Wolverine Expands Staff, Beer Offerings

Travis Doyle is Wolverine's new tap room manager.

Wolverine State Brewing has hired Travis Doyle as its new tap room manager. Travis previously worked at Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo and most recently at Jolly Pumpkin Café & Brewery in Ann Arbor.

"I liked the beers (at Jolly Pumpkn), but I really missed the atmosphere of being in a brewery," he said, when asked why he made the move to Wolverine. "There's something about coming to work and smelling the mash."

According to Travis – whose Wolverine nickname is "The Slugger" owing to his baseball pursuits – his job will entail "sleeping here" as well as long hours of tending the bar, booking bands and entertainment, developing and managing the decor and atmosphere of the Tap Room, and probably 1,000 other things he doesn't know about yet. Be sure to say hi next time you're in.

Wolverine also has five beer releases coming up in February, as follows:

• Feb. 8: 90-Day Gulo Gulo Northwest Lager. It's back for a limited release, after lagering a bit longer: the popular strong lager hopped with Centennial and Cascade. Twelve ounce pours only. Will return March 8 as 120-Day Gulo Gulo Northwest Lager.
  
• Feb. 11: Green Thumb Lager. A “hoppy session lager” in the tradition of Gulo Gulo but with less bite. Made with a mondo amount of hops, including Citra to impart a "tropical" essence. Grain bill includes malts from Britain, Scotland, and Germany for a complementary earthy sweetness.
  
• Feb. 14: Revilo India Red Lager.  A malty concoction designed for winter lovers and just plain lovers. Live music and a 2-for-1 couples special are part of this Valentine's Day release.
  
• Feb. 18: Drag Me to Helles.  Clean and malty helles bock brewed with Munich and Vienna malts and Noble hops for a balancing bitterness and dry finish.
  
• Feb. 25: Pastoral Wheat Lager. English barley malt, dark Munich malt, German wheat malt, and American caramel malt give this beer a strong grain flavor and a unique, sourdough bread aroma, balanced with Noble hops for a floral aroma that looks forward to spring.

I'm getting thirsty...