“More than once I thought it wasn’t going to happen,” Bosel recounted. “It took about a year and a half but we finally got the call from our attorney that said we were good to go.”
Now that they had all the legalities squared away, it was time to come up with a name for their new enterprise. Many upstart craft brewers are mindful of the town’s history and seek to pay homage to it. Some set up shop in a historic building or business district. Others reflect the town’s roots in the look and feel they create inside their taproom.
“It’s to the point I don’t like answering the phone because I have to say, ‘no, we don’t have outdoor seating.’ Once the threat of snow is gone, we’ll set up the outdoor seating again. We deliver our beer within a 10-mile radius. Anything we can do to sell a beer, we’re doing it. Overall we’re making it work.”
On this particular January day, Bosel is running his homebrew shop and preparing for the Thirsty Thursday Virtual Trivia contest he hosts from 7-9 p.m.
“I just did a release of Russian Imperial Stout (11.4% ABV). Maybe after trivia night tonight, I can have a beer.”
As Bosel and his partner are fond of saying: “We are just two guys who make some damn good brews.”
So if you’re rolling through Kalamazoo County and you hear a train rolling down the track, it’s clearly a sign to make your way to The Distant Whistle Brewhouse to wet your whistle.
MICHIGAN BREWERIES KEEP CRAFT BEER A SOCIAL EXPERIENCE—AT A DISTANCE
When people hear the train whistles they get thirsty and head to The Distant Whistle Brewhouse for a fresh, exciting craft beer.
— Dane Bosel
Co-owner of The Distant Whistle Brewhouse
Check out Hearst’s newest brand showcasing Michigan Breweries at MiBrewTrail.com.
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What started as a hobby is now a successful brewhouse in Kalamazoo
MEET THE BREWER
VoL. 1 ISSUE 2
Two college buddies turned-entrepreneurs, Dane Bosel (left) and Andy Clouse, began their quest to produce quality homebrews as students at Northern Michigan University, first brewing in Clouse's apartment and post-college in Bosel's garage.
Jon Becker | MiBrew Trail
BY JON BECKER FOR mibrew trail
successful business in the village of Vicksburg, located in Kalamazoo County. Dane Bosel and Andy Clous are equal partners in The Distant Whistle Brewhouse, a small batch craft brewery they opened in August of 2016.
Clous was a home brewer in college and when he and Bosel both later moved to the Kalamazoo area, they remained friends and, after brewing some batches in Bosel’s garage, the two began to entertain serious thoughts about taking their passion for craft beer to another level.
“Andy had all his homebrew equipment from college but he was in a one-bedroom apartment. That was kind of cumbersome,” Bosel said. “I had a garage and those first batches turned out well. Then we started thinking about how we could sell our beer.”
The dream, though, got bogged down with “all the red tape, paperwork and waiting” involved in meeting all of the licensure requirements to open a brewery.
wo former Northern Michigan University classmates and friends have turned a youthful hobby into a
T
Two college buddies turned-entrepreneurs, Dane Bosel (left) and Andy Clouse, began their quest to produce quality homebrews as students at Northern Michigan University, first brewing in Clouse's apartment and post-college in Bosel's garage.
“More than once I thought it wasn’t going to happen,” Bosel recounted. “It took about a year and a half but we finally got the call from our attorney that said we were good to go.”
Now that they had all the legalities squared away, it was time to come up with a name for their new enterprise. Many upstart craft brewers are mindful of the town’s history and seek to pay homage to it. Some set up shop in a historic building or business district. Others reflect the town’s roots in the look and feel they create inside their taproom.
“We wanted to come up with a name that tied into our small community,” Bosel said.
For about 100 years Vicksburg was home to a paper mill that, at its peak, was the village’s leading employer. Lee Paper Mill officially shut down in 2001, and Bosel thought Paper Mill or something similar would be a great name for their new business.
“We found out that name was already taken,” he said. “We had to do a little more research.”
One night Bosel was lying in bed pondering what to name the business. His bedroom window open, he heard a train whistle in the distance.
“It just came to me,” he said. “This is a huge railroad crossing town. We get about 60 trains come through every day. We hope the train whistle has the same kind of effect Pavlov’s bell did with dogs. When people hear the train whistles they get thirsty and head to The Distant Whistle Brewhouse for a fresh, exciting craft beer.”
The Distant Whistle Brewhouse is known for its Pale Ales and IPA's, Loyal customers point to the brewery's ability to consistently produce a quality beer and its large selection of rotating taps as but a few of the reasons they keep coming back.
The Distant Whistle produces 3 barrels a time, making it a small batch brewery. It’s known for its Pale Ales and IPA’s.
“We have a pretty large rotating selection,” Bosel, who grew up in Howell, said. “People trust us to put out a good brew.”
The brewhouse’s three flagship beers are Paramount IPA, Brown Porter and Coffee Blonde. The pandemic-related restrictions, notably the ban on indoor drinking and dining, have placed a great deal of stress on the small business owners. They’ve done about anything they can think of to stay in business.
“We’ve been going since the beginning of the pandemic,” Bosel said. “We didn’t shut down but we’ve had to change everything to take-out and canned beers. We’ve pivoted and reconfigured our business style. We’ve done a lot of gymnastics. It’s getting tedious. We’re ready to open today.”
The brewhouse doesn’t currently serve food but when the state lifts its ban on indoor dining, the establishment will again welcome patrons to bring in their own food from local restaurants. For a time, they had outdoor patio seating on the street but that had to be removed once winter hit so the snowplows could get through.
“It’s to the point I don’t like answering the phone because I have to say, ‘no, we don’t have outdoor seating.’ Once the threat of snow is gone, we’ll set up the outdoor seating again. We deliver our beer within a 10-mile radius. Anything we can do to sell a beer, we’re doing it. Overall we’re making it work.”
On this particular January day, Bosel is running his homebrew shop and preparing for the Thirsty Thursday Virtual Trivia contest he hosts from 7-9 p.m.
“I just did a release of Russian Imperial Stout (11.4% ABV). Maybe after trivia night tonight, I can have a beer.”
As Bosel and his partner are fond of saying: “We are just two guys who make some damn good brews.”
So if you’re rolling through Kalamazoo County and you hear a train rolling down the track, it’s clearly a sign to make your way to The Distant Whistle Brewhouse to wet your whistle.
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Sudduth created the open source recipe making it available to anyone who wants to brew a beer to celebrate women.
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A Seasonal Favorite: ThUMB BREWERY
“Thumb Brewery is one of those essential businesses in a resort town,” Formicola said. “There aren’t a lot of breweries locally, so to be able to continue its legacy meant a lot.”
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By Mike Lerchenfeldt for mibrew trail
Project. These microbreweries are two different and separate companies but same ownership. She splits her time equally between both locations. As their first and only female brewer at these popular microbreweries, she is said to be a breath of fresh air in the world of craft brewing. These are two of the best places to be in the Metro Detroit Area to meet up and lap up a beer. They both have great atmospheres and plentiful beer selections made with tasty local ingredients.
They are perfect spots to go to after the Detroit Lions let you down. Rain or shine – it’s always pouring. In two vibrant communities, she helps brew beers for the masses to experience. Being able to create something out of raw grains that people can enjoy is a great feeling. Her favorite beers on tap are low ABV and crisp. They have clean, easy drinkability for a hot or cold day. Perfect for Michiganders who never know what to expect weather-wise, and perfect for health conscious, outdoor runners like Sudduth.
Two former Northern Michigan University classmates and friends have turned a youthful hobby into a successful business in the village of Vicksburg, located in Kalamazoo County. Dane Bosel and Andy Clous are equal partners in The Distant Whistle Brewhouse, a small batch craft brewery they opened in August of 2016.
Clous was a home brewer in college and when he and Bosel both later moved to the Kalamazoo area, they remained friends and, after brewing some batches in Bosel’s garage, the two began to entertain serious thoughts about taking their passion for craft beer to another level.
“Andy had all his homebrew equipment from college but he was in a one-bedroom apartment. That was kind of cumbersome,” Bosel said. “I had a garage and those first batches turned out well. Then we started thinking about how we could sell our beer.”
The dream, though, got bogged down with “all the red tape, paperwork and waiting” involved in meeting all of the licensure requirements to open a brewery.
T
friends have turned a youthful hobby into a successful business in the village of Vicksburg, located in Kalamazoo County. Dane Bosel and Andy Clous are equal partners in The Distant Whistle Brewhouse, a small batch craft brewery they opened in August of 2016.
Clous was a home brewer in college and when he and Bosel both later moved to the Kalamazoo area, they remained friends and, after brewing some batches in Bosel’s garage, the two began to entertain serious thoughts about taking their passion for craft beer to another level.
“Andy had all his homebrew equipment from college but he was in a one-bedroom apartment. That was kind of cumbersome,” Bosel said. “I had a garage and those first batches turned out well. Then we started thinking about how we could sell our beer.”
The dream, though, got bogged down with “all the red tape, paperwork and waiting” involved in meeting all of the licensure requirements to open a brewery.
“More than once I thought it wasn’t going to happen,” Bosel recounted. “It took about a year and a half but we finally got the call from our attorney that said we were good to go.”
Now that they had all the legalities squared away, it was time to come up with a name for their new enterprise. Many upstart craft brewers are mindful of the town’s history and seek to pay homage to it. Some set up shop in a historic building or business district. Others reflect the town’s roots in the look and feel they create inside their taproom.
“We wanted to come up with a name that tied into our small community,” Bosel said.
For about 100 years Vicksburg was home to a paper mill that, at its peak, was the village’s leading employer. Lee Paper Mill officially shut down in 2001, and Bosel thought Paper Mill or something similar would be a great name for their new business.
“We found out that name was already taken,” he said. “We had to do a little more research.”
One night Bosel was lying in bed pondering what to name the business. His bedroom window open, he heard a train whistle in the distance.
“It just came to me,” he said. “This is a huge railroad crossing town. We get about 60 trains come through every day. We hope the train whistle has the same kind of effect Pavlov’s bell did with dogs. When people hear the train whistles they get thirsty and head to The Distant Whistle Brewhouse for a fresh, exciting craft beer.”
Two college buddies turned-entrepreneurs, Dane Bosel (left) and Andy Clouse, began their quest to produce quality homebrews as students at Northern Michigan University, first brewing in Clouse's apartment and post-college in Bosel's garage.
The Distant Whistle produces 3 barrels a time, making it a small batch brewery. It’s known for its Pale Ales and IPA’s.
“We have a pretty large rotating selection,” Bosel, who grew up in Howell, said. “People trust us to put out a good brew.”
The brewhouse’s three flagship beers are Paramount IPA, Brown Porter and Coffee Blonde. The pandemic-related restrictions, notably the ban on indoor drinking and dining, have placed a great deal of stress on the small business owners. They’ve done about anything they can think of to stay in business.
“We’ve been going since the beginning of the pandemic,” Bosel said. “We didn’t shut down but we’ve had to change everything to take-out and canned beers. We’ve pivoted and reconfigured our business style. We’ve done a lot of gymnastics. It’s getting tedious. We’re ready to open today.”
The brewhouse doesn’t currently serve food but when the state lifts its ban on indoor dining, the establishment will again welcome patrons to bring in their own food from local restaurants. For a time, they had outdoor patio seating on the street but that had to be removed once winter hit so the snowplows could get through.
"MEET THE BREWERS" ARCHIVES
A FAN Favorite: ThUMB BREWERY
“Thumb Brewery is one of those essential businesses in a resort town,” Formicola said. “There aren’t a lot of breweries locally, so to be able to continue its legacy meant a lot.”
READ MORE
MEET THE creator of International Women’s Brew
“Thumb Brewery is one of those essential businesses in a resort town,” Formicola said. “There aren’t a lot of breweries locally, so to be able to continue its legacy meant a lot.”
READ MORE
MEET THE BREWER
VOL. 1 ISSUE 2