The Michigan Brewers Guild has announced a new initiative meant to build relationships with the various agricultural interests—hop growers, malt houses, yeast labs, honey producers and others—that support the state’s brewing industry. The Great Beer State Collaboration launches in May and runs through February 2027, divided into five regions each with a 2-month campaign (see below).
“The mission is to bring awareness to MBG member breweries, drive foot traffic to member taprooms across The Great Beer State and strengthen the Michigan beer community, along with adjacent industries,” notes Dave Cicotte, who is coordinating the program for the Guild.
Each participating brewery will craft a beer incorporating at least one Michigan-grown ingredient (the more the better) which will be available in its respective taproom during region’s two-month stint. All collaboration beers will be promoted on the Guild’s website and social media channels to help educate the public about the program and the individual beers being featured. The beers will also be promoted by Pure Michigan on the Michigan.org channels and of course on the brewery’s pages.
The Great Beer State Collaboration Schedule
Visit https://www.mibeer.com/Breweries to find the participating brewery’s location.
Region 1 | May-June
Summer Beer Festival: June 13
Participating Breweries:
- Batch Brewing (Detroit)
- Brewery Becker (Brighton)
- Drafting Table Brewing Company (Wixom)
- Farming Brewing Co. (Farmington)
- Florian East Lagers & Ales (Hamtramck)
- Full Measure Brewing Co. (Detroit)
- hear.say brewing (Ann Arbor)
- Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. (Warren)
- Mothfire Brewing Co. (Ann Arbor)
- River’s Edge Brewing Co. (Milford)
- Rochester Mills Distribution/Dragonmead (Warren)
- Stumblebum Breer Co. (Troy)
- Thumb Brewery (Caseville)
- Venture Brewing (Monroe)
- Ypsi Alehouse / Mischigama Craft Brewing (Ypsilanti)
Region 2 | July-August
Counties:
- Montcalm
- Gratiot
- Saginaw
- Iona
- Clinton
- Eaton
- Ingham
- Branch
- Hillsdale
Region 5 | September-October
U.P. Fall Beer Festival: September 12 & Detroit Fall Beer Festival: October 24
Counties: All Upper Peninsula Counties
Region 3 | November-December
Counties:
- Bay
- Midland
- Isabella
- Mecosta
- Newaygo
- Oceana
- Mason
- Lake
- Osceola
- Clare
- Gladwin
- Arenac
- Iosco
- Ogemaw
- Roscommon
- Missaukee
- Wexford
- Manistee
- Benzie
- Grand Traverse
- Kalkaska
- Crawford
- Oscoda
- Alcona
- Alpena
- Montmorency
- Otsego
- Antrim
- Leelanau
- Charlevoix
- Cheboygan
- Presque Isle
- Emmet
Region 4 | January-February
Winter Beer Festival: February 27
Counties:
- Muskegon
- Kent
- Ottawa
- Barry
- Allegan
- Van Buren
- Kalamazoo
- Berrien
- Cass
- St. Joseph
The Michigan Brewers Guild was formed in 1997 and held its first festival in July 1998. Today, the Guild hosts four festivals dedicated exclusively to Michigan beer produced by its nearly 300 member breweries. MBG is the network of innovative and passionate brewers that serves as the recognized advocate for the Michigan craft beer industry. Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes more than 17,000 full-time jobs and $700 million in labor income / wages, with a total economic impact of over $2.4 billion. In terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan continually ranks in the Top 10 in the nation—supporting its title as “The Great Beer State.”
