Traverse City Beer Week returns Nov. 11-18

Mark Urban, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·4 min read

Nov. 6—TRAVERSE CITY — It could be a toast to a veteran.

It may simply a celebration the Nov. 8 mid-term election is over.

It may just be all about the beer.

Traverse City Beer Week returns Nov. 11-18. The event uses a mobile passport to take participants on a self-guided tour of area breweries and restaurants offering a series of discounts and objectives.

The free mobile passport is available for download at https://www.traversecity.com/tcbw/beer-week-ale-trail/ and goes live during the event.

"Traverse City continues to be mentioned as one of the top small town beer scenes in the country," Traverse City Tourism Executive Director Trevor Tkach said in a release. "We have an amazing collection of creative brewers who are willing to take risks, use local hops, grains and other key ingredients to craft unique flavors. Beer week is a chance for people to responsibly sample that creativity."

Those who check in to at least five of the participating venues can claim a Beer Week T-shirt. The app will notify a participant when they've checked in at five venues and to stop by the Traverse City Tourism Visitor Center to pick up the T-shirt. The Visitor Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday during Beer Week.

About 450 people redeemed completed passports in 2021, according to officials at Traverse City Tourism.

Participating venues according to https://www.traversecity.com/tcbw/ include: 7 Monks Taproom, Acoustic Tap Room, Birch & Maple, Blue Goat Wine & Provisions, Blue Tractor Barbeque, Brew, Brewery Terra Firma, Earthen Ales, Farm Club, Flapjack & Flannel Festival, Fresh Coast Beer Works, Fuji Sushi Steak House, Jack's Taproom, Jolly Pumpkin Restaurant & Brewery, MiddleCoast Brewing Company, North Peak Brewing Company, Rare Bird Brewpub, Reflect Bistro, Right Brain Brewery, Silver Spruce Brewing Company, Stone Hound Brewing Company, Stormcloud Brewing Company, The Little Fleet, The Workshop Brewing Company, Thirsty Fish Sports Grille and Townline Ciderworks.

Those who stay at area hotels can use the passport and enter to win "a beer-themed vacation in Traverse City," according to a release. The contest includes a $200 gift certificate for lodging and other beer-related gifts.

While event organizers want fun to be had during the eight-day event, safety is also important. Tkach encourages participants to use designated drivers, taxis and other driving services.

Flapjack & Flannel Festival

A separate event requiring a ticket is the Flapjack & Flannel Festival at Jacob's Farm and Willis Ridge Farm. The Nov. 12 event not only features beer, but also spirits, wines and hard cider.

The fifth annual festival also has pancakes (of course) and live music.

The 225 VIP tickets — which admits the ticket holder an hour early — are sold out. General admission tickets are still available which includes entrance from 1-6 p.m., two drink tokens for two eight-ounce pours and one pancake. General admission is $30 until Nov. 11 and $40 the day of the event. Additional tokens are two for $6 in advance and $4 each on the day of the event.

A $15 kids ticket is available for a non-alcoholic drink token and a pancake.

Troy Daily, one of the three owners of Jacob's Farm, said about 900 attended the Flapjack & Flannel Festival in 2021. He expects to exceed that in 2022.

"Our tickets are above last year," Daily said. "We will probably hit capacity before the event. To guarantee to come to the event, get your tickets in advance."

The event features fall-focused beverages as well as drinks from Mammoth Distillery, Blackrocks Brewery, Silver Spruce Brewing Co., Right Brain Brewery, Stone Hound Brewing Co., Cheboygan Brewing Co., Earthen Ales, Left Food Charley and Blake's Hard Cider.

Live music from Broomcloset Boys, Bootstraps Boys and Avid Kain is scheduled.

Create TC and 4Front Credit Union are sponsoring the Flapjack & Flannel Festival. Brew Bus will be providing rides to and from Jacob's Farm from the Old Town Parking Deck for free from 11:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 12.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flapjack-flannel-festival-2022-tickets-416886608067.