friends centered around the question

everything. From

to Pop Tarts, it was pumpkin, pumpkin,

the

#10

We made our way over to Bearded Lamb Brewing Company in Plymouth to check out their Gourd & Plenty pumpkin brown. You get hints of squash without the overwhelming spice. This savory beverage helped ease the pain of another Lions loss.

BEARDED LAMB BREWING COMPANY

everyone wanted

COGNITION BREWING COMPANY

During our trip to the U.P. for the beer fest, we sampled Perpetually Haunted Autumn from Cognition Brewing Company in Ishpeming. Now, this is how you properly introduce a touch of cinnamon into a beer. A smooth amber jewel, Perpetually Haunted Autumn gives hints of Halloween with each sip.

#11

Rounding out our list of fall beers is the incredible Harvest for the Misses by Ramshackle Brewing Company in Jonesville. Using roasted apples and squash prepared by their neighbors at Olivia’s Chop House, this local collaboration is a salute to the fall harvest. The apple and squash give this beer an intriguing sweet and sour profile. You can enjoy Harvest for the Misses at Ramshackle’s lively pub or get some to go. While you are there, get a pack of English Drizzle beer brats for an evening treat.

BREWERY COMING TO MARQUETTE YEARS IN THE MAKING

Brenda Marshall MiBrewTrail

Kognisjon Bryggeri is opening soon in Marquette, Michigan.

Before the U.P. Beer Festival, we met with Jay Clancey, the owner of Cognition Brewery in Ishpeming, Michigan. Clancey and his team have been working over the last couple of years to build out a new brewery in Marquette.

The new brewery named Kognisjon Bryggeri will be located at 1034 North 3rd in a building built in 1957, which was previously an A&P Grocery Store. The space is getting a serious makeover, including a Viking twist. You can think of it as the Viking version of Cognition Brewery, according to Clancey.

We told Clancey, “You are changing your feathers a little bit, but you’re still the same bird.”

“There you go,” he said.

The brewery in Ishpeming will stay in its current home in the Mather Inn.

“I don’t want to move that brew house. It’s too nice of a fit in there,” Clancey said. “The goal is to open by Halloween, definitely by Thanksgiving. I don’t see anything else with licensing. I think we’ve crossed all those

hurdles. We just crossed the sign hurdles.”

The bar is set to feature ten taps and “secret surprise ornamentation” at the bar.

“So you are bringing a little bit of Ishpeming with you?” We said to Clancey. He replied, “Oh, we are bringing a big bit, a big bit in your face.”

To give patrons a food option when they visit, there is a serving window between a food truck called the Fish Express and the Kognisjon Taproom. The taproom will also have plenty of outdoor seating with large windows that can open between the indoor and patio seating areas, according to Clancey.

“I think we can brew in about a month. All the tanks are set,” Clancey said. Unfortunately, the installation of the glycol, the chilling fluid that cools all the fermenters, was delayed.

The brew house at Kognisjon will use a seven-and-a-half barrel system from Quality Tank System. The system is from a brewery in Brainerd, Minnesota, that wanted a bigger operation.

“A brewery was closing down just up the street,” Clancey said. “They just moved and

There’s a new leader in town at Atwater Brewing

AND SHE IS EXCITED TO BE BACK IN MICHIGAN

Katy McBrady – President, Atwater Brewery

If you happen to see a woman in a Detroit dive bar sipping a bottle of Atwater’s Dirty Blonde or Vanilla Java Porter, that might very well be the brewery’s president, Katy McBrady. “I don’t know if there’s like a barstool in Detroit that I haven’t sat on at some point,” she says. “[Atwater is] a light-hearted brand… anywhere where folks are like having a good time, we want to be in the fun spots.”

The 34-year-old Downriver native and Central Michigan University grad was just named a Crain’s Detroit 40 Under 40 recipient as she solidifies herself in her role as the leader of one of Michigan’s oldest and largest breweries. McBrady cut her teeth working in the Michigan beer sales business before heading to Los Angeles for the better part of a decade, serving in a leadership role at Angel City Brewery and VP of Sales for distributor Classic Beverage.

McBrady wanted to be back in the Midwest, however, and fought tooth and nail to get back to Detroit. She came onboard as Atwater’s president in March 2022, a little over two years after MolsonCoors acquired the company through their craft conduit Tenth & Blake. Atwater currently distributes beer to five states around the Great Lakes and has plenty of runway to grow in Michigan and beyond. How has the first six months of her tenure been? What changes has she made and what’s her plan for Atwater’s immediate future? We sat down with McBrady to find out.

MBT: You really fought hard to get this position. What did you do to get your foot in the door at Atwater?

KMcB: I’ve been interested in Atwater for years, and I’ve always had an aspiration to come back to Detroit. And I’m a huge craft beer fan, right? So being able to combine the two things I love the most—this is a big opportunity for me.

Kark Klockars

MiBrewTrail

So, when the role came up, I worked my network pretty hard. I called everyone I could find who was even with Atwater at Molson Coors. I called people I knew in the distributor network. Back in Michigan, I really reached out to about every single person who I felt could be helpful and made sure that I was understanding like one the scope of the role and what it would look like, and then making sure that I was really setting myself up for a productive interview with as much informa tion as possible.

MBT: When you were making those calls, were you also thinking about what kind of skills you might need to take over like the President’s chair? Were there things you didn’t know, but knew you needed to know, before you landed the gig?

KMcB: Managing a distributorship, for folks who aren’t super aware of the intricacies of that, is largely an operations job in and of itself. So, in principle, I felt that I had enough knowledge on all of the different areas that I would need to be knowledgeable in to take the role. Because I think like when you take on a leadership role, it’s about the team that you build around you and their capability, right? So, it’s making sure that I’m finding the best and most qualified people to run each of the

departments that we have here at Atwater. We have an absolutely wonderful team here.

MiBrewTrail: You’ve been in the President’s office for about a half a year now. How’s it been so far?

Katy McBrady: It’s been great. I’m excited, I’m learning a lot. It’s been great to get to know the team, [and] to reinvent myself in the Detroit community after about 10 years in Los Angeles. Absolutely no complaints on my end. In fact, I might be having too much fun. It’s been really wonderful.

MBT: Do you feel like you’ve fully acclimated to this new role, and also acclimated back to Detroit?

KMcB: I’m getting there. Anytime I start a new job, I really take like the first 90 days just to observe what everyone’s doing, to observe the way the business runs. And just to make sure that I fully understand. I think there’s a lot there just about like being understanding and compassionate and understanding that as a leader, you don’t do everything. So it’s import ant to understand the building backs lacs of the organization that you’ve inherited.

MBT: So, from where you were six months ago walking in the door to where Atwater is

now, what kind of tweaks have you made?

KMcB: I think one of the things I immediately noticed was just, a ton of potential. We had a bunch of unused tank space. So immediately, like my head jumps to, “Okay—we should be able to like increase capacity on site.” Now some of that comes with upgrading some of the equipment that we have just to maximize that capacity. But that was really the first thing that I saw that I was like, okay, this is good. We have room.”

MBT: Talk to us about your history as like an Atwater drinker at large. There aren’t a lot of 25 year old breweries in the country—was Atwater beer on your radar back when you were in Detroit or going to school at CMU?

KMcB: For sure. I’ve been a huge fan of Atwa ter since I got into craft beer. [Former owner] Mark [Rieth] and I have known each other for over a decade. I’ve chased him down for a job more than once before I ended up in this job. This opportunity has been on my radar prob ably since I was about 22. Like everyone who enters into the Atwater franchise, the first beer I tried from Atwater was Dirty Blonde, and I’ve grown to love like the rest of our portfolio. My

See atwater

Award Program to Recognize

Best of Michigan Craft Beverage Industry

Jon Becker MiBrewTrail

The innovators and the risk takers. The hard workers and the crafty creators. The maestros of marketing and the brilliance of bartenders. All of this mix and much more—such as sweat, blood, restless nights and some tears—goes into creating a successful business and brand in Michigan’s booming craft beer industry. That’s why your friends at Michigan Brew Trail decided that the craftsmen and craftswomen who make up this increasingly important segment of the state’s economy deserve some recognition. They already have our respect and admiration, but some love from our readers, the loyal customers of

Michigan’s breweries and distilleries, may be the ultimate compliment.

The Michigan Brew Trail is launching its Best of the Best in the Michigan Craft Beer Industry. This Readers Choice program will recognize some of the industry’s finest, from bartenders, wait staff and brewmasters, to breweries, beers and social media presence. We’ve made every effort in setting this up to make sure our categories cover everything: Michigan Craft Beer, Michigan Ciders & Meads, Michigan Breweries, Michigan Distilleries and Wineries, Michigan Beer Destinations, 5Michigan Brewery Marketing, Design & Education, Michigan Brewery Cuisine and Michigan Brewery People. We’re also looking to identify the Best Beer City, Beer Garden,

Breweries and Patios.

“We cover it all,” said Ed Fritz, Michigan Brew Trail Publisher. “The program is designed to recognize the best of the best in the Michigan Craft Beverage Industry. This means its product, people and places.”

Here’s how it works:

The program has a nomination round and a voting round. Anyone can be nominated during the nomination round in the various categories. Readers can begin nominating on October 22. The top 5 nominees from each category are placed into the voting round. Voting begins December 12. Michigan Brew Trail will announce the top 3 finishers at the conclusion of the program. Winners will be announced

Feb. 18 in a special edition of MiBrew Trail Magazine.

All nominating and voting will be online at MiBrewTrail.com

Fritz and the rest of the MiBrewTrail team are excited to be part of what’s become nothing short of a phenomenon.

“The craft beverage industry is a big part of Michigan culture,” Fritz noted. “It’s a huge part of our economy and it’s a very big part of our state’s tourism industry. It’s certainly a big part of our pride as Michiganders. We like to be associated with winners and that’s exactly what we have the privilege of experiencing firsthand with our top notch brew houses and distilleries in this state.”

Go to MiBrewTrail.com for details.

Michigan Breweries

Best Beer Selection

Best Brewery

Best Brewery Atmosphere

Best Brewery Patio Best Brewery Special Event Space

Best Dog Friendly Brewery

Best New Brewery 2022 Best Upper Peninsula Brewery Best Growler Bar

Michigan Craft Beer

Best Amber

Best Brown Ale

Best Coffee Beer

Best Collaboration Beer

Best Doppelbock

Best Dunkel

Best Gluten Free Beer Best Golden/ Blonde Ale Best Hefeweizen

Best IPA

Best Irish Red

Best Kolsch

Best Lager

Best Red Lager

Best Marzen/Oktoberfest

Best Michigan Seltzer

Best New Beer 2022

Best Non alcoholic Beer

Best Pale Ale

Best Pilsner

Best Porter Best Pumpkin Beer Best Rye Beer

Best Sour

Best Specialty IPA Best Stout

Best Michigan Historic/ Heritage Beer Best Summer beer

Best Winter Beer Best Autumn beer Best Spring beer

Michigan Distilleries & Wineries

Best Craft Cocktail

Best Michigan Canned Cocktail

Best Michigan Distillery

Best Michigan Tequila

Best Michigan Vodka Best Michigan Whiskey Best Michigan Wine Best Michigan Winery Best Michigan Rum Best Michigan Gin

VOTING ROUND

will announce the winners in a special

MiBrew Trail Magazine on February 18.

Best Michigan Moonshine Best Michigan Bourbon

Michigan Beer Destinations

Best Beer Event/ Festival Best Beer Store

Best Michigan Beer City (CVBs)

Best Michigan Beer Publication

Best Michigan Craft Beer Tap Room (non brewery)

Best Social District Best Beer Garden Best Home Brew Supply Best Hops Farm

Michigan Brewery Cuisine

Best Brewery Appetizer

Best Brewery Burger Best Brewery Dessert Best Brewery Food/Menu Best Brewery Sandwich Best Food Truck Appearance

Michigan Brewery People

Best Beer Critic

Best Beertender

Best Brewery Chef Best Brewery Staff

Best Brewmaster Best Cicerone Best Michigan Distiller Best Mixologist Best Podcast Best Vintner Best Waiter/Waitress

Michigan Brewery Marketing, Design, & Education

Best Beer Label

Best Beer Name

Best Brewery Apparel/ Merch Best Brewery Logo Best Brewery Name Best Brewery Social Media Best Charity Collaboration Best College for Brewing Degree Best Growler Design Best Mug Club

Michigan Ciders & Meads

Best Hard Cider

Best Hard Cidery Best Mead Best Meadery

had became the beer of choice for many hardworking Detroiters, many of them immigrant autoworkers. Legend has it that the beer, made by European-trained brew masters to emulate the crisp, refreshing lagers of their homeland, was still brewed during the dry years and sold at speakeas ies across town. After prohibition was lifted in 1933, Altes, like Detroit itself, took off. A working class town wrapping its calloused hands and soft heart around a working class brew. Talk about a perfect match.

“After WWII, Altes became the top selling beer in Michigan,” Erickson said. “Over 800,000 barrels were sold.”

Its popularity continued to grow. By the 1950s, Altes had such a large and loyal customer base among outdoorsmen that its Sportsman Ale became one of the first sponsors of the long running “Michigan Outdoors” television program, hosted and produced by Mort Neff. In the ‘60s, Altes became an official sponsor of the Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers.

The diehard Detroiters are determined to restore Altes to its glory days.

“We want to grow the brand so it’s once again among Michigan’s great beers,” Kruse said. “The beer is already great. We just have to grow the brand. There are a lot of products on shelves in beer sections.”

“The beer tastes like beer,” Erickson said. “It has a strong legacy and a strong history in Michigan.”

They cut no corners with their beloved Altes. They use 100% barley malt and 100% German imported hops, a beer the

Joe enjoys continuously getting to make something new, being creative, and improving his craft. They are not trying to be weird with their beers, and they want to make craft beer something that people can enjoy without feeling like they must be connoisseurs.

He is doing what he loves and is following his passions. Joe absolutely loves the reci pe creation and the beginning to end pro cess from ingredients to beer. Being able to write a recipe and create something different out of raw grains that people can enjoy is a great feeling.

He is creative with his beers and thinks out

side the box, which allows their brewery to always have a rotation of taps. Joe is a great role model for anyone interested in learning more about brewing some ale or a career in the craft beer industry. When he is not brewing, Joe likes to hike, mountain bike, and spend time in the outdoors. He met his Australian wife when he was on study exchange from Michigan Tech. They now have two young kids who keep them busy.

Homegrown Brewing Company are proud members of the Michigan Brewers Guild and the Feelgood Tap Program. They are exceptional and worth putting on the fall to-do list.

gold in denver from 10

This is a very dry, lightly hopped, highly carbonated beer fermented with cranberry and raspberry which produce its distinctive red color and delightful berry aroma.” It is 7%-ABV.

The full list of winners is available at greatamericanbeerfestival.com

THE ROYAL OAK BREWERY

215 East 4th Street

Royal Oak, MI 48067 royaloakbrewery.com

TERRITORIAL BREWING

1600 Avenue A Springfield, MI 49037 territorialbrewing.com

gentlemen say is a highly drinkable local ly-produced lager that honors Detroit’s storied beer heritage.

Altes Detroit Brewing Company also has another beer under its label, Altes Sportsman Copper Lager (formerly Altes Sportsman Ale). They reintroduced the once popular red lager this fall.

It has the same simple four ingredients as its Altes Original Detroit Lager counterpart (European malt, water, yeast and hops) but the malt is toasted.

“It’s a little darker, an original full-flavored German lager,” Erickson. “It has more of a malt-forward flavor. There is no citrusy taste because of the Bavarian hops.”

The beer-enthusiasts-turned-throwback beer entrepreneurs are “happy with how both beers turned out,” Kruse said. “We think people will enjoy them once they try

them.”

The Bavarian-style beers are distributed statewide. Meijer is one of the major retail ers that carries Altes Original Detroit Lager. You can pick up a 12-pack of Altes Original there for about $13.99-$14.99.

“Our goal is to increase distribution efficiencies,” Erickson said. “We’d like to see more stores carry our beer. We’d like to see Sportsman picked up by major chains.”

That hardly seems far-fetched given the early returns. Altes may have stopped brewing in Detroit back in 1973, but its simple, crisp flavor is the stuff of legend for those old enough to remember it. Even if they’re not, you can find millennials at bars and restaurants all over the state for

“Thirsty Tuesdays” or “Throwback Thurs days” that offer specials on classics such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, Stroh’s, Old Milwaukee,

Blatz, Miller High Life and Hamm’s, among others. Altes has its own following and, under its new ownership team, seems destined to bolster its name recognition far beyond southeast Michigan.

“It’s been very positive,” Erickson said. “Peo ple come up to us all the time and tell us about their fond memories with Altes. We know of people who have buried loved ones with an Altes or two in the coffin with them. This is the type of brand that evokes a lot of emotion, a lot of memories. We were hit hard by COVID, but are very pleased with how things are going now.”

In the beginning, back in 1910, Altes Beer was known as Tivoli Brewery, later renamed as Atlas Brewing Co. The beer was brewed in Detroit from 1910-1973, and then Frankenmuth before the major beer company consolidations of the ‘70s and ‘80s left it on the cutting room in the early 90’s.

Joe Powers

left this stuff behind. Quality Tank System got it and brought it back just at the time we were looking for a system. We had 24 hours to decide.”

The plan is to brew beer in both the Ishpeming and Marquette locations. Both breweries will brew a variety of beers along with house favorites such as Gnome Wrecker, according to Clancey.

“We’ll eventually have a 15-barrel unit, a bright tank here and another seven. We’ll serve directly from here.”

The tap lines at Kognisjon Bryggeri will be much shorter than the lines at their Ishpeming location which means less work to clean draft lines.

“Here’s to the new Marquette Ishpeming combination,” Clancey said. “The Cognition with a K! Cheers.”

Cognition Brewing has done a fair amount of collaborations with bands across the country. We asked head brewer Kris Thompson about some recent special releases.

“Commit to the Void is a collaboration with

Cloud Rat, a grindcore band from Michi gan,” Thompson said. “We don’t collaborate with other breweries. We randomly sent them [Could Rat] Facebook messages like, ‘Hey, you want to make a beer?’”

Cloud Rat responded with, “Just make whatever you want.” Thompson had to give them a nudge. “But as a band, what kind of beer do you want?”

The band then mentioned doing a strong fruited hefeweizen. “Boom. We leaned into it with an 8% Imperial Mango Hefewei zen,” Thompson said.

“Zombie King the Undead Red” is a tribute to George A. Romero who is known as the king of the zombie film genre. Thompson and the brew crew being horror fans want ed to honor the master.

Additionally, we invited Jay Green from Perrin Brewing to our tour of Kognisjon Bryggeri. He brought along Billy Eyelash, a hazelnut blonde coffee ale brewed during the Fermenta Meet and Greet Brew Day Extravaganza at Perrin Brewing in early August 2022.

It was our first taste of the beer. We all agreed it was delicious. Look for it at the Detroit Fall Beer Festival on October 22, 2022.

current favorite is City Juice [Hazy IPA], but yeah, Dirty Blonde is what brought me in.

MBT: You mentioned this wasn’t the first time you hit up Mark for a job. What was that first gig you were angling for?

KMcB: Probably about five years ago, I was looking to relocate back from Los Angeles to Detroit. He posted a director of sales role, and much like this one, I aggressively like pursued him—like, via LinkedIn, I got a hold of his phone number, I think he was like, “Is this lady like a bill collector?”

At the same time as I was chasing Mark down for that opportunity, I was offered the role to be the VP of Sales and Marketing for [distributor] Classic [Beverage] out in LA, and there isn’t a tremendous amount of women distributor operators. So that just seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up at the time. And ultimately, had I not taken that job, I wouldn’t have the skill set that I need to do the one I’m doing now.

MBT: At that time, Atwater was an indepen dent brewery. Now it’s under the Molson Coors banner. As someone who’s spent her career working under their umbrella, what’s it like operating within the Tenth & Blake ecosphere?

KMcB: We’re part of the Tenth and Blake fam ily, but we operate very independently. We operate like a standalone business that works with those guys. So, the relationship that we have with Tenth & Blake is great because it provides me a really close network of brewers nationally who I can talk with share best prac tices with. Talk about new hot varietals. We’re talking about like experimental yeast. There’s this wonderful book of knowledge and guides who have been doing it for a really long time. But they also give us the freedom to really operate as an independent business and retain our identity. So, it’s pretty special.

MBT: In terms of ratios, how much of your business is Dirty Blonde, how much is Vanilla Java Porter, and how much is the other oneoff and seasonal lines?

KMcB: The dichotomy of the state is a very interesting thing. So, the west half of the state tends to lean a little bit heavier on the Vanilla Java Porter side, and the east side of the state leans a little bit heavier on the Dirty Blonde side now. Dirty Blonde is the number one selling blonde ale in the state of Michigan and has been for quite some time, and that rep resents roughly 70% of our overall business.

Vanilla Java Porter, which is 16 years old, rep resents about 15% of our business. So, from there, the long tail of our portfolio makes up that remaining 15% with POGalicious Tropical IPA being our third largest SKU, followed closely by City Juice Hazy IPA. We do think though, once we can mitigate some of the out-of-stock challenges that we’ve had on City Juice, that that should be our number three selling beer.

MBT: What’s your five-year-plan for Atwater? Are you hyper focusing on Detroit, or looking statewide or even regionally?

KMcB: That’s a great question. If I look at where we’ve been, historically we’ve expand

ed and contracted. I think in 2023, what you’ll see is a hyper focus on Detroit and the things that make Detroit special but are also translat able across the state. So, you’ll see us double down on our partnership with the Tigers and really blow that up both in-stadium but also at retail, which obviously translates across the state.

You’ll also see us get more heavily entrenched in the community, but not just the Detroit community. We’re working on partnerships in Lansing and some partnerships in Grand Rapids as well. And then the big thing that you’ll see us doing is really getting involved like philanthropically. We have tap rooms in Detroit, Grosse Pointe Park, and then in Grand Rapids, and one of the things that we looked at was doing charity-tap programs where we donate proceeds from every pint sold during a month to a 501C3 charity partner.

MBT: What’s your favorite part of the job so far?

KMcB: My favorite part of the job absolutely is our team here. When I think about Detroit and [its] grit and resiliency, we have a team here of just like problem solvers and hard workers and just like totally like creative, wonderful individuals. I truly get up, out of bed, excited to come into work. I’m excited to talk to the team. I’m excited for like the ideas that they bring to the table. It really is a very cool thing.

MBT: It’s a rare opportunity to get to sit at the helm of a 25-year-old American craft brewery. From where you’re sitting, are you planning on sticking around and make it to Atwater’s 50th?

KMcB: I hope! Yeah, I love it here. It’s funny, our Director of Operations who came to us from the fermentation program at CMU was asking me that the other day. My intention is to stay. I love Detroit. I love craft beer. It is rare to have this opportunity. If I had to think about doing what I love, this job really encompasses all of it.

Atwater Brewery Atwater.com

DETROIT

237 Jos Campau

Detroit, MI 48207

GROSSE POINTE PARK

1175 Lakepointe St.

Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230

GRAND RAPIDS

201 Michigan St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503

atwater brewing from 25