Tastemakers: Murphy‘s Lamplighter Inn/ Short‘s Bottle Release Party

March 7, 2007

MURPHY’S LAMPLIGHT INN


No trip to the Bellaire/Central Lake area is complete without a dinner stop at Murphy’s Lamplight Inn. The Lamplight has been a Central Lake landmark for 83 years and in its infancy was a popular destination for traveling salesmen. Over the years, The Lamplight has seen a few transitions, owners and name changes until 1996 when Mary Ellen Murphy discovered that the venue was for sale while on a weekend getaway in Northern Michigan. She returned to her Dearborn home, convinced her family this was for them, and they (husband Mike, children Keegan, Shana and Michael) have been the owners ever since.

The décor blends historical artifacts from the Inn’s storied history with an eclectic collection of local artwork, including stained glass works by Mary Ellen. The menu is varied, highlighted by Lake Michigan Whitefish and Lake Superior Walleye along with an assortment of hand cuts of beef. A personal favorite is their Roasted Cherry Glazed Duck, slow roasted and finished off with a local cherry glaze that pairs nicely with Bell’s Stout.

If cabin fever is setting in, give consideration to a little weekend getaway to Bellaire and Central Lake (see “Bottoms Up” for this weekend’s travel itinerary), or if you are looking for a great night out for dinner, head to Central Lake and check out Murphy’s Lamplight Inn. Visit www.murphyslamplight.com for more information or call
231-544-6443 for reservations.



Shorts Brewery’s Huma-Lupa-Licious
Bottle Release Party


Musicians have album release parties all the time, so why not have a “bottle-release” party if you are a microbrewery? After all, what you produce is music to the taste buds of beer drinkers. Brewmaster Joe Short, is for the first time, releasing his beers in a bottle and wants to celebrate the occasion. Sure, his beers are available in 64-ounce growlers, and his Bellaire based brewery has become a community icon, attracting brew enthusiasts from all over the state. Some area restaurants are even offering his beers on tap; but until now the traditional six-pack has not been available.
This Saturday he and the staff at Shorts Brewery will host the Huma-Lupa-Licious Bottle Release Party. The pub will be closed during the day so that he and his staff may have a dress rehearsal in preparation for the evening festivities. Short has even written a song about hops and will debut the tune at 7 p.m. during “The Joe Wonka Address.” The hop song will be performed by Wonka Joe, the Huma Lupas (in costume) and other credible musicians in the setting of “Hopland” that has been constructed to achieve a magical, realistic feel to enhance the performance setting. Along with the song, a slide show will be shown to educate the audience about hops. After the song the slide show will continue with Joe’s commentary and other random thoughts about hops and the bottling project. Doors open at 4 pm with an $8 cover and the first 250 receiving a 12-ounce bottle of Huma-Lupa-Licious.
Six of those will contain a stainless steel capsule, which holds a ticket for a brewery tour with Wonka Joe, along with some samples of the Imperial Beer Series to be released in late April.
A special dinner will be served featuring chipotle meat loaf, garlic scallion mashed potatoes, and fresh green beans for an additional $8 between 6 and 7 p.m. Pizza by the slice will be offered from 7 p.m. to midnight with Breathe Owl Breathe performing from 8:30 on.
Bellaire is a quaint community, and if you are looking for a great weekend getaway, this event makes for a perfect chance. There are four wonderful B&Bs in Bellaire: The Applesauce Inn, Bellaire B&B, Grand Victorian and Stone Waters Inn. To learn more about these visit www.antriminns.com. To make the weekend complete try LuLu’s on Friday night in Bellaire or Murphy’s Lamplight Inn (see Tastemakers) in neighboring Central Lake. For details on the Bottle Release party visit
www.shortsbrewing.com or call the brewery (231) 533-6622.