Downtown Manistee Features Beer & Boats During 4th Annual Hops & Props, September 18-20

Downtown Manistee will be brewing as the 4th Annual Hops & Props Craft Beer and Classic Boat Show returns to the riverfront, Sept. 18-20. Tickets for all festival events are on sale now online here.

“Craft Beer and Classic Boats—what’s not to love?” says Patrick Kay, director of the Manistee Main Street Downtown Development Authority. “This is the only event of its kind and what better place to do this than on the shores of Lake Michigan with Craft Beer exclusively from Michigan; the primary home and headquarters of the Century Boat Company for 60 years.”

The festival weekend kicks off on Friday with a 5-course Beer and Food Pairing at Bluefish Kitchen + Bar for $25 per person. Space is limited to 100 and reservations are required by contacting the restaurant directly at 231-887-4188.

Saturday’s festivities run throughout the day and include a Boat Show 10am-7pm along the Riverwalk. As many as 40 classic and wooden boats are expected to line the riverfront, both in and out of the water—including many Century Classic Boats, which were made for 60 years in Manistee. This year, a “Best in Show People’s Choice” award will be presented based on votes from the public.

Saturday also features Art Fair from 10am-7pm directly beside the main event space and live music from 2-7pm in front of the Marina.

The Michigan Craft Beer Tasting takes place from 2-8pm along the downtown streets. Tickets are $20 per person ($25 at the gate) and includes admission, a tasting glass and 6 tickets. Additional tickets are for purchase, at 3 for $5. Some 25 Michigan breweries are expected to participate. Several downtown restaurants will also be featuring “Michigan Beer Tap Take Over” offerings, from 6pm until Midnight.

The weekend concludes with Sunday Brunch, including a buffet, mimosa or Bloody Mary and coffee, from 9-11am at Bluefish Kitchen + Bar. Tickets are $15 per person and advanced reservations are strongly recommended.

For more information on Hops & Props, including the list of participating breweries, log onto VisitManistee.com and click on the “Events & Festivals” tab. You’re also invited to Like the Hops & Props Facebook Page.

Downtown Manistee is home to nearly 150 businesses and community resources, many overlooking the Manistee River Channel and the Riverwalk, with a Central Business District listed on the “National Register of Historic Places.”

The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) of the City of Manistee is an independent, special taxing district created in 1982. The DDA encourages redevelopment and revitalization and is an active participant in economic development, marketing and the stimulation of private investment.

Celebrate Michigan Craft Beer Month (July) Aboard Traverse City's Tall Ship Manitou

Tap Into Weekly Microbrew Tasting Sails (thru Labor Day Weekend) and a 4-Day Michigan Craft Brew Cruise

In recent years Michigan has made a name for itself as one of the premier craft brew states in the country. What better way to partake of these fine beverages than from the deck of a beautiful vessel resting in a peaceful harbor—aboard the Tall Ship Manitou in Traverse City.

On Sunday evenings, late June through Labor Day weekend, you’re invited to sample local beers paired with fresh, hot pizza during the Microbrew Tasting Cruise. Each Sunday will feature on a local brewery—including Short’s Brewing Company, Brewery Terra Firma, Rare Bird Brewery and Petoskey Brewing. Tickets: $57 per person. Space is limited to 58 and advanced reservations are recommended.

New this year is a 4-Day Michigan Craft Brew Cruise, September 24-28. Chef and craft beer aficionado Amy Sherman will serve as host and guide for enjoying tastes with hors d'oeuvres, followed by specifically-designed food pairings with dinner.

After graduating from Aquinas College, Amy Sherman found her true calling in the kitchen. A 20-year restaurant veteran, she’s held every job possible, from ravioli runner, prep chef, book keeper, waitress, to manager, sous chef and pastry chef. She has taught cooking classes throughout West Michigan, runs a catering company called Two Chicks and an Oven, and with her husband runs the local food company, Farmlink.

As the host of the Great American Brew Trail, Amy drank her way across Michigan, one pint at a time. She currently hosts a podcast called “Behind the Mitten” with MLive’s John Gonzalez, and leads culinary adventures here in the states and Europe. Her main job, however, is being mom to three ruffians in Grand Rapids.

Tickets for the 4-Day Michigan Craft Brew Cruise are $577 per person and include all accommodations, meals and beverage samplings. Space is limited to 22 individuals in 11-double-bunk cabins.

As one of the largest sailing ships on the Great Lakes, the Manitou is a replica of an 1800s “coasting” cargo schooner. A traditional two-masted, gaff rigged, topsail schooner, Manitou measures 114 feet in length with more than 3000 square feet of sail.

There is plenty of space for sitting and moving around the decks while under sail. While aboard the Manitou, passengers are free to leave the sailing to the experienced crew or lend a hand and learn the arts of the sailor. An excursion aboard the Manitou allows you to remove yourself from the trappings of modern life: no TV, phone (cell phones are discouraged), internet, email and definitely, no itinerary.

Traverse Tall Ship Company is located at 13258 S.W. Bay Shore Drive (M22) in Traverse City and shares a dock with the fleet from the Maritime Heritage Alliance, creating a unique nautical experience for the area.

To make reservations for any of the 2015 Manitou sailing adventures, call toll free 800-678-0383, ext. 2 or order tickets online. Gift certificates are also available.

For additional information about the Manitou, including its corporate charters, log on to www.TallShipSailing.com.

Ten Years and Growing Strong! A Look Back at the Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival

The Michigan Brewers Guild held its first Winter Beer Festival in Old Town Lansing on February 25, 2006 in Old Town Lansing, on Turner Street at Grand River. That first year, 40 breweries poured approximately 160 beers to 1200 thirsty Michigan craft beer drinkers.

This week, the Guild will celebrate its 10th Annual Winter Beer Festival where a record 103 breweries will pour 1035 beers to an expected crowd (over two days) of more than 10,000. The festival will be held Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28 at Fifth Third Ballpark, just north of downtown Grand Rapids. The impressive list of breweries and beers can be viewed here.

Earlier last summer, the Guild announced the expansion of its wildly popular Winter Beer Festival to a two-day event to accommodate growing demand for tickets. Tickets went on sale on December 4 and Saturday’s sold out in record time—6500 tickets sold in less than a half-hour. The growth in the festivals is on par with the growth of the craft beer industry in Michigan.

Here’s a look back at the last 10 years of the Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival:

Tickets for this year’s Friday’s session, which will run from 3-7pm (2pm entry for Enthusiast Members), remain available for $45 each at MiBeer.com. Overall, 1000 fewer tickets are available for Friday meaning slightly smaller crowds and shorter lines. Friday will also feature special beer releases and tappings, a live ice carving demonstration by The Ice Guru Randy Finch, sideshow acts and street performers, musical entertainment and fireworks (weather permitting).

If the Friday session does not sell out prior to the event, tickets will be available at the gate for $50 the day of. There will NOT be tickets at the gate on Saturday.

The musical entertainment schedule for this year’s festival includes:

Friday, February 27

2:00-3:00 DJ Snax
3:00-4:30 The Concussions
3:30 Live Demo – The Ice Guru Randy Finch
4:30-5:30 DJ Snax
5:00 Welcome and firkin tapping
5:30-7:00 The Concussions
7:00-7:30 DJ Snax

Saturday, February 28

12:00-1:00 DJ Snax
1:00-3:00 The Moxie Strings
3:00-4:00 DJ Snax
3:30 Welcome and firkin tapping
4:00-6:00 Rick Chyme
6:00-6:30 DJ Snax

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 craft beer produced by its more than 150 member breweries. The Guild exists to unify the community of brewers, to increase the sale of Michigan Craft Beer, to contribute culturally and economically throughout the state, and to monitor and assure a healthy brewing industry. By working collaboratively with proponents of craft beer, we strive to achieve a 10% share of all beer sold in Michigan by producing world-class events, increasing public awareness, educating consumers, and encouraging responsible consumption. Michigan ranks #5 in the nation for the number of craft breweries – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State”.

Raise a Mug of Michigan Beer to Fathers Everywhere

This year, toast your father (or grandfather, brother, uncle or son – maybe, even yourself) with a hand-crafted Michigan beer. With more than 70 craft breweries in the state – and hundreds of brews – there’s definitely something to please every beer drinkers taste.

A four- or six-pack of craft beer makes the ideal gift for dad, as does a trip to a local brewpub for lunch, dinner or a Brewhouse tour. For a totally unique experience, check out Saugatuck Brewing in Saugatuck and Kuhnhenn Brewing in Warren, which both offer opportunities for the general public to come in and make their own on-premise brews.

Looking for the perfect gift for inside that Father’s Day Card? Consider a $25 Enthusiast membership with the Michigan Brewers Guild. Available online at www.michiganbrewersguild.org/beernut.asp, this membership also includes VIP “early admission” status at the Guild’s various festivals, discounts at participating membership brewpubs, special VIP brewery tours, and a free Michigan beer t-shirt.

Another gift idea is tickets to the Michigan Summer Beer Festival, July 23-24, at Riverside Park in downtown Ypsilanti’s Depot Town. Advanced tickets are $30 for Friday and $35 for Saturday. This event sells out each year, and often tickets are not available at the gate – so it’s advisable to purchase them in advance. Tickets are available online at www.MichiganBrewersGuild.org or at participating retail outlets and breweries (list posted on www.mbgmash.org).

Michigan beer events taking place Father’s Day weekend include:

• Enthusiast Tour at Arcadia Ales, Battle Creek (www.arcadiaales.com)
A guided tour on Saturday, June 19 (1-2pm) by Brewmaster Josh Davies through Arcadia’s production facility exclusively for Enthusiast members of the Michigan Brewers Guild ($25 annual membership, see below). The tour also includes $1 off first pint. RSVP to Josh Davies: jdavies@arcadiaales.com

• Bell’s Beer Tasting at Chamberlin’s Old Forest Inn, Curtis (www.bellsbeer.com). Celebrate with Larry Bell of Bell's Beer, who will be on hand featuring: Lager of the Lakes, Oberon, Porter, Kalamazoo Stout, Two-Hearted Ale, Third Coast Old Ale, Wedding Ale, Le Pianste (one of Bell's French Jazz Series), Oracle and Oarsman. Tickets are $25 each (must be 21). Reservations required by calling 906-586-6000

• Founders Fest at Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids (www.foundersbrewing.com). An estimated 4000 fans of award-winning craft brewer, Founders Brewing Company will gather on Saturday, June 19 for the 3rd annual Founders Fest – an outdoor beer and music festival in downtown Grand Rapids. From 3-11pm, the street (Grandville Avenue between Cherry and Bartlett) will be blocked and the grounds of the brewery secured for the festivities – including a variety of local, regional and national entertainment, local food vendors, an expanded “Local Artists Row” and fellow craft beer lovers.

• Michigan Brewing Company Father’s Day Run, Webberville (www.michiganbrewing.com). Now in its fourth year, this 5k Beer Run at 6pm on Saturday, June 19 benefits men’s prostate health programs through Sparrow Hospital.

• Summer Solstice with Kuhnhenn Brewing Company, Warren (www.kbrewery.com). Celebrate Father’s Day and the official arrival of summer with 12 unique and distinctive wheat beers on tap – including limited bottle releases of Barley Wine, Solar Eclipse, Imperial Crème-Brulee Java Stout, Mayhem, Winter Wonder Lager and Extraneous Ale. . Dan the Smokin’ Man will be serving delectable meaty treats from 1-6pm (while food lasts). Live music on Saturday night (9pm-Midnlight) featuring The Return of Nick & Reggie!

• Big Daddy of Michigan Beers at HopCat, Grand Rapids (www.hopcatgr.com). Imagine how proud your dad will be if you took him out for this beer dinner to celebrate Father’s Day! Four courses - $35 per person. The menu includes a sausage/cheese plate (paired with The Livery’s Carvana cask conditioned ale); pistachio encrusted whitefish (paired with Short’s Pistachio Cream Ale); spiced lamb shanks & cous cous (paired with Dark Horse’s Double Crooked Tree); and double cream stout ice cream and coconut (paired with Bell’s Double cream Stout). Reservations are required. Sunday, June 20 (6pm)

• Beers From Around the World with Arbor Brewing, Ann Arbor (www.arborcrewing.com). Take a three-hour whirlwind tour from 2-5pm on Sunday, June 20, to discover the histories and types of beers brewed in Mexico, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Russia, Poland and the United States with Rene Greff. Offered through Washtenaw Community College’s Lifelong Learning program. $49 per person includes lunch and 10 beer samples. Registration required.

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.