Pure Michigan Pints

Dead Bear Brewing Company

Grayling, Michigan

Dead Bear has been a staple stop on my way to my family cabin in Alpena. While it’s no Austin Brother’s Beer Co., it provides a nice pitstop. Is it a brewery or a brewpub? I’d lean more towards brewpub. BUT they do brew their own beers. (…And still have other beers from places.) To me, this never screams confidence when a place does this, but with all the closings, maybe I shouldn’t be as picky.

Beer Selection—4/5

Despite having a variety of beers from other breweries, Dead Bear manages to have a fair selection of their own, including: a pickle beer, a hefeweizen, a few dark beers, and a couple IPAs. Of course, as I often do, I ventured a flight to dive into their beer.

Unless a place proves they can’t brew good beer, I’ll always drink house brews. (Some brewpubs do suck in this regard; I remember when HopCat attempted to brew their own beer—to say it was awful would be a vast understatement.)

Vibes—3.5/5

I took a picture with the bear. Yes, it was a dead bear (get it?). I’ll stop. Perhaps it’s too “on the nose.” But the sign telling people not to touch Dead Bear Steve added a nice sense of humor. You get strong pub vibes, or tavern vibes (call them what you will) in this place—what’s not to love about that? I love me a good pub with a strong wooden bar to drink cold beers from.

The place is spacious without feeling too open.

Service—5/5

The bartender/hostess/server (she was literally the only employee up front) did an amazing job considering there were four of us at the bar and four tables; I didn’t have to wait for anything. This in itself is amazing; she definitely rocked it out and filled a few Howlers as well.

Beer Quality—2.5/5

While I know I can generally find a beer I like, some of the beers left a bit on the table in the realm of desirability. The pickle beer (while a great idea) came across way too sour on the pallet. (But, then again, I’m not the best judge of sour beers.)

My favorite beer was the Maple Bacon Porter . Even with this being my favorite beer, I don’t know if I’d necessarily recommend it. But it did warrant a full pour.

Food—3.5/5

I feel like I’ve eaten here enough to give a decent rating. For me, Dead Bear shines more with their apps. The Reuben egg rolls are spot on. (Highly recommend.) The burgers and chicken sandwiches are decent. Recently I got a Cubano. The ham/pulled pork ratio leaned too heavy on the first protein for my taste, but you can’t win them all. Overall, I’ll still eat here knowing I’ll get a decent meal.

Overall—15/20

It’ll continue to be a regular stop for me on my way to or from the cabin in Alpena. Big Boy used to hold this spot—this nostalgia—but I’ve found over time Dead Bear has replaced it. And, besides, Big Boy doesn’t have beer. I had to grow up some time, right?