Importing Aloha: Latitude 42 brewing up happiness in Portage

Scott Freitas says it’s hard for an outsider to get started in Michigan’s craft beer industry. He would know. He came from about as far outside of Michigan as possible to help launch Latitude 42 Brewing Company in Portage. Freitas was the head brewer at Maui Brewing Co. — as in Maui, Hawaii — before he became co-founder and head brewer of Latitude 42.

Even as an outsider, Freitas was confident of his success in Michigan, and for good reason. He earned his job at Maui by doubling their production in a one-month stint as stand-in brewer. And he kept going: in five years, Maui jumped from 1,200 barrels per year to 20,000. They also earned 150 medals nationally and internationally, excelling in quality no less than quantity.

So Freitas didn’t want to start small at Latitude 42. His partners’ initial plans envisioned a seven-barrel nanobrewery. When Freitas was brought on, and was given a lot of, well, latitude to shape the business, he pushed for a 15-barrel, full-production brewery, plus

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