Tim Woolworth
Tim Woolworth, a brewer at Ypsi Alehouse, pours Waldmeister Syrup into a Berliner Weisse beer at a release event for the beer brewed by EMU students, Thursday, March 14, 2019 at Ypsi Alehouse in Ypsilanti.
Read the "Beer Guide" story.
This American Stout is dark-roasted, full-bodied and jet black. With a bit of chocolate, a mild sweetness, and slightly dry finish, B-24 is well balanced between malt and hops.
Baby Boo is our annual autumnal pumpkin ale brewed with lots of roasted pumpkin right in the mash tun. Baby Boo has a complex aroma derived from the adjuncts in this beer including fresh ginger, toasted nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks. The beer finishes with a hint of rich molasses and a bit of fresh citrus from the orange zest we added to the boil. Each pint delivers the promise of pumpkin spice, but no pumpkin spice was used in this beer!
Backyard Frog (a relative of Ypsi's infamous Smeet Frog) is a refreshing and hoppy session India Pale Ale enriched with white wheat malt. Ted has been growing his own Willamette hops since 1982 and this beer is made with the hops harvested from the back wall of the Ypsi Alehouse. They are organic and naturally dried to create its frog-hoppy finish. It hearkens back to the day when all beers came from freshly harvested hops!
Badger in the Barley, an English Pale Ale, is fermented from 100% traditional English malts, hops and yeast to create a delicious biscuit flavor with a hint of marmalade, which yields to a delicate bitterness and grassy, peppery notes. Ted has been perfecting his ESB (Extra Special Bitter) since visiting London many years ago.
Our Belgian Single is a crisp, refreshing, sessionable pale ale that's ideal for quaffing on an Ypsilanti summer day or evening. Continental malts and noble hops blend to bring you a smooth, savory, mellow beer, with a faint touch of fruity esters and a hint of clove spice lent by our Belgian yeast. It’s a Belgium, Man!!
We pay tribute to our neighbors down the road with Belleville Brown, a robust and potent blend of dark malts with a hint of smoke and raisin.
Big Warm Hug welcomes in all things winter. Our hug is big (11.1% ABV) and it will certainly warm you right up. This very easy drinker has rich caramel and toffee flavors with just enough bitterness to complement the sweet, dessert-like finish. There is also a nuanced hint of fresh ginger, cinnamon and honey found in every sip to embrace timeless seasonal flavors. We hope that during this Covid winter season, our Big Warm Hug will make the coldest, darkest nights a bit cozier.
The Black is Beautiful initiative is a collaborative effort amongst the brewing community and its customers, to bring awareness to the injustices that many people of color face daily. Our mission is to bridge the gap that's been around for ages and provide a platform to show that the brewing community is an inclusive place for everyone of any color. The Ypsi Alehouse is proud to participate in this collaboration. The beer itself is a hearty Russian Imperial Stout brewed with significant amounts of dark malts. These malts impart a roasted character with notes of chocolate, toffee, and coffee flavors. Cascade hops add a grapefruit and citrusy profile. Each sip will coat your mouth and a lingering bitter will echo on your palate long after your glass is empty. We selected the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation as the beneficiary of this effort.
Blue Racer is a Michigan Blueberry Honey Wheat that is light and delicious with just a hint of blueberries. This beer appeals to people who avoid craft beer because of the bitterness of IPAs and strong malt flavors of some other style. The Blue Racer name comes from a native non-venomous snake found throughout most of the Lower Peninsula.
Boss Pils is a clear golden Bohemian Pilsner-style lager with a rich but smooth and bready malt character. Your first sip yields to a long finish with a prominent spicy hop backbone as the result of huge amounts of Czech Saaz used during various stages of brewing. The Boss Pils also uses German malts and yeast. As you would in Germany, we invite you to enjoy it in our bier garden!
We have incorporated multiple ingredients into this sour brew, bearing Boy Howdy's name and symbolic of cartoonist Robert Crumb’s approach to life. There are two distinct yeast cultures, hops developed from English rhizome stock and even a bit of honey. The malts include black malt, chocolate malt, smoked wheat malt and roasted barley.
The Brown Goat is the quintessential pub ale for the winter with an easy drinking 6.1% ABV. Toffee, caramel, and toasted biscuit are melded with subdued floral and earthy notes. Underpinning all of this is a robust mouthfeel and an easy bitterness.
Centerfield Sensation is a traditional Belgian farmhouse summer ale that finishes dry and spicy, with refreshing fruity notes and rocky white Belgian lace heads. It's a tribute to the peppy Carolyn King, first girl ever to play Little League baseball. Although banned by the national organization, Carolyn debuted in centerfield at Ypsi's Candy Cane Park in 1973, creating a local sensation filmed by national TV crews.
Cross Street Crush pours a hazy, opaque orange and is very crushable even at 6.8%. With a hefty amount of wheat, the mouthfeel is smooth. The mouthfeel helps accentuate the fresh orange, tangerine, mango and blueberry flavors imparted by huge dry hop additions of both Citra and Mosaic hops. Underlying all this flavor is a sizable bitterness that you would find in a typical IPA in order to balance out the fruity flavors and the wheat tang..
Dark Czechmark is a rare-style dark Czech pilsner loaded with flavor in the Tmavé Pivo style. This style is brewed primarily in Prague and is much sought after by Czech locals and beer aficionados. One taste and you’ll know why. At the Alehouse, we used the finest continental malts and hops. The grains provide accents of espresso and honey on top of a solid base of rich, toasted bread crust. Our hop choices round out the Dark Czechmark with carefully chosen amounts of floral and earthy notes completing this vibrant, dark pilsner with a light, clean finish with a moderate amount of bitterness.
A hint of chocolate combines with a substantial brown malt background and Zythos hops from Oregon. Our zingy, dry Deja Brew transports you unexpectedly back to another time – but in the same space. Maybe you’ve been here before?
Easterner Weisse is a sour, refreshing wheat beer that has a subtle hint of hops and a distinctive character. Purists like this beer straight-up to enjoy its complexities but many take it with a flavored syrup to offset the tartness. This beer is the result of a collaborative effort between the EMU Fermentation Science Program and the Ypsi Alehouse.
Straw colored with a foamy white head with great retention. It is grainy sweet with a light doughy touch. The flavor is rounded out by a hint of earthiness, spiciness, and light bitterness. More importantly, it has a nice lagered snap to it that finishes light and somewhat creamy. It is the perfect beer for when you want a beery-beer with flavor
Roggenbier is a classic Bavarian dunkelweizen with malted rye rather than wheat. Brewed with over 50% rye, our Groundcover brings the grain’s bold flavor forward. The hazy suspended Weizen yeast yields tangy traces of clove spice and fruity esters, lightly backed by German noble hops. A perfect choice for living the life of Riley on a summer afternoon!
Isle Royale is a toasty amber ale with flavorful aromas from an international blend of malts from the US, Belgium, England and Germany. Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops produce a subdued bitterness that allows the malt flavors to come forward. Isle Royale is named after the Isle Royale Island and National Park located in Lake Superior. Featured in the book Hops and History by Jim Dent, 2019. The Isle Royale won a silver medal this year.
Javine is the mythical household god in Lithuania that protects grain in barns. Our Javine Baltic Porter is a strong, dark lager with deep ruby hues and a rich malty finish. An array of roasted, crystal, Vienna and Munich malts meld with traditional German hops in this classic style. Javine is our anniversary beer, so come celebrate our birthday with a nod to the protector of grain!
German Barke Pils malt and Northern Brewer hops lend a Bohemian flavor to our smooth, easygoing JimmyJack’s Normal XPA. A tribute to Ypsilanti’s first major college, the Michigan State Normal College, which preceded EMU.
The dark mild is an English pub classic. Our version, the Jolly Cricketeer, is made with a continental malt base designed to be full of flavor. Each sip unveils a complex bouquet of biscuit and caramel offset by a subtle bitterness. At 3.1%, the Jolly Cricketeer is designed to be enjoyed pint after pint for an after-work cooldown socializing at the pub, a round of darts, or bellied up to the bar to while the hours away.
A strong light amber with full malty sweetness, it's brewed in the dead of winter and released on Mayday as a harbinger of spring. Kaiser is brewed exclusively with German materials -- Munich, Vienna and Pils malts, Hallertau hops and Weihenstephan lager yeast. Our Maibock is an homage to Henry J. Kaiser, the Miracle Man who built ships during WWII and established his automobile production at the Willow Run plant, which later became Kaiser Jeep.
Lallybroch brings you the warmth and strength of a Scottish castle fireside with its deep copper hue and ruby highlights. The first sip, malty and full-bodied, yields to hints of oak, caramel and dates. Brewed, of course, with traditional Golden Promise malted barley! Lallybroch is the ancestral home of James Fraser in the Outlander series and it translates to “Lazy Tower”.
The first in our Brewer Showcase Series: we’ve partnered with Jim Satin to brew his gold medal winning 80 shilling export here at the Alehouse. MacKnauf’s 80 Shilling Scottish Ale is an instant classic with notes of layered biscuit and caramel. Old-world hops provide a slight hint of bitter earthiness. MacKnauf’s won a bronze medal at the World Expo of beer.
Mishabooz, our imperial stout, has a rich cocoa nose that carries through to the end of every smooth sip. This dark draught finishes with slight coffee and anise notes with a prominent bitterness. Mishabooz is a beer that tastes better as it warms up, so let it sit for a few minutes before drinking it – if you can wait that long. In Algonquin mythology, Mishabooz is another aspect of the cultural hero Nanabozho, who is associated with rabbits and The Great Rabbit in legends and folktales.
It's dry and spicy, with fruity esters that lend a refreshing tart background to this traditional saison. German Hallertau Mittelfruh hops are used to balance the flavor of this tasty treat. Many thanks to Matt Becker of Brewery Becker in Brighton for sharing his Saison Dupont yeast to create our Mishagoose Farmhouse Saison ale. This ale is served in a 10 oz. glass.
A touch of clean, malty sweetness rounds out the deceptively smooth and fairly dry finish, while substantial dry hopping lends floral citrusy notes to this delightful IPA. The Mooneye American IPA draws its hearty bitter balance from five West Coast hops. Mooneyes are frantic, hyperactive fish and their impressive leaps and passionate fighting style has earned them the nickname Freshwater Tarpon.
Natural Heritage Pale Ale has floral and fruity tones that suggest a hint of melon, orange citrus, and spicy pepper. A light malty sweetness leads to a naturally smooth and clean finish. This bold single hop pale ale uses a Michigan-grown Triple Pearl hop. The beer was brewed at the Ypsi Alehouse and is a collaboration with the Michigan Hop Alliance, Eastern Michigan University’s Fermentation Sciences and was named by MSU Extension’s Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) in honor of their 40th Anniversary.
Ypsi Alehouse Oktoberfest is a smooth, clean malt bomb that was brewed in spring as is the Munich tradition. Being moderately dry with restrained bitterness, toasty overtones and a rich aftertaste, you will want to strap on your liederhosen and hoist one with your pals. Prosit!
This really easy drinking pale ale is perfect for the sun and conversation. Brewed with large amounts of Columbus and Citra hops, Pale Pleasures presents notes of cotton candy, sweet orange, lemon, grass, and papaya rounded out by a smooth bitterness.
Pearl Street is the heart of downtown Ypsi, so we dedicate Pearl Street Cream Ale to the great neighborhood from which it springs. Brewed in the heat of August, Pearl Street Cream chilled -- oh so slowly! -- over the winter months, finally coming to fruition in March. German Barke Pils malt and Hallertau hops encountered American Ale yeast to bring you a truly lagered ale. It's our Ypsi Alehouse take on a traditional style rarely found nowadays.
Pottawatomie Trail Pale Ale is a throwback to the early days of American micro-breweries, featuring western US malt boosted by late additions of Oregon Cascade hops. A touch of pale wheat malt adds a clean and refreshing crispness to this classic American ale. The PT won a gold medal at the 2019 World Expo of Beer.
Rosie Country Ale’s malt front kisses the lips with a light caramel sweetness that yields to a dry, roasty-toasty finish. She’s a clear, smooth, creamy red amber with light toffee tones and subdued English hopping. .
Scary Pumpkin is inspired by Maude Mae Duffy Bailey, the world's greatest piemaker --and Ted's grandma. She always requested a full head to filter her beer. We baked lots of pumpkin and tossed in liberal doses of fresh ginger root, orange peel, dark molasses, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg. So here's to you, grandma! We're drinking your pumpkin pie in every glass.
Smeet Frog is a refreshing, hoppy session IPA. Ypsi lays claim to our own legendary indigenous species: the Smeet Frog. The Smeet Frog is the only amphibian with a fur coat and is capable of flight. The Smeet Frog resides in the Huron River, covered in moss, and can be heard late at night in Frog Island Park. Our IPA is dedicated to this mysterious creature. It is small in size but with big hops. There is a healthy dose of bitterness that is complemented with citrus, tropical, green and dank notes becoming especially present as your glass warms up.
Streetcar No. 10 is named after the streetcar that used to pass through Ypsi on its trip from Ann Arbor to Saline in the early 1900’s. Our beer recipe is from that same era. This pre-prohibition pilsner is a historical recipe brewed by Germans who settled in America. They wanted beers that tasted like the lagers available in Germany, but they could only brew with the locally available American ingredients. In keeping the Streetcar historically accurate, this pilsner is brewed with only American grains and hops.
Now that summertime’s here, what better way to imbibe Ted’s strong ale than with a generous scoop of chocolate ice cream? Enhanced by a healthy dose of root beer and natural Madagascar vanilla, Ted’s Beer Float will make you scream for more! Served in 12 and 16 oz.
Inspired by the historic Huron Hotel that the Alehouse calls home, our Hotel Porter is a hearty blend of dark malts which yield moderate caramel notes with a bold, roasty character. Much like a Hotel Porter, this beer is always ready to serve and has a strong hop backbone.
Want a big India Pale Ale? Our Imperial IPA was brewed with select hops to create a flavorful, hearty beer with a touch of sweetness. The Columbus–Tomahawk-Zeus hops give this brew a distinct West Coast IPA flair. Named after a native fish that lives in Michigan lakes that is the offspring of Northern Pikes and Muskies. A rarity like our tasty Imperial IPA!
The witbier or Winter White style originated in Belgium 400 years ago and is a refreshing, elegant and tasty beer. Also called Winter White, ours was brewed with heavy amounts of wheat for flavor and color, as well as orange peel, coriander and a bit of chamomile to create a complex flavor profile with minimal bitterness. Goes well with a range of foods.
Tower Tart is a harmonious crisp, light beer with a touch of tartness. Brewed without hops, this ale has no bitterness and yields a dry finish and is splendid with the addition of floating blackberries, or as a snakebite with our cherry cider!
As Ypsi residents know, the Tridge is a local landmark. The Tridge is a three-way pedestrian bridge connecting two great parks in Ypsilanti and Cross Street over the Huron River. Inspired by that Tridge, our hazy IPA uses three hops to provide a path towards a very drinkable, refreshingly fun beer. Citra, Mosaic and Azacca hops, all used in copious amounts, give the Tridge lots of sweet orange, grapefruit and melon flavors.
Ever since Michael Jackson, the world’s foremost beer writer, took Ted to his local pub in Hammersmith in 1983, he’s been addicted to Extra Special Bitter. Touring Young’s and Fuller’s with the head brewers sharpened his desire to perfect this quintessential English style. So Trollbridge is brewed from 100% English malts, hops and yeast in the classic style.
HELP! Our poor luck is your good fortune. Our current Tridge-- our New England IPA -- now looks like a Black IPA and not our popular Hazy IPA. Brewed with the same wheat and oats but much darker. Tridge's English ale yeast blends with Citra, Mosaic and Azacca hops to pack a grapefruity flavor balanced against a very mild bitterness. A Tridge is a three-way bridge.
Weeabrew is a dry sour ale fermented with two distinctive Belgian yeasts. Its crisp and sharp citrusy nose entices you to savor the first swallow, then the tangy tart finish kicks in.
What’s better on a summer afternoon than a refreshing Bavarian-style Hefeweizen? We brew Wheat Heart with 100% German ingredients. Pale straw colored and lightly hopped, it’s a bit bready and pretty heady, yielding notes of clove and banana. Suspended Weihenstephaner yeast lends a traditional haze to this classic ale.
This classic Belgian Wit holiday beer was brewed as a collaboration with our friends at the World of Beer in Canton and features loads of flaked wheat and oats with a touch of dried orange peel, and fresh coriander seeds lovingly hand-ground by our head brewer.
Before Ypsilanti , the town was called Woodruff’s Grove and porter was the most popular beer in the world. Our Woodruff’s Porter hearkens back to the time when coppers were fired with flavorful smoky hardwoods and honey was a commonly added treat. Seven different malts, led by traditional Maris Otter, combine with Fuggle and East Kent Golding hops to bring you a taste of the ale that was brewed 150 years ago.
The Ypsi Tickle is an English-style Strong Ale with complex malty character, toffee tones and a real torched bourbon finish. This smooth winter warmer features real Madagascar vanilla, American malt and Michigan hops.
Ypsitucky Common Ale is our re-creation of an original American style - Kentucky Common Ale, which thrived in the Louisville area and died abruptly in 1919 with the start of Prohibition. Ypsitucky’s light palate and low bitterness are enhanced by the sweetness of corn and the snap of rye, leaving you a smooth dry finish with a hint of roast. This historical workingman’s beer commemorates those WWII Willow Run workers with proud Kentucky roots.