Beards Brewery
Beards Brewery was founded in 2012 by two Petoskey locals who had a common passion: craft. Armed with determined intent, Ben Slocum and Peter Manthei began a home brewing partnership, which, fueled by demand, led them to take the plunge into commercial brewing. In between finishing college degrees, both brainstormed and built the beginnings of the business you see today.
In the first few years at Beards Brewery we have created over 100 delicious recipes inspired by local, seasonal products of Northern Michigan. Our pub features 10 taps as well as viewing glass into our one barrel brewing system, allowing patrons to see the beer making process. Along with our Petoskey pub and brewery we also have a 15 barrel production facility in Charlevoix. Built to feed our growing distribution in Michigan, Beards beer is not only on draft across the northern regions of the state, but can also be found in cans at local shops.
On June 2, 2017 we moved from our OG Pub to Pub 2.0 at 215 E. Lake Street. The new space gave us the ability to have a full restaurant, views of the bay, and more beer on tap.
Here at Beards we embrace quality and balance in all of our practices. And we extend that belief to all things craft—whether it’s music, food, or art—we are always open to new collaborations and opportunities.
It’s still early in our story, but armed with a great team, albeit a small one, we are off to a fantastic and adventurous start. At Beards we work hard, focusing on quality, creativity and community. Stop in to watch us brew, and enjoy a pint or two.
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
