Charlevoix Tap Room Continues Its Growth

March 22, 2015

Rich Bergmann wanted to do something for his adopted town of Charlevoix.

"I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid," says Bergmann. "I retired [from the aerospace industry] in 2013 and I wanted to do something for an investment."

Bergmann had met Adam Engelman, a musician from Petoskey. Engelman was friends with Phil Parr, who was GM at the Inn at Bay Harbor, and Aaron Hagen, who had decamped from Bay Harbor to the specialty store and café Esperance.

Engelman introduced his friends to Bergmann, and interest and opportunity coincided. "Rich was passionate about Charlevoix and wanted to do something to invest in it," said Hagen.

So the quartet decided to pool their resources and expertise. The result is the Bridge Street Tap Room, an airy gathering spot in the heart of Charlevoix, offering its customers food, entertainment and a host of Michigan craft beers.

THE SCENE

Bergmann explains they serve only beers from Michigan because of their quality. He acknowledges there are excellent breweries in other locales, such as San Diego – his other hometown – but that Michigan tops them all.

"What makes it different is our glorious water," says Parr. Bergmann agrees.

The Tap Room serves more than just beer, though. It also offers wine and spirits.

"I put our selection on a par with the affordable California wines," says Bergmann.

"We have customers that aren’t beer drinkers."

The establishment has a cozy feel, despite being large enough to seat 60, plus accommodate additional customers outdoors in warm weather.

THE MENU

With 32 taps – soon to be 40 – there’s something for every beer drinker. Bell’s of Kalamazoo and Atwater of Detroit kick things off. Other breweries represented include New Holland Brewing of Holland, Dragonmead of Warren, Perrin of Grand Rapids, Right Brain of Traverse City, Beards of Petoskey, Short’s from Bellaire, and Stormcloud from Frankfort.

For a place so heavily invested in its beverages, the Bridge Street Tap Room also boasts an extensive menu.

"We use locally sourced and produced items," says Parr.

Starters include a meat and cheese plate, smoked brisket nachos, bruschetta, wings (sweet chili or bridge jumpin’ hot) and a Great Lakes duo of smoked salmon paté and smoked whitefish sausage.

Salads and wraps include a grilled chicken Caesar, grilled chicken wrap, and hummus and veggie wrap. Other sandwiches are braised pork belly, smoked brisket, Cajun turkey club and knockwurst.

Then there are the daily specials. Monday is Southern chicken, Tuesday chili and pot roast, pasta night on Wednesday, pizza and beer Thursday, bacon and blue burger/ sushi on Friday, steak night Saturday, and sliders and chef ’s surprise on Sunday.

THE BEST

According to Parr, number one on the hits list is the pizza. The Tap Room offers the usual toppings, as well as some less conventional options: smoked brisket, whitefish sausage, arugula.

"We make our own sauce," Parr says. Tops among the sandwiches is the smoked brisket, with smoked Gouda cheese, red onion, arugula and horsey aioli on Asiago sourdough.

Number two is the grilled macaroni and cheese, best enlivened with a Sriracha aioli, though you can also opt for jalapeno mustard or one of the other toppings.

"It’s unique," says Bergmann. Hagen one-ups him. "I’d say it’s the best," he says.

With so many constantly changing choices, it’s to each his own as far as beer favorites go, though some tend to garner more accolades than others.

"Everyone loves Bell’s Two Hearted Ale," says server Alex Buday.

THE REST OF THE STORY

The cozy confines of the Tap Room couldn’t accommodate everything the owners envisioned, so it has expanded once already and it plans to do so again. First, it grew to include an additional space next door for hosting private parties, known as the Round Lake Room, and the next expansion will be to a brewing facility. The Lake Charlevoix Brewing Company is set to debut Memorial Day weekend. It’s located just north of the Tap Room beneath Bridge Park.

The Tap Room also a place for enjoying music. "We have live entertainment five nights a week," says Bergmann. "We knew we were going to have to draw people in in the winter."

The Tap Room typically features live music Thursday through Sunday and Trivia Night on Wednesday. Engelman books the entertainment as well as handling the establishment’s marketing.

THE SKINNY

Pints run between $3.25 and $5.50 (the ciders are $7). You can get a 4-ounce taste for as little as $1.

Appetizers start at $4, wings at four for $6, which is also the price for a crock of soup. Salads run $8 and up, pizzas are $10, and sandwiches start at $9. Nightly specials range from $5 to $15 for steak.

Bridge Street Tap Room is open 11am-11pm seven days a week and is located at 202 Bridge St. in Charlevoix. For information, visit BridgeStreetTapRoom.com, or its Facebook page, or call 231-437-3466.