GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The newest U.P. brewery has opened its doors in Delta County.
Lifelong Gladstone resident Jake Mills has been homebrewing beverages for about two decades.
“I got into the hobby because craft beer became so accessible that it was easy to grab on the shelves,” Mills said. “Roughly seven years ago, a friend of mine said, ‘Do you want to take the home brewing class at Bay College?’ Sure enough, I did. We kind of started brainstorming about breweries and we said, ‘That would be kind of cool to do one in Gladstone.'”
Five years of planning and a year and a half of remodeling later, Saunders Point Brewing is open for business at 1000 Delta Avenue.
“There’s a lot of history in Gladstone, and we’re trying to incorporate it with the name itself,” said Mills. “Saunders Point was the original name of Gladstone before the Soo Line Railroad came across and purchased the land and changed it into Gladstone.”
Saunders Point Brewing offers a handful of core beers, along with a rotation of unique, handcrafted recipes.
“We love craft beer, so we’ll sit here and play with them, tinker with them,” Mills said. “They’re usually a one-off and something fun to try, like a different IPA or maybe a spicy cream ale. We want to move on from just beers, too. I’ve got two younger daughters that want to brew craft root beer and cream soda here. That’s another step along the way we have to get to, but we’re just having fun with it.”
Mills says the large space provides a welcoming atmosphere for patrons of all ages.
“People can come sit down and really enjoy themselves,” he said. “We’re not going to be crowded. We’ve always taken our families to breweries around the U.P., and we’re trying to make it for all friends and family. You can sit down and play board games—we’ve got Connect Four or whatever here—and have a good time.”
Rather than trying to set Saunders Point Brewing apart from the growing crowd of U.P. breweries, Mills is more interested in becoming part of the brewing community.
“When I first started to research, I reached out to Alpha Brewing Company out in Alpha, Michigan, Barrel + Beam in Marquette, LaTulip Brewing,” said Mills. “They sat down with us and discussed their plans, how they went about opening so we could do it. It’s more of like, ‘a rising tide lifts all ships.'”
More than anything, Mills is enthusiastic about providing his own community with the inviting, hometown brewery experience he’s imagined for so long.
“It was a lot of work, but the biggest thing for me is that the beers were something they could enjoy and drink,” he said. “So far, we’ve had positive feedback, so that was a big relief for me. I’m hard on myself when it comes to some of these beers and they’re like, ‘Oh no, this one’s excellent. It’s a good time.”
Saunders Point Brewing is open Wednesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
