USA, MI: Third Life Brewing opens in Manistee

After doing a walk-through for a potential space for his new company, Jamieson Hanna signed a lease on the spot, the Manistee News Advocate reported on November 22.

Hannna opened Third Life Brewing inside the Iron Works building at 254 River St. in Manistee earlier this month. The nanobrewery is located in the space that was previously occupied by Cafe 1907.

"I just knew the space felt right and it felt like — I mean, to open a business in the most, what I consider, iconic building in Manistee, I mean that was huge," he said.

Originally from Detroit, Hanna moved to Manistee about four years ago for a position as a brewer. He's the former head brewer at North Channel Brewing Co. in Manistee, though his experience goes back much further having worked at Thumb Brewery in Caseville, Draught Horse Brewery in New Hudson, Griffin Claw Brewing Company in Birmingham, Brooks Brewing in Shelby Township and Loaded Dice Brewery in Troy.

"Third Life Brewing has been something kind of a pipe dream for me for years now," he said. "I originally started homebrewing many moons ago and every home brewer's dream is to open their own place."

Hanna said he'd never been in northern Michigan until he started brewing, which took him to places like Traverse City and Marquette. He applied to and received offers from several breweries in the area.

"Manistee just seemed like home the second I came here. I pretty much bought a house sight unseen, and jumped right in," he said. "I'm just getting to know the community through my time over at the other brewery. It’s just been amazing, I made some of the best friends I've ever had in life here and ... the area is just gorgeous."

The name, Third Life Brewing, "comes from living three different lives between academic, career, professional, career or personal life and just this pipe dream of opening my own place. Hence why there's just the bear in a ... kayak ... just kind of whimsically floating around like, you know, is this ever going to happen?"

Hanna said he is the sole investor, and currently acts as brewer, bartender and janitor.

"So it's a lot, but it's rewarding. It's been a dream of mine and I knew it was going to be hard work to get the place open (and) running," he said. "It took me about 11 months, 10 months to get through all the licensing and all that fun stuff. I'm just happy to finally have the doors open, and it's been overwhelming support since I opened (earlier this month)."

As business picks up and he gets more organized, Hanna said he plans to hire a handful of people.

"For right now I just want to make sure that I get all my ducks in a row before I bring somebody on board," he said. "I don't want to bring someone on and just have them discouraged immediately out the gate."

Hanna said that the business wouldn't have come to fruition without the help of Marc Miller, Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce's director of economic development, and Mick Szymanski, former Manistee City Council member.

The latter had experience opening a brewery, Hanna said, "so he was able to kind of help guide me through bits and pieces as well."

Hanna said that the chamber staff helped with paperwork and understanding all the pieces necessary to open his business, from getting approvals from city council to working with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

"We were with Jamieson from the inception and worked with him through elements of site selections. We worked with him through business assistance in the business plan," said Miller. "We advocated for him at the local level and the state level for licensing, for zoning questions. We checked in on him quite a bit to make sure that he had all the tools he needed to quickly turn around and start a new business."

Hanna is big on the community aspect of breweries, and as such has collaborated with several others in the area like St. Ambrose Cellars in Beulah, Rustic Leaf Brewing Company in Waterford and has plans to work with non-breweries like Wee Bee Jammin' in Bear Lake.

"We're going to use his purees and raspberries here soon," Hanna said. "As far as the rest of the product, I brew a little bit of everything having done this for so many years but again, the focus is going to be more on the lighter side of things."

When collaborating with breweries, he said that brewers "come up with recipes together. ... It's just an opportunity for us to kind of explore and do something a little bit different."

He likes to get local people involved as well. He's named several of his beers, and his brewing tanks, after locals.

"I'm trying to be as community-driven as possible, being so small affords me an opportunity to do so. I'm not under production limitations, things of that nature," Hanna said, adding that he's named beers after some of his best friends in town: Brandon Ball, Wes Smith, Dave Lindenau and Talia Miller.

Marc Miller said the tasting room is a great addition to the community, for both residents and tourists.

"What he's providing will be part of the tourism infrastructure that will give people an authentic northern Michigan experience while they visit," said Miller. "Also, Jamieson wants to tailor his business toward the local residents, and you'll have that flavor which will come across as authenticity."

Currently, Third Life Brewing only offers beer, however, Hanna plans to expand and produce wine and cider on-site as well.

There is no food offered, but the owner encourages patrons to bring their own, "whether it's from home or from one of the local establishments — which I'm really trying to push — just to help support our local community and other businesses, whether on River Street or down in Maxwelltown."

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