These days, it’s great to be a craft beer fan in South Lyon.  With the 12/26/11 opening of the Witch’s Hat Brewing Co. (www.witchshatbrewing.com) and the ever-expanding list of Michigan craft beers on tap at the Lake Street Tavern (www.lakestreettavern.com), this little town in the SW corner of Oakland County has big things to offer thirsty brew snobs like me. 

If you visit Witch’s Hat, I recommend Edward’s brown or else the 1908 smoked wheat.  However, I started off with the sampler and was pleasantly surprised by pretty much all of their offerings.  The taproom is small but cozy, and in typical South Lyon fashion, the staff and patrons are friendly and talkative.  But if you’re an introvert who just wants to drink his beer in peace, they’ve got TV’s you can watch….jerk.

If you find yourself in the Lake Street Tavern, good luck deciding on what to order because there’s currently 14 taps from a solid variety of Michigan breweries.  And if you or your comrades prefer macro beers, wine, or cocktails, there’s a great selection of those too.  The Tavern’s atmosphere is a nice juxtaposition (big word alert!) between the historic architecture and modern upgrades, which gives is a somewhat upscale feel without the upscale prices.  Oh, and the cuban sandwich is a highlight of the food menu in case you come hungry.

New Holland B.C. has just announced the following “street release” dates:

* Night Tripper Imperial Stout – January 9th

Dark, mysterious and poetic, Night Tripper’s abundance of roasted malts, combined with flaked barley create a rich, roasty beer with deeply intense and lush flavors. Night Tripper’s layered, nuanced tones invite intrigue and reward a curious palate.

* Envious Ale – January 15th

Michigan pears fuel a second fermentation, providing subtle nuance between grain & fruit. A slumber on oak and local raspberries adds depth and tartness.

* Blue Sunday Sour Ale – January 15th

This unique anniversary libation, heritage-blended from our library of barrel-soured beers, exhibits deeply layered flavors of malt and oak, with a tart finish.

So it’s officially been announced that the new Witch’s Hat Brewery in South Lyon will open it’s doors to the public on December 26th.  According to their website, the 35-seat pub (located on the SW corner of 9-Mile and Pontiac Trail) is ” the perfect place to enjoy and discuss the unique beer the Witch’s Hat has to offer.”  I personally can’t wait…see link below for a pic:

http://witchshatbrewing.com/?page_id=8

With the holiday season in full swing, those of us fortunate enough to live in the great mitten state now have a plethora of seasonal beers at our disposal.  Pretty much every beermaker has something special on tap (both literally and figuratively), and odds are it’s majestically delicious.  So whether you’re looking for a gift idea or else a conversation starter at your holiday party, go pick up a sixer or growler of Michigan-made holiday beer…before it’s too late.