The North Channel Partners share a common vision for the brewery and the role it will play in the community of Manistee. We’re excited to see this vision coming to life, and we plan to keep you posted about the progress through this blog. In the first blog posting below, we do our best to describe the vision and how we plan to execute that vision in every facet of the business. This is the beginning of the story, as told by our group of partners.
The restaurant and the food:
“Our approach to food is simple. Use quality products, fresh and locally sourced when available and prepared daily with flavor, healthy ingredients and care. Our goal is to have well trained and engaged staff that will help you pair you favorites meals with your favorite beer.” Dawn Ford, partner
The brewery and the beer:
“We will be brewing on a custom made 7 Barrel system and brewing Classic beer styles with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients while sticking close to their roots. We want 12 beers on tap, and cider too.” – Bill Joslyn, Head Brewer
The business and the relationship with the community:
“Part of our mission is also the revitalization of the downtown and we see our project, along with the adjacent condo project and the restoration of the North Channel Building as being anchors for this revitalization. We hope our brewery and restaurant will spur additional investment in infrastructure, increase tourist activity and drive growth in Manistee. We envision many events in partnership with other local businesses such as the Vogue, the Ramsdell, local hotels and restaurants. We also will work with the city to be a part of their many festivals and events such as the Sleigh Bell, the Forest Festival and of course Hops and Props. So you might be asking why we are starting a brewery. The answer to that question is difficult to answer in one sentence but I think we started the brewery to fulfill a dream of building a sustainable business around something I, my family and our partners love; good food, good beer and good people.” – Ron Ford, partner
The brand and the story:
“Our objective with North Channel Brewing is to celebrate Manistee, it’s history, it’s present, it’s future, and it’s people. The best way we know how to do this is to fully embrace the story. A lot of the story of this great town has already been told, and yet there is still much to be written. Our brand is centered around the shipping trade that has been so vital to Manistee for over a century. The ship logo feels familiar to those who live in town, and to those who have visited, but even more importantly it begins to tell the fascinating stories about Manistee to those who may be visiting for the first time. We plan to represent the history in every facet of our business. From the beer and menu item names, to the merchandise and the décor, we will be storytellers, not story writers.” – Aaron May, partner.
We plan to keep you posted on our progress through regular blog postings, so stay tuned. We thank you for being a fan of North Channel, and we look forward to swapping stories with you all for many years to come. Cheers!
North Channel Brewing
Manistee, Michigan