Hundreds of brewing professionals will gather once again at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center for the Michigan Great Beer State Trade Show & Conference, January 14-16, 2026, presented by the Michigan Brewers Guild (MBG), Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) and Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) – District Michigan.
Sessions on Wednesday morning geared toward Start-Up Breweries & Emerging Professionals, which may be of interest to individuals looking to break into or advance within the brewing industry. These sessions include From Classroom to Taproom: Brewing Education in Michigan, Anatomy of a Sales Call, and Technical & Business Resources for Breweries. Three sessions focused on a variety of Mental Health issues will also be offered on Wednesday prior to the Allied Member Trade Show, which features nearly 60 exhibitors providing goods and services to the brewing industry.
Following the MBG Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday morning, the group will hear special remarks from Dr. Tim Boring, Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). Afterward, this year’s Keynote Speaker, Ken Schramm of Michigan-based Schramm’s Mead, will address attendees with his talk “The Future’s So Bright” (see details and bio below).
Author and noted beer writer Stan Hieronymus will present a General Session on Friday morning at 9am entitled “Talking Hops – A Love Language from Field to Kettle to Glass” as well as a breakout session on Thursday called “Timing is Everything – New Research into Hop Maturity Broadens Options for Brewers” (see details and bio below).
Another special guest speaker is Kathy Kelley – Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management at Penn State University, who will present “Creating a Beverage Tourism Destination” at 2:30pm on Thursday (see details and bio below).
On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, breakout sessions focus on three distinct tracks: brewing, business and agriculture (hops and barley). The complete schedule, including the featured speakers, can be found at MiBeer.com.
A highlight of the conference is the “Great Beer State Dinner,” a strolling food and beer pairing meal developed by Fred “The Beervangelist” Bueltmann and the culinary team at the Radisson. This follows a Happy Hour & Awards Ceremony, where the coveted Chinook Cup will be presented. The Guild will also recognize other leaders within the brewing community by presenting the 2025 Tom Burns Award, 2025 Michigan Beer Champion Award and 2025 Michigan Beer Defender Award.
Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild held its first festival in July 1998. Today, it hosts four festivals dedicated exclusively to Michigan beer produced by its nearly 300 member breweries. Within the state, and beyond, Michigan is referred to as “The Great Beer State” consistently ranking in the Top 10 nationally for the number of breweries.
The Michigan Brewers Guild is a network of innovative and passionate brewers that serves as the recognized advocate for the Michigan beer industry. The mission of the Guild is to promote and protect the Michigan beer industry with an overarching goal to realize continued share growth and assure a healthy small business environment for breweries.
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