Beer Review – Dead Bear Brewing Co – Maple Bacon Porter

At the end of last month, I took a day trip to Petoskey. The main purpose of my journey was to collect fresh Beards Brewery beer for the upcoming Summer Clean 15. On the way back downstate, I decided to stop in at a few breweries that I had never hit before, like Dead Bear Brewing Co. in Grayling.

A giant dead bear greets you upon entering Dead Bear Brewing Co. Photo Credit – Dead Bear Brewing Co

Whenever I saw a parade of military trucks on the highway, my dad always told me that they were traveling to or from Camp Grayling, the largest US National Guard training facility in the U.S. Driving through Grayling, was like a bunch of those parades happening at once with tons of military vehicles all over the place. It was an interesting mix to see military vehicles traversing the streets.

I had done my research prior to arriving and knew that Dead Bear Brewing Co was a brewpub with 20 taps of both in-house brewed beer and guest taps. Despite all these wonderful offerings, I had one beer set in my sights that I wanted to bring home and drink, the Maple Bacon Porter.

I can already hear the groans coming from the seasonal beer drinkers. I’m of the belief that beer can be enjoyed no matter what the season is. Am I pounding BA stouts every night throughout the summer? No. But if I want a porter in July, I’m drinking a porter, dammit! It should be noted that Dead Bear’s porter would work extremely well around a campfire no matter what season it is.

The roasty nose had hints of maple that enticed you to drink the sweet bacon maple goodness that was promised on the other end. As I took my first sips, the sweetness from the maple hit right away then gave way to the meaty yet smoky backbone.

This beer is one of the most unique beers I have ever had and the maple and bacon worked in harmony together rather than be a tug of war. Don’t sleep on Dead Bear Brewing Co if you’re ever passing through Grayling. The Maple Bacon Porter is worth the stop!

Cheers!