Big Beers, Big Music, and Big Fun at the annual 4 Elf Party at Dark Horse Brewing with a bit of elfing around with Better On Draft
4 Elf 2024 – A Whole Lot of Elfing Around
Driving to Marshall, Michigan, for the annual 4 Elf party at Dark Horse Brewing had me reminiscing. I don’t have an exact date when I first went to 4 Elf, but it was pre-B. In our house, we use pre-B or pre-C to denote the time before Brenda and I found each other and became the dynamic duo we are today.
My earliest recollection of 4 Elf was the party mainly being in the pub with a small tent just outside the backdoor. In that tent, the man, the myth, the legend Scotty Karate doing his signature one-man-band jam. I’m unsure if it was that 4 Elf or the following year, but we met some folks from Indiana who thought I should ride home with them. Apparently, I made an impression 🙂
Our first documented 4 Elf party on Life In Michigan (in the B zone, if you will) was twelve years ago in 2012. The party was almost an afterthought as special bottle releases were the rage. It was a smaller shindig with folks enjoying food and beer in the bottling and packaging area. It also happens to be where we met Andy from Blackrocks and some wild dude with a tattoo on the inside of his lip.
Over the years, the party and community have become the key features of 4 Elf. Don’t get me wrong, we are all still coming for the beers. However, the gathering for music and beer has become the cornerstone of 4 Elf. We’ve been to them all except for the pandemic and in 2022 when we fell ill (not the plague). Each year, we enjoy a wonderful party hosted by the outstanding crew at Dark Horse Brewing.
It Is Always Better On Draft
Our pre-game for this year’s 4 Elf featured Dark Horse’s Thirsty Trout Porter and an interview with the fabulous folks at the Better On Draft podcast. Starting on October 2, 2015, with an interview with Eric Briggeman (Rochester Mills Brewing), Better On Draft has shared interviews, insights, and stories about beer for nearly ten years. That is a hell of a lot of beer!
The OG of Better On Draft is Ken. Since episode number 1, he’s been sharing his passion for beer and stories of the brewing industry. Today’s Better on Draft hosts include Wendy, Rob, and Ed. In 2025, Ken is stepping away from the podcast to pursue other life adventures. Have no fear, as Wendy, Rob, and Ed will be keeping the beers flowing into 2025 and beyond.
I discovered this podcast during the pandemic when we started taking our daily morning walks. Every other week, I looked forward to a new episode on my phone. I never would have dreamed that one day, I’d actually be on the podcast!
Thanks to the super folks at Dark Horse Brewing, we were gathered in the speakeasy VIP lounge to talk about Life In Michigan. We chatted about Life In Michigan’s origin story, local music, local beers, and more. We were honored by Ken’s invite to be on the show and humbled to be part of his final episode. We wish the team at Better On Draft the very best and look forward to plenty of great stories from them in 2025.
Big Beers and Elf Madness
It wouldn’t be 4 Elf without some big beers on tap. Weighing into the heavyweight category were S’mores Plead The 5th stout, Bourbon Barrel Aged (BBA) Plead The 5th, Double Crooked Tree IPA, War of Britton barley wine, and 2 Guys Off The Scale barley wine. Because I didn’t want to fall asleep in my food this year, I only tried the S’more Plead The 5th. That is one dangerous and delicious beer, as you don’t realize it is a heavy hitter.
Dark Horse Brewing recently got its license for spirits and now includes vodka and gin with bourbon on the way. I didn’t sample it, but apparently, there was something called Elf Juice featuring either gin or vodka. If you tried one of those bodacious beverages, let us know.
I kept the rest of my beers at a more manageable octane level with trusty Crooked Tree IPA and Thirsty Trout porters. For a change of pace and because I love a good lager, I gave the Papa Macho Mexican lager a run. It’s tight, light, and delightful.
The elves were out in all their many colors, as were a host of other characters. I may have been seeing double, as I could have sworn I saw more than one Santa. While the beers at 4 Elf are awesome, what makes the party is the people.
Holiday Music: Nicely Spiced
Scotty Karate
Kicking off 4 Elf in old school style was Scotty Karate. The alt-country messiah spread the gospel of honest music as only he can do. With a Fender, a kick drum, and a cymbal, he invited us all to stay a while and enjoy a brew (or two).
Father Stone
This was my first time catching Father Stone, and they were a blast. Playing a variety of covers spanning genres such as rock, pop, and country, they spiced up their covers with a special jam sauce. This is the band to book when you want to rock out with your friends with a beer (or three).
Starfarm
If it ain’t broke, why fix it. Starfarm has become a tradition at 4 Elf. The first time we caught them was in 2019, and they’ve been back to every party since. If you know, you know, but if you don’t, I’ll share their secret. Just about everyone wants, perhaps needs, to dance and sing. Starfarm invites you and a roomful of strangers to instantly become best friends as you each realize you love the same music. Whether you love to boogie to “1999” by Prince or belt it out to “Livin On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi, Starfarm has you covered.
Pictures
There are more photos from the Dark Horse Brewing 4 Elf 2024 party in our gallery.
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