I'm going to use this post to summarize my recent and prior visits to Michigan brewpubs. This is one instance when Google Timeline data is actually helpful, though this information only goes back to mid-year 2013 when I must have authorized the tracking software. I'm not listing breweries where I didn't drink. We went into Ludington's Jamesport once, but could not get a table for dinner in a timely fashion, and we quickly left Grand Armory in Grand Haven on the 2022 trip because it didn't offer outdoor seating.
Given that Michigan has nearly 400 breweries, my personal list includes less than 5% of the total! I could move to Michigan and have a difficult time sampling all of them.
2024 (1 new; 20 total)
Latitude 42°, Kalamazoo
We dined at Latitude 42° in April during a quick weekend trip north and quite enjoyed the food. I really liked an IPA on tap (Endless Summer), but it was not available in cans to take home. Another night we visited the Kalamazoo HopCat, which is not a brewery but is certainly beer-friendly. We've now visited HopCat locations in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Holland, Kalamazoo, and Louisville (closed permanently).
2023 (1 new; 19 total)
Griffin Claw, Rochester Hills near Detroit
Brewery Vivant, Grand Rapids
Founders, Grand Rapids
We dined at Griffin Claw and Brewery Vivant and the food was pretty good at both. We stopped at Founders to buy a crowler of one of my favorite beers generally unavailable in Kentucky (Red's Rye IPA) and I had a taster of Nitro Rubaeus. We had hoped to have a dessert, but they didn't offer it that night and so the smooth raspberry ale had to suffice.
Incidentally, while we were in Ontario we visited Heritage Hops brewery in Stratford for a slice of chocolate cake (I paired it with a dark lager) before attending the play "Casey and Diana," and dined at Toboggan brewing in London on Father's Day.
2022 (4 new; 18 total)
Odd Side Ales, Grand Haven
Unruly Brewing, Muskegon
Rare Bird Brewing, Traverse City
Cherry Republic Brewing Company and Public House, Glen Arbor
Founders, Grand Rapids
We dined at all of those places, though at Odd Side we had to order takeout from a nearby restaurant. They don't have food.
2021 (2 new; 14 total)
Big Lake Brewing, Holland
Guardian Brewing, Saugatuck
Brewery Vivant, Grand Rapids
We also dined at all of these.
2019 (2 new; 12 total)
New Holland Brewing, Holland
Big Lake Brewing, Holland
Clam Lake Beer Company, Cadillac (2)
Filling Station, Traverse City
Workshop Brewing, Traverse City
MiddleCoast Brewing, Traverse City (was called Monkey Fist at the time)
We did not dine at Big Lake or MiddleCoast, but both have food (I think).
2018 (2 new; 10 total)
Workshop Brewing, Traverse City
Clam Lake Beer Company, Cadillac
Filling Station, Traverse City
We dined at these.
2017
I was on antibiotics that trip and did not visit any brewpubs and avoided alcohol. It was kind of sad.
2016 (2 new; 8 total)
Saugatuck Brewing, Saugatuck
Filling Station, Traverse City
2015 (2 new ones, 6 total)
Short's Brewing, Bellaire
Rare Bird, Traverse City
We dined at these.
Older trips: (at least 4 visited)
New Holland Brewing, Holland
Mackinaw Brewing, Traverse City
North Peak, Traverse City
Jolly Pumpkin, Traverse City
We did not dine at Jolly Pumpkin, but they have food -- and various other locations across the state.
* It is possible my memory has failed me in recalling other brewpubs visited before 2015 as we have been going to Michigan as a family since the 1990s when my children were quite young. Then again, we didn't really take the kids to brewpubs when they were young -- maybe restaurants that happened to brew some of their own beer.
I've also tried a good deal of Michigan beer in restaurants and taprooms, but I'm not going to list all of those here. I would put in a good word for the 7 Monks in Traverse.
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