Brews news

I've been swamped at work, dealing with appeals, jury trials, and generally seeking justice in a crazy system. So, while some exciting things have been happening in this wonderful beer town called Ann Arbor, I haven't been writing about it.

But today, I can finally catch a little time to mention a few items of interest. First of all, I'm writing this post right at Arbor Brewing, where Old Tjikko spruce beer is on tap today for Arbor Day. $1 of every pint sold gets donated to the Adopt A Park Natural Area Preservation program here in Ann Arbor, which my wife and I have volunteered for and supported for a number of years. It's yet another example of beer people being good people and Arbor's amazing support for community causes. The Arbor Day Old Tjikko is based on a delicious American Pale Ale, full of grapefruity, juicy hops. I can taste the spruce, but it's not too pronounced, making for a balanced beer that'll appeal to any pale ale fan out there.

On May 2, Arbor will have a Summerfest Release Party, where the 2011 Top of the Park schedule will be revealed and a limited edition seasonal beer will be released: Festival Saison. I do love a good saison in the summertime! The party is 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the Tap Room. Festival Saison is brewed with lemon zest, orange peel, and ginger, and will be available at Arbor through the summer, with a portion of sales proceeds going to support Top of the Park. TOP is a local treasure, but it's been struggling each year to make it financially. With the University Musical Society - of which TOP is a part - vulnerable to cuts in government funding for the arts, it's more important than ever to support TOP if it's something that you value in our city.

Over at Wolverine State Brewing Co., May 8 is mug club appreciation day. It's Wolverine's six-month anniversary. Yes, it's Mother's Day, too, so don't forget your mom! Heck, bring her! She can join the mug club, too! If I'm not mistaken, Wolverine will be extending its hours that day. I recall hearing 12:00-8:00, but you might want to check. Mug club members will get half-off on growler fills, $1.50 beers, and a free pizza buffet. Wolverine also has all of its taps full of tasty brews. Anyone, from hop head to malt maven, can find a beer or three to enjoy. I introduced a friend to Wolverine last night, and he looked around, sat back in his chair, sipped his brew, and said that this was the kind of place where he could hang out a lot. He's right: Wolverine is totally that kind of place.

Last but not least - in fact, probably hugest! - Summer Beer Festival tickets go on sale on May 1st. Oh yes, folks, it's getting to be that time of year again, so gear up for two days of brew madness in Ypsilanti! I hope to see you there!

Wolverine State Brewing Co. comes fully into its - and our - own

People driving by 2019 West Stadium on Ann Arbor's west side might not suspect that a whole lot of great beer is being brewed in that former warehouse tucked behind Comerica Bank, Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness, Advantage Sports, and Big Georges. Those people might not know that if they just turn into the driveway and pull to the back, they'll be greeted by a large, inviting tap room decked out in love for our state and its craft beer industry, a tap room where delicious beer is being poured by a friendly, knowledgable staff. People might miss out on the glimpse of a gleaming brewhouse in the back, or on the experience of sitting at the long, hand made bar or at one of the many tables decorated with maps of Michigan or in one of the easy chairs or sofas around a low table. They might not get to play some foosball or darts or just hang out, perhaps using the free wi-fi while sampling some beer and snacks or maybe eating more substantial food that they brought or ordered in. In other words, all of those folks driving by on Stadium will miss out on something wonderful.

Wolverine State Brewing Co. specializes in lager brewing, and lagers take time to produce. Unlike relatively warm-fermenting ales that can be ready to drink rather quickly, lagers are fermented with yeast that like colder temperatures and take their sweet time to ferment the beer. They then go into cold storage for a long maturation. That cold storage is called lagering, and the whole long process yields brews that are crisp and clean and have gorgeous clarity, the qualities for which lagers are known and prized.

One of many gorgeous beers at Wolverine

In contrast to the slow process of lager production, Wolverine has matured as a business at an astonishing rate. Sales have increased 500% since the November, 2010, tap room opening, and the brewery recently added two new ten-barrel fermentation tanks and a conditioning tank. Oh, and how about the new bottling line, which will soon be putting out bottles of Wolverine Premium Lager (starting in June), Wolverine Dark Lager (September), and the seasonal Wolverine Winter Lager (November)? Not only will that mean that more Wolverine beers will be distributed in bottles, but also that bottled Wolverine will no longer be contract-brewed but will be made right here in Ann Arbor, with full production control in the capable hands of brewer Oliver Roberts. The company is a full year ahead of schedule in its business growth, and sales are conservatively projected to be 800 barrels in 2011, up from distribution of 150-200 barrels of the contract brewed Wolverine Premium. If you go out to area restaurants and bars, you may have noticed that Wolverine tap handles are appearing in more and more establishments.

Rex Halfpenny, Matt Roy, and Oliver Roberts address the crowd

Wolverine has also come into its own as a community gathering place, with the taproom becoming what a great pub should be: a friendly place to be, a place that embraces its community and is embraced in turn, a place of camaraderie and good times, big events and small evenings.

I had the pleasure of attending the tap room's first beer dinner on April 3, and I can sum it up by saying: Let it be the first of many! The "Beer Bellies" dinner featured delicious Southern food thoughtfully paired with Wolverine's terrific brews, and it was emceed by Michigan beer guru Rex Halfpenny - the force behind the Michigan Beer Guide - along with Wolverine owners Matt Roy and E.T. Crowe and brewer Oliver Roberts. Happy patrons sat at long tables, connecting with old friends and meeting new ones, and the family-style service was invitingly casual and comfortable. The event epitomized what I love about the beer community and the idea of the "shared table," which I've written about before.

Getting ready to fill our "Beer Bellies"

I've also been at Wolverine on quiet afternoons, drinking some beer and chatting with folks or just working on my computer, and watching as representatives of groups or clubs stopped by to check out the tap room as a possible meeting place. I've seen Oliver talking about the beers - education helps bring people into the craft beer fold - taking the time to explain what they are all about. I've seen Pilar's Tamales set up and trivia night getting under way. I've seen people come in solo and in couples and groups, standing room only crowds and calmer times. I've seen a lot of happy folks drinking beer and hanging out, totally comfortable to just be there. In other words, I've seen Wolverine be a place that has thrown itself open to the community, an example of what the best pubs offer, and the community has adopted the place as its own.

I'm thrilled about Wolverine's business success, and I congratulate the entire Wolverine team for it. Perhaps I'm most thrilled about Wolverine's success because it flows directly from its coming into its own as a community place - our place - and that's priceless.