Barrel + Beam in the Northwoods.
In a flurry of snowflakes we're hard at work brewing and bottling beer, finishing the tasting room, and tackling a endless punch list. And I keep coming back to this old olive jar lid, nailed into the original cabin logs. It's taken a lot of willpower not to pry it off just see what's behind, but it serves as a reminder of the building's supper club roots, and it always makes me pause and give thanks. The story of the Northwoods is, to us, magical.
85 years ago this spring, on a visit to Marquette County, Fred and Emma Klumb traveled the windy road that was then Highway 41 to the Queen City. They fell in love with the area and decided to sell their Wisconsin farm and buy 8 wooded acres in an area that was then several miles from downtown.
People said the Klumbs would lose their shirts, starting a supper club during the depression at a time when most people did not have a car. Nevertheless, Fred and Emma along with their two daughters lived in a tent while building the original log cabin.
The NORTHWOODS SUPPER CLUB opened in 1934. Before the restaurant closed in 2007, it would undergo multiple renovations and additions, wearing out a few dance floors along the way. Once the second oldest restaurant in the state, at one time they went through 25 tons of beef and 2 tons of coffee annually. The quality of their food – all made from scratch – and their impressive beer and wine selection was unsurpassed. The Northwoods was host of countless first dates, proms, weddings, rehearsal dinners, anniversary celebrations and any other special occasion. To dine at the Northwoods was a real treat.
FAST FORWARD TO 2016. The building – which once had capacity for over 700 – had been unoccupied for years and was in rough shape. It’s once majestic fireplace – made with 22 different minerals— was gone. Pigeons and squirrels found refuge using the holes in the ceiling. The magnificent gardens and landscaping was completely overgrown. Nature was reclaiming the Northwoods.
But despite the debris and decay, the huge beams and hand-hewn logs were as strong as ever. We kept coming back and knew that this place, with it's incredible history, had to be restored and would be the perfect home for BARREL + BEAM.
The parallels of both businesses are similar. We pride ourselves on creating products with an unwavering commitment to quality. For us that product is handcrafted farmhouse and barrel aged ales. For the Klumbs, it was their infamous chicken dinner and just about everything else made in the kitchen. We’re making beer with the most premium of ingredients at a place that is off the beaten path (but, nicely, right on the bike path). And we would be honored if many a special occasion was celebrated with a bottle from barrel + beam.
In this time of year, when so much is about believing in what we cannot see, we head into 2018 with excitement, trepidation, a near constant eye twitch, and so much gratitude. Thanks to YOU for your warm wishes, words of support, and positive energy. For pitching in and helping out. For telling our story and cheering us on. You help us believe we can end the phrase WE GOT THIS with an exclamation point, instead of a question mark.
And, thanks to Fred and Emma, who with one move in 1933 showed us the power of taking big risks and doing what others said couldn't be done, and doing it greatly. For showing us that hard work and a commitment to quality can lead to success.
It has been an honor to restore this building. We kept every original wall we could and reused and salvaged any wall we couldn't. We hope we've done right by it, and we are so looking forward to opening its doors to you again in 2018.
Cheers to taking big risks and chasing dreams. Cheers to working hard and more eye twitches. And cheers to all of you out there, doing the same. Happy Holidays and all the best in 2018!
Learn more about barrel + beam at www.barrelandbeam.com, and see more photos and progress at www.facebook.com/barrelandbeam.