How one vet found his passion in Kuwait and brought it home to mid-Michigan

Jeff Eddington has served as head brewer at Mountain Town Brewery on Mt. Pleasant’s north side since 2016. Previously, he served in our country’s armed forces. That’s where his interest in the fermentation process took root.

“I was stationed in Kuwait just before the Iraq invasion in 2003,” he recounts, “A friend in my unit got some yeast packets in the mail and we added it to the syrup leftover from the canned peaches in the mess tent. We put it in a bucket and dug a deep hole in the sand. After a week or so we started drinking from it. It tasted horrible, but we didn't care! I was hooked.” It’s an obsession that has since paid off. After returning from service Eddington started as an unpaid intern and quickly climbed the ranks to head brewer.

In 2007, Mountain Town Brewery Company was created as an independent spin-off from Mountain Town Station Brewing Company & Steakhouse. The north-side facility offers the same beloved local beer recipes the brewpub has been offering since before its conception, but without all the fuss that comes with a full dining experience.

Though the two are completely separate companies, the similar names and drink menus do cause their share of mixups. “Mountain Town Station is a beautiful, full service brewpub, steakhouse, and restaurant,” Eddington explains. “Mountain Town Brewing Company, known as The Taproom, is a 50-seat taproom attached to our production facility, with 18 beers on tap and a great sandwich menu.”

Mountain Town Brewery uses local grains in their beer recipes

Mountain Town Brewing Company manages to stand out from a sea of Midwestern brewery operations. “I think balancing the unique new batches that keep people interested with solid mainstay brands that keep people coming back is something that beer enthusiasts appreciate about us,” Eddington explains.

Another distinctive quality of Mountain Town is its consistent offering of Gruit-style ales. These beers are flavored with a mixture of herbs and have become quite rare since barley and hops rose to the top of the beer-flavoring food chain. In fact, Mountain Town Brewery Company is one of the only breweries in the United States still offering these rare beers on a regular basis.

When it comes to beer, though, Mountain Town always has more than one unique experience to offer the Mt. Pleasant community. Although the brewery does sell its beers to neighboring states, the business takes pride in remaining a local operation. “I don't think it is a goal to become a huge regional brewery,” Eddington remarked, “We just want to fill the demand for thirsty people who like our beer -- wherever they are! It’s more important to keep our local consumers happy and full.” And that’s exactly what Mountain Town plans to do this holiday season.

The day before Thanksgiving, the brewery will begin its 31 Beers of Christmas event, offering a newly-released beer every single day until Christmas Eve. “It's a lot of work brewing and organizing,” Eddington admits, “but it’s definitely worth it to see everyone in a festive mood, trying out the new beers.”

The future looks merry and bright for Mountain Town Brewery Company -- during the holidays and beyond. Rumor has it a move to a shiny new facility may be coming in the near future. In the meantime, the business and its star brewer will keep doing what they do best: creating unique brews for the Mt. Pleasant community to enjoy.

As for future plans, Eddington has seems to have a few tricks up his sleeve. “We’re excited for a new craft malting facility, Koops Malt Haus, to open up locally,” he revealed, “They will be malting locally grown barley that we’re eager to make into local beer!”