Traverse City Beer Week

We recently were in Traverse City for some Adventure Dining. This is where we pair an adventure with food and beverage that we feel pairs well together. With Traverse City Beer Week coming from November 11th through November 18th, we decided to include breweries from TC Beer Week as part of our pairings. 

Our first pairing started with a fall paddle on Grand Traverse Bay. The water was flat calm and the weather was perfect. With downtown Traverse City as a backdrop, we paddled along the shoreline taking in the views and watching the salmon beneath us in the crystal clear waters. There is also the option to paddle on the Boardman which leads out to Grand Traverse Bay. If the conditions don't cooperate for a paddle, a walk along the water would also be a good time with great views. 

We paired this adventure with a stop at MiddleCoast Brewing Company for a beer and burger. The patio at MiddleCoast is amazing and a great fall hang out spot. We hung out by the fire and had a beer before eating. During TC Beer Week, all MiddleCoast pints are $5! Be sure to add this place to your list.

@mi_playground Grand Traverse Bay and Middle Coast #miplayground #traversecity #grandtraversebay ♬ original sound - mi_playground

For our next pairing, we switched out our paddelboards for our bikes and headed to the Boardman Lake Loop, which, as you may assume, goes around Boardman Lake. The loop is part of the TART Trail system, which is a great trail system throughout the entire region. The entire 4 mile trail goes along the water and if you don't want to bike it, it is also a great trail to walk. Be on the lookout for the new look mural along the trail. 

Along the trail is our next stop to pair with this adventure and that is Right Brain Brewing. Right Brain is a classic Traverse City brewery with a unique atmosphere which includes many pinball machines and unique art. To go along with the unique atmosphere is the unique beer options. Because there are so many options, we decided to go for a flight. We made sure to pair a sour beer with the TART Trail. Get it? During TC Beer Week, sampler flights will be $5 off at Right Brain.

@mi_playground

We biked the Boardman Lake Loop in Traverse City. The 4 mile trails recently completed a complete circle around the lake and is a welcome section on the Tart Trail

♬ original sound - mi_playground

For our third pairing, we made our way to the Grand Traverse Commons. We started this pairing with the stop at Spanglish for tacos. This place is a must-visit while in the area. After our tacos we made our way to Earthen Ales. The server suggested a mix of two of their beers, Quick Decision IPA topped with a raspberry sour. The color of the beer gave great fall vibes. Here is a tip, if a server at a brewery suggests a mix of two beers, order that! It usually is something delicious that they have created. During TC Beer Week, you can get $1 off a pint. 

In the Grand Traverse Commons area there are hiking trails that we paired with our visit to Earthen Ales. You may also stumble upon the iconic Hippy Tree while on the trails. After our hike we also decided to play a game of Bocce at the courts in the center of the Grand Traverse Commons. 

@mi_playground The village at Grand Traverse Commons #miplayground #traversecity #earthenales ♬ original sound - mi_playground

Our last pairing was visiting a few additional breweries while making fall memories in Traverse City. Pretty simple right? We stopped by Rare Bird, which brews its own beer and also has guest taps and amazing happy hour snacks. During TC Beer Week, you can get 10% off your entire bill. Our last stop was at Acoustic Tap Room, which offers meads, hard ciders and cysers. During TC Beer Week, you can get 15% off 12 ounce pours of Hip Hop. 

Overall, we visited 5 breweries that are taking part of TC Beer Week. If you get the Beer Week Passport and check-in at 5 or more locations you will get a Traverse City Beer Week t-shirt. You can find out all the details and participating locations here.

Check out our full video from our Adventure Dining experience!