Beards Brewery

This was one of the worst experiences at a restaurant I have ever had. The server was completely disorganized and repeatedly failed to bring our food, drinks (utensils, bill, box for leftover food, etc). He kept forgetting our orders and I really wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but this really made our experience bad as we didn’t have utensils for a long time and many of us didn’t get our food until the others were done eating (we ended up asking another server for utensils).
The food, in contrast, was actually delicious! If I happen to visit here again, I will update this review.

Absolutely loved this place. Chill atmosphere, very nice and welcoming staff, amazing beer and a couch to sit on! Food wasn’t open but that was expected going on a Sunday in December.

Tacos and burritos were fantastic! Beer was pretty great too! Small place with strange seating arrangements. It was also confusing when you wanted to order. You ordered beer at the bar but then had to walk to a different area, «the taco bar», to order food. You also had to pay for these things separately. It was worth it as the food and drinks were top notch! Bonus, the merchandise was very affordable.

Walked in on a Monday evening and had the place to ourselves. No matter. The bartender was friendly, generous with the samples, and indulged us in some enjoyable beer conversation. We liked the barley wine, but ended up going with a stout whose name I can’t exactly remember. But I do remember liking it a lot, rich but roasty.
Very unique space. You enter into what looks a lot like an small indoor mall, with tables and couches scattered about. The taproom in the rear is quite cozy – I doubt it could hold 30 people. But it was perfect for two wandering beer fans and an amiable, well informed server.

I arrived by bicycle, but didn’t find bike parking, and settled for chaining up to a street lamp. The walk down the hall whetted my appetite further, and I quickly decided on the Saison Sin Barba. It is a nice saison, with a good finish, and perfect for a warm Summer day. I moved on to the Wunderbraü, which was creamy with a nice malt flavor. Both were excellent beers! The place is small, and can get a little hectic, but the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The food from the co-​located Happy’s Taco is innovative and outstanding. Try the Lamb Cheeseburger Taco for a taste of something as original as it is delicious. Don’t pass up Beards Brewery while you’re in Petosky: it’s worth finding, even if you do have to hunt a little! I whole-​heartedly recommend it!

Wide beer selection! The beer here was very good. Loved the creativeness of the beers and our tender said they have over 100 recipes they constantly rotate.
Great atmosphere! Appears small from the front, but opens up down a long/​awesome hallway entrance.
Ben, the owner was awesome. Highly recommend this spot. Will return!

This is arguably my favorite small batch brewery in Michigan. Thus far, I’ve had eight of the brews they have made, and only was disappointed with one. Their atmosphere is very relaxed and friendly, all while maintaining a uniqueness that leaves you feeling as if you stumbled on a gem in the rough.
While the location is small and intimate, you donh’t feel claustrophobic while there. The ability to have food delivered is a nice touch, but it would be nice if they had food on site. Again, for a small batch brewery, you won’t leave disappointed. Loved this place.
P. S. The Tree Blood Maple Stout is a home-​run beyond comparison.

I love this little microbrew in Petoskey. It’s in downtown but hidden away so you have to look for it (or as I did a few years back stumble upon it). They have a very good selection of 6 – 8 beers with prices you’ll be happy with. New this year is a taco bar and I have to say they are insanely good. The spicy pork taco especially. Right combo of heat and intense flavors. I had two but I could sit here with a new beer every 30 minutes ordering tacos the rest of the night.

Great locally made beer! Very friendly staff and their brew master is creative. Don’t get down there as often as I’d like but do fill a growler every now an again and am always happy.
Haven’t been in for Happy’s Tacos yet as the nights they are there usually don’t work for us, but heard nothing but good things about them as well.
My only complaint would be that they need a bigger place! Its very small and when they have entertainment, that makes the place even tighter and also having brick walls makes the sound very sharp and painful to listen too.

Nice small selection of beer. I enjoyed the Golden Axe and Kickback. The Bar Mix was good good for a snack but not many options for food. P. S this brewery is small, maximum occupancy is 49 people. Still nice if not busy.

Love this place and their beers! Always easy to drink and yummy. Lots of new ideas for beers and always something different than anywhere else in Petoskey. Not a huge place but we have always found places to sit when there. I love stopping in and getting a growler filled to bring home. This year they had Happy’s Tacos coming in on certain nights which was another draw. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. Cheers!

I always stop in here when I’m in Petoskey and I’m never disappointed! No matter your mood, or preference, you can always find a beer to match.

When you walk in to this place, it’s like an inside alley atrium kind of thing and then you enter the small, cozy brewpub. You have to wait in a short line to order up your beer but it’s really worth the wait when you get your first sip of their craft brews. There are a few tables but the best place to sit is a long table with other people that are likely visiting for the first time as well. Beer talk all around as you start sampling what you’ve ordered and nobody appears to be disappointed in what they’ve chosen. The kids are in heaven because there are bottles of orange cream soda, although it would be cooler if they made something for the kids onsite. The only trouble with this place is that because of the location right downtown, there is no place to park nearby and you had to trek around a bit before you could find a spot. Then, the parking is all metered so you have to run out every so often to feed the meter. Of course this has nothing to do with Beards, but does have a slight impact on their business I am sure.

Cool atmosphere. Like the theme. But I expect more from Michigan beer. They’re still new, so ill cut some slack, which is why 3 stars (neutral).

I come up to Petoskey to visit family at least once a year and have to pop in because of the name. My last name is Beard and I’m a big fan of beer. Beer here is good and the atmosphere is comfortable. Right in downtown Petoskey there’s no reason to not stop in!

Nice place for a few reasons: nice staff, board games (including shut-​box), and good beer.
It’s small (seats about 30 in close confines) but the beer is worth a little elbowing. Flight of 4 5oz. for $ 7 or $ 4/5.50 for glasses. Cool atmosphere and did I mention the board games?!
You can buy bar snacks or bring your own food in.
They had 7 on tap — the top being the dizzy bee saison IPA and the whetus dark wheat, but they were all at least decent.

A real cool boutique brewery in the heart of downtown Petoskey. I think Hemingway would of come if it was around during his day. The beer was good, had a saison.

Great place! I found this brewery after lunch. It was a neat place to sit down and enjoy a beer in a beautiful city.
I will admit, I don’t know a lot about Beards other than it is a newer brewery.
I’m not much of a beer drinker, but told the staff person I like «lighter beers». She recommended two… I ended up having more of a citrus-​y beer, which I prefer in the summer.
It was light and refreshing.
The brewery had a lot of nice seating, both in the tasting room and in their lobby area.
They had a ton of board games and cards to play while enjoying a beer.
While they don’t offer meals, they had multiple snack items available (nuts, pretzels, etc).
They also had lemonade and several soda’s available, which I thought was really cool. It would be a great place for adults to hang out or for a family to bring their children and take a break from shopping, swimming, sun bathing, etc.
I will be back!!!

This is a great brewery. The vibe is cool, the décor is sharp, and most importantly, the beer is pretty good. I love a brewery that allows you to bring food from outside into their place. I feel like that usually translates into good beer because that’s their focus. A brewery that opens up and tries to serve a full menu all at once is destined to lack in some aspect. They’ve got several styles of beer to choose from, my favorite being the double IPA, and a couple snacks as well. The sampler is a little awkward. It’s a cool design but when I brought it to my table and began to set it down I almost spilled the glasses.

Beards Brewery is located in downtown Petoskey, in the gaslight district of a beautiful resort town that was in desperate need of a local craft brewery. After walking through the glass front doors and down a short corridor lined with some artwork, you are met with an iron gate that leads into a beautiful solarium with an enormous skylight. I note this because it’s a rather uncommon feature for a brewery, which are usually gray and cold, with a heavy stench of spoiled grains. Beards was quite the opposite, opening into an airy atrium with natural light, greenery and earthy tones.
Upon entering the solarium, to your right there is an enormous painting of Aslan from C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, a beautiful tasting room ahead and to your left, a glass wall with a front row seat at the brewery itself. That’s right, forget about the traditional «behind the scenes» brewery tour only at select hours on select days and with very limited spots available. At Beards, you tour the brewery as you walk into the tasting room. The brewing room, a brilliant white and well lit room with an amazing array of brewing equipment, lets you experience the brewing process as it happens without exposing you (or the beer) to contaminants or brewing byproducts.
As we entered the tasting room, a friendly tender named Andy warmly welcomed us in. Like the solarium, the tasting room was heavy with earth tones, the bar built from cut stone and the tabletops made from cross cut trunk wood. The lighting was a series of old-​fashioned filament light bulbs with a copper cage. Very warm and inviting, a feature Andy assured me was inspired by several of the brewery owner’s family businesses and constructed by the owners themselves. However, one of the best features of the tasting room was what is didn’t have: a television. Andy told me that he and his partners wanted Beards to be a place where people come together to meet and interact around beer. They are interested in building a community, and a TV is a distraction from conversation. Instead, he suggested we play one of the many board games and playing cards they had in the solarium, most of which were left there by patrons.
Ok, so enough about the brewery, let me tell you about the beer. Between all three of us, we tried every beer on tap and they were all very good to exceptional beers. Honestly, they were fresh, flavorful and most importantly, very drinkable. We started off with a Luna wheat beer, which very light bodied sessionable beer. Though it was a bit too light bodied for me, my mother-​in-​law loved it. My wife decided on the Rye Byter, which had a nice spicy note to the rye. The two IPAs, Monkey Business, which had notes of banana, and Somethin’ Somethin’ were both very balanced and easy drinking. These beers did not assault the senses like most IPAs, but still offered the bitter hoppy flavor you look for. The Deez Nutz Brown Ale was also very traditional brown with a smooth nutty flavor. All of them very good offerings.
Without a doubt though, the best beers on tap were Serendity Porter, a very smooth porter with a hint of sweet, chocolate maltiness and a light smoke in the end, and Brimley Stout, an oatmeal stout that smelled deceptively bold but went down so easily. The taste reminded me of a fresh Guinness, but the scent was pure oatmeal stout. It was a real treat, and something both my wife and I loved.
Just so you are aware, Beards is a tasting room and not a brewpub. So, if you’re one to eat while you drink, feel free to bring in a meal or order out. Andy had several suggestions for local eateries, and he says its common for patrons to have food delivered to the tasting room. Heck, he told me that a few weeks ago, a group of friends brought in crock pots full of food and turned the tasting room into a pot luck. That is how patron friendly the owners at Beards are.
While my wife and mother-​in-​law played cards and drank their imperial pints (you gotta love a brewery that serves 20 ounce pints), I lucked out and one of the brewers named Ben walked me through the history of the brewery. From its humble origins as a home brewing project to a fully functioning nano-​brewery, Beards is a labor a love among a small group of friends who became business partners. Beyond the partners themselves, both Ben and Andy spoke highly of the outpouring of support by the craft beer community in the northern Michigan. A promising sign that the best is yet to come.
I can’t say enough how much of a treat it was to visit, tour and taste the fantastic brews Beards had to offer. For a brewery that’s just two months old, the beers were well developed, flavorful and most importantly, drinkable. And if Beards keeps brewing beers like the ones I tasted, I’m sure they will be serving them up for years to come.
Cheers, lads!