By ANDREW GERARD
Blue Star Highway

In the last few years, Americans have begun to change their beer-drinking habits. As people have seen the environmental, cultural and culinary benefits of buying local produce (and supporting restaurants that do the same), and quality craftsman-style beers such as Blue Moon Ale and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale have become staples at bars and grocery stores, microbreweries have opened in abundance. Western Michigan/northern Indiana, with their largely German/northern European heritage, is a natural region for brewing quality beer. With this in mind, I visited the Saugatuck Brewing Co. in Douglas, Mich.

Barry Johnson and his wife, Kathy Johnson, founded Saugatuck Brewing Co. after Barry decided that decades of flying around the world for an international sales career had burned him out. Despite the burnout, Johnson had garnered some good information from his travels. In Europe, he had tasted fantastic beers, drank in water holes from Irish pubs in Dublin to festive German bier halls, and had become a beer aficionado. Like, I’m sure, many other prudent couples at a turning point do, the Johnsons decided they had better put Barry through “beer school” (actually a prestigious brewing program).

The result of this life-change is a range of excellent beers (and one hard cider), a Bier Hall and a comfortable, lively pub – The Lucky Stone.

The Lucky Stone (Saugatuck Brewing Co.’s beer bar) has a layout based on a traditional Irish Pub, and like a traditional pub, conversation is encouraged over common bar distractions.

“You’ll notice,” said Barry Johnson, “there are no TVs in this pub.”

The Johnsons wanted to create community gathering place, and TVs did not fit into this vision. The Lucky Stone serves only beer brewed on the premises, as well as moderately priced, excellent food. On Saturday nights the Lucky Stone features music, and throughout the year a few nationally known acts perform. A few feet away from the bar, guests can craft their own beer in large metal kettles – the brewery’s staff will help them choose the roasted barley and hops that will make their personal brew. The Saugatuck Brewing Co. is one of only two companies in Michigan to offer this hands-on experience.
The other beerhouse style that Barry Johnson had enjoyed during his travels was the traditional German Bier Hall. So the Johnsons created one of those too. Behind the Lucky Stone Pub is the entrance to a large, high ceiling (the complex housing of the Saugatuck Brewing Co. is a rehabbed factory) reception hall with seating for 250. Guests use the hall for wedding receptions and parties and, I would wager, enjoy the convenience of having multiple craft beers on tap.

Saugatuck Brewing Co.’s draft beer distribution area is small (mostly southwest Michigan), but is growing, and they have recently begun bottling beer for distribution regional. For Michigan beer drinkers wanting to support their local communities, microbreweries like Saugatuck Brewing Co. are a good way to go. And although Barry Johnson is committed to the success of Saugatuck/Douglas (he is also Saugatuck’s mayor), he sees the benefit of working with other Michigan breweries to grow the industry and educate beer drinkers about local craft breweries.

If you would like to find more information on Michigan breweries, check out www.michiganbrewersguild.org,and if you’re in the Saugatuck/Douglas area, stop in for a pint and dinner at the Saugatuck Brewing Co., www.saugatuckbrewing.com.