Like many companies, Handmap Brewing had to step on the brakes during the pandemic, but now things are in full swing!
Chris McCleary and Jen Brown, both Harper Creek High School alumni, moved back to the area to start a brewery in 2019 and it was due to open on March 17, 2020. McCleary, a former brewer at Chicago’s prestigious Goose Island Brewery, recalled, “I quit my job in Chicago around the second week of March 2020. I thought it would be the perfect time to open on Saint Patrick’s Day.” That didn’t happen.
Handmap Brewing opened sporadically on the first floor of the historic Record Box Building in downtown Battle Creek, as state regulations allowed. This grand opening will finally take place on Friday July 9th and Saturday July 10th.
The celebrations coincide with a big announcement. Handmap Brewing and Atlas Sales Inc., both based in Battle Creek, have formed a partnership that will expand the brewery’s reach to bars and restaurants across Calhoun County. Handmap Brewing’s Rye of Sunshine, a rye IPA, and Spreadsheet Blood Orange, a wheat beer brewed with blood oranges, will be available in select locations starting this week.
“We’re excited to introduce our beers made here in Battle Creek to craft beer lovers across Calhoun County, and we can’t think of a better distributor than Atlas Sales,” said Chris McCleary, co-owner of Handmap Brewing . “These first two beers, which will be given out to bars and restaurants, are a great first encounter with our style and a perfect match for Michigan summers.”
“Chris McCleary and Jennifer Brown produce high quality beers at Handmap Brewing and we are excited to work with them and tell their story beyond the walls of their brewery,” said Bud Dunn, vice president of Atlas Sales Inc. “We” We are proud on promoting growth, choice and competition by working hand in hand with breweries like Handmap Brewing to help them thrive today and in the future. “
Joe Sobieralski, Jennifer Brown, Chris McCreary-Handmap Brewing-TSM Photo
Handmap took advantage of the downtime during the pandemic to install a beer canning operation that allowed them to use the store for take-out. “Well, we bought a small canned line just to move products,” said McCleary. “We were ready to open. We had a lot of beers to take away. Just getting cans was difficult at the time, and it is still difficult in certain pack sizes. But we bought this little canned line and started canning beer. ”McCleary says they had a lot of help too. “You know, a lot of people didn’t work back then and our friends helped a lot.” They currently have about 14 different beers on offer.
How did the brewery get its name? Brown said, “Chris had a brewery called Holidays Brewing in his basement and it was going to be. But we didn’t get the stamp and were nameless for about four months. Every name we tried was already taken. We were on Goose Island one night after work and a friend of our dad was there and he asked where we were from in Michigan. And of course I pulled out my hand and pointed at Battle Creek, and we laughed at everyone in Michigan who used the hand card. Chris and I looked at each other and said that’s it. That’s the name. “
McCleary and Brown say they plan to have some sort of live entertainment every weekend and have a comedy group from Chicago on August 6th.
The Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce will kick off the opening on Friday with a ribbon cutting at 2:30 p.m. They open at 2 p.m. so everyone can have a beer in hand while the ribbon is cut. Carlyle Street will be closed for two days and bands will play outside during the day and inside in the evening. Battle Creek’s new social district means you can have a beer and stroll downtown. There will also be food trucks there.
- Who: Handmap Brewing
- What: Grand opening
- When: Friday, July 9, 2:30 pm-10:00pm; Saturday, July 10th, 3:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Where: The Record Box / Handmap Brewing, 15 Carlyle Street, Battle Creek Michigan
- Why: drink beer, listen to music and have fun!
McCleary said they have 14 beers right now. So where do these ideas come from?
“Sometimes it’s things that I’ve been working on for a long time. Sometimes you follow the market and try to be innovative at the same time. We constantly pick up a lot of traditional recipes, but maybe give them our own flair and then look for new ways. Sometimes the ideas come up in the middle of the night. Sometimes it happens on a bike ride, sometimes it happens while I’m sitting in the brewery talking. Inspiration comes from many different directions. “
So if Chris had to choose one beer from Handmap’s full range that people should try, which one would it be?
“Probably the Otis. It’s a DuPont seasonal Belgian beer that is aged in barrel and bottled in red wine barrels and there is a lot going on with this beer. The beer is nice and tender and in a certain way wine-like and has many different notes of banana and cloves and some wild yeast. It’s a very good beer. “
The bands
- Friday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Beam of light, a duo. “They’ll be playing outside, so you’re welcome to bring deck chairs. It’s the whole social district now, so you can sit outside and we’ll sell beer outside and inside. “
- Friday 7-10 p.m. Pice project, from Grand Rapids, at Handmap Brewery.
- Saturday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Rusty & the nails.
- Saturday 7.30pm-9.30pm Sam Luna band in the handmap brewery.
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