USA, MI: Ludington Bay Brewing set to open in mid-May

Ludington Bay Brewing will be worth the wait, MLive.com reported on April 28.

The downtown Ludington brewery will open during mid-May, after previously planning a March opening. The open date slid back due to construction and licensing delays, said Ted Gedra, owner.

"If you came into today, you'd think we could open pretty quick," he said. "We want everything to be right when we open because you only get one chance at that."

Training of kitchen and wait staff is underway. In all, there will be about 40-45 employees at the brewery this summer.

Twenty-four taps will be positioned behind the 16-stool bar in the main dining area, which will seat about 82.

About 12 taps will serve beer at the opening.

"We've got a range of beer for craft lovers to come in and try," said Gedra, who acquired a taste for craft beer while traveling the country and world for Wolverine Worldwide. "We have a very nice selection right now that's getting broader."

Gedra retired for an executive position at Wolverine Worldwide during July 2016.

Ludington Bay Brewing's master brewer is Tom Buchanan, known to some as the "Beer Father," who started his brewing career at Jamesport Brewing Company in 2000 after homebrewing for nearly a decade.

Buchanan is known as a traditionalist, but is open to a little experimentation, he said in a previous interview.

While the brewery is starting out with huge capacity -- 20 barrels a day, which comes to nearly 5,000 pints - it also has a 2.5 barrel system to try out new recipes.

With so much brewing capacity, Ludington Bay will immediately begin distributing kegs, Gedra said. Canning will begin this summer.

For taproom visitors, there will be a full lunch and dinner menu, including weekly pizza specials, entrees and small plates. The kitchen under the direction of Chef Rob White, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of Michigan in Muskegon.

The menu will "change fairly often so people can expect to find something new and fresh, and we don't get too predictable," Gedra said.

While there is an outdoor seating that will accommodate up to 36, that likely won't be open right away due to a delay fencing it in, which is required for licensing. The indoor and outdoor dining areas share a two-way fireplace. The patio will also have a fire pit, and a covered area.

Above the kitchen, there's a mezzanine that will have a private bar for parties, meetings and other events of up to 36 people.

Visitors will be greeted by the sounds and aromas of beer-making when a glass garage door between the brewery and dining area is open. Tours will also be offered, Gedra said.

The building also has areas for canning,shipping and receiving.

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