The Stout Trout Smokehouse

We would be hard-​pressed to find anything wrong with this place. Appropriately off the beaten-​path, and located in a place if you’re lucky (like we are) to visit a few times per year in a beautiful part of the state.
The Stout Trout Smokehouse in Wellstone is a little shack of a shop, w/​the beat up smokehouse behind. The day we went it was a little busy for the one person behind the counter, but thankfully there were copious samples on the counter of ‘beer jerky’, smoked cheeses and smoked fish.
They seemingly smoke the hell out of this stuff, but it’s not dry. There was a delicious maple cherry beef jerky, some venison jerky, smoked pepper jack cheese, smoked trout, whitefish, whitefish sausage and other super yummy stuff.
The jerky made for perfect snacking during a long hike in Manistee Nat’l park, and the smoked jack has lasted well for a couple of weeks and makes a quick nacho topping.
The service was great considering this natty blonde woman was waiting for her backup, but she handled it w/​aplomb and graced us w/​a little extra we’re sure for our wait.
They also have lots of jars of jams and other condiments to go with their excellent variety of options.
This is the kind of shop that some Manhattan boutique owner would raid and offer the stuff in NYC for twice as much.
We were truly lucky to find this place!