Our 100th Brewery | Hop Lot Brewing Co. | Suttons Bay, MI
Beer Trip: Hop Lot Brewing Co. in Suttons Bay, Michigan
We did it! A major milestone for us, this is our 100th brewery featured on Beer Trip. We’ve covered some incredible places over the last 2.5 years across 19 different states, and we thank all of you readers for following along. While our now 18-month-old son has slowed our travels, our passion for sharing the great breweries our country has to offer has not changed. This week’s experience took us to Hop Lot Brewing Co., just a short drive from Traverse City. With one of the coolest outdoor spaces we have EVER seen, you won’t want to miss this one.
The Brewery
An awesome stage to host live music!
USA Today ranked Hop Lot as having the #2 beer garden in the entire United States! Having experienced two of the other breweries that made the top 10 list, we can affirm that the list truly represents the best of the best - and Hop Lot is very deserving of this recognition. Their beer garden is right in the middle of the woods of northern Michigan and they integrate nature at every turn, maintaining a true outdoorsy feel. Wooden picnic tables, multiple outdoor bars, an abundance of fire pits, and an elevated stage all make this a stop to remember.
If that’s not enough to pique your interest, how about an enormous (75’x75’!!) sand playground for the kids? This made Warren (and Mom and Dad!) extremely happy. Additionally, we observed a tent area with a projector screen inside, which would be the perfect spot to host an event. The weather was absolutely perfect during our visit, but we were informed that during the colder months, they have multiple heated igloos that they set up, which would be a fun experience.
The coolest feature EVER!
We can’t express how giant this thing is
So much space to spread out
Plenty of shade on a hot day
Tented area with projector, perfect for an event
One of many fire pits onsite
While we strongly suggest sitting in the beer garden, their indoor space is really neat as well. The place is small in comparison to its hulking outdoor area and has a cabin-like feel to it. Large wooden timbers support the wood ceiling and many windows bring in tons of natural light. The rustic bar runs along the back wall of the space, offering yet another place to enjoy your drink.
The Beer
Hop Lot maintains 14 different beers on tap at a time, with 7-8 of those being flagship brews available year-round. During our visit, the menu consisted of a wide range of styles including IPAs, a brown, amber, blonde, sour, and pilsner - just to name a few. With such a large outdoor space, it is difficult for them to collect glassware - so they don’t offer flights and actually only serve in plastic cups at their outdoor bars.
Since Warren was able to stay entertained in the sand pit, we were able to try quite a few options during our afternoon visit. One beer that really stood out was the Strawberry Highway Robbery, which is their blonde ale. This one is very smooth with a great strawberry taste, making it perfect for a warm afternoon. Another brew worth noting is the Rough Sawn. This amber ale provides a nice, rich, malty palate that you want in an amber, but is also a bit on the hoppy side - giving you a nice contrast for your taste buds.
Food, Merch, & More
Since beer isn’t for everyone, Hop Lot actually makes its own ciders and wines, as well as offers local kombucha and craft sodas - so everyone can happily find something they’ll enjoy here. They have a food menu to cure your hunger, featuring burrito bowls and various smoked meat sandwiches. One unique item available here for dessert is a s’mores kit, perfect to use at one of their many fire pits!
Their merchandise section is incredibly robust and occupies its own sectioned-off space next to their indoor bar. They have hats, glassware, magnets, posters of their beers, and more shirts than you can shake a stick at.
