MANISTIQUE/ESCANABA/SOUTH RANGE/BARK RIVER -- Micro-breweries and wineries have been growing across Upper Michigan. The locally-owned businesses provide tourists and locals with a taste of the U.P. We have highlighted a few places that give the visitor a chance to sample their beer and wine.
The Mackninaw Trail Winery opened in 2004, and the tasting room is next to the Manistique Marina in Manistique. It's a pure Michigan product winery. The grapes come from lower Michigan, and they have over 20 varieties of wine.
"This year we're very excited about two wines we released. One is our cherry sangria and our strawberry rhubarb. All our fruit wines are made from solid fruit. We don't blend them with grape wine at all," said Michele Earle-Bridges of Mackinaw Trails Winery.
There are dry wines, sweet wines, red wines, and fruit wines. But what if you're more of a beer drinker?
Hereford and Hops in Escanaba is famous for its beers. They have eight flavors of beer on tap and about 40 recipes that they rotate.
"Most people say our beer has a lot more body and a lot more flavor than a lot of places they stop at. We don't cheat on any of our ingredients," said Head Brewer, Mike Sattem.
It takes 14 days to make ale and 31 days, start to finish, for a lager.
The Keweenaw Brewing Company, or KBC, is where many of the locals go for beer. Located in South Range and Houghton, KBC brews between 50 and 100 barrels a day, and they will produce over 8,000 barrels this year. The brewery also cans all of their own beer.
"There are a lot of breweries in Michigan, and I think we make really good beer. We have great water, we use great ingredients, and we're up in the U.P., and that makes us somewhat unique," said KBC co-owner, Dick Gray.
Northern Sun Winery is a state grown winery that's taken root in Bark River. They harvest five-and-a-half tons of grapes and have about five varieties of wine. Three-and-a-half acres are planted.
"It has been really good. Business is great. A lot of people are coming for the tastings and checking out the facility," said owner, Susan Anthony.
The winery features a wine making cellar and a Mediterranean-style cottage tasting room.
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