K'zoo: It has its own brew

March 26, 1990

The Observer & Eccentric^® Newspapers

By William Coutant
Staff writer

"Industrial strength," that's what Larry Bell called the king of beer you usually buy in a sotre.

So the Kalamazoo man decided o brew his own beer without the pasteurizing and filtering that bring a brew to "an inch of its life."

Bell found he could make good beer with a good head without all the processes that sap beer and ale of their body and flavor.

His beer was so well-liked, and his operation become so large, that he decided to make it pay.

"I OUTGREW a home-brewing hobby," Bell said.

Now, after almost five years in the business, the only trouble Bell has is making enough beer.

Bell managed to convince a local bank to loan him $7,000 to start his business, but it wasn't easy.

"Trying to convince a bank to loan you money to start a brewery? Most of 'em wouldn't even talk to me."

But they're talking to him now. The brewery, which sells much of its beer and ale in southeastern Michigan., including Troy. Ann Arbor, Southfield and Birmingham, is negotiating for a $30,000 loan to increase its capacity and sell in northern Indiana and soutern Wisconsin as well as other parts of Michigan.

THE OPERATION is still small, using 20-year-old school soup cookers and beer cartons that advertise more familiar brands.

Still, customers are loyal to the brews, which come in a variety of styles, from dark ale to pale ber.

"I love it," said Dan Miller, a Dearborn Heights native who lives in Kalamazoo and no longer drinks his better-known nameake. " I buy it by the gallon, so it's not much more expensive than a regular 12-pack."

But for some, there's the rub. The beer retails for from $10 or more for a six-pack. Bell said the price is relative when it comes to enjoying his beer.

"IF YOU"RE eating some spicy food, you really want a beer that will stand up to it, not something you drink like water," Bell said.

The brewery has made 11 different types of beer or ale since its opening. Some, such as Bell's Best Brown Ale, are standbys, while others, like Two Hearted Ale have had swings in populatrity.

"I don't know," Bell said with a laugh. "What's our flavor of the month?"

BELL'S BREWS also have distinctive labels, most often made from drawings of local "characters."

Bell said his brewing process and aging time vary depending on the type of brew. He also does some experimental brewing for a local spice company.