Before we begin, allow me this brief digression. I recently got an email list from contributor Pete Bussa about being a Michigander, Jeff Foxworthy style. A couple of those items pertain here. "You know you're a true MICHIGANDER when you know that UP is a place not a direction" and "You know what a Yooper is."
With that said, the UP got its first microbrewery and Yoopers approve. Breweries in the UP are not new, Hereford & Hops opened in Escanaba with the fourth brewpub license in the state. Subsequent to the grill your own steak and eat it too with a fresh brew restaurant, five more brewpubs opened in the UP, providing Yoopers with the fresh beer here experience. As if by agreement, the Yooper brewpubs were well spread around the UP, about as far as one would like to travel before stopping for a beer.
The six brewpubs are all very different in restaurant concept yet share five things in common; they exist primarily as restaurants, you can only buy their product on site, the brewers all learned to make commercial beer on site, the owners are all residents, and defying the law of averages, not one has closed.
Into this mix has been added a seventh brewery but this one is very different. It is a microbrewery, not a brewpub, there is no restaurant, they distribute their beer, the beer is crafted by an experienced commercial brewer, and the owners live out of state. If that is not enough differentiation, this brewery will be the first in the state to offer beer in cans.
The idea for Keweenaw Brewing Company was born in Colorado. Here's how brewer Dave Lawrence explains it. "Keweenaw Brewing Company was born from an idea a couple of guys had while sitting around in Wyncoop drinking beer. One of those guys went to school here in the UP." That person was Dick Gray and the other person, his partner in the brewery, is Paul Boissevain . They both live in Colorado.
To oversee their long distance business, Paul and Dick enlisted the help of an ex-brewer from Denver's famous Wyncoop Brewing Company, Dave Lawrence. Dave obviously agreed, made the move and has been on site since day one, where in his words he "has done everything with the exception of the electrical and the plumbing."
Keweenaw B.C. is located on the main drag through downtown Houghton where it is called Shelden Avenue. It is about two blocks from the Library Bar & Restaurant, which just happens to be the number six brewpub to open in the UP.
The building is part of a two adjoining building structure known as the Bergdahl and Briggs buildings. Evidently the Bergdahls and Briggs were also joined by marriage. Paul and Dave bought the Bergdahl building which included two store fronts and apartments above. Somewhat ironically, the business that shares the building with the microbrewery is a Christian bookstore. It, as well as the apartments above, now pay rent to the brewery owners.
The brewery can be quickly identified by the burgundy awning. The two large picture windows are decorated with a kind of diorama that reminds me of mining for beer with its display of ore and shovels and kegs and growlers. Inside, the décor is mining cabin rustic and showcases local art. There are a few tables in the front and the bar is along the right wall in front of the open copper brewing system. About 35 people would fill the place.
Keweenaw Brewing Company is about beer. There is no restaurant nor any food service, however you are welcome to bring in your own. There is even a binder full of delivery service menus for your convenience. Pints are only $2.00.
Dave does a remarkable job considering his brewing system is an early Pub Brewing design transplanted from the Crescent City Brewhouse in New Orleans. "I make middle of the road honest beers," said Dave, a Coors fan who grew up in Golden Colorado. He refers to his beers as "Good, clean English-American hybrid ales." Dave also makes Birch Beer and Root Beer.
Keweenaw offers four regular beers, one rotational black ale and one seasonal or specialty. The fulltime beers are Pick Axe Blonde, Red Jacket Amber Ale, Hilde's Brown Ale, and Magnum Pale Ale. The rotational was his Coal Porter, which will be followed by R.A.M. Stout. The seasonal was the very tail end of his Empress Hefeweizen. They are all of average alcohol strength, 5-5.5 percent, lower on carbonation and medium on body. All the beers are well made and true to their style.
Want another opinion? MBG reader Harvey Filppola, retired after 45 years in education said Keweenaw has the best beer in the UP.
When I asked Dave what brew was up next he responded that he had no idea but he would like to do a lager.
Unfortunately a big part of this story remains unsaid. Their 5-head 120 can per minute packaging system had yet to arrive. Dave expectes it to be installed and running by mid November. Guess we'll have to go back. MBG