LANSING, Mich. – Join Pure Michigan and the Michigan Brewers Guild for a happy hour Twitter chat this Wednesday, November 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET to celebrate Michigan craft beer. The chat will feature breweries and brewmasters from across the state ready to answer questions about their craft, their beer and best places to experience Michigan’s craft beer scene.

Join the conversation by following the hashtag #mibeer and be sure to follow Pure Michigan on Twitter at @PureMichigan and the Brewers Guild at @MiBrewersGuild. Fans will also have an opportunity to win a Pure Michigan knitted acrylic bottle insulator as part of the chat.

In addition to participating in the Happy Hour Twitter chat, photos posted on Instagram, Twitter or Vine using the #mibeer hashtag will be featured in a photo gallery dedicated to Michigan craft beer on michigan.org through the end of November. Photos can also be uploaded directly to michigan.org/mibeergallery. A dedicated landing page, michigan.org/mibeer, celebrates Michigan’s craft beer communities and provides an interactive map to breweries and brewpubs all across the state.

The Twitter chat and photo gallery are part of an effort to expand the Pure Michigan campaign into activity or “passion”-based campaigns in addition to traditional destination and event-focused efforts. This craft beer-focused campaign is designed to increase awareness of Michigan as a premier craft beer destination and invite travelers to explore Michigan by exploring the taprooms and breweries found all across the state.

Michigan’s craft beer scene continues to be a booming industry for the state. With more than 200 breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan is in the top-five in total number of breweries in the nation and many individual beers have won honors in worldwide beer competitions. Michigan’s thriving brewing industry conservatively contributes more than $144 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $277 million. The state’s agriculture industry also plays a big role in the creation of some of the Michigan’s favorite brews. The hops industry in Michigan is the fourth largest in the U.S., and Michigan has about 650 acres of hops strung for the 2016 harvest and 700–800 acres planted.

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org.

The mission of the Michigan Brewers Guild is to promote and protect the Michigan craft beer industry. Founded in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the community of brewers, to increase the sale of MI 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 20% share of all beer sold in Michigan by producing world-class events, increasing public awareness, educating consumers, and encouraging responsible consumption.