The event took place at the company’s Tap Room, 614 W. Pickard St.

Jim Holton, owner of the brewing company, said that for a first year event, the turnout was outstanding.

“Oktoberfest is the best beer tradition ever and we wanted to bring it to Mount Pleasant,” said Manager Erik Bliss. “There’s no better way to support local then by drinking beer brewed right next door.”

About 150 showed up each day of the event, Holton said.

Four MPBC beers were on tap: Oktoberfest, Iron Horse IPA, Railyard Raspberry Wheat and Steam Engine Stout.

Traditional German food was served along with the beer. Smith & Sons Meat Processing, 5080 E. Broadway Road, soaked 300 bratwurst in the Oktoberfest beer and another 300 in the Steam Engine Stout.

Mugs filled with beer sit on a table during Oktoberfest.

Jessica Stroud of Lake Isabella and Dawn Tanner of Mount Pleasant said they attended the festival because it was something different to do on a Saturday night.

“We like having the option of drinking a microbrew,” Stroud said. “I like having the choice (of) drinking something different.”

Holton said the consumption of microbrews has grown because customers are looking for more variety.

Kim Kowalski, brewmaster for MPBC, said people are wanting to drink good beer consistently and local microbrews are the best way to go.

He began brewing professionally in 1998 and helped open the company in 2008.

“It’s a great way to be creative,” Kowalski said. “It’s art in a glass. When I make a new beer, (I) start with an empty glass, set it in front of me and picture the color and clarity, what it smells and tastes like.”

He said one reason microbrews have grown so fast in popularity is because many of the brewers work together instead of against each other.

Kowlaski said people that drink regular beer are uneducated about microbrews, so they keep resorting to what they are familiar with.

“If someone is in the business to make a quick buck, they won’t last,” he said. “You can’t just do it for fun, you have to put your heart into what you’re creating.”

At Monday’s City Commission meeting, Mayor Jim Holton announced he will not be looking for or accepting a nomination for another year as mayor. However, he will finish up his term as commissioner through 2011.

Mayor Jim Holton

With two major projects coming up in the next year for the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company and Mountain Town Station, Holton decided it would be best to let someone else take the reins. He owns both businesses.

“I need to focus on these two projects,” Holton said. “I know that I wouldn’t be able to provide the attention to the mayoral position like I have in the past two years.”

During his time as mayor, Holton faced major issues like the 2011 budget and the tribal lawsuit. Commissioner Kathleen Ling and Vice Mayor Bruce Kilmer both commended Holton for the role he had in handling those issues.

“He did a good job handling difficult issues like the tribal lawsuit,” Ling said. “And with his help we were successfully able to settle that lawsuit this year in a positive way.”

When first beginning the position two years ago, Holton hadn’t realized the amount of time the job consumed.

Vice Mayor Bruce Kilmer

“I was overwhelmed by informational requests, wedding requests and special meetings involving the tribal lawsuit and budget,” Holton said. “I was putting in over 20 hours a week.”

Despite all the time and effort required of the position, Holton said he enjoyed the job.

One reason it was so rewarding was the progress made in moving the city and the commission forward, he said.

Holton credits his fellow commissioners in the role they played in this process.

“I was lucky to have the commissioners I did,” he said. “They’re probably the best team of commissioners out of any the city’s ever had.”

Next mayor

With Holton stepping down, Kilmer is likely to be elected mayor. The pattern is for the vice mayor to move up to mayor in an event like this, Holton said.

“I would welcome the position of mayor,” Kilmer said. “I think it’s been a good experience being vice mayor first and learning the workings of the city.”

Kilmer took a very active role in working alongside the mayor in the decision-making process, Holton said.

“Bruce was my side-person through thick and thin,” he said. “He helped me make the right decisions to help the city move forward.”

Kilmer said he was a “sounding board” for Mayor Holton’s ideas, and the two had a great working relationship. They met on a regular basis before every meeting and kept in contact between meetings.

Although they didn’t always agree, they were always open to listening to each other’s ideas, Kilmer said.

Holton said he would be willing to help guide whoever steps into the role of mayor, and Kilmer would be willing to accept the offer.

“I would call on him and seek advice if needed,” he said. “Luckily he is still on the commission so that’s great.”

Whether you are Irish or not, the holiday offers a chance to relax with friends and enjoy a variety of holiday-themed beverages and foods.

Bar owners and store managers say they are prepared for the extra business and excited for the holiday festivities. Here’s a rundown of what to expect at venues around town:

O’Kelly’s Sports Bar and Grille, 2000 S. Mission St., opens at 9 a.m. today.

“Traditionally, when we open up, there’s a line outside to get in,” said John Hunter, co-owner of the Irish bar. “People tailgate in the parking lot and they line up.”

The first 50 customers today will receive an official O’Kelly’s Irish shirt, and green eggs and ham are available for breakfast until 11 a.m. Green beer will flow throughout the day.

Hunter said students can expect Irish music and a bagpipe player. An official O’Kelly’s leprechaun will walk around the bar serving drinks and taking pictures with anyone interested.

A large staff will be on hand throughout the day to handle the large crowd Hunter expects.

He said Chuck O’Kelly, his grandfather and the man the bar is named after, will hand out shirts and prizes.

Festive contests and live music will be available at Wayside Central next door.

Green Spot Pub, 808 N. Mission St., is providing an authentic Irish atmosphere.

The doors open at 8 a.m. and green beer and Irish food — including corned beef and cabbage, reuben sandwiches and potato soup — are available throughout the day.

Mike Faulkner, owner of the pub, said everyone gets into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day.

“Everybody’s happy, everybody’s in a good mood,” he said. “That’s kind of how people are on St. Patrick’s Day.”

Green Spot is decorated for the holiday, and the staff is dressed in green.

As the busiest day of the year for the pub, Faulkner said none of his staff members have the day off. He said he intends to make the holiday as safe as possible for customers.

“We have (Chippewa Cab & Limo) available at no cost to the customer if they’ve had too much to drink,” he said.

Cheers Neighborhood Grill and Bar, 1700 W. High St., will offer Irish-themed food and drinks, including corned beef and cabbage, and Irish soups and green beer.

In addition to bar decorations, the staff also plans to dress for the holiday.

Dominick Miller, manager of Cheers, said St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally a very busy day for the establishment.

“It’s fun — we have a lot of regular customers that come in. They get in the spirit of it and it’s a good time for everybody,” he said.

Mount Pleasant Brewing Company, 614 W. Pickard St., is offering several Irish food and drink specials throughout the day.

The establishment is serving Irish reuben sandwiches and an Irish lamb stew. Beer specials and green beer is available.

The Cabin, 930 W. Broomfield St., opens at noon. The establishment, like the others, is serving green beer and will offer drink specials starting at 8 p.m.

Michael Griffioen, a manager at The Cabin, said he expects to be busy. However, aside from green beer and drink specials, it’s business as usual.

The Bird Bar and Grill, 223 S. Main St., will have green beer on hand for customers.

Manager Ben Breidenstein expects the bar to be at full capacity for the majority of the day and has prepared extra staffing to better serve customers.

Liquor establishments

Local bars are not the only businesses preparing for St. Patrick’s Day.

Dave Devine, owner of The Store, 2128 S. Mission St., is stocking up on Irish beer and whiskey.

“Jameson whiskey is huge on St. Patty’s Day,”  Devine said. “Killians and Guinness beer, we sell a ton of those that day.”

Devine said The Store has 20 to 25 kegs of green beer that will be sold to customers on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Todbld’s Party Store, 104 E. May St., also will have kegs of green beer for purchase. However, Todd Gurzick, owner of the party store, said the biggest seller will likely be its homemade pizza. “Everybody’s hungry, and we’re right within walking distance, so we sell a ton of pizza,” Gurzick said.

In Wes Luckhardt’s FNS 263: Beverages in Foodservice class, students earn extra credit for it.

Two groups of students from the class took part in an exercise to help the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company, 614 W. Pickard St., pair beers with sandwiches on Thursday and Friday.

“It’s more about the food than the beer itself,” said Traverse City senior Dani Hook.

Hook, along with Port Huron senior Angel Assi, and Jackson senior Cierra Curtis, visited the restaurant Friday to help find an ideal beer match for eight different sandwiches.

Erik Bliss, operational manager for the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company, said many restaurants will match wines with entrees, but the brewing company is working with their selection of beers.

“What I’ve learned is not to expect anything,” he said.“Everyone has a different pallet. I’m excited to see the results.”

Students Sample Local Brew from CMLifeVideo on Vimeo.

The students were split into two groups to make sure their opinions did not influence the others. They received about one-third of four different sandwiches and eight cups filled with about four to six ounces of each beer.

The students then were asked to rate which beers matched the overall flavor of the sandwich on a scale of one to eight, with one being the best combination and eight being the worst.

Some combinations caused them to wince in disgust, but others prompted positive reactions.

“I don’t like the beer, but they go good together,” Assi said of the Second Wind Wheat beer and her cheese steak sandwich.

The students will return next week to sample the other four sandwiches. Eating eight sandwiches and drinking all the beer would just get them drunk, Bliss joked.

The assignment could net the students up to 5 percent extra credit in the class. The class work has called for them to sample beers and wines already, but this was a different experience.

“It was fun to use the skills from class to evaluate the beer,” Curtis said.

Bliss is a CMU alumnus and wanted to give back to his alma mater, and Luckhardt wanted to support a business in the community.

The class has helped the students gain a better appreciation for a drink’s ability to complement food, and beer itself.

While the samples were free for students, the endeavor was good for Bliss and the brewing company.

Curtis walked out with two six packs and Hook bought one for herself.

Students Sample Local Brew from CMLifeVideo on Vimeo.

Some overflows, streaming onto the floor as blackberry ale is packaged for resale.

Foam fills the head of the bottlenecks as six men sit drinking in a circle, slapping purple labels onto each.

Stories are exchanged and laughs are thrown around with witty — and raunchy — humor is exchanged on each side of the bar and in the back room, where the hop is fermenting.

Welcome to the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company.

“It’s simply not just the poor beer you get at the store, and if people want a quality taste at a good price, this is their new hidden gem,” said Jim Holton, Mount Pleasant mayor and owner of the new brewing company and Mountain Town Station. “Hopefully, one day we will be able to distribute it throughout the state, or maybe we could even be a name throughout the Midwest.”

The brews are already distributed to Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Alpena.

Open for one week, the company has already seen success in individual pint sales. Every bartender spouts the statistics in shock to newcomers. The company wanted to sell 100 pints in their first day of business. They sold 300.

The tap room offers eight different microbrews, all available for taste testing: Gambler’s Golden Ale, Second Wind Wheat, Railyard Razzberry Wheat, Cowcatcher Red Ale, Hobo’s Breath Brown Ale, Coal Stoker’s Blackberry, Steam Engine Stout and Iron Horse IPA, which packs the most alcohol content of any of their beers at 6.6 percent. Customers can even come in to buy a six-pack for $9, with a create-your-own, mix and match motif.

The company has been around for two years, formerly housed in Warehouse No. 3 in the Commerce Center.

“Then we only had a garage door and tanks. It was nothing special, that’s for sure,” said Erik Bliss, MPBC general manager. “This was built fast. … If you’ve ever felt like you need something different, come here. We’re not downtown, instead off of the beaten path. The beer has a handcrafted taste. It’s a real open atmosphere. It’s the same owner, the same brewer, just a new business.”

Building a brewery

Beal City resident Brad Bellinger, left, and Mount Pleasant resident Colin Mckenney empty wheat and barley into a wagon on Thursday at the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company. A local farmer picks up the grains to feed to his cows. (Neil Blake/Staff Photographer)

About three months ago, blueprints were drawn up for the project’s development. Holton was in discussions with Rick McGuirk about a slip of property, at 614 W. Pickard St., that McGuirk would like Holton to build on. McGuirk knew Holton wanted to expand the business into more than a garage band brewery, so McGuirk offered up a solution.

“He wanted to build it for me,” Holton said. “After all was said and done, we moved in. He built it to the exact specifications I wanted. It’s beautiful. When we moved into the first location it took three weeks. This move took three days. The learning curve was exponential.”

It doesn’t look like every other bar from the outside, said bartender Chad Carpenter, a 25-year-old Traverse City senior. A white building with a little blue awning above the door. A garage filled with windows sits to the left of the entrance, but this brewery should not be judged on the simplicity of its store front.

The interior may be the cleanest bar Mount Pleasant has seen in years, Carpenter said.

With wooden furniture spread atop its floor and essential bar stools, its a cozy place for beer enthusiasts, Bliss said, to come enjoy a board game or just be in the company of other beer connoisseurs.

“Not being downtown, this location, it brings people who will enjoy the beer, not who come to get drunk,” said Karina Chouinard, a 21-year-old bartender and Traverse City junior.

Carpenter described his favorite beer, the Hobo’s Breath Brown Ale, as a sweet, malty flavor with a crisp finishing taste, slightly sweet.

Mount Pleasant resident Chris Venegas rode his bicycle up and down the street one night this week looking for the brewery. He couldn’t find it at night, but successful in his next attempt Thursday afternoon, he had his first pint of Indian Pale Ale. It is his favorite beer.

“Support local, that’s what this is about,” Venegas said. “We need to stop importing beers from Belgium when we can embrace this brewery only a few miles down the road. And it helps that all these bartenders are cool. The beer is pristine.”

What’s next

The one bar essential the Mount Pleasant Brewing Company does not have, Bliss said, is food. He said many customers have already voiced their opinion and food is a must.

Bliss said food will be served by Oct. 1. He said there won’t be an extensive menu, but it will include pizza, panini sandwiches and soups, alongside the already free popcorn and peanuts.

The Mount Pleasant Brewing Company will have a ceremonial grand opening Sept. 11, where customers can view a ribbon cutting and have discounted drinks.

The business hours for the company are noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to midnight Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sundays.

“When we get this place filled with customers, oh, I even get goosebumps saying that,” Bliss said, rubbing his arm. “That will be a good day.”