I like Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. They are the best I have tasted in a long time.
Anonymous
on October 25, 2009 at 7:23 pm
We just returned from the Jolly Pumpkin and I can only say that we had the best time in the beautiful surroundings. The food and the brew was the best. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself.
Thanks to The Jolly Pumpkin for a great night.
Anonymous
on October 25, 2009 at 7:21 pm
We just returned from the Jolly Pumpkin and I can only say that we had the best time in the beautiful surroundings. The food and the brew was the best. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself.
Thanks to The Jolly Pumpkin for a great night.
Anonymous
on October 25, 2009 at 7:18 pm
We just returned from the Jolly Pumpkin and I can only say that we had the best time in the beautiful surroundings. The food and the brew was the best. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself.
Thanks to The Jolly Pumpkin for a great night.
Anonymous
on October 25, 2009 at 7:13 pm
I aggree with the last post as we have just come back from a great evening at the The Jolly Pumpkin.
The new beer listings are quite on the spot withflavor and content for the special diets. Thanks Jolly Pumpkin for a super job. We’ll be back!
Anonymous
on October 25, 2009 at 7:09 pm
The Jolly Pumpkin is the best place I have been in quite some time. I would recommend this beautiful establishment to everyone.
Anonymous
on October 1, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Short’s Brew, since it’s inception, has kept me and my family well fueled when in town. A truly enjoyable time and pleasant beer fills out a day or night of fun.
Anonymous
on September 30, 2009 at 8:37 am
Short’s Brew all the way. Simply the most creative and artfully crafted micro brews I’ve had the pleasure of tasting.
Anonymous
on September 23, 2009 at 11:48 am
North Peak deserves to be on the list. They went through a spell of several years where there beer was poor. Over the last couple of years the beer has improved ten fold and is what I would call quality. good job Kim.
Anonymous
on September 23, 2009 at 11:42 am
Its a free country. Taste for beer is acquired. I am glad they are all in Northern Michigan. Travel there as much as possible, mainly for the beer. Hope the JP makes it here, will leave more Shorts for the rest of us. Best brews I have had outside of CA.
Anonymous
on September 22, 2009 at 9:40 am
Short’s is amazing! Great beer! Awesome food!
Anonymous
on September 22, 2009 at 7:40 am
JP beer is world class. If you don’t believe me, research it. For sure, the best beer in northern MI if not the midwest.
Anonymous
on September 21, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Whoever wrote about the oak barrels…You’ve never been to the Brain and tried their Distill My Heart Bourbon Stout, have you? Yep, barrels.
Also, do you know the brewer at RBB trained Mr Short? True dat. They are both damn good at the trade, but don’t assume that RBB is jumping in with just a couple years experience. __________________________________________________
Well, it was I who wrote that. Right Brain has ONE barrel that is currently being used for a specialty tap, which is very good. However, they do not use oak barrels for the rest of their beers like Jolly Pumpkin. Again, not all the beer at Jolly Pumkin in Old Mission is from Ron Jefferies. The ones that are not need some work.
If you are trying to say that John Niedemier trained Joe Short how to brew, then he past John by light years. Right Brain, while good, is busy because there is no other real competition. North Peake is for the Bud-Light crowd and Mackinaw is not even drinkable.
Anonymous
on September 20, 2009 at 2:44 pm
the moment you enter the pub you feel the warmth, the ingenuity….as you pull a chair up to the hand-crafted counter and look up, you to see the most beautiful thing god created- TAPS! then you see smiling faces and staff that appreciate an individuals first name. the plethora of flavors tantilize your tastbuds as you read the creative names and descriptions. These taps pour more than just deelicious beer, they pour thought, creativity and years of hard work by the brew master and his team. This pub called Shorts was created by so many hands with love and dedication. Joe Short is not only a wonderful soul, he is valued by the community. Thank you for allowing comments. All micro brews are uniquely wonderful. They shine their own colors – Shorts is exceptionally wonderful in my eyes and nearly 900 other eyes as your poll shows! Cheers to micro brew and cheers to SHORTS. and Cheers to Mr & Mrs Short who i heard vowed to love eachother for a lifetime and beyond this past Saturday – that wonderful Leah is an asset to the company! What a team joe & leah, congratulations on a successful business and your marriage!!
Anonymous
on September 20, 2009 at 10:20 am
The proof is in the taste and the experience. Try all three – I did and I liked Short’s best.
Anonymous
on September 19, 2009 at 8:22 am
been to many micro brews in and out of mi. Hard to beat Shorts
runner
on September 18, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Short’s is the best microbrewery withing 100 mile radius. They always have great seasonal offerings.
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 4:46 pm
This contest is for the Old Mission Jolly Pumpkin only. So if you haven’t been to that one, don’t vote for it.
Whoever wrote about the oak barrels…You’ve never been to the Brain and tried their Distill My Heart Bourbon Stout, have you? Yep, barrels.
Also, do you know the brewer at RBB trained Mr Short? True dat. They are both damn good at the trade, but don’t assume that RBB is jumping in with just a couple years experience.
Bravo BEERS!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Mmm, shorts .. ‘nuf said
jimmy
on September 18, 2009 at 2:32 pm
The Jolly is THE BEST
jimmy
on September 18, 2009 at 2:29 pm
The Jolly Pumpkin is awsome!!!!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Leelanau Brewing Company — best beer in Michigan. Umm yeah, Jolly Pumpkin makes that.
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Jolly has excellent beer, but they are in a class by themselves. Who else uses oak barrels for their beer in Michigan? The beer is based on styles and recipes that go back centuries. That said, the beer they have started making in Old Mission is piss poor compared to the genuine article. The brewery has Jolly Pumpkin on tap and then they have there own swill. Know the difference! Also, Short’s is an absolutely fantastic story and they produce some of the best beer in the entire state! Right Brain in mho opinion, is simply too inconsistent. Some are drinkable, some are down right horrid.
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 1:57 pm
We are fortunate to have such a concentration of good choices for the beer drinkers. Lets all put Miller, Budwiser and Coors out of business since this is really the piss water some of the posts have mentioned. The guys at RB are doing a bang up job, Shorts is beginning to knock the shorts off Bells, JP is for the beer affectionado and creating a following nationwide. WOW!!! Northpeak is doing beer very well and getting those mass drinkers to start to convert. Remember with wine we have a lot of chardonnay drinkers but only a select group has developed their tastebuds to Bordeaux and its complexity. Same can be said of beer drinkers and JP is the Bordeaux of beer. Lets celebrate one of the best places to live TRAVERSE CITY and now DRINK!!!
BeerDude
on September 18, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Everyone should listen to Brad89- only smart comment that has been sent in.
Brad89
on September 18, 2009 at 11:45 am
Love having 3 great breweries in Northern Michigan. It is clear by some of the comments that some people either don’t know beer, or they haven’t tried all three. Love the complexity of the barrel aged Jolly Pumpkin. Shorts has some outstanding beers, great IPA’s. Love the experimental nature of Right Brain, they do so many things you wouldn’t expect. Beer is good!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 10:48 am
JP appeals to the pullover windbreaker/ride-my-beach-cruiser-down-the-goddamn-sidewalk crowd.
You mooks can have it.
More room for us at Short’s and RB.
beerchick
on September 18, 2009 at 10:48 am
Jolly Pumpkin beer ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
beerchick
on September 18, 2009 at 10:47 am
Jolly Pumpkin Beer ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TG
on September 18, 2009 at 10:32 am
You need to get out of TC and head to Bellaire for the best micro-brewery experience! Great beer and food, exceptional service, and awesome entertainment too. Life is Shorts! Drink it while your here!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 10:28 am
Jolly Pumpkin. No question.
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 10:15 am
There’s only one place to go – it’s the Jolly Pumpkin!!!!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 9:46 am
Shorts is definitely where it’s at, they always deliver on quality and creativity, JP is great too but their sours are made in Dexter not northern Michigan
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 8:56 am
Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts is the Sh*t
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 8:29 am
Shorts is definitely the best!!!
chrishale
on September 18, 2009 at 8:18 am
The variety of Shorts brews is tremendous, and live music 7 nights per week reveals the hidden gem.
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 7:26 am
Short’s brewing of Bellaire has amazing beer. Excellent taste and the food is also worth your stop.
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 7:26 am
I don’t really like beer, but Shorts is great!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 5:43 am
Shorts by a long shot!
Anonymous
on September 18, 2009 at 12:42 am
Three Cheers For the Jolly Pumpkin!!!!!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Leelanau Brewing Company — best beer in Michigan.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 9:55 pm
I’d have to tie between Right Brain and Short’s for quality. Comparing their beers to Northpeak and Jolly Pumpkin is silly. They appeal to toally different people. Northpeak and Jolly Pumpkin appeal to the beginners of the microbrew enthusiasts. They absolutely have their place and are respectable beers. Their brewmasters do a great job brewing for the market for which they are intended. But they do not have near the sophistication of Shorts and Right Brain. If anyone has spent any time in the epicenter of the microbrew universe that is the Pacific Northwest they would realize that the only people in Michigan period that are brewing anything close to the quality and adventurous flavors indicative of this movement are Shorts and Right Brain. Good job too everyone. You all should be proud of your craft.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I ♥ Right Brain! The selection is awesome, Simcoe hops rock, be sure to try any of thier brews featuring Simcoe. They treat thier clients very well, makes us want to go there as much as possible, happy hour is a fantastic deal. Right Brain is also very involved and supportive of our community. For example, they are sponsoring a 5K Zombie Run/Walk on Halloween to benefit T.A.R.T. Trails. Check it out at https://www.tczombierun.com/. Cheers my friends!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Shorts is amazing. Always creative. I think of them as the “Dogfish Head of MI”
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Are they going to strip out the duplicate votes or just limit it from a set point? It seems they all are increasing fairly equally now.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 6:45 pm
i like beer
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Right Brain is great!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Right Brain is the best. I’m not sure what is up with the Jolly Pumpkin spam, but their stuff is nowhere near as good as Niedermeyer’s. It is no contest.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Thanks for fixing the survey. Didn’t see update til after posted my comment. Mike A
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Mike Argyle – Me thinks some ballot box stuffing is occurring. Take Jolly Pumpkin’s results for example. Not saying anything about their beer, as I’ve not sampled them. I’ve heard/read some excellent things about their brews, and looking forward to trying them soon. But they’re relatively new and they have that many votes as of this posting? Their fan base can’t be that large already – age of biz, location, promo, etc. The numbers don’t jive. Too bad the survey doesn’t use some IP Address filtering/restrictions to make it accurate. You can vote as many times as you’d like for whomever you like, so inherently inaccurate.
Who’d I vote for? Short’s of course. Hands down (or should that be mugs down) the best beer I’ve had in northern MI, and one of the finest places to enjoy beer in the state. Great beer, killer eats, wonderful, caring staff, awesome, comfy up-north pub atmosphere and amazing bands.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Geez,
Lets just be happy that we have so much great beer in Northern Michigan. The more the merrier. THere are more breweries in or near TC than almost anywhere else in the State, if not the most. Maybe more than most places in the country!
Enjoy and Drink Michigan Beer!
willdog
on September 17, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Jolly pumpkin wins hands down
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Bam Noire is yummy
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Short’s has got it, hands down. Absolutely no contest.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:46 pm
This is silly. When it comes to beer, Short’s is best. I guess I don’t know about pretty decorating or style points. For beer, Short’s is second to none.
pumpkin head
on September 17, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Shorts beer is not good and Right Brain give me the chocolate drips (craps) ha ha you smell.
Jolly Pumkin is the cooless
Michael Thompson
on September 17, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Just a quick note to everyone…
Due to the overwhelming response of this poll and to help curb possible voter fraud, we’ve locked the poll down a bit and will only be allowing one vote per IP going forward.
We apologize to those behind a firewall or on a work network, as your entire network will only get once vote.
Cheers,
Michael
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Right brain is not good, I think is might have gave me the SWINE FLUE
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:38 pm
right brain & Shorts should just pack up and close down. those guys suck each othes tap handles
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Jolly Pumpkin is real good beer
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:35 pm
short’s more like SHARTS
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:33 pm
right brain is crap and way over price for the piss they sever
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Jolly Pumpkin beer is better than all yous guys
BeerDude
on September 17, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Lines are long at festivals when breweries make whacky beer, not necessarily good beer but weird stuff. That isn’t saying Right Brain isn’t great just people like to try unusual beers at festivals. I am sure you purchased Asparagus beer every day- right? mmmm , yum. Throw a little , lettuce and onions in it and I can’t wait.
mofun
on September 17, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Been to all of them. RBB is by far the best, Shorts is tasty too. Jolly falls flat. Me thinks there is a single pumpkin head who is repeat voting.
BeerDude
on September 17, 2009 at 3:08 pm
How the heck is JP not ahead in the votes? The beer is sold all over the country and also internationally. They now have two amazing pubs and a huge fan base. Is there no justice in the world? Also, this is a beer vote so some of you need to cool it ….and drink a beer ….and have fun. Stop ripping on all these amazing breweries and go drink. Seriously, these places all rock. Go drink! Go Drink! Go Drink.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Short’s makes the best beer. period.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 3:01 pm
I like Beer, I like Asparagus. I don’t like asparagus beer!!! Vote Jolly Pumpkin not Right Brain.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Right Brain has location, but they lack consistency. Short’s came out of the box with solid beers, and has been delivering consistently ever since. Now all they need to do is open a TC location and my life will be complete hmmmm….
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Joe Short’s beer rocks! Soft Parade anyone? Oh yeah!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Based on Growlers I have now, Right Brain & North Peak. Not sure if Jolly Pumpkin should be listed??!!…Dexter, Mi is a bit south of MYNorth. I know there’s the NEW location on the Peninsula..but seriously?? They need to put some time in first. Is the beer brewed out there or DOWN there?? Great coon hunting in the thumb area. Cannot wait to try Short’s Brewing, heard great things.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 2:06 pm
its all about Shorts! The atmosphere and the people who work there, are fantastic. I’ve spent many afternoons and plenty of evenings enjoying Shorts beer and amazing food! Its a fun place to hang out with friends and enjoy a great beer! (Magician is my personal favorite!) SHORTS IS BY FAR THE BEST!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Its hard to pick but since its my Local, Right Brain gets my vote. Shorts is great but Right Brain is in my stumble home zone.
As for the posts promoting the Jolly Pumpkin Its great to see that the staff can use computers. I was there the week it opened and the beer was terrible. Their amber was was indistinguishable from the wheat, and it was very light in color. The taste was reminiscent of wet leaves. I tasted the four beers on tap and in my opinion the stuff was terrible. Wild yeast lambic beer? Come on, that technique was out of style in the middle ages. I haven’t tried the North Peak beers that were going to be made out there, but NP beer isn’t remarkable either so no great improvement I expect.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 1:24 pm
If Shorts and Jolly Pumpkin are so darn good, why are the longest lines at the beer fests always Right Brain? It speaks for itself, Right Brain is simply the best!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Short’s far surpasses the other’s in not only craft, beer, but also in food, service, business, phylanthropy, idealism and community. It’s no secret Short’s has already established itself as the top brewery of Northern Michigan. This business makes our northern communities glow with pride.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Shorts is my hands down favorite microbrewery in Michigan!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Shorts is where it’s at. If you want to drink a beer that will blow your mind, you need to drink a Short’s brew.
Brad89
on September 17, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I could not be happier to have 3 great Microbreweries in Northern Michigan. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales is world renown. I know they won Gold and Bronze medals at The Great American Beer Festival. Shorts is also doing some great beers! Having a great brewpub like North Peak is also a huge bonus!!! Great time to drink beer in Northern Michigan!!!!
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 11:39 am
Short’s is BY FAR the best. Jolly Pumpkin is also good, but Short’s is poised to be the next premier brewer of the midwest. I know people who plan trips to Northern Michigan just to try Short’s beer. Also, JP is based downstate and really should not even be in this survey.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 11:37 am
Jolly Pumpkin? Are you serious? Slightly better than Northpeak, but that’s not saying much. There’s no craft about it, purely for the masses that don’t even care about beer.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 11:23 am
Shorts has the best variety and experience.
Steve
on September 17, 2009 at 10:20 am
Not only is Jolly Pumpkins beer the best. The food and service is outstanding…..
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 10:15 am
If Jolly Pumpkin beer is “way better than Right Brain” it MUST me a supernatural brew because Right Brain’s beers are incredibly delicious. I really find this hard to believe.
Brad
on September 17, 2009 at 9:06 am
Bah, all these downstaters who have never even been to Shorts voting for Jolly Pumpkin. I don’t want this to get ugly, but it’s Short’s without a doubt. Check out the imperial series if you need the final word.
Anonymous
on September 17, 2009 at 7:43 am
Vacationed in Traverse City over the Labor Day weekend and of all the breweries we went to I have to say that Mackinaw Brewing Company was my favorite.
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Jolly Pumpkin Haiku:
Jolly Pumpkin beer,
You make me happy in pants,
Get in my belly
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Jolly Pumpkin is amazing – head and shoulders above Shorts and Right Brain!
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 10:13 pm
I think North Peak and Mackinaw Brewing are disgusting. Right Brain is great, but Short’s is by far the best! While I really enjoy Jolly Pumpkin, I don’t think it’s fair to include them since they originated in southern Michigan.
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Shorts has the most amazing beer list. There is always more good beer than you can enjoy in just one visit! I wish we lived closer. Great food too.
Michael Thompson
on September 16, 2009 at 3:54 pm
How the heck is The Jolly Pumpkin beating Short’s and Right Brain?!
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 3:54 pm
If you like Artisan Ales, Jolly Pumpkin will be the ticket.
Be prepared to have a fantastic time.
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Jolly Pumpkin has style and taste. You really must visit and be prepared for a treat.
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I was most impressed by the quality and design of Jolly Pumpkin. It is our favorite place in all of Michigan for style and flavor. gg
Simply stated, amazing!
BeerDude
on September 16, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Tough one. All amazing. Who would have guessed about this ten years ago. Best beer in Michigan is being made up north. The woman brewer at North Peak is making sensational beer. Met her at the TC Beerfest is she is pretty darn cool.
I really love all the beers from these breweries. JP Beers are so unique and fantastic. We are lucky to be living and drinking up north.
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I havent been to Jolly Pumpkin yet, but North Peak brewing company is awesome. The beer is always top notch!!
Anonymous
on September 16, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I agree. Jolly Pumpkin is great!! Way better than Right Brain. Every time I go up there, I am going to be sure to stop by!!!
I like beer!
I like Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. They are the best I have tasted in a long time.
We just returned from the Jolly Pumpkin and I can only say that we had the best time in the beautiful surroundings. The food and the brew was the best. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself.
Thanks to The Jolly Pumpkin for a great night.
We just returned from the Jolly Pumpkin and I can only say that we had the best time in the beautiful surroundings. The food and the brew was the best. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself.
Thanks to The Jolly Pumpkin for a great night.
We just returned from the Jolly Pumpkin and I can only say that we had the best time in the beautiful surroundings. The food and the brew was the best. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself.
Thanks to The Jolly Pumpkin for a great night.
I aggree with the last post as we have just come back from a great evening at the The Jolly Pumpkin.
The new beer listings are quite on the spot withflavor and content for the special diets. Thanks Jolly Pumpkin for a super job. We’ll be back!
The Jolly Pumpkin is the best place I have been in quite some time. I would recommend this beautiful establishment to everyone.
Short’s Brew, since it’s inception, has kept me and my family well fueled when in town. A truly enjoyable time and pleasant beer fills out a day or night of fun.
Short’s Brew all the way. Simply the most creative and artfully crafted micro brews I’ve had the pleasure of tasting.
North Peak deserves to be on the list. They went through a spell of several years where there beer was poor. Over the last couple of years the beer has improved ten fold and is what I would call quality. good job Kim.
Its a free country. Taste for beer is acquired. I am glad they are all in Northern Michigan. Travel there as much as possible, mainly for the beer. Hope the JP makes it here, will leave more Shorts for the rest of us. Best brews I have had outside of CA.
Short’s is amazing! Great beer! Awesome food!
JP beer is world class. If you don’t believe me, research it. For sure, the best beer in northern MI if not the midwest.
Whoever wrote about the oak barrels…You’ve never been to the Brain and tried their Distill My Heart Bourbon Stout, have you? Yep, barrels.
Also, do you know the brewer at RBB trained Mr Short? True dat. They are both damn good at the trade, but don’t assume that RBB is jumping in with just a couple years experience. __________________________________________________
Well, it was I who wrote that. Right Brain has ONE barrel that is currently being used for a specialty tap, which is very good. However, they do not use oak barrels for the rest of their beers like Jolly Pumpkin. Again, not all the beer at Jolly Pumkin in Old Mission is from Ron Jefferies. The ones that are not need some work.
If you are trying to say that John Niedemier trained Joe Short how to brew, then he past John by light years. Right Brain, while good, is busy because there is no other real competition. North Peake is for the Bud-Light crowd and Mackinaw is not even drinkable.
the moment you enter the pub you feel the warmth, the ingenuity….as you pull a chair up to the hand-crafted counter and look up, you to see the most beautiful thing god created- TAPS! then you see smiling faces and staff that appreciate an individuals first name. the plethora of flavors tantilize your tastbuds as you read the creative names and descriptions. These taps pour more than just deelicious beer, they pour thought, creativity and years of hard work by the brew master and his team. This pub called Shorts was created by so many hands with love and dedication. Joe Short is not only a wonderful soul, he is valued by the community. Thank you for allowing comments. All micro brews are uniquely wonderful. They shine their own colors – Shorts is exceptionally wonderful in my eyes and nearly 900 other eyes as your poll shows! Cheers to micro brew and cheers to SHORTS. and Cheers to Mr & Mrs Short who i heard vowed to love eachother for a lifetime and beyond this past Saturday – that wonderful Leah is an asset to the company! What a team joe & leah, congratulations on a successful business and your marriage!!
The proof is in the taste and the experience. Try all three – I did and I liked Short’s best.
been to many micro brews in and out of mi. Hard to beat Shorts
Short’s is the best microbrewery withing 100 mile radius. They always have great seasonal offerings.
This contest is for the Old Mission Jolly Pumpkin only. So if you haven’t been to that one, don’t vote for it.
Whoever wrote about the oak barrels…You’ve never been to the Brain and tried their Distill My Heart Bourbon Stout, have you? Yep, barrels.
Also, do you know the brewer at RBB trained Mr Short? True dat. They are both damn good at the trade, but don’t assume that RBB is jumping in with just a couple years experience.
Bravo BEERS!
Mmm, shorts .. ‘nuf said
The Jolly is THE BEST
The Jolly Pumpkin is awsome!!!!
Leelanau Brewing Company — best beer in Michigan. Umm yeah, Jolly Pumpkin makes that.
Jolly has excellent beer, but they are in a class by themselves. Who else uses oak barrels for their beer in Michigan? The beer is based on styles and recipes that go back centuries. That said, the beer they have started making in Old Mission is piss poor compared to the genuine article. The brewery has Jolly Pumpkin on tap and then they have there own swill. Know the difference! Also, Short’s is an absolutely fantastic story and they produce some of the best beer in the entire state! Right Brain in mho opinion, is simply too inconsistent. Some are drinkable, some are down right horrid.
We are fortunate to have such a concentration of good choices for the beer drinkers. Lets all put Miller, Budwiser and Coors out of business since this is really the piss water some of the posts have mentioned. The guys at RB are doing a bang up job, Shorts is beginning to knock the shorts off Bells, JP is for the beer affectionado and creating a following nationwide. WOW!!! Northpeak is doing beer very well and getting those mass drinkers to start to convert. Remember with wine we have a lot of chardonnay drinkers but only a select group has developed their tastebuds to Bordeaux and its complexity. Same can be said of beer drinkers and JP is the Bordeaux of beer. Lets celebrate one of the best places to live TRAVERSE CITY and now DRINK!!!
Everyone should listen to Brad89- only smart comment that has been sent in.
Love having 3 great breweries in Northern Michigan. It is clear by some of the comments that some people either don’t know beer, or they haven’t tried all three. Love the complexity of the barrel aged Jolly Pumpkin. Shorts has some outstanding beers, great IPA’s. Love the experimental nature of Right Brain, they do so many things you wouldn’t expect. Beer is good!
JP appeals to the pullover windbreaker/ride-my-beach-cruiser-down-the-goddamn-sidewalk crowd.
You mooks can have it.
More room for us at Short’s and RB.
Jolly Pumpkin beer ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jolly Pumpkin Beer ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You need to get out of TC and head to Bellaire for the best micro-brewery experience! Great beer and food, exceptional service, and awesome entertainment too. Life is Shorts! Drink it while your here!
Jolly Pumpkin. No question.
There’s only one place to go – it’s the Jolly Pumpkin!!!!
Shorts is definitely where it’s at, they always deliver on quality and creativity, JP is great too but their sours are made in Dexter not northern Michigan
Shorts Shorts Shorts Shorts is the Sh*t
Shorts is definitely the best!!!
The variety of Shorts brews is tremendous, and live music 7 nights per week reveals the hidden gem.
Short’s brewing of Bellaire has amazing beer. Excellent taste and the food is also worth your stop.
I don’t really like beer, but Shorts is great!
Shorts by a long shot!
Three Cheers For the Jolly Pumpkin!!!!!
Leelanau Brewing Company — best beer in Michigan.
I’d have to tie between Right Brain and Short’s for quality. Comparing their beers to Northpeak and Jolly Pumpkin is silly. They appeal to toally different people. Northpeak and Jolly Pumpkin appeal to the beginners of the microbrew enthusiasts. They absolutely have their place and are respectable beers. Their brewmasters do a great job brewing for the market for which they are intended. But they do not have near the sophistication of Shorts and Right Brain. If anyone has spent any time in the epicenter of the microbrew universe that is the Pacific Northwest they would realize that the only people in Michigan period that are brewing anything close to the quality and adventurous flavors indicative of this movement are Shorts and Right Brain. Good job too everyone. You all should be proud of your craft.
I ♥ Right Brain! The selection is awesome, Simcoe hops rock, be sure to try any of thier brews featuring Simcoe. They treat thier clients very well, makes us want to go there as much as possible, happy hour is a fantastic deal. Right Brain is also very involved and supportive of our community. For example, they are sponsoring a 5K Zombie Run/Walk on Halloween to benefit T.A.R.T. Trails. Check it out at https://www.tczombierun.com/. Cheers my friends!
Shorts is amazing. Always creative. I think of them as the “Dogfish Head of MI”
Are they going to strip out the duplicate votes or just limit it from a set point? It seems they all are increasing fairly equally now.
i like beer
Right Brain is great!
Right Brain is the best. I’m not sure what is up with the Jolly Pumpkin spam, but their stuff is nowhere near as good as Niedermeyer’s. It is no contest.
Thanks for fixing the survey. Didn’t see update til after posted my comment. Mike A
Mike Argyle – Me thinks some ballot box stuffing is occurring. Take Jolly Pumpkin’s results for example. Not saying anything about their beer, as I’ve not sampled them. I’ve heard/read some excellent things about their brews, and looking forward to trying them soon. But they’re relatively new and they have that many votes as of this posting? Their fan base can’t be that large already – age of biz, location, promo, etc. The numbers don’t jive. Too bad the survey doesn’t use some IP Address filtering/restrictions to make it accurate. You can vote as many times as you’d like for whomever you like, so inherently inaccurate.
Who’d I vote for? Short’s of course. Hands down (or should that be mugs down) the best beer I’ve had in northern MI, and one of the finest places to enjoy beer in the state. Great beer, killer eats, wonderful, caring staff, awesome, comfy up-north pub atmosphere and amazing bands.
Geez,
Lets just be happy that we have so much great beer in Northern Michigan. The more the merrier. THere are more breweries in or near TC than almost anywhere else in the State, if not the most. Maybe more than most places in the country!
Enjoy and Drink Michigan Beer!
Jolly pumpkin wins hands down
Bam Noire is yummy
Short’s has got it, hands down. Absolutely no contest.
This is silly. When it comes to beer, Short’s is best. I guess I don’t know about pretty decorating or style points. For beer, Short’s is second to none.
Shorts beer is not good and Right Brain give me the chocolate drips (craps) ha ha you smell.
Jolly Pumkin is the cooless
Just a quick note to everyone…
Due to the overwhelming response of this poll and to help curb possible voter fraud, we’ve locked the poll down a bit and will only be allowing one vote per IP going forward.
We apologize to those behind a firewall or on a work network, as your entire network will only get once vote.
Cheers,
Michael
Right brain is not good, I think is might have gave me the SWINE FLUE
right brain & Shorts should just pack up and close down. those guys suck each othes tap handles
Jolly Pumpkin is real good beer
short’s more like SHARTS
right brain is crap and way over price for the piss they sever
Jolly Pumpkin beer is better than all yous guys
Lines are long at festivals when breweries make whacky beer, not necessarily good beer but weird stuff. That isn’t saying Right Brain isn’t great just people like to try unusual beers at festivals. I am sure you purchased Asparagus beer every day- right? mmmm , yum. Throw a little , lettuce and onions in it and I can’t wait.
Been to all of them. RBB is by far the best, Shorts is tasty too. Jolly falls flat. Me thinks there is a single pumpkin head who is repeat voting.
How the heck is JP not ahead in the votes? The beer is sold all over the country and also internationally. They now have two amazing pubs and a huge fan base. Is there no justice in the world? Also, this is a beer vote so some of you need to cool it ….and drink a beer ….and have fun. Stop ripping on all these amazing breweries and go drink. Seriously, these places all rock. Go drink! Go Drink! Go Drink.
Short’s makes the best beer. period.
I like Beer, I like Asparagus. I don’t like asparagus beer!!! Vote Jolly Pumpkin not Right Brain.
Right Brain has location, but they lack consistency. Short’s came out of the box with solid beers, and has been delivering consistently ever since. Now all they need to do is open a TC location and my life will be complete hmmmm….
Joe Short’s beer rocks! Soft Parade anyone? Oh yeah!
Based on Growlers I have now, Right Brain & North Peak. Not sure if Jolly Pumpkin should be listed??!!…Dexter, Mi is a bit south of MYNorth. I know there’s the NEW location on the Peninsula..but seriously?? They need to put some time in first. Is the beer brewed out there or DOWN there?? Great coon hunting in the thumb area. Cannot wait to try Short’s Brewing, heard great things.
its all about Shorts! The atmosphere and the people who work there, are fantastic. I’ve spent many afternoons and plenty of evenings enjoying Shorts beer and amazing food! Its a fun place to hang out with friends and enjoy a great beer! (Magician is my personal favorite!) SHORTS IS BY FAR THE BEST!
Its hard to pick but since its my Local, Right Brain gets my vote. Shorts is great but Right Brain is in my stumble home zone.
As for the posts promoting the Jolly Pumpkin Its great to see that the staff can use computers. I was there the week it opened and the beer was terrible. Their amber was was indistinguishable from the wheat, and it was very light in color. The taste was reminiscent of wet leaves. I tasted the four beers on tap and in my opinion the stuff was terrible. Wild yeast lambic beer? Come on, that technique was out of style in the middle ages. I haven’t tried the North Peak beers that were going to be made out there, but NP beer isn’t remarkable either so no great improvement I expect.
If Shorts and Jolly Pumpkin are so darn good, why are the longest lines at the beer fests always Right Brain? It speaks for itself, Right Brain is simply the best!
Short’s far surpasses the other’s in not only craft, beer, but also in food, service, business, phylanthropy, idealism and community. It’s no secret Short’s has already established itself as the top brewery of Northern Michigan. This business makes our northern communities glow with pride.
Shorts is my hands down favorite microbrewery in Michigan!
Shorts is where it’s at. If you want to drink a beer that will blow your mind, you need to drink a Short’s brew.
I could not be happier to have 3 great Microbreweries in Northern Michigan. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales is world renown. I know they won Gold and Bronze medals at The Great American Beer Festival. Shorts is also doing some great beers! Having a great brewpub like North Peak is also a huge bonus!!! Great time to drink beer in Northern Michigan!!!!
Short’s is BY FAR the best. Jolly Pumpkin is also good, but Short’s is poised to be the next premier brewer of the midwest. I know people who plan trips to Northern Michigan just to try Short’s beer. Also, JP is based downstate and really should not even be in this survey.
Jolly Pumpkin? Are you serious? Slightly better than Northpeak, but that’s not saying much. There’s no craft about it, purely for the masses that don’t even care about beer.
Shorts has the best variety and experience.
Not only is Jolly Pumpkins beer the best. The food and service is outstanding…..
If Jolly Pumpkin beer is “way better than Right Brain” it MUST me a supernatural brew because Right Brain’s beers are incredibly delicious. I really find this hard to believe.
Bah, all these downstaters who have never even been to Shorts voting for Jolly Pumpkin. I don’t want this to get ugly, but it’s Short’s without a doubt. Check out the imperial series if you need the final word.
Vacationed in Traverse City over the Labor Day weekend and of all the breweries we went to I have to say that Mackinaw Brewing Company was my favorite.
Jolly Pumpkin Haiku:
Jolly Pumpkin beer,
You make me happy in pants,
Get in my belly
Jolly Pumpkin is amazing – head and shoulders above Shorts and Right Brain!
I think North Peak and Mackinaw Brewing are disgusting. Right Brain is great, but Short’s is by far the best! While I really enjoy Jolly Pumpkin, I don’t think it’s fair to include them since they originated in southern Michigan.
Shorts has the most amazing beer list. There is always more good beer than you can enjoy in just one visit! I wish we lived closer. Great food too.
How the heck is The Jolly Pumpkin beating Short’s and Right Brain?!
If you like Artisan Ales, Jolly Pumpkin will be the ticket.
Be prepared to have a fantastic time.
Jolly Pumpkin has style and taste. You really must visit and be prepared for a treat.
I was most impressed by the quality and design of Jolly Pumpkin. It is our favorite place in all of Michigan for style and flavor. gg
Simply stated, amazing!
Tough one. All amazing. Who would have guessed about this ten years ago. Best beer in Michigan is being made up north. The woman brewer at North Peak is making sensational beer. Met her at the TC Beerfest is she is pretty darn cool.
I really love all the beers from these breweries. JP Beers are so unique and fantastic. We are lucky to be living and drinking up north.
I havent been to Jolly Pumpkin yet, but North Peak brewing company is awesome. The beer is always top notch!!
I agree. Jolly Pumpkin is great!! Way better than Right Brain. Every time I go up there, I am going to be sure to stop by!!!
I like beer and JP beer is super
Jolly Pumpkin beer is the BEST