Great White Buffalo Brewing - Brewing with Passion, Serving with Pride!
In the heart of Northville, Michigan, there’s a place where the clink of pint glasses and the hum of conversation blend seamlessly with the artistry of craft brewing. At Great White Buffalo Brewing Co., owner Eric Sokoloski has built more than just a brewery—he’s cultivated a community. With a passion for quality, a commitment to local flavors, and a deep appreciation for the people who walk through the doors, Eric has transformed his vision into a gathering place where every sip tells a story. What makes Great White Buffalo Brewing special isn’t just the beer—it’s the spirit behind it. From the brewery’s early days to its growing reputation as a hub for craft beer lovers, Eric and his team have embraced collaboration, innovation, and the belief that great beer is best enjoyed with great company. In this Delivery Rank’s interview, Eric shares his insights on the craft beer industry, the inspiration behind Great White Buffalo Brewing, and how his team fosters an atmosphere that goes beyond brewing—creating a space where friendships are forged, creativity flows, and every visit feels like coming home.
What inspired you to start Great White Buffalo Brewing Company, and how did you choose Northville, MI, as its home?
I have always wanted to start my own business someday. I was an accountant for years but found a real passion in brewing and decided to pursue it. I quit my job, completed the Schoolcraft brewing program, and worked in the industry until I was able to secure a loan and a building. We were very fortunate that Northville had room for another business. With so many breweries and restaurants around it's not easy to find a spot that would be a good fit. We believe that Northville is the perfect home for the Buffalo and the entire city has been amazing to us and we are very happy to be here and to be a part of all the amazing traditions here in Northville.
Can you share how you blend traditional brewing techniques with innovative flavors? What’s your creative process when developing new beers?
In school and in my 1st job brewing I was taught all the traditional techniques to make traditional beers to style. Schoolcraft was very good at giving the historical beer knowledge of origin as well as how each style is defined as and why. This was perfect for me to learn how to make traditional beers. But I also consider beer making a really cool expressive art. So when developing new beers I like to go out and see what other spots are doing and how they are doing it and try to put my own spin on it. Usually starts with an idea of a flavor or a group of flavors and then I need to figure out where in the brewing process it works best (mash,boil,fermenter,serving tank). And to figure that out you just need time brewing and trying things out until you figure it out.
What’s the most challenging or rewarding beer you’ve ever brewed, and why?
I think the most rewarding beer I brew may be the Kolsch. This beer needs specific water chemistry and a specific hop ratio to get the style correct. This beer has very little ingredients. Which means it is easier to find off flavors in a beer like this than a beer with high fruit flavors or that is heavily hopped. I have always loved this style and we have a pickle and spicy pickle version that is a huge fan favorite at GWB. We are lucky enough to have a small batch tap and a Nitro small batch tap that allows us to play with interesting flavors that compliments traditional beer styles.
Your Mug Club and exclusive merchandise are unique ways to engage customers. What was the inspiration behind these initiatives, and how have they been received by the community?
The brewing industry is so amazing with so many people doing really cool, innovating, and unique things. Mug Club and merchandise is a staple at all breweries, we just try to make it our own. GWB members get to drink a lager beer out of a real horn mug with a logo, $1 off 10oz pours, and a discount on merchandise. You can check it out on our website under mug club. We also have an upcoming event section showing upcoming events for the next few months.
My brother is amazing at setting up unique events like music bingo, painting with pints, comedy shows, brunch with the easter bunny among other cool events. We just teamed up with Club Pilates to have pilates in the brewery once a month and mug club members can attend free. The community has been super supportive with every event we put on and it's always a nice feeling when we see GWB merchandise being worn outside the brewery.
What has been your biggest learning experience since opening Great White Buffalo Brewing Co., and how has it shaped your approach as a business owner?
Being my first venture there was, and still is, a lot to learn. I would say time in general. The amount of time and energy to make a business successful is more than most would ever imagine. The time to get things from paper to real life takes longer than I ever thought. Getting the loan, the building, the approvals, ect. We now start projects and plan things out months in advance.
To read more about Great White Buffalo Brewing, please visit https://greatwhitebuffalobrewingco.com/