LANSING, Mich. — Beer breweries seem to be popping up throughout Michigan, as more and more people begin to get into the "hopping" beer business.
However, for Dewitt local- Eric Elliott, he is doing the opposite and getting out of the industry to start a healthier lifestyle.
But he isn't going too far, as now he's being brewing coffee, tea and kombucha.
"I had just hit my 36th birthday and realized that I could be potentially be halfway through my life," said Elliot.
It was this realization that made award winning beer brewer of Ellison Brewery and Spirits, tap out of the beer industry.
"Craft beer and alcohol in general have a lot of calories," said Elliot. "I just want to be there for my kids lives."
Elliot got out of the beer business and began working on his health.
"I started to really look at what I was doing and began working on loosing weight."
That's when he stumbled on brewing kombucha as a hobby.
"It's a fermented tea which is a cool element of brewing without the alcohol."
Now 75 pounds lighter, business was still in his bones, which is why he recently bought out The Crafted Bean to sell his kombucha, coffee and tea.
"I think that with the push of knowing where your products come from and knowing whats in it is really driving the kombucha and coffee and tea business," said Elliot.
But Elliot is sticking true to his beer roots as he uses taps to present his newest brewing creations.
"Just like beer, I think draft items just taste better," laughed Elliot.
His two flavors of kombucha, tart cherry and grapefruit, are locally canned and distributed.
It's full circle since a lot of his ingredients are from the area.
"The biggest thing in our products is our water, so we are getting all the water right here from Dewitt."
Although he's creative freedom is limited by creating low calorie drinks rather than beer, when it bubbles down to it, Elliot is just happy to contribute to the area he was raised in.
"Lansing in general has kind of gone away from the manufacturing of goods, so to bring that element back to the city that is known for the auto industry and known for crafting, I think its fun to be able to do that in the city."
Elliot is rebranding his whole operation as Reputation Beverage Co.
The products can be found in his town locations in DeWitt and Lansing, along with local stores like Horrocks.
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