Pure Michigan Pints

Lake Superior Brewing Company

Grand Marais, Michigan

Upon arrival in the UP, I set up camp: right on Lake Superior. Naturally, I checked my phone to try to figure out how long of a drive it’d be to the brewery. To my pleasant surprise is said .4 miles—a more than walkable distance. It was like a town/campsite together. For location this brewery gets a 10/10; you can still see Lake Superior from it.

The town seemed a bit … odd. Janky? It’s probably not the right word but the first word that comes to mind.

Beer Selection—1/5

When I visited, they only had three of their own beers on tap, while still hosting a vast selection of other beers and liquor. The bartender assured me they usually have more beers on draft than three of their own (he made it sound like they generally have at least five if not more on).

The three on draft were Cabin Fever ESB, Sandstone Pale Ale, and Blueberry Wheat.

Vibe—3.5/5

This is one of the oddest vibes I’ve got from a “brewery.” The best way to describe this is it had strong Dive Bar Vibes. (And I come from Muskegon, aka—Dive Bar Capital of the World, so I know what dive bars are like and suffered through many in my early twenties before the emergence of craft beer.) There were tons of bottles of liquor behind the shelf. A pool table in the corner.

At first, my instincts found this vibe off-putting. Thinking back on it (and even the next day) I appreciated this place for being different than most. How many times have I said a place has brewery/restaurant vibes? This place isn’t that; it’s unique.

Service—5/5

I sat at the bar and got top notch service. Even though I arrived between shift changeover, they did this flawlessly. The first bartender was helpful and answered many questions I had. The bartender who took over didn’t hesitate to see if I wanted food.

Beer Quality—3.5/5

For having three beers, they didn’t fare bad. I’ve been to breweries with ten beers that have had shittier beers. The Cabin Fever ESB surprised me and went super well with my whitefish dinner. The blueberry—a very popular UP style of beer during the summer (I suspect for the tourists)—proved to be a tad too sweet but overall not a bad offering. The Sandstone Pale Ale demonstrated everything a pale ale should be; a slight hoppiness but nothing overbearing.

Food—5/5

Fresh white fish. This place offered a whole fresh whitefish menu including a salad, a sandwich, tacos, a whitefish basket, and a whitefish dinner. I opted for the basket that came with fries, a generous portion of whitefish, coleslaw, and a side of tarter sauce. Everything was on point and I could tell how fresh the fish was.

Dare I say it? This is some of the best whitefish I’ve ever eaten.

Overall—13/20 Recommend

I almost didn’t want to provide a number ranking for this brewery—it’s clear they can offer more beers, but fair is fair. I can only review a place from my personal experience when I visit. I’m aware in a month it might be completely different, and THAT’S OKAY. To catch any establishment, or even person, at their best 24/7 is unrealistic. Go here for the view. Grab a beer and you’ll probably find that you’re not disappointed. And get some whitefish!