Workshop brews beer like a bass guitar riff

Music, a sandwich and a beer—a Traverse City summer love affair. Enjoyment in life’s simplest terms. And when you put it in the warehouse district of Traverse City, it’s well placed affection. I like a place, like Traverse City’s Workshop, where the beer list means a conversation with the bartender. When they start comparing IPAs to bass guitar riffs, I know I’m in the right place.

I tasted the 20 Pound Sledge—bliss! But the alcohol content put me off on this night—early morning meetings, etc. I settled on the 10 Pound Sledge. I think the challenge in life is finding balance and this beer has nailed it, self-described as striking a,”balance between bitterness, malt, and alcohol, its floral aroma, and its hoppy bite …”

Beer and pretzels are a cliche. There is nothing ordinary about Workshop’s house-made pretzels with smoked cheddar fondue and beer mustard. They are called spent grain pretzels because they reuse the grain from the beer to make the pretzels.

Workshop’s mission is based on a sustainable philosophy. They use local organic ingredients as much as possible. The mission speaks to their thoughtful commitment to quality food. Every bite was evidence of their success. I had a sandwich called capitalist pig: a slow-roasted pulled-pork with cherry-porter BBQ sauce and creamy slaw on spent grain bread. The tang of the BBQ went perfectly with my 10 pound sledge.

Both my friends ordered revolutionary Cuban sandwiches, a twist on the traditional recipe with ESB-braised pork with mustard, bacon, ham, house pickles, swiss cheese, spinach, and tomato on grilled pretzel bun. If I  hadn’t been three bites into total satisfaction with my own sandwich when their sandwiches were delivered, I might have switched the plates when they weren’t looking.

We sat on the patio, in the last rays of the day’s sun. And as the sun went down, the music came up. I like a place where the music, the beer, the food and the location work together like great rock and roll.