Northern Michigan is a great place for food and drink made with love, and Northern Michigan beer ain’t so bad, either. And nothing beats sipping one while enjoying some pure Northern Michigan sunshine. We’ve selected our favorite Northern Michigan beer to keep you cool this summer. So pack up a cooler and hit up a Northern Michigan beach. Or stop into one of the numerous Northern Michigan breweries and have a taste while munching on some pub grub.
Co-owner Rick Schmitt, states that “The Beach Buddha” is the perfect summer ale. “It’s an imperial IPA. Perfect for sipping in the summer months.” This imperial IPA is for the enlightened hopheads. Pours clear and coppery with an average frothy white head. Heavy citrus hop aroma, full body and slick texture with soft carbonation make this a perfect beer with a bittersweet finish. 8% abv.
Take a Digital Tour of Stormcloud Brewing in Frankfort:
Charlie Kinzel from Terra Firma Brewery in Traverse City says that the Beehive Honey Ale is going to be your best choice for the summer months. “It’s the bee’s knees,” he states. Brewed with buckwheat honey from the Terra Firma farm, this beer is light with subtle honey notes and a light and summery finish. Sparkling, refreshing and flavorful. 5.5% abv.
Leif Kolt, brand manager for Right Brain Brewery, says that they’ve got lots of cherry filled beer up their sleeves for this summer. “Cherry Pie Hole is the beer we bring to the Cherry Festival each year. It’s brewed using the actual cherry pies from the Grand Traverse Pie Company.” Cherry Pie Hole will only be available at Right Brain brewery and select pubs this summer. “We also stumbled upon 500 gallons of no sugar added, pure pressed, cherry juice. We’re using it to make the TC Cherry Mash. It’s an innovative beer, very first of it’s style. Instead of mashing with water, we mashed with the cherry juice. It’s a hybrid cherry wine/beer.” They will also be featuring a 100% Cherry Soda on tap this summer. Look out for them at the Traverse City National Cherry Festival in July.
The Filling Station is known for artisan pizza, but their beers are hand-crafted and tasty. Tom Degroot, the day bartender states that the Walla-Walla IPA is their perfect summer beer. “We use locally grown, Empire Chinook hops from start to finish. It’s a very tasty IPA with citrus hints. Great summer crispness and citrus flavor.” Crisp, light, with white grapefruit pith, resin and citrus hints. 7.6% abv.
Your Choice
How can we even begin to narrow down what the best summer beers will be when the variety of summer specials keeps growing? Here’s a list of other breweries in Northern Michigan to check out. Make sure to sample their summer specials:
Short’s Brewery in Bellaire: Check out Cerveza de Julie (Mexican-German lager) or Nicie Spicie (Spiced Wheat Ale)
Workshop Brewery in Traverse City: Have a taste of Tenpenny (American Blonde Ale)
Brewery Ferment in Traverse City: Stop into this brewery on Union Street for a Mitten Wit (Belgian White Ale)
North Peak Brewery in Traverse City: You’ll definitely want to try a glass of Vicious (Wheat IPA)
Jolly Pumpkin in Traverse City: Sip on a Luciernaga (Pale Ale)
