We were in the Traverse City area three years ago when we went on our Sleeping Bear dunes trip, (click here to check out that trip - although not many notes).  We didn’t get to the Travese Brewing Co., can’t remember if they were not open or why we hadn’t stopped here.  It was time to re-do Traverse City and be sure to include the Traverse Brewing Co.  Click the picture above or here for more pictures!

They have a small pub area, no food, which makes them a true Micro-brewery.  If you plan on a visit here you’ll need to be aware that they have limited hours and are only open until 8:00pm.  The décor is basic and the woodwork very inviting, nice and cozy.  Sarah waited on us and we ordered a sampler to try everything they had.  In our sampler we had:  Batch 500 Handful (served at room tempature, cask condition), Porter Handful (served at room tempature, cask condtion, very good aroma), TBC Stout (had a sweet and tart taste), Manitou Amber, Sleeping Bear Brown, Old Mission Lighthouse (a wheat that was not too wheaty), Batch 500, Pearl’s Pale Ale, and Power Island Porter.  We really like the Power Island Porter and had the growler filled with that.  Todd was able to get a pint glass here.

We drank the Porter later in our room at the Camelot Inn, so on Saturday we had a re-fill of the Manitou Amber.  The owner told us that he came up with the Porter recipe back in 1997 while listening to the Grateful Dead.

Based on our personal preferences, yours may vary

As the old story goes we didn’t have notes from our last visit here and we didn’t eat here either, it was time for a re-do and have a real rating.  This building was built in 1899 and was the Big Daylight Candy Factory, this would be the third and final building they built for the growth of the candy factory.  Click here or on the picture above for inside pictures!

Allison waited on us and was very knowledgeable and pleasant to talk to.  To eat we ordered 2 appetizers, we had the Gorgonzola Ale Dip (blue cheese with sour cream, dried cherries, toasted pecans and beer).  It is baked in woodfire and served with brewhouse bread.  We also had the Corndusted Calamari served with orange horseradish mayo.  Both were very good, but the Calamari was the best we have ever had, nice and tender.

We ordered up a sampler and had:  Cask Brown Ale (seasonal served at room tempature, good and smooth), 7^th Tap Larossa Doppia Molto (seasonal), 6^th Tap Scottish Brown Ale (seasonal), Northern Light Golden Ale (this one is good for light beer drinkers), North Peak Pale Ale (too hoppy for us), Steelhead Red Ale, Mission Point Porter, and Shirley’s Irish Stout.  We really liked the Porter - this was a 5+ and Todd even underlined it twice.  We did get the growler re-filled with the Porter and Todd also purchased a pint glass here.

It was snowing pretty good, so we decided to head back to the Inn instead of going to the Mackinaw Brewing Company.  Since we would have to come back tomorrow to take pictures we decided we would stop there then.  We also stopped back at North Peak for another re-fill and got the Scottish Brown Ale.

Based on our personal preferences, yours may vary

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  Sanford Lake & Mountain Town (June, 2001)  

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  Midland St. Ale Tour, Bay City, 2004  

  Old Boys, New Holland, Via Maria, Grand Rapids Brewing (Nov 12, 2004)  

  The B.O.B., Founders (Nov 13, 2004)  

  Thunder Bay, Kings, Bo's, CJ's (Feb 5, 2005)  

  Great Baraboo, Dragonmead, Belle River (Feb 26, 2005)  

  Boyne River, Shorts (Apr 30, 2005)  

  2nd U.P. Trip - Part 1, Tahquamenon, Lake Superior, Vierling, Jasper (Aug 24,25, 2005)  

  2nd U.P. Trip - Part 2, Red Jacket, Keweenaw, Library, Hereford & Hops (Aug 26,27, 2005)  

  Mountain Town, Sanford - 2nd Trip (Sept 10, 2005)  

  Michigan Brewing, Jolly Pumpkin, Redwood Lodge, (Sept 24, 2005)  

  Livery, Saugatuck, New Holland, Via Maria (Sept 30, 2005)  

  Middle Villa, Schmohz, Hideout (Oct 1, 2005)  

  Redwood Lodge (Sep, 2004), Redwood Lodge (Oct 8, 2005)  

  Kuhnhenn, Bastone, Lilys (Oct. 21, 2005)  

  Bonfire, Etouffee (Oct. 22, 2005)  

  Cork 'N' Ale 11th Annual Fall Beer Tasting (Nov. 3, 2005)  

  Traverse City, North Peak (Dec. 2, 2005)  

  Mackinaw, Shorts (Dec. 3, 2005)  

  Lumber Barons' Charcoal Grill & Brewpub (Dec. 9 & 10, 2005)