Ore Dock Brewing Company
| Emblem featuring the brewery's name encircling an artistic representation of a cargo vessel and the namesake ore dock Ore Dock Brewing Company logo | |
| Industry | Brewery |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 2012 |
| Founders | Weston and Andrea Pernsteiner |
| Headquarters | |
| Website | oredockbrewing |
The Ore Dock Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Marquette, Michigan, established in May 2012. Its name pays homage to a nearby historic ore dock, serving as a prominent attraction within the local community and playing a significant role in bolstering regional tourism.
History
After moving to Marquette due to Weston's employment, Weston and Andrea Pernsteiner launched Ore Dock Brewing Company. Drawing inspiration from Duluth’s Fitger's Brewhouse Brewery, they chose a site at 114 West Spring Street in downtown Marquette. The brewery opened its doors in May 2012, adopting its name from the historic ore dock known for loading iron ore pellets onto lake freighters. With limited experience in homebrewing, they brought on Nick VanCourt as head brewer to spearhead product creation.
In 2013, the brewery initiated beer bottling and broadened its distribution beyond Marquette County during the same year. Prior to this expansion, production capacity had grown from 850 to 2,500 barrels annually. By 2018, Ore Dock had sold 1,631 barrels within Michigan, ranking as the forty-first largest brewer statewide—a slight decrease from 1,754 barrels in 2017 but an improvement over 1,566 barrels in 2016. This consistent output highlights the brewery’s commitment to regional market growth and sustainable operations.
Beer and seltzer
The brewery’s offerings emphasize classic Belgian and American beer styles. As of 2015, their leading products included Reclamation IPA and Dream Weaver—a Belgian ale infused with citrus and chamomile flavors. The flagship Reclamation IPA, named after the recycled materials used in the brewery’s construction, is characterized as a "mid-coast" IPA balancing West Coast hop intensity with East Coast malt richness. It earned a Gold Medal at the 2014 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championships. Other notable brews include Berserker, a hazy IPA; Beach Bum, a wheat ale; and a porter acclaimed by the Midland Daily News as an excellent "belly warmer."
In 2019, Ore Dock broadened its product range by introducing hard seltzer, becoming the first brewery in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to offer this beverage—signaling strategic entry into developing drink categories.
Location
The brewery occupies a former automobile repair facility along with the second floor of an adjacent structure that functions as a community event venue. A Star Tribune reporter described this space as "a loft area featuring reclaimed barn wood," incorporating elements from its previous use as an auto garage. The upstairs venue hosts various events centered on visual arts and music, including fundraisers, lectures, weddings, and private gatherings.
In 2022, Ore Dock Brewing purchased a neighboring property at 214 South Front Street with plans to partially demolish it and construct a beer garden, aiming to increase both its footprint and brewing capacity. Built in 1868, the building had been condemned following structural damage caused by removal of an adjacent railroad bridge in 2000. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation awarded $3.9 million through its Revitalization and Placemaking initiative to support this development. Demolition took place in April 2023, with construction of the beer garden commencing soon after.
Recognition
Since its inception, Ore Dock Brewing Company has earned considerable acclaim within the brewing sector. In 2013, MLive recognized it as one of Michigan's premier new breweries. By the following year, it stood out as the sole brewery from the Upper Peninsula to appear in Thrillist's comprehensive state-by-state beer evaluations. The brewery's prominence grew further with a feature in the travel section of The New York Times in 2017, and in 2022, Yelp honored it as Michigan's leading brewery, highlighting its expanding market presence and strong brand distinction.