USA, MI: Stumblebum Beer Co. to open later this spring in Troy

A new microbrewery specializing in craft beer, meat and cheese — three things that go very well together — is expected to open later this spring in Troy, the Detroit Free Press reported on March 20.

Stumblebum Beer Co., founded by Troy native Eli Green, is setting up shop at 1965 West Maple Road, in the former Bailey's Pub space across from Troy Motor Mall, with "a novel approach to pairing beer, meat, and cheese." Green plans to serve not just a smorgasbord of beers on tap in the 5,546-square-foot taproom, but also charcuterie boards utilizing a rotating selection of meats and cheeses. It'll also serve house-made sodas.

"It's not a radical idea to have a charcuterie board at a brewery," Green said. "To me, what is lacking is this focus on it."

The inspiration for Stumblebum came from Green's time in New York City. While he was pursuing a theater career in the 2010s, Green "became obsessed" with novel food pairings after attending a lecture on beer and cheese at the Museum of Food and Drink Laboratory. There, he met Garret Oliver, the renowned brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, who taught him about beer-and-cheese pairings and why he argues they work much better than wine-and-cheese pairings (in short, the protein content and hops acidity of beer).

Amid this obsession, Green realized very few breweries specialize in beer and charcuterie in this way. One of them is Astoria Bier and Cheese in Queens, New York, where Green happened to take his wife on their first date. He sought to bring the pairing back to his home state.

"There's a way to bring that (combination) to people, say, in a flight-and-charcuterie board pairing where they're actually being encouraged to try different things," Green said. "You may not have chosen, necessarily, the meats and the cheeses and the beers, but we have, and we think you're really going to like this combination.

"It ends up pushing you to try a beer style you might not like. It gives you a chance to appreciate something about a style that might not be in your wheelhouse, but when you have it with a piece of cheese ... best-case scenario, you're completely converted to a style you didn't think you were a fan of."

Though Green brings 10 years of his own brewing experience to Stumblebum, he tapped Chris Coburn, previously of Batch Brewing Co. in Detroit and Woodward Avenue Brewers in Ferndale, as head brewer. Utilizing a five-barrel brewing system and 24 available taps, they plan to offer a wide variety of beer styles, from European lagers to IPAs to stouts.

Birmingham-based DesignTeam Plus — which has designed taprooms for several other Michigan breweries such as Heights Brewing in Farmington, Draught Horse Brewing Co. in New Hudson and Rustic Leaf Brewing Co. in Waterford Township — is designing the Stumblebum taproom with three adjectives in mind: Familiar, hygge ("comfortable contentment" in Danish) and mysterious, all chosen by Green. The environment is meant to be cozy and relaxed, with visuals and interior finishes to reflect the brewery name, a "nod to those with a sense of wanderlust, who find comfort in themselves wherever they roam, be it the open road or by hopping a train to an unknown destination."

The bar face, for example, is designed as an old wooden box car that utilizes reclaimed wood from the former Bailey's Pub.

"If somebody looks at it and is familiar with it, they'll gather it," said Harold Remlinger, principal architect at DesignTeam Plus. "Otherwise, it could be very mysterious because somebody may go, 'I don't understand this, where is this coming from?' Obviously, we always look at durability and cleanliness, but we like to try and give some identity to a brewery based on the client's marketing and branding. And there will be other things Eli will incorporate into (the design)."

Stumblebum's food menu will include charcuterie boards with rotating selections of meat and cheese, as well as "French Fry Flights"— inspired pairings of seasonings such as parmesan garlic, Swiss onion and cheddar pepper, and dips such as truffle aioli, malt vinegar mayo and cucumber wasabi. It'll also serve warm paninis featuring a variety of meats and cheeses.

Stumblebum's opening comes during a rocky time in the craft beer industry, with "all signs" pointing to a down year in production in 2023, according to the Brewers Association. The Michigan craft beer industry is especially feeling it in recent days; North Center Brewing Co. in Northville and Guardian Brewing Co. in Saugatuck each closed on Sunday, and Dragon's Landing, a St. Clair Shores brewpub operated by Dragonmead Brewery, announced it will close this Sunday.

Stumblebum will join one other microbrewery in Troy: Loaded Dice Brewery, though owner Jef Smith plans to move the business to nearby Clawson later this year.

Green said he understands the reality of the business and hopes to develop loyalty within the Troy community with Stumblebum.

"My guiding light is sort of like, 'What is your reason for being here?' It's not just because I like beer and making beer," Green said. "It's because I love beer and meat and cheese, and not enough people are talking about it."

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