Biere de Mac Brew Works | Mackinaw City, MI
Beer Trip: Biere de Mac Brew Works in Mackinaw City, Michigan
Biere De Mac was a bit of an unexpected stop for us in northern Michigan, as we ended up arriving in Mackinaw City earlier than we had anticipated. After a long day of flying and driving, we were ready to relax with a beer and cure our appetite - and this brewery did just that! With a logo featuring the famous bridge connecting Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, this brewery has done an awesome job of merging local and European cultures.
Awesome mural on the exterior
View of the brewery from the road
The Brewery
Biere de Mac is located just a few minutes outside of the downtown area right on Mackinaw Highway, which we drove right past on our way into town. The parking lot overlooks their large outdoor space featuring many shade trees, various seating, and nice firepit areas. Unfortunately for us, it had just started to rain when we arrived and we weren’t able to fully experience this space. One neat feature you’ll find here is a hop trellis growing up the side of the building as you enter the front door.
The inside here is very open with plenty of tables and chairs spread about. The walls are made of natural wood paneling, almost giving you the feel of being in a cabin; however, the casks, mash tanks, and empty kegs along the walls bring you right back to the brewery vibe. They have a few board games to play as well, which provided our son Warren something to do instead of climbing on the equipment. Fortunately for us, the staff here was extremely accommodating and actually encouraged his play. Whether you want to sit at a table, at the bar, or on a comfy couch, this place has plenty of options no matter the size of your party.
Cabin-like interior with visible equipment
Super neat floor art featuring their logo
Cozy fire pit area that would be amazing on a chilly evening!
The outdoor space was huge!
The Beer
With a name like Biere de Mac, we figured walking in that European brews would be the menu’s standard; however, we were pleasantly surprised at how far they took this brewing style. They had 12 taps to choose from, including some unique styles like a grisette, saison, and multiple farmhouse ales. Talking to the staff, their true expertise is brewing traditional styles from both France and Belgium. We were informed that only 3 of their beers remain year-round, while the others rotate as they run out - so you can get something entirely new at almost every visit.
Real blueberries in this wheat!
With such different beers than we are used to, we opted for a flight of 5 which comes on an awesome flight board of the famous bridge! One of our favorites was the Eliza Caroline, which is a Belgian brown ale with a rich, malty taste. Another one that stood out is their English-style dock porter. This one is rather light with a sweet yet roasty flavor profile. We did end up repping the USA by selecting an American wheat as well - this Blueberry Wheat is light with great berry flavor throughout and actually gets fresh blueberries dropped into it once poured.
Love some good color variety in a flight!
One of the coolest flight boards we’ve ever seen
Food, Merch, & More
Our meals were delicious but a bit advanced for Warren’s palette LOL
In addition to beer, Biere de Mac has a limited yet delicious food menu featuring brisket and pork sandwiches and multiple types of paninis. Staying true to form, all of this is served in typical Belgian or French fashion with traditional mustards, salamis, and cheeses. If merchandise is your thing then they have you covered here, offering tons of shirts (tanks, t-shirts, and even polos), as well as glassware and growlers. The one downfall of the place was that they were the only brewery on our trip that was completely out of stickers.
Plenty of merchandise
Trying to keep Warren entertained (quite the task these days)
