Northern Michigan Craft Beer Trail: Breweries Worth the Drive

Hops, Lakes, and Small-Town Taprooms

Michigan is one of the top hop-growing states in the country, and Northern Michigan sits at the heart of it. The same glacially formed soils that grow the world's best tart cherries also produce exceptional hops — and a generation of brewers has figured this out. What has emerged over the past fifteen years is a genuine craft beer culture spread across small cities and tiny villages from Traverse City to Petoskey to Gaylord, where exceptional beer is brewed within sight of lake views and forest trails.

Right Brain Brewery — Traverse City

Right Brain is the brewery that put Traverse City on the national craft beer map. Their rotating experimental taps include genuinely bizarre creations — beef steak stout, sriracha pale ale, thanksgiving in a glass — alongside impeccably made traditional styles. The taproom on 14th Street has a warmly chaotic energy that feels like the best kind of neighborhood bar. The Northern Hawk Owl IPA is the one to start with. Check Traverse City events for their seasonal tap release parties.

Brewery Ferment — Traverse City

Brewery Ferment is the cerebral counterpart to Right Brain's exuberance. Occupying a repurposed industrial space near the Boardman River, they focus on farmhouse ales, wild fermentation, and sour beers that reward slow sipping. Their Petite Saison is a recurring benchmark. The bottle list pulls from small European producers alongside their own cellared releases.

Short's Brewing Company — Bellaire

Short's is Northern Michigan's biggest craft brewery success story — they built a production facility without abandoning the soul of their original Bellaire pub. The pub itself, on Bridge Street in downtown Bellaire, remains the best place to drink their beer. The rotating list includes pan-Michigan ingredients: cherry, lavender, lemon verbena, local honey. Their Soft Parade, a fruit wheat beer, has become a Michigan summer institution. The production facility on US-131 now offers tours.

Petoskey Brewing — Petoskey

Petoskey Brewing occupies a beautifully converted space in downtown Petoskey with a patio view across Little Traverse Bay. Their Lake Life IPA is crisp and drinkable on that patio all afternoon. The kitchen is legitimate — smoked brisket, locally sourced cheese boards — making this a full evening rather than just a stop. The tap list rotates seasonally with ingredients from local farms.

Bier Camp — Harbor Springs

Bier Camp in Harbor Springs combines a bottle shop stocking over 400 craft beers from around the world with a taproom pouring Michigan craft and exceptional imports. If you want to geek out on Belgian Trappist ales in a Northern Michigan ski town setting, this is your place. The owner's curation reflects genuine expertise — you will leave with bottles you have never seen anywhere else.

Mackinaw Brewing Company — Traverse City

The downtown location on Front Street makes Mackinaw Brewing the most accessible brewery in Traverse City — walk-in friendly, good food, consistent flagship beers. The Pale Ale and Waterfront Wheat are solid year-round anchors. In summer, the outdoor seating is some of the best people-watching in the city.

Planning Your Beer Trail Day

Bellaire to Traverse City to Petoskey to Harbor Springs forms a natural geographic loop that can be done in a day with a designated driver or by staying overnight in Petoskey. Most taprooms open by noon and stop serving by 10pm. Bring a cooler for to-go four-packs — many of these breweries bottle or can their best releases in limited quantities that do not make it to distribution. The Traverse City events calendar regularly features brewery anniversary parties and rare tap release events worth planning around.