Pure Michigan Pints

Alcona Brew Haus

Harrisville, Michigan

Beer camp (sometimes incorrectly called “deer camp”) provides the opportunity to go to local breweries, as well as breweries I haven’t been to before. One such brewery I discovered via an online search: Alcona Brew Haus.

Since I don’t live up north (I’ll let you debate what constitutes as “up north” in Michigan; we all have different takes on it), this makes breweries by my cabin a possibility that I’d otherwise probably never go to. This one happened to be about an hour south and east of base camp.

Beer Selection – 4/5

Across the board, Alcona provided enough options with 12 beers on tap. I got to try all of them which gave me an even better idea of their full range of beers. They have Alcona Lite which is even crisper than most regular domestic beers, another lager, an Irish Red, a brown ale, an IPA, a double IPA, a Belgian strong, and a couple darker beers including a milk stout and a full bodied stout less sweet in nature.

Vibe – 3/5

The place gave off slight diner vibes. I dug the horseshoe bar. Upon going to the bathroom, I discovered the place has more depth and more seating than I thought possible. The artwork at the entrance added a nice little touch as well and reminded me of my German heritage.

Service – 5/5

The service was great. The owner provided additional free tastings (I did not ask for these additional tastes nor mention I write a beer blog) so me and my old man could try the ones our flights didn’t cover. Additional care like this and wanting people to find beers they actually like go a long ways in the realms of hospitality and make me want to come back.

Beer Quality – 4/5

I liked most of the beers I tried. Of course, some weren’t to my liking, such as the brown and red, but those aren’t my favorite styles. I thought Alcona Lite really knocked it out of the water in terms of crispy freshness. Normally, I’m more leery when it comes to lagers. (As with anything, this is subject to change; I might eventually hop on the Lager-hype train.)

Both dark beers were exactly what I wanted them to be—choosing one I’d suspect would be more relative on my mood. I dug the sweeter milk stout as a good desert beer (and got a howler to go), but found the darker stout accompanied my meal a bit better. Overall, I think anybody could find a beer they liked at this brewery.

Food – 4/5

I had the Cuban. With capicola and smoked brisket, it proved to be an interesting take on the classic sandwich. The smoked wings were crispy, cooked all the way, and juicy. The smoky bbq sauce complimented them well. The French dip sandwich was the best thing I tried here. The bread was crispy while still being soft at the same time. The brisket meat was spot on. I’d recommend getting this sandwich; you wont be disappointed.

Overall – 16/20: Recommend

New breweries are always a risk. Some disappoint; others are neat little discoveries. This one was well worth the hour trip from the cabin and I’ll definitely look to be back when I’m in the area. I give the food and the brews two thumbs up.