Alpha Michigan Brewing Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Stu Creel |
| Headquarters | Alpha , United States |
Area served | Upper Peninsula of Michigan |
Key people | Stu Creel, Julie Creel, Mike Bjork, Mary Bjork, Dan Rosek, Jackie Rosek |
| Products | Beer |
| Website | www |
The Alpha Michigan Brewing Company (AMBC) is a nanobrewery situated in the village of Alpha, located within Michigan’s Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Background
AMBC promotes Alpha as "America's smallest village with a brewery." The town’s population, estimated between 105 and 115 residents, initially raised doubts about the brewery’s sustainability.
The brewery’s beer names draw inspiration from Alpha itself, the former Porter school, nearby Mastodon Township, and Iron County, the region encompassing these communities. By 2019, local artist Tracie Wayman was responsible for designing the beer logos.
Focusing on community involvement and regional ingredients, AMBC sources barley, oats, and a portion of its hops from farms in the vicinity, including one located less than away. Since 2018, the brewery has allocated part of its net proceeds to local charitable organizations during fundraising events. For example, amid the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, AMBC donated US$200 plus 20% of Saturday beer sales to three nearby St. Vincent de Paul chapters.
Owners
Stu Creel initially registered the brewery as a company in 2012. When AMBC launched in 2018, ownership included Stu and Julie Creel alongside Mike and Mary Bjork—all residents of the local area. In July 2023, the Creels transferred their ownership share to Dan and Jackie Rosek, another couple from the community.
History
AMBC began operations in May 2018. During the following year’s Independence Day celebrations, unusually high demand led to a temporary shortage of beer. In early 2021, the brewery enhanced its seating arrangements compliant with COVID-19 protocols by installing outdoor heated tents, supported by funding from a Michigan weatherization grant.
In 2022, AMBC organized an "Ice Bowl" winter disc golf event benefiting a local food bank and brewed a pilsner to raise support for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. The brewery celebrated its fifth anniversary during Memorial Day weekend in 2023 and observed its sixth anniversary in 2024.
Location
The brewery is located at 303 E. Center St., housed in a former bus garage attached to Alpha's now-defunct George F. Porter Public School, which forms part of the Alpha Public Buildings Historic Complex listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. The Porter School closed in 1967 and was sold by the village in 2005. In 2024, a local couple purchased the building with plans to convert it into residential apartments.
Inside the taproom, reclaimed materials sourced locally contribute to its character, including a bar previously utilized at both the Alpha Inn and Alpha Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as seating salvaged from the closed St. Edwards Catholic Church.