Bad Brewing Company in Mason sets up outdoor igloo-domes for beer drinkers

MASON — Patio season never has to end. 

Bad Brewing Company in downtown Mason introduced three outdoor igloos late last month, which means Lansing-area residents can sip brews outside all winter long. 

The igloos sit against the backdrops of bright murals painted on the exterior walls of the brewery and Kean's across the alley. 

The igloos have cropped up in cities across Michigan and throughout the Midwest. Hoplot Brewing Company in Suttons Bay has them. As does Lumen in downtown Detroit. 

Bad Brewing owner Brian Rasdale said he noticed the igloos start to appear at breweries last year, and decided he wanted to bring them to his brewery.  

"People just like to be outside and have a beer," he said. "It's kind of the same atmosphere as a patio." 

The igloos aren't actually made of ice. Instead they're covered in a clear plastic pvc vinyl tarp. Each has an arrangement of outdoor furniture and an electric heater. 

Ann Anderson of Grand Ledge visited the igloos on a recent Friday night with friends. She said they were a unique way to enjoy Michigan winter

"It's something different," she said. "You get to enjoy the outside while you're still inside."

Lights are strung in each igloo, and there's extra sets of lights hanging above all of them. Anderson and her friends brought a small Bluetooth speaker and pizzas with them. 

Rasdale said the igloos are also a way to make up for space lost when the patio needs to close down for the winter. 

To book, groups need a minimum of eight people, and no more than 11 people can fit in the igloos. There's always an igloo open to walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis. 

"It's definitely not impossible to just show up and get a spot in the igloos," Rasdale said. "It's just a little harder on the weekends." 

A reservation Sunday through Thursday is $35. Friday through Saturday it's $75. A reservation gets you almost three hours in the igloo. 

Contact reporter Haley Hansen at (517) 267-1344 or hhansen@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @halehansen.