Deep in the woods of Traverse City, there’s a party that’s been missed by many. Where the taps are endless and the outfits are radical, the atmosphere electric and unforgettable.
Delayed by the pandemic, Suds & Snow celebrated its 15th annual beer fest this past March. With an 80s theme and mild winter weather, the party was well worth the two year-long wait.
I was lucky enough to experience the festival VIP style, from behind the tap. My older brother, Justin, is the head brewer for Beards Brewery in Petoskey, Michigan (best job ever). He invited my younger brother and I to help out this year and we jumped at the chance.
Spending all day drinking in the woods? Sign me up.
Once we arrived to Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort, we were escorted by our VIP beer carriage (gator utility vehicle) a half mile to our spot in the woods. We had a prime location, right next to BIG Michigan names including Blake’s Hard Cider, Founders, and Short’s.
While it may have been an all day drinking fest, it’s important to stay hydrated! Beards supplied several flats of Michigan Hop Water for refreshments for all brewing staff and volunteers. The perfect, non-alcoholic palate cleanser between brews.
Festival goers were encouraged to bring snack necklaces, lawn chairs, and fanatic attitudes into the trees. If you forgot your treat chain, fret not, there were plenty of tasty options provided by food trucks/vendors on site.
We rotated responsponsibility between our party of 5, slinging beers all afternoon and fully immersing ourselves in the “Ultimate Party in the Northern Woods”. Live bands played 80’s hits, a DJ on the other side of the fest cranked out dance floor jams; the VIBES were purely immaculate.
I was especially happy to help out at this event because there were cider and wine options. Some breweries (including Beards) are even jumping into hard seltzers!
After being diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2018, attending beer fests has been less than stellar, so I was ecstatic to learn I had options other than sneaking a flask in my back pocket. To make it even better, my favorites were in attendance: Blakes and Tandem.
It was a beautiful site. Enough to conceive some sneaky, happy tears.
Suds & Snow turned out to be one of the best beer festivals I’ve ever been to. Will I see you at the ultimate part in the woods next year?
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TTYL MICHIGANDERS
Your Michigan Girlfriend 