The U.P. Beer Festival drew brewers from across Michigan, including both new and old breweries from northwest Michigan, this weekend.
Several northwest Michigan brewers spent the gorgeous late-summer weekend up in the Upper Peninsula, showcasing both tried-and-true and wildly experimental new brews.
The occasion was the sixth U.P. Beer Fest, held in Marquette, which drew more than 50 breweries from all over Michigan and was hosted by the
Michigan Brewers Guild.
Eleven of those came from northwest lower Michigan, some bringing compact four-tap samplings, and others bringing a wide array of ten or twelve to tempt the palates of the more than 4,000 craft beer fans who attended the day-long festival.
The turnout at the festival has grown over its six years; Michigan Brewers Guild executive director Scott Graham says they sold about 25 percent more tickets to the event this year, and sold out faster than ever before.
"People like local, and local beer is probably more fun to travel for," says Graham of the festival's success.
The menu from Short's Brewing in Bellaire focused strongly on Michigan-grown ingredients like thimbleberries from the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan hops and maple syrup. Petoskey Brewing Co. showed off their specialty brewing skills with varieties like Belgian strong ale, hefeweisen, a triple IPA, and cream ales.
Bravo Zulu Brewing in Williamsburg, a brand new operation, made an impression at the festival with their military-inspired presence and beers like Black Hawk Porter and American pRYEd, appropriately a rye IPA. (The shirts with the brewery's clever motto, "It's 1700 somewhere," seemed to be doing a good business, too.)
Owned by Jeff Brooks, a veteran of both the Navy and the Army, the microbrewery is located right on U.S. 31 and currently runs eight taps, says head brewer Sam Sherwood.
Sherwood says Bravo Zulu just opened its doors in December of 2013, but expansion plans are in the works, including getting distribution in cans or bottles going this fall.
He brings almost 15 years of experience to the new brewery, having started his brewing career in 2000 at Michigan Brewing Company in Lansing, and spent time at six more breweries before signing on with Bravo Zulu.
Beards Brewery in Petoskey, Brewery Terra Firma in Traverse City, Cheboygan Brewing Co. in Cheboygan, Big Buck Brewery in Gaylord, Brewery Ferment in Traverse City, Cranker's Brewery in Big Rapids, Filling Station Microbrewery in Traverse City, and North Peak Brewing Co. in Traverse City rounded out the northwest Michigan contingent.
And with 30 new breweries in the planning stages across Michigan, according to Graham, there might be even more joining the fun next year.
Kim Eggleston is a freelance writer and editor in Marquette, Michigan. You can find her on Twitter @magdalen13.
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