Celebrate Detroit's Rich Brewing History During Detroit Fall Beer Festival - Saturday, Oct 23 at Eastern Market

The Motor City has a rich brewing history, and in recent years it has been revitalized thanks to a growing interest in the craft beer movement. In recognition of this movement, the Michigan Brewers Guild – along with Metrotimes – presents the 2nd Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival (formerly Harvest Beer Festival) on Saturday, October 23 at Eastern Market. This is one of four annual events sponsored by the Guild, and will feature more than 40 Michigan craft breweries offering over 200 different beers for sampling throughout the day.

Eastern Market is one of the nation’s oldest farm markets and the area is rife with brewing history. In its heyday, there were more than 40 breweries in the Market area and malt silos still stand as a testament to the rich brewing history – making it the perfect backdrop for the Detroit Fall Beer Festival.

Admission to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival is $35 in advance or $40 at the door and includes 15 drink tokens (each good for one 3-ounce beer sample). The festival runs from 1-6pm, with Guild Enthusiast Members being admitted at Noon. Membership is just $25 per year and includes one-hour early admission to all four Guild-sponsored festivals, first-pint discounts at participating Guild member breweries, special brewery tours and a membership t-shirt.

Enthusiast memberships and tickets to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival can be purchased online at www.michiganbrewersguild.org. A list of participating breweries, as well as retail outlets selling festival tickets, will be posted at www.mbgmash.org.

The Detroit Fall Beer Festival is held outside, rain or shine. Festival attendees must be 21 to enter and ID MUST BE SHOWN (no exceptions).

Throughout the week leading up to the Detroit Fall Beer festival, craft beer lovers can enjoy a variety of activities during the 2nd Annual Detroit Beer Week.

Last year, the passion and dedication of one local man sparked interest to lead the charge to organize the inaugural Detroit Beer Week. As “Chief Imaginationer of this now annual week-long celebration, Jon Piepenbrok rallied like-minded beer lovers, Michigan-beer friendly establishments and Metro-Detroit breweries together for a series of events that put the spotlight on the state’s overall beer scene. Produced by Liquid Table – the beverage events company founded by Jon Piepenbrok and partner Jason Peltier – Detroit Beer Week promises to be bigger and better than its inaugural year.

Detroit Beer Week kicks off on October 16 with “Tap:Detroit” – a charity beer event at St. Andrews Hall. Tap:Detroit will feature eight of Detroit’s best beer-friendly restaurants pairing dishes with Michigan Beer, a rare beer and cask ale sampling, live entertainment on all three floors, and a cocktail lounge showcasing Michigan-distilled spirits and meads. Tickets are $35 for the main event, and $55 for all-access. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, as well as the St. Andrew’s Hall box office, and select participating breweries, bars and restaurants.

The week continues with a multitude of beer events at dozens of participating Beer Destinations throughout the City of Detroit. In addition, Liquid Table is producing an event each day throughout the week, including a Multi-Chef Beer Dinner, a Beer vs. Wine Cheese Pairing, a walking pub-crawl of the Foxtown district of Detroit, a beer-themed bike excursion called Bike-toberfest, tastings and more. Details about these and other events, as well as a listing of all Official Beer Destinations, will be posted online at www.facebook.com/detroitbeerweek.

Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”

The Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the Michigan brewing community; to increase sales of Michigan-brewed beer through promotions, marketing, public awareness and consumer education; and to monitor and assure a healthy beer industry within the state. For more information, including a list of Michigan microbreweries, log on to www.michiganbrewersguild.org.