This past Friday we decided to celebrate Michigan Craft Beer Month in style and attend the 14th annual Michigan Summer Beer Festival. The event is put on by the Michigan Brewer’s Guild and held in Riverside Park in Depot Town of Ypsilanti, Michigan. The summer beer festival is different from the other three festivals thrown by the guild, in that it runs for two days instead of just one. I’ve always attended the Saturday session, so this year we thought we switch it up and go Friday.
It was a good decision, and I think I shall be going Friday every year from now on. There were a lot less people than I’m used to in the Saturday sessions, and the temperature was much cooler without the beating of the mid-day sun. The Friday session lasted from 5-9pm, with media and enthusiast members getting in an hour earlier. As history usually repeats itself, it always rains during or before the Friday session in order to get the ground nice and muddy for the guests. This year was no exception. It rained the first half hour of the early admittance hour, and then again for less than five minutes in the middle of the session. This didn’t stop anyone from enjoying samples from over 450 different beers featured by 62 different Michigan based brewing companies.
The area laid out like a circus of Michigan craft beers, with the beer samples set underneath a series of giant tents sprawled about Riverside Park. Arcadia Brewing Company and The Livery had a private spot in a docked gazebo which was lighted with string lights and provided and excellent view of the Huron River. Short’s Brewing Company also had their own spot in the “Back Forty” section. They had a series of several tables, each showcasing a different area of their brews. They even brought their own merchandise hut. Joe Short could be seen wandering around the compound with a camera strapped around his forehead – wonder where that footage is going to show up.
Dark Horse Brewing out of Marshall, Michigan stunned everyone by bringing over 50 beers and placing 6 tables in different tents. Every where you looked, there was Dark Horse. There were so many beers this year, that it was impossible to try everything that I wanted. Perhaps I should have attended both sessions, although I think my belly would have been very upset with that decision. Although I talked with several people that were in fact going to both sessions.
Just a few of the notable beers I sampled this year were Short’s Brewing collaboration with Dogfish Head and 3Floyds, titled Cornholio, a Baltic Porter with flavors of horehound, red popcorn, and plum. They also had an excellent pear flavored Saison in Captain Fantasy. I missed getting a taste of Founder’s Blushing Monk as they were doing timed releases of special beers throughout the evening. Apparently they ran out in a record 19 minutes! I was able to score a sample of the Devil Dancer Imperial IPA, man was that hoppy! The peanut butter stout from Old Hat in Lawton is the best I’ve ever sampled, and it’s on my must try list every festival.
Another stand out that was on my must try list were the beers and teas from Unity Vibration out of Ypsilanti. They produce Kombucha tea, a sweet and tart fermented drink with great health benefits, originating from China and Russia. The Kombucha Beers are gluten-free, vegan, organic, bottle conditioned and raw. The beers are fermented similar to a Lambic in oak-barrels with hops and whole fruits. I sampled their Ginger and Raspberry beers, and also their Strawberry Rhubarb Tea. Let’s just say I’ll be looking to find more of this to stock my fridge.
We had an absolutely fantastic time at the festival this year, and can’t wait to celebrate the 15th annual Michigan Summer Beer Festival! If you can’t wait until next summer, the Brewer’s Guild is hosting the 3rd annual U.P. Fall Beer Festival in Marquette on September 10th, and the Detroit Fall Beer Festival on October 22nd.
