KALAMAZOO, MI — With a handful of brewers opening up new businesses in downtown Kalamazoo this fall, one might wonder where a craft beer tour in 2014 would stop.

Four downtown Kalamazoo breweries are still under construction as MLive reporter John 'Gonzo' Gonzalez traverses the state in search of Michigan's Best Brewery.

Here’s an update on when each brewery is scheduled to open:

Owner Brian Steele says Boatyard Brewing Co., located at 432 E. Paterson St. just a few blocks north of Bell’s Eccentric Café, is scheduled to open in mid-October. Steele owns the brewing company with Dan Gilligan. Boatyard will have at least six beers on tap for the grand opening.

Major brewing equipment has been delivered during the past two weeks and the brewery will need a city inspection before opening its doors to the public. Boatyard has received all other licensing permits and is awaiting the delivery of fermenters for a 10-barrel brewing system. Boatyard will allow patrons to bring food to the taproom but will not serve food.

A taproom built to seat about 30 people will be open to the public in mid-October and a larger taproom will be open by Thanksgiving, Steele said. Boatyard has started distributing kegs to the Kalamazoo Beer Exchange and other locations and hopes to be in at least 20 local stores by the time the brewery is operating in full swing. The brewery is distributing with Imperial Beverage. Steele doesn’t expect to start bottling for 16 to 18 months.

“We are pushing ourselves and trying to spread the love with other brewers in town,” Steele said. “We have amazing support from fans in Kalamazoo and we’re launching the mug club on Saturday. We’re calling it the Boatyard Brewing Yacht Club.”

Mark Rupert, the 35-year-old co-owner of Rupert’s Brew House, said the brewery/music venue, located at 773 W. Michigan Ave. in the space formerly occupied by The Strutt, will start booking shows in mid-October.

Head brewer Adam Wisniewski, 33, will begin brewing and stocking up on M43 Porter, 2wice Licked Kitty Pale Ale, Double hIghPA and more once its state license is obtained. The brew house will have five staple beers on tap and will not serve food. Wisniewski is a former Bell’s Brewery general store employee and an award-winning home brewer who joined forces with Rupert earlier this year.

The brewery does not plan to distribute beer, however growlers will be available. Rupert said he is struggling to find a manufacturer of 40 oz. bottles.

“We’re done with everything except for touchups in the fermentation room,” Rupert said. “We started some test batches to make sure the system is operational."

Hops can be found lodged inside the crevices of the barn wood panels used for the bar in Greg Haner’s new brewery located on Westnedge Ave., in the 11,000-square-foot former Orrin B. Hayes Inc. car dealership show room.

Haner, the former brewmaster at Olde Peninsula Brewpub, has 3,000 growlers, 20,000 pounds of grain and a 15-barrel fermenting system set up and ready to brew. He plans to brew 1,600 barrels during his first year in production, and eight beers will be on tap for the grand opening in mid-October. Haner plans to hire about 25 part-time employees over the next few weeks.

The brewery does include a kitchen and Haner plans to distribute as soon as possible. He will also be using Michigan Mobile Canning to can his craft beer, which will be distributed with Imperial Beverage.

About 120 patrons will be served in the taproom and Haner said about 40 people will be accommodated on the patio. Haner is best known for his signature Vanilla Porter, which will be a staple beer on tap at the brewery.

“I want this to be a place where people can talk about beer and socialize,” Haner said. “I’m most excited for us to open. The menu is a surprise but we will be serving beer paired with food.”

Kevin Tibbs recently drilled the kettle stands for his soon-to-be small-batch brewery at 402 S. Burdick St., next to the Kalamazoo State Theatre.

Tibbs, and his wife, Cindee, plan to open a small-batch microbrewery and specialty soda shop by November this year and are currently awaiting state licensing permits. Tibbs doesn’t plan to hire any additional employees or distribute beer at first.

“We have started construction and now we are picking up the pace on our build out,” Tibbs said. “We painted, we started framing the bar, we have our brew kettles in there. Our fermenters should be delivered next week. We need to start brewing, we need to finish the bar, get tables, window seating.”

Tibbs Brewing Co. will have a Porter, a Stout, an IPA and a citrus ale on tap when it opens, but is dedicated to having frequently changing batches. The brewery will also offer various soda flavors for children.