New brewmaster at Jasper Ridge in Ishpeming

If you’ve been hankering for some Jasper Ridge Brewery suds and have been saddened by the lack of having them around recently, then you’ll cheer up when you hear the company’s new brewmaster, Brett Helzer, has the entire operation up and running again and the beers are flowing freely from the taps at the Ishpeming-based brewpub and restaurant.

Helzer, who is a Grand Rapids native, has a degree in engineering from Michigan Tech, but learned the ins and outs of brewing after starting some homebrews. From there, Helzer honed his skills at Harmony Brewing Company and worked there for eight months before taking the brewmaster position at Jasper Ridge.

In addition to making Jasper Ridge’s popular brews, Helzer has already introduced a couple of his own recipes into the mix. He has put brown ale on tap as well as a “Rye’d the Tiger.”

“(It’s) an American amber ale with a generous portion of rye malt thrown in,” says Helzer.

On the horizon for the brewery could be an IPA and a stout, as well as an Oktoberfest beer, a kolsch and a traditional Finnish-style brew called a sahti that is described as an amber beer infused with juniper branches and berries.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Jasper Ridge Brewery and Restaurant