Hey friends,

The ice has finally left the Straits, the ferry horns are echoing again, and that first real breath of Northern Michigan summer air just hit us. We’ve been counting down the days right alongside you.

After a cozy winter of tinkering in the brewhouse and getting the garden ready, we’re genuinely excited to swing the doors wide open and welcome you back to Bière de Mac Brew Works — your little slice of French-Belgian farmhouse hospitality right on the Mackinaw City waterfront.

This weekend marks the real kickoff, and we’re celebrating with some beers that feel like reuniting with old friends. Our beloved Concise Belgian Single is already pouring — that beautifully balanced, crisp, slightly spicy golden ale with the elegant dryness and subtle peppery kick so many of you dream about all winter.

The flagship Straits Session Ale (formally know as Second Beach) returns to the taps this weekend — sessionable, refreshing, and perfectly tuned for long afternoons watching the boats go by. And the ever-popular Jacobs French Farmhouse will be joining the lineup very soon — earthy, aromatic, with that classic French countryside soul and a touch of our Northern Michigan terroir.

We’ve put together special Memorial Day weekend hours so you can make the most of it: Friday, Saturday & Sunday • 12 noon – 9 pm (closed Monday to commemorate and honor those that paid the ultimate price for our ability to drink beer, laugh and live together in this great nation with the freedoms that we enjoy daily).

The beer garden is bursting with fresh flowers, the fires will be lit, and those golden-hour views across the Straits toward the bridge and Mackinac Island are waiting. Bring your crew, grab a table in the sun, and settle in with a perfect pour and food crafted to match.

Here’s where we need your help: We’re actively booking live music for the entire summer season and we’ve pretty much tapped our usual contacts. If you have a favorite solo artist, acoustic duo, or band you’d love to hear under the stars in our garden — especially folks who play folk, indie, bluegrass, or anything with great energy that fits our vibe — please hit reply and let us know. We read every single suggestion and truly value your input. Some of last summer’s best nights happened because of recommendations from fans like you.

For those of you who’ve been with us since the beginning (or who made us part of your Mackinaw tradition last season), thank you. Your support, your stories, and the way you light up when you talk about your favorite beer here means the world to us. This place exists because of fans like you who care about well-crafted beer and good times by the water.

So come say hello this weekend. Raise a glass to another beautiful Northern Michigan summer. Let the ferry whistles, the bridge lights, and a perfectly poured Belgian-style ale wash the winter away.

We’ll be here, smiling behind the bar, ready to pour something special just for you.

See you in the garden real soon,

Danny & the whole Bière de Mac crew Right by the Straits • Mackinaw City, Michigan

P.S. Tag us in your summer photos (@bieredemac) — we love reposting your memories!