Traverse City Breweries – Must Visit

Are you looking for the best Traverse City beer breweries? We went on an adventure in Traverse City and discovered a number of great breweries. We discovered that Traverse City beer is available in many styles. It’s worth exploring.

Grand Rapids might be Beer City. However, there are so many great craft beer breweries nearby that Traverse City is definitely a close second.

The Traverse City area is located on Grand Traverse Bay and offers a paradise for outdoor-lovers. It has miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and hiking trails. Winter visitors are eager to enjoy outdoor adventures, whether they’re downhill or crosscountry skiing.

Grand Traverse County’s county seat, this city is a haven for foodies and craft-beef lovers. Farmers markets are bursting with fresh produce, hand-crafted goods, Old Mission Peninsula’s wineries, top restaurants, and a few gourmet food trucks. There is also a large selection of places that offer the latest craft beers.

There is a whole tourism sector in Traverse City that focuses on wine and beer tours, mixed with boat tours. It’s dedicated to celebrating one of the many delights of northern Michigan.

Traverse City has it all, whether you’re looking to visit a brewery or find a brewpub.

This is our review of the Grand Traverse area’s must-see breweries, as well as a list of some other special spots that you might want to visit.

Stouts With My Spouse Podcast is hosted by Kerry Neville and Patrick Palmateer. It explores craft beer in Michigan. We love to celebrate small and big businesses in the mitten state. Our motto is to enjoy the outdoors and brews with smiles, as well as to laugh with those we love.

Are you looking for a brewery in Traverse City, Michigan? You can start HERE:

Silver Spruce Brewing Company

Traverse City, MI 49686 439 E Eighth St.
(231) 252-3552
Silver Spruce Brewing Company is located at 8th Street in Traverse City. It is just a short walk from Front Street. This is a great spot for craft beer enthusiasts.

We enjoy a funky dive bar but that is not Silver Spruce’s style. Inside, there is a light warehouse vibe with high ceilings and simple, sharp finishes. There are also garage doors along the side walls.

It’s a pleasure to be able to see the beauty of Traverse city while sitting in this space. Silver Spruce may not be on the waterfront but it is in Traverse City that we feel surrounded by beauty.

The vibes are steady as we all sit in open spaces, enjoying craft beer.

We tried the Farmhouse Ale, Farmhouse Ale and Little Spruce IPA. Cider was also available. Our top picks were the Farmhouse Ale and Stout.

Our beer of choice is the Stout. It’s a delicious, drinkable stout. It’s balanced and easy to consume. This isn’t a dessert stout. It pairs well with food. This dark beer is light and refreshing, making it an excellent choice to pair with pizza.

Another star was the Farmhouse Rye. This rye ale was a great pairing with our home-made charcuterie board. We enjoyed the little taste of rye while enjoying snacks and playing board games on one evening.

Silver Spruce Brewing Company offers a wide range of beverages that will please everyone. There is something for everyone. Cheers!

The Rare Bird Brewpub

229 Lake Ave. Traverse City, MI 489684
(231) 943-2053
The Rare Bird is a downtown Traverse City restaurant that offers a unique combination of craft beer and food.

Three courses were paired with three different beers to create a special menu. This is a great way for you to sample a few beers along with a well-crafted meal.

It included a cheese board, buttery scallops and a rich brownie. All were delicious!

We tried a few items from their menu, and enjoyed the garlic sauce with french fries. The Imperial Stout, Nuts to Butter and Homeschool Dropout are the best.

The Imperial Stout was paired perfectly with the dessert brownie. This award-winning stout is picture perfect because of its consistency, delicious flavor and beautiful color.

The Homeschool Dropout is a gluten-reduced beer that can be described as a happy American red wine. The Homeschool Dropout was a hit.

We have never had a beer quite like Nuts to Butter. We were initially unsure what to make of the beer’s taste. This brown ale is rich in peanut butter and we fell in love.

After tasting many different craft beers across the country, we were pleasantly surprised by one beer. This is a great choice for those who like darker beers.

The Rare Bird is a wonderful experience for all ages in Traverse City, Michigan. Photo by Stouts and My Spouse Podcast

Cultured Kombucha

3842 Jupiter Cresent Dr. Traverse City MI 49685
(517) 206-1960
Cultured is a taproom and brewery located outside of Traverse City. Kombucha (or booch) is fermented tea that’s made in a similar way to craft beer. Booch has delicious flavors that will please the taste buds without any sugar rush.

The certified organic and vegan Kombucha is affordable and easy to use. It will please long-time booch lovers as well as first-time triers.

Our crew is half meat-and-potatoes guys. They are cautious but open to trying new things. After a long winter hike, we bought growlers. After a long winter hike, we fell in love with the fizzy booch and are now hooked.

Cultured Kombucha founder Courtney Lorenz studied nutrition and was trained as a chef. Her culinary experience has influenced her products. The simple taproom lets the booch be the star of any show.

BYOF means you can bring your own food and enjoy a fizzy brew along with a meal. Namaste Nectar, their most popular seller, is a favorite of mine. Photo by Stouts and My Spouse Podcast

Lake Ann Brewing Company

6535 First St Lake Ann MI 49650
(231) 640-2327
Lake Ann Brewing Company can be found about twenty minutes west of Traverse City. It is located in the middle Lake Ann Village. It is located between shops and a park.

After we had finished our drinks, we went to the patio. Lake Ann Brewing offers a large patio with an outdoor bar and a stage for live music.

Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. It felt like a neighborhood party.

They were all delicious. The Jungle Fungus Session IPA is a regular favourite. We tried the Coffee Vanilla Blonde and Auggie’s Glo Summer Wheat, Lake Ann Amber and Burnt Mill Brown, Platte river Porter, as well as the Chocolate Orange Cream Stout.

These beers are all worth re-ordering. We loved the Chocolate Orange Cream Stout. It was a delicious combination of citrus and dark brews.

We were intrigued to discover this flavor combination, which we hadn’t seen in many places we traveled.

Lake Ann Brewing Company offers delicious craft beer and a relaxing spot to enjoy the sun on the patio.

Stormcloud Brewing Company Pub

303 Main St.
Frankfort, MI 489635
(231) 352-0118
Stormcloud Brewing Company is located just an hour west from Traverse City, Michigan. The taproom and patio can be found on Main Street, just a few steps from beautiful Lake Michigan.

The food menu included brat bites and house-made popcorn. These snacks are great to enjoy with a glass of beer or with small groups. There are also a variety of flatbread pizzas available.

Stormcloud was a great place to get food and service. We tried the 2020 Harvest Tripel, the Imperial Star-Off Machine and the Birdwalker Blonde.

Our favorite birdwalker blonde was the star of our group. The lightness and fruitiness of the hops was a big hit with us.

If you are interested in trying out craft beer, the Birdwalker is a great choice. It is full of flavor and would make a great introduction to hops, before you try IPAs or other heavily hopped beers.

Stormcloud Brewing Company’s Pub is a great location. We walked to the beach after our meal and enjoyed the vibrant colors of Lake Michigan.

Suttons Bay Ciders

10530 E Hilltop Rd. Suttons Bay MI 49682
(231) 271-6000
We pulled our truck up the winding driveway to Suttons Bay Ciders on a cold winter’s day. Before we could park, we had to dodge a confident chicken. We got out of our truck to take in the magnificent view from Suttons Bay’s hilltop. It’s magical and kid-friendly.

As we walked up the steps, there were charming outdoor seating areas. We then headed towards the entrance at the top of the hill. The huge window at the barback caught our attention.

The bay is also visible through the window. The rest of decor is minimal, allowing the view to become the space’s focal point.

We bought the Smitten, Highlander and Barrel Rider as well as I Spy Ginger. The Smitten was a traditional cider with a semi-sweet taste that will appeal to all. Lavender was used to make the Highlander.

Lavender-infused cider is savory and easy to enjoy. Our personal favorite was the Highlander. For those who aren’t averse to bourbon, the Barrel Rider is a good choice.

The subtle bourbon taste was pleasant and tingled the back of your throat as it went down. For those who want a savory flavor, the I Spy Ginger is a great option.

The I Spy tastes like a cocktail because of its ginger-forward flavor. The ginger taste was reminiscent of a Moscow Mule or a classic G & T.

Hilltop Maple Syrup is an added bonus. We grabbed a jar to take home and used it to make our waffles and flapjacks.

Suttons Bay Ciders is a wonderful spot in Traverse City, thanks to its stunning view and variety of hard cider.

You can also check out other Traverse City MI Breweries:

Jolly Pumpkin
Hop Lot
Monkey Fist Brewing Co
Workshop Brewing Company
Mackinaw Brewing
Bravo Zulu Brewing
Northport Brewing
Brewery Terra Firma
North Peak Brewing
Filling Station Microbrewery
Right Brain Brewery
Middlecoast Brewing Company
Beggars Brewery
Brewery Ferment
Earthen Ales
7 Monks Taproom
Short’s Brewing
Farm Club
Kilkenny’s Irish Public House