From the ultimate Torch Lake tour to Charlevoix’s best breweries, explore Northern Michigan’s leading wineries, breweries, distilleries and more. Let us show you how to sip like a local in the Charlevoix & the Torch Lake region.

This article was first featured in the 2023 MyNorth Vacation Guide. Learn more about this year's guide, order a digital or print copy, or find a complimentary guide on newsstands across Northern Michigan.

Alden & Beaver Island Breweries and Wineries

ALDEN
VISTA RIDGE VINEYARDS
Dock your boat at Alden’s boat ramp on Torch Lake then walk 400 feet to this downtown tasting room. Sit on the deck before strolling to nearby gift stores and stopping for ice cream.

BEAVER ISLAND
WHISKEY POINT BREWING COMPANY
Brewed on Beaver Island has a nice ring to it. As does Michigan’s first island brewery. Beer, fruit wines, spritzers and a gorgeous view of St. James Harbor.

Bellaire Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries & Cideries

BEE WELL MEAD & CIDER
A barn-inspired setting offering flagship and lim- ited-edition tasting room–only beverages. Bring the kids for soda pop and an arcade machine.

MAMMOTH DISTILLING
The classics are served up alongside creative craft cocktails in a comfy hangout downtown. More locations in Traverse City, Bay Harbor and Central Lake.

SHORT’S BREWING COMPANY
The one and only. Bold brews and good eats served in a renovated 120-year-old hardware store with an outdoor biergarten and “brewtique” beer market.

TORCH LAKE CELLARS
The kids can play ping-pong out back while you relax at this rustic-style tasting room with outdoor patio seating.

Image of Townline Ciderworks in Charlevoix Area.

Photo by Tess Crowley

Central Lake Winery & Distillery

CELLAR 1914 AT SHOOKS FARM
Laid-back tasting room at a 100-plus-year-old family farm with picturesque views. Stay the night at “The Vineyard View Farmhouse” or “The Farm Lifestyle” house.

MAMMOTH DISTILLING
A 100-year-old brick building on Main Street with concrete counters and reclaimed barnwood. Patio seating, too.

Charlevoix Wineries & Breweries

1918 CELLARS BISTRO & WINE TASTING ROOM
One-of-a-kind tasting room with both indoor and patio seating in the Queen’s Tavern at Castle Farms. Now offering gourmet grab-and-go fare, including sandwiches, salads and options for kids.

BIER’S INWOOD BREWERY
A white Victorian home turned brewery with 18 taps, live music and 10-inch pizzas. The large lawn is a great space to gather friends, and there are picnic games for the kids.

CHERRY REPUBLIC
The destination for all things cherry in downtown Charlevoix, including cherry wines (and sodas for the littles).

LOST CELLARS
Enjoy a flatbread pizza or charcuterie board with your wine tasting, or make it a weekend stay and book the two-bedroom winery chalet via VRBO.

SPARE KEY WINERY
The covered porch sits just a few steps from the vineyard, where leashed dogs and their owners are welcome to walk.

East Jordan Winery to Visit

CELLAR 1914 IN EAST JORDAN
The winery’s second location in downtown East Jordan is right next door to Iron Goat Coffee and Foundry Bar & Grill. Spend some time here.

Elk Rapids Wineries, Distilleries, Breweries & Cideries

BOS WINE GARDEN
A restored 1920s farmhouse with a welcoming, homey interior and outdoor seating in the garden. Biodynamic wine tasting experiences—one with curated food pairings and one without.

CELLAR 152
Relax on the back deck and soak in gorgeous views of the harbor at this gourmet food and wine market.

ETHANOLOGY
Artful cocktails made with hyperlocal ingredients. Expansive, beautifully designed courtyard with shaded garden areas and firepits.

SHORT’S BREWING, THE PULL BARN
This Elk Rapids outpost has indoor and outdoor seating with a selection of on-site food trucks.

TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS
Cidergarden and open-air lawn seating with views of the orchards where the apples in your glass were grown. Live music and a food truck on weekends.

Image of Townline Ciderworks in Charlevoix Area.

Photo by Allison Jarrell

Ellsworth & Kewadin Wineries

ELLSWORTH
THE CELLARS OF ROYAL FARMS
A pretty red-and-white farm market with wine and cider tasting overlooking the vineyard (patio seating, too).

KEWADIN
WATERFIRE VINEYARDS
A Sustainability in Practice (SIP)–certified vineyard with an intimate tasting room and deck. Guests are invited to stroll the property.

Your Torch Lake Beer, Wine & Cider Tour

Against the breathtaking backdrop of Torch Lake, a tasting tour is a winning day. With two breweries, a distillery and multiple wineries and cideries, the Torch Lake Tour has something for everyone. Find a map at the official Torch Lake Tour website.

Image of Townline Ciderworks in Charlevoix Area.

Photo by Kristie Altonen

Townline Ciderworks in Williamsburg.

Williamsburg Area Cider, Craft Cocktails & Beer
Starting in Williamsburg, Townline Ciderworks sits on an expansive property with wide-open orchard views and plenty of outdoor seating. Ciders range from dry to sweet and everything in between. Not far from Townline, the industrial-chic distillery and tasting room at Ethanology in Elk Rapids has live music and cocktails resembling works of art. Owners Nick and Geri Lefebre source ingredients from local farmers to provide flavor profiles that encompass the Torch Lake area. New in Elk Rapids, Short’s Brewing Company is welcoming guests to its indoor taproom at The Pull Barn, and Old Mission Eats food truck is slinging good eats onsite spring through summer.

North Torch Lake Wine, Beer & Cider 
Heading north, don’t miss WaterFire Vineyards on the west side of Torch Lake in Kewadin, the first certified sustainable vineyard in the Midwest. The property’s name pays homage to Torch Lake—water, referring to the lake, and fire, referring to the torch-shape of the lake. Royal Farms on US-31 in Ellsworth is a cherry-filled oasis, complete with a wine tasting room and market with homemade baked goods. Bier’s Inwood Brewery, also on US-31 (about seven miles south of downtown Charlevoix), is tucked in a white Victorian home behind the bright red schoolhouse that’s home to Bier Art Gallery and Pottery Studio. The brewery features 12 taps along with cider and wine.

Downtown Charlevoix Taproom, Cantina, Taverns & Bars
While not an official stop on the Torch Lake Tour, downtown Charlevoix has several great spots to enjoy a bevie including Bridge Street Taproom with its 32 taps of Michigan brews and bistro-style menu (hello, smoked brisket nachos), and The Cantina Tacos & Tequila where the bar is home to a wide selection of artisan and small-batch tequilas. Town House Bar, The Villager Pub and East Park Tavern are also favorite hangouts.

East Torch Lake Wine, Beer, Cider & Craft Cocktails
Now, going south on the east side of Torch Lake, swing by Cellar 1914 in Central Lake. It boasts a winery and tasting room on a farm owned by the same family since 1914. In nearby Bellaire, grab a bite at the well-loved Short’s Brewing Company and when you’re finished, sip across the street at the equally tasty Bee Well Mead & Cider and Hello Vino. Also not an official stop on the Torch Lake Tour, but a fun destination, Mammoth Distilling has tasting rooms in Central Lake and Bellaire (Traverse City and Bay Harbor, too, if you’re traveling that way). Not far from downtown Bellaire sits Torch Lake Cellars, where wines are named after local attractions, like Sandbar Chardonnay. Continuing south, your last stop is in the quaint town of Alden at the downtown tasting room Crushin’ It at Vista Ridge Vineyards.

Designated drivers are always necessary. If you need a shuttle, check out the Brew Bus, Road Runner Tours and Traverse City Wine & Beer Tours.

People sitting at a bar in Northern Michigan.

Bee Well Mead & Cider in Bellaire.

Sipping on (Beaver) Island Time

Beaver Island is a must-visit for its miles of sandy shoreline, two historic lighthouses and super chill vibes. It’s also home to Whiskey Point Brewing Company. Have a cold beer or a glass of wine while you look out at Paradise Bay and, yeah, it’ll feel like paradise.