Pure Michigan Pints

Trail Point Brewing Company

Allendale, Michigan

Trail Point Brewing Company is one of those breweries I went to a handful of times until COVID happened. After a 4–6-year hiatus, I visited them three times in the past few months. I wanted to see what they were up to and if there were any changes in the brewery.

Selection—5/5

The brewery boasts a sizeable draft list with close to 20 beers, ciders, and/or seltzers on draft. It’s always more than I expect. They have a pretty good selection going: lighter beers on draft, some IPAs, a pumpkin beer (I went in the fall/winter of 2023), and a few stouts.

There’s good variety. The bartender graciously provided me with some free tastings one time I went. The last time I went with a few friends, and we did a deep dive with two flights, sampling a total of 12 beers.

Vibe—4/5

I dig Trail Point Brewing. Their vibes don’t appear much different than other breweries, but I swear they’re a little bit neater with how they have their brewery set up. It feels and looks clean. There’s plenty of room, outside seating, and a decent enough bar to sit at.

The board is big, which makes it easy to see what they have on draft.  The interior feels intentional and spacious.

Service—4/5

I haven’t had a bad experience when it comes to service here. The bartenders tend to demonstrate patience, a willingness to give samples, talk about the beverages on draft, and offer suggestions without attempting to rush you along.

Even though beer is supposed to be ordered at the bar, I still noticed the bartenders taking orders at tables when they had a chance.

Quality—4/5

The beer was of a higher quality than I anticipated. (And it’s been this way since the beginning; I guess I had low expectations from a little brewery in Allendale?) For example, most places copy Odd Side Ales and make a coffee blonde ale; here Perk Ya Later (4% abv) is a coffee cream ale (so it has its own little twist), and since I love cream ales, it’s a welcomed twist.

They’ve had a no-bake cookie porter (known as Nana’s No Bake Porter) in the past that I loved (it wasn’t on draft this time, and I’m not sure the last time it was brewed), and the pumpkin beer was spot on (feel free to give me hate in the comments). A surprising non-beer favorite for all three of us who sampled the last time I went was the pear cinnamon seltzer. It sounds so different. Maybe it’s because it’s December, but it hit perfectly.

There are many amazing offerings at Trail Point. One thing I would like to point out: I’m under the impression their tap list frequently changes, and I’m not entirely sure they have any mainstays. So, naturally, the beer quality will change when the taps change. In my last three times, the drafts changed each time quite a bit.

Food—???

Trail Point hosts numerous food trucks. They even have a schedule for these food trucks. Unfortunately, I have yet to try any of them, so I cannot offer a rating or any insight at this time.

Overall

I’d strongly recommend Trail Point Brewing. They not only were a solid brewery to visit but showed a strong presence when compared to many other breweries at both Suds on the Lakeshore and Burning Foot Festival.

If they had been created when I was in college—I’m old now, I know—I would have (gladly) been a mug club member. It would have offered something to do and provided great beverages for me to enjoy. Unfortunately, the craft brewery scene in Michigan hadn’t fully taken off yet (and I was underage for all but one year). In the following years many would pop up everywhere.

Check out Trail Point Brewing in Allendale. They’re the real deal and here to stay.

Total—17/20