Tri-City Brewing Company

A good brewery with a wonderful taproom. Several very good beers and one of my very favorites: He’ll’s Half Mile Helles Lager. Oh my, the sooth silky mouth-​feel, the perfect balance of bitter distinct hops paired with sweet malt undertones. Treat yourself.

Great breweries often get their start in humble spaces – old factories, warehouses, vacant storefronts and such – and often they don’t do too much to decorate. There will be some posters for local events, news clippings, photos of locals, beer memorabilia, but the bare cinderblock or aluminum walls remind you that you’re in a utilitarian space, and that’s fine. It shows the proprietors are keeping the emphasis of their operation where it belongs: on the beer.
Tri-​City is that kind of a place. Tucked into an old industrial area next to a divey-​looking bar called Hooligan’s (more on that later), it could have been a garage or a warehouse, and certainly didn’t scream «Nightlife» when we pulled in to break up the return trip from a week up north. The pub section is partitioned off from the rest of the building, very open and very industrial but still cozy, with seats available at a long bar and a scattering of tables. The life-​size diorama of the beer-​quaffing couch potato up in a loft area does add character. The taproom was maybe half full when we got there a little after 5 on a Saturday.
We got sample flights of Tier I («regular») and Tier II (high gravity) beers. Nothing in there we didn’t like, though in the first, the Charity Islands IPA – considerably maltier and more varied in flavor than most IPAs– and Intergalactic Jack golden ale were our favorites (and we got pints of these with our dinner). The Robust Porter was excellent too, and in a cooler time of year I could have gone for a pint. Among the Tier IIs, the Belgian Dark was our favorite – full bodied, distinct but not overpowering spiciness, slightly sweet, dry on the finish.
Food is BYO (another common, and cool, feature of newer and ungentrified brewpubs). There was a guy on site selling barbeque, but we had a taste for pizza and our server recommended a carry-​out from Hooligans, that divey-​looking bar next door – which was anything but divey once you were inside. The pizza was excellent, but it only comes in one size, large, so bring several friends or plan on leftovers. They don’t skimp on the cheese or toppings.
Tri-​City was a little hard to find, given its obscure location and our unfamiliarity with Bay City and its somewhat confusing street grid, but if you’re an imbiber who puts beer ahead of attitude and atmosphere, it’s worth hunting down.

A great brewing company in Bay City! Prices are reasonable and they have a good variety of options. Free popcorn!

This is my «home base» brewery locale and they do not disappoint. Tri City provides a great atmosphere to sit back, drink good beer and relax. They also have a very friendly staff.

Tri-​City Brewery is a true tap room – no frills, just beer. The beer is top notch and the prices are ridiculously reasonable. I got a sampler of 4 beers and my husband got a pint of the IPA and all were great. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that 1 pint and a sampler at TCB added up to the cost of 1 pint of craft beer in Chicago. If we lived closer, we would be here every week.

Tri-​City Brewing is a wonderful place. Heaven on Earth. Nirvana. TCB operates a tap room adjacent to the brewery– it’s not a «brew pub» it is a traditional European style tap room. They don’t serve food but they’ll allow you to carry food in or order delivery, on some nights local vendors sell food in the parking lot.
The décor is inspirationally lacking. They have a clean bar top, a few pictures on the wall, and tables and chairs spread across the concrete floor. What they lack in decoration they make up for in ambience and friendliness. The servers are acutely aware of every brew– speaking with them you really get the sense that they have a strong passion for good beer. The customers have always seemed equally friendly– the sort of place where everybody knows your name.
The beer is delicious. It seems they’re trending more towards Belgian styled beers but the bigger and darker drinks are just as delicious. Every beer on the menu is the same low price except for the occasional special. I recommend trying several different varieties and not just sticking with a safe favorite. Some of their beers are strong enough to take your head off so be careful, but the servers are always willing to offer a flight of sample size portions of their beers for a low price.
Another huge plus to TCB is that they are pet-​friendly. People bring their well-​behaved dogs and the servers are always very accommodating to the pets and the pet owners.
All things considered; TCB is a wonderful hangout place. The beers are cheaper and better (stronger too) than most other local bars and the atmosphere is relaxed and safe. They have several televisions as well as decks of cards and board games if you need entertainment. It’s sort of like having a really good beer in your den or pole barn with someone there to fetch you more beers. Treat this place right– it’s a gem.

Great beer, they have a beer for almost everyone to enjoy. Would be great if they would have a wine list to go along with their great brew. Always have interesting events going on too. Check it out if you enjoy craft beer.

I have been meaning to get to this brewpub and I finally did! Definitely worth the wait! The beer was excellent, especially the Dragon Slayer and the barrel aged Slayer (I’m sorry, I forget the name). The bartenders were friendly and I felt at home the minute I walked in. Now if only it wasn’t almost 2 hours away…

I showed up on a day when they were doing a chili cook-​off followed by a sneak peak of a film they sponsored. The beer was great, I drank their Brownhoist Nut Brown Ale all night. It was so good! They also had that beer available with some spice for the season, which was nice.

TCB is a favorite in the Tri-​City area and they have just opened a new Tap Room at the brewery! We went there for one of their special events and loved the beer, the atmosphere, and the food that was available that night. Note, they don’t often have food on-​site, but they do allow you to have food delivered there from local pizza-​places or restaurants!!! Our group seemed to like the Hell’s Half Mile lager the most, but also enjoyed the Phelen Red and the Brownhoist Ale!