A Record Price, Sort Of
by Maurice Telleen
published in The Draft Horse Journal, Summer 2002

Beer and beef had shared a long friendly history, but when said like that it doesn’t have a lot of flash. When you say Hereford and Hops, it has a different ring to it. When the beef becomes the best available and the diner can personally prepare it to taste, add a favorite beer that is created on site, then things really come together.

At Hereford & Hops, guests have the choice of preparing their own food or allowing the staffto do it for them.

While they had never had much contact with draft horses, they found the big ones, with the white feathered legs, appealing. That came down to Clydesdales and Shires having the desired size and showiness, and the Clydesdales were already being used by another beer company. So Shires it was for Hereford and Hops.

There weren’t a lot of Clydesdales around when Anheuser-Busch took to hitching and August Busch, Jr., developed an affinity for breeding them. As a result of August’s importations, and the promotional efforts such as free stallion services, the breed has prospered and grown considerably.

One of the challenges facing the Moody’s task is the limited number of Shire horses available. Some of those who study such things estimate that only about 5,500 Shires exist in the entire world. From this small world-wide pool, how do you come up with eight of them that will fit and work together?

The first draft horse the Moodys owned was a Clydesdale that was given to Becky. Since she had never been around drafts, she hired a trainer to work with the horse and to teach her as well. It was in 1998 when Becky sent out her first letter letting people know that she was working on a Shire hitch.

Becky became the point man (so to speak) for this particular part of their family venture. She has brought Shires to Michigan from Texas. She has imported them from England. She even found some in Michigan. Though they only hitched six for parades and public appearances, they now have enough horses. The accommodating personalities of the Shire horses have endeared them to the Moody Family.

This is the Stable Entrance on the rear of the Hereford & Hops Building in Bay City, Michigan. This building was the one factor that led the Moodys to Bay City. It is a block long, and has the type of structure that accommodates all the facets...people, Shires, food and drink. Health issues are always a concern when people, food and animals come together. This location is perfect for this presentation. Those wishing to see the horses can do so by taking a few steps from the eating area. The location of the park next to the building permits horse drawn rides a convenient route to travel.

Then they found the Bay City Building. It was a block long, old and sound, located near the waterfront park and in the Historic District, where they could have a restaurant in the front and a stable in the rear, and drive a horse drawn carriage or trolley directly into the park from their facility. What an idea! What a building! What an achievement!

The Hereford and Hops Bay City structure was built in 1916 (according to the Bay City Historical Society) to house an automobile and machinery company. It became a motor sales company in the late 1920s and a furniture company until 1960. It then served as a warehouse. Hereford and Hops purchased the building and began the restoration in 1998.

Becky Moody says, “That building was the reason that we were attracted so strongly to Bay City. It is perfect for our program.” Bay City is the only Hereford and Hops location that has horses on site all the time. Bret Moody (son of Becky and Donald) is the brewer at this location as well. The horses are taken to the other Hereford and Hops locations to participate in parades and other local events that attract attention to the communities and to their business.

“There is just something about big horses that attracts attention,” Becky notes. She adds, “Big hitches, or even smaller hitches of the big horses can become a profit center of their own as well as promoting the business sponsor. We use the horses for rides, for weddings, parades and are delighted with the way this program has been working out.” She does admit that it wouldn’t hurt her feelings if there were more Shires available to select from.

Along with bringing in Shires from England, that is also where the Moodys found their beer wagon. They use this with the Shires in the parades. As with the Bay City building, the first step for the wagon was the restoration. Everything about the Hereford and Hops project has been done with a touch of class. With horses in the same building in which people are dining, the many health requirements already set the tone, why not go the whole way?

The Michigan Beer Guide for November 2001 featured “The Hereford and Hops English Shires” with a photo on the front page and a story highlighting the project. Statutes in Michigan prohibit Hereford and Hops from selling beer wholesale because they are a “brewpub” rather than a micro-brewery. Wisconsin law is different so they are able to provide beer to other businesses out of the Wausau facility.

While Moodys have gone into the restaurant and horse businesses without histories in either industry, they do an excessive amount of research before they make business decisions. They hire good people who have an understanding of the industries, then (perhaps most importantly) they listen to the people they hire.

äIf you hear people talking about a restaurant with horses in Michigan, you can join the conversation by saying, “You are probably talking about the Hereford and Hops and the Bay City Shires.” That is what folks call the horses.