On this podcast, Gonzo and Amy take you to Frankfort in Benzie County for 10th annual Frankfort Beer Week (Oct. 1-8, 2023). Special events take place all week long in the charming, coastal city of Frankfort and neighboring village of Elberta.

Segment 1: Rick Schmitt, co-owner of Stormcloud Brewery, talks about the spirit of the community and how local restaurants have come together to create a special foodie week for everyone. Look for a list of Stormcloud events, including Oct. 7's Stormtoberfest, at stormcloudbrewing.com. (Gonzo and Amy named Stormcloud the Best New Brewery in Michigan in 2016.)

Segment 2: Good friend and local business owner Joey Barcheski talks about his popular FrankZ Restaurant, which offers not only great hot dogs and fries, but something spectacular called "Man Dip." It's a creation Joey and his friends came up with in the wee hours of the morning after a college party. The Grand Rapids native also talks about why he loves the area. "I always knew I wanted to open a restaurant in Frankfort," he said.

Segment 3: Joanne Bartley, executive director of Frankfort-Elberta Chamber of Commerce, joins the show to talk about all the things there are to do in the area, which is just south part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Point Betsie Lighhouse.

Segment 4: Local restaurant owner Nick Crawford talks about what his restaurants will be offering during Frankfort Beer Week. He owns Birch & Maple, a scatch kitchen with craft cocktails, as well as Dos Arboles. He is doing a wine vs. beer dinner, paring a five-course meal with a wine and beer. Learn more at birchandmaplefrankfort.com.

See the complete list of Frankfort Beer Week events at frankfortbeerweek.com.


Tune in. It's a fun show!

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