YPSILANTI

COMMUNITY
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www.heritage.com July 29, 2010

Cheers!
Beer enthusiasts turn out for Brewers
Guild festival despite weather
Photos by Adrienne Ziegler

By AUSTEN SMITH Beer enthusiasts toast to the great variety of Michigan beers available at the 13th Annual Summer Beer Festival in Riverside Park

D
Heritage Newspapers on Saturday.
espite stormy weather on Friday and flooded areas on
Saturday, nearly 10,000 beer enthusiasts from around the
state, and some out of state, attended the 13th Annual
Summer Brewers Guild
Festival held this week-
end at Riverside Park. FYI
More than 50 Michigan craft Other ongoing and upcom-
breweries showcased more ing events include the fol-
than 400 craft beers, some being lowing:
deputed specifically for the ■ Michigan Beer Cup
festival. A tornado warning and Challenge, presented by
torrential downpour on Friday, Rave Associates, July 13 to
which left almost 2 and a half 24. A competition between
inches of rain, couldn’t dampen Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and a
the spirits of those who look consortium from northern
forward to the annual event and Washtenaw and southern
come out to support craft brew- Livingston counties (totals
ers from across the state. of highest average per pints
Michigan craft brewers use of Michigan beer)
the Brewers Guild events as a www.raveassociates.com
platform to showcase creativity
in style and flavor as well as to ■ 2nd Annual Brew-Ha-
promote year-round stock. Ha!, July 31, 1 to 8 p.m. Fort
The Michigan craft brewing Street Brewery, Lincoln
industry has grown by leaps and Park. For more information,
bounds over the past several call 1-313)-389-9620, or visit
years contributing more than www.fortstreetbeer.com
$24 million in wages with a ■ Meet Michigan Brewers
total economic contribution of — Buy Michigan Day, July
more than $133 million. In terms 31 at Busch’s Fresh Food
of overall number breweries, Market; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
microbreweries and brewpubs, at Busch’s on Main Street,
Michigan ranks No. 6 in the Ann Arbor; and 4 to 8 p.m. at
nation – thus supporting its Busch’s on Green Road, Ann
claim as “The Great Beer State,” Arbor. For more informa-
according to a press release. tion, visit www.buschs.com
But even with the growth
of craft brewers and gains in ■ Meet Michigan Brewers
popularity, craft beer represents — Buy Michigan Day, August
less than 2 percent of all beer 1 at Busch’s Fresh Food
consumed in Michigan. The Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Todd Frietag serves up samples of the Wolverine State Brewing
Michigan Brewers Guild is mak- Busch’s in Saline; and 4 to 8 Company’s latest beers to festival-goer Doug DeFord at the
ing efforts to increase that num- p.m. at Busch’s in Dexter 13th Annual Summer Beer Festival at Riverside Park on A volunteer pulls samples from
ber by adding new events and www.buschs.com Saturday. a keg at the 2010 Summer
educating the public at large. Beer Festival on Saturday in
Guild officials would like to see that number climb to 5 percent Riverside Park.
within the next five years, according to Matt Greff from Arbor
Brewing Company and the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti.
“What is happening is that we are growing the market (of craft
beer drinkers). You have to keep growing to stay viable in business,
they are not selling out. And I think what is happening is a slow
conversion of beer drinkers to craft beer,” said Greff in a recent
interview.
In 2009, the Brewers Guild added two events to compliment its
longtime summer and winter beer festivals. The second annual
Upper Peninsula Fall Beer Festival is set from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 11
in Marquette; and the second annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival
(Harvest Fest) is set for Oct. 23, tickets go on sale Aug. 1.
For more information on the Michigan Brewers Guild, visit
www.michiganbrewersguild.org.

Alec
Houston of
Frog Island
Brewing Co.
serves up a
sample
Saturday
afternoon to
festival Chris Verbrugge of Bell’s Brewery pulls beer samples for festi-
attendee val goers on Saturday at the 13th Annual Summer Beer Festival
Katie Kero. held in Riverside Park.