Brewery Profile

HopSide Brewery

In Downtown Alpena, visitors will find HopSide Brewery operating as both a microbrewery and the area’s first legal distillery, giving it a broader role than a beer-only taproom in the local drinking scene. The main draw is a large in-house tap lineup: the facility maintains 24 house-brewed beers, with a rotating selection rather than a fixed list. Brewing, fermentation, and packaging are all handled on-site, so the taproom is closely tied to the production side of the business. A first-time visitor can expect a range that moves beyond one flagship style, with beer, house-made seltzers, and spirits all available under the same roof.

Travelers in northern Michigan often look for places that combine local production with enough variety to suit a mixed group, and HopSide fits that kind of stop. The beer range includes traditional styles, session IPAs, Double IPAs, stouts, and less common international varieties, so guests interested in familiar pours and those looking for something outside the usual regional lineup may both have options. The distillery adds another layer to the visit. Spirits are made in-house on a 50-gallon copper pot still and can be served neat or used in mixed drinks, including both custom and classic recipes. For visitors who are planning a casual tasting rather than a single-beer stop, the combination of taps, seltzers, and cocktails makes the menu broader than many small breweries.

Food is part of the regular visitor experience here, not an afterthought limited to snacks. HopSide offers a full kitchen menu for lunch and dinner, with items such as pizza, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and appetizers. That makes it a practical choice for travelers who want to pair a beer flight or cocktail with a meal without leaving the downtown area. Because the beer list rotates, the taproom is the place to confirm the day’s pours, including which IPAs, stouts, traditional styles, or international varieties are currently available. Visitors interested in the distillery side should also check the current spirits and mixed-drink offerings when they arrive. The overall visit is best understood as a combined brewery, distillery, and casual dining stop in central Alpena.

Located in Downtown Alpena, Michigan, HopSide Brewery operates as both a microbrewery and the area's first legal distillery. The facility maintains 24 house-brewed beers on tap, focusing on a rotating selection that spans traditional styles, session and Double IPAs, stouts, and rarer international varieties, alongside house-made seltzers. All brewing, fermentation, and packaging operations are conducted entirely on-site. The distillery component utilizes a 50-gallon copper pot still to produce spirits in-house, which are served neat or incorporated into mixed drinks featuring custom and classic recipes. HopSide also offers a full kitchen menu, providing lunch and dinner options such as pizza, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and appetizers.

Website available

129 W Chisholm St, Alpena, MI 49707, USA, Alpena, Michigan, 49707

Phone: 989-340-1280

Website: https://www.hopside.beer/

Hours: Not found