E-Malt.com News article: USA, MI: Millgrove Brewing Company opening in Allegan on the Fourth of July

The city of Allegan will have its first microbrewery when the Millgrove Brewing Company officially opens on the Fourth of July, Mlive.com reported.

The grand opening for the Millgrove Brewing Co., 633 114th Ave., Allegan, will start at 2 p.m. Ales on tap for the opening will include the company's Wayfarer Cream Ale and Imposter IPA, as well as two trial ales: an oatmeal stout and a wheat beer.

"Wayfarer Cream Ale is kind of our flagship beer," said brewer Chris La Ponsie, who co-founded Millgrove with his father, Duane. "It's low in alcohol by volume, but has enough complexity in the malt bill to make it an interesting and quaffable session beer."

Chris, 29, said he and, Duane, 55, started brewing about five years ago as a hobby before eventually upgrading to a one-barrel brewing set and selling their product to local distributors.

"I started brewing because I liked beer," Chris said, whose mother Sue will serve as bar manager. "Dad started right after I did and it was a fun way to spend time together.

"Some people go out and fish on a lake. My dad and I wake up early and make beer."

After realizing their beers were popular locally, Chris said the pair decided in September of last year to open a tap room since they couldn't serve the public from their residentially zoned building in Millgrove, a neighborhood in Allegan Township.

"My dad is pretty much a go big or go home guy," Chris said. "We had all the equipment, so we decided why not make a commercial brewery?"

Although micro-breweries have become fairly common throughout much of West Michigan, Chris said Millgrove will be the only taproom he is aware of within a 15-mile radius from its location in the city of Allegan. He said the closest microbrewery he knows of is the Old Mill Brew Pub in Plainwell.

The brewery will be open every Friday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. As a larger stock of beer is built up, the establishment will open for additional hours and tap additional beers.


04 July, 2014