The Wolverine State Brewing Co. got the go-ahead to make its specialty lagers in its new location, on Ann Arbor's west side, and soon will be inviting people into its taproom to sit and enjoy a brew.
E.T. Crowe, aka The Beer Wench, sales and marketing director for The Wolverine State Brewing Co., says the brewing company has had its share of the delays that come with opening a new business, but just last week cleared two major potential roadblocks -- a health department inspection, which gave them the OK to brew, and the official go-ahead from Ann Arbor city council's liquor committee. "It was a very good week," she says.
Yet to be done is to install a supplemental air conditioning system for the taproom, after which the city should issue a certificate of occupancy and the fire marshal a capacity rating. All those pieces of paper go to Lansing for approval from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, and they're then good to go. Sales can begin after approval from the state, hopefully within four weeks.
For now, health department clearance means brewing is imminent; Crowe says they're putting together some experimental lagers. "We're excited," she says. "It's getting really real."
The taproom space was formerly the "scratch and ding" sale room for Big George's Appliances, on Stadium Boulevard. "What we want to do is make great beer and sell great beer, and offer people on the west side of Ann Arbor a place to hang out," she says.
Not only did the official hurdles get taken care of, but glassware and club mugs have been coming in and the supply closet is ready to go. Crowe doesn't see the taproom offering food service any time soon, but is assembling a book of local eateries that would deliver to the bar.
"We're real happy with it," she says. "It's going to be great for everybody."
Source: E.T. Crowe, The Wolverine State Brewing Co.
Writer: Kristin Lukowski
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