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Tri-City Brewing Company, one of Michigan’s longer-operating microbreweries, recently marked its 15th year in business with an anniversary bash at its Bay City establishment. In a microcosm of how passionate people in this beer-crazed state are about their local craft breweries, some 1,000 people braved a bitterly cold mid-January day to venture out to be part of Tri-City Brewing’s milestone celebration.
“We opened at noon and had a dozen or so people waiting outside,” said Kevin Peil, founder & president. “That never happens. There was quite a buzz surrounding our special anniversary party. Twenty minutes after we opened we were packed. It was a fantastic time.”
Stoking interest in the event was advance word that Peil and company would be releasing a beer that took 5 years to produce. It was aged in 5 different barrels, all from Michigan distilleries. They first aged the beer in a Grand Traverse Rye Whiskey barrel for a year followed by a Grand Traverse Bourbon barrel for the second year. In the third year, the beer was moved into a second Grand Traverse Bourbon barrel and then into a Valentine Distillery Bourbon barrel for the 4th year. For the final year, the beer finished in a Third Wind Distillery Barrel.
BY Jon Becker
Tri-City Brewing Marks 15th Anniversary WITH SPECIAL CELEBRATION
MIBREW TRAIL MAGAZINE
WINTER 2022
In Peil’s professional opinion, this is a “Winter Warmer Beer unlike anything you have ever tasted. We are calling it Crystal Warrior Ale.”
With a trace of chocolate, the beer comes in around 18 ABV, but is not boozy, Peil noted.
“It’s smooth and will clean your sinuses out. We went through about a barrel and half. We should have it available for the next 3-4 weeks.”
From humble beginnings in 2007 in an empty warehouse on the east side of Bay City, Tri-City Brewing has expanded over the years. It built a new 10,000 square foot facility
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(about double the size of its original space) about five years ago on the other side of town. The increased capacity and better visibility of its new building has worked out well for the business.
“We released our first beer on January 17, 2007,” Peil recounted. “Craft beer was just taking off back then. There were only about 30 microbreweries in Michigan. I spend many early mornings walking through our current building and shake my head in wonder at all we’ve been through. From the opening night of Phoenix Golden Ale at a packed Hooligan’s Bar and Grill in January 2007, to our 15th anniversary bash…how did this all happen?”
Peil said its starts with the team of investors (family and friends), as well as the employees that have all bought into the brewery’s mission.
“They’re focused and dedicated to bringing fresh craft beer to people in Bay County,” he said. “We don’t chase trends. You pick a style and we’ve developed it. If we offer an Irish Red, it tastes like an Irish Red. We don’t attempt to get crazy.”
There are currently 29 beers on tap, ranging from Bay City Light Ale, Annabel Lee Red and Brown Hoist Brown Ale, to Charity Island IPA, Loon’s Summer Ale and U.S.S. Edson German Pilsner.
Not a beer drinker? The microbrewery offers a hard apple cider, Moscato, Red Sangria and a dry red wine. Teetotalers can enjoy a homemade root beer.
Peil takes pride in the never-give up attitude that has seen the business take some serious gut punches along the way but not go down.
“An achievement like this is hard to pull off at any time, but it’s especially challenging during these last couple of crazy years,” he said. “We seem to keep having punches thrown our way, even after the bell has rung. Tri-City Brewing has been presented with its share of challenges, but we are proud to have provided local brewery fresh beer for the last 15 years. We’re looking forward to many more years of making beers and memories.”
The business will not be resting on its laurels as it moves ahead in 2022.
“We take nothing for granted because the old patterns we once took for granted seem so far in the past. Still, here we are still stranding today.”
The company distributes a number of its beers throughout the state, including its biggest seller, Hell’s Half Mile Lager. Its taproom and its wide selection is aimed at satisfying every beer drinkers’ personal preference. There is no kitchen at the brewery, but it is food friendly. Peil said customers enjoy the variety of food trucks that he brings in every Friday and Saturday.
“One time it might be a pizza truck, another time a taco or burger truck,” he said. “People are welcome to bring in their own food and we have local restaurants whose drivers know us and will deliver customers’ orders here. At the anniversary party, we had a table of 4 that had two crock pots with them.”
Tri-City Brewing
www.tricitybrewing.com
MIBREW TRAIL MAGAZINE
WINTER 2022
Not preparing food on-site has its advantages.
“We don’t have to be good at everything, just be good at brewing beer,” Peil said. “There aren’t wait staff and bus staff running around. People appreciate the calmness of what we have.”
In addition to the release of the 5-year-old Crystal Warrior Ale, patrons of the brewery’s 15th anniversary party were able to enjoy a salted caramel dopplebock and a coconut stout.
Plans for this year include building an event structure such as a gazebo.
“We’re in the planning stages,” Peil said. “We hope to break ground on our event area this summer. There are several other things we will be looking forward to in 2022 as we continue to grow and expand our hometown brewery.”
Tri-City Brewing
www.tricitybrewing.com
“They’re focused and dedicated to bringing fresh craft beer to people in Bay County,” he said. “We don’t chase trends. You pick a style and we’ve developed it. If we offer an Irish Red, it tastes like an Irish Red. We don’t attempt to get crazy.”
There are currently 29 beers on tap, ranging from Bay City Light Ale, Annabel Lee Red and Brown Hoist Brown Ale, to Charity Island IPA, Loon’s Summer Ale and U.S.S. Edson German Pilsner.
Not a beer drinker? The microbrewery offers a hard apple cider, Moscato, Red Sangria and a dry red wine. Teetotalers can enjoy a homemade root beer.
Peil takes pride in the never-give up attitude that has seen the business take some serious gut punches along the way but not go down.
“An achievement like this is hard to pull off at any time, but it’s especially challenging during these last couple of crazy years,” he said. “We seem to keep having punches thrown our way, even after the bell has rung. Tri-City Brewing has been presented with its share of challenges, but we are proud to have provided local brewery fresh beer for the last 15 years. We’re looking forward to many more years of making beers and memories.”
The business will not be resting on its laurels as it moves ahead in 2022.
“We take nothing for granted because the old patterns we once took for granted seem so far in the past. Still, here we are still stranding today.”
The company distributes a number of its beers throughout the state, including its biggest seller, Hell’s Half Mile Lager. Its taproom and its wide selection is aimed at satisfying every beer drinkers’ personal preference. There is no kitchen at the brewery, but it is food friendly. Peil said customers enjoy the variety of food trucks that he brings in every Friday and Saturday.
“One time it might be a pizza truck, another time a taco or burger truck,” he said. “People are welcome to bring in their own food and we have local restaurants whose drivers know us and will deliver customers’ orders here. At the anniversary party, we had a table of 4 that had two crock pots with them.”
Tri-City Brewing Company, one of Michigan’s longer-operating microbreweries, recently marked its 15th year in business with an anniversary bash at its Bay City establishment. In a microcosm of how passionate people in this beer-crazed state are about their local craft breweries, some 1,000 people braved a bitterly cold mid-January day to venture out to be part of Tri-City Brewing’s milestone celebration.
“We opened at noon and had a dozen or so people waiting outside,” said Kevin Peil, founder & president. “That never happens. There was quite a buzz surrounding our special anniversary party. Twenty minutes after we opened we were packed. It was a fantastic time.”
Stoking interest in the event was advance word that Peil and company would be releasing a beer that took 5 years to produce. It was aged in 5 different barrels, all from Michigan distilleries. They first aged the beer in a Grand Traverse Rye Whiskey barrel for a year followed by a Grand Traverse Bourbon barrel for the second year. In the third year, the beer was moved into a second Grand Traverse Bourbon barrel and then into a Valentine Distillery Bourbon barrel for the 4th year. For the final year, the beer finished in a Third Wind Distillery Barrel.