Odd Side booming, but balancing growing beer production

GRAND HAVEN — As craft beer continues to sweep the state — and the nation — microbreweries have a unique position when it comes to expanding production.

For Odd Side Ales, beer production in one week nearly matches its production during its first year in operation just more than three years later. But such growth is only possible with good measure, according to operations manager and assistant brewer Josh Gordon.

“Our owner Chris (Michner) is very business savvy and not easily persuaded by the craft beer boom,” Gordon said. “It’s been a slow and steady, calculated growth versus a massive explosion.”

The first year open — March 2010 — Odd Side produced 192 barrels on its small pub system on site of its taproom. This year, the company projects 5,000 to 6,000 barrels at its off-site brewing facility southeast of the brewery in Grand Haven Township, which opened in fall 2012.

“The plan is to keep expanding,” Gordon said. “We’ve outgrown our current production facility, which was huge when

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