Celebrate Oktoberfest in Downtown Ann Arbor September 28-29

Rumor has it that Arbor Brewing founders Matt and Rene Greff will be in town for Oktoberfest.

It's Oktoberfest time again in Ann Arbor, and that means a party on Washington Street. On September 28-29, the downtown avenue will be blocked off to through traffic so that revelers can enjoy Oktoberfest parties at both Arbor Brewing and Grizzly Peak.

Arbor's event begins at 5 p.m. Friday outside the brewpub and includes live music from The Rhinelanders (no cover), dancing, games, and German-inspired fare and (duh) beer. The party goes until midnight, and picks up again Saturday at 3 p.m., again going to midnight. Rumor has it that Arbor founders Rene and Matt Greff, currently enjoying a nomadic intercontinental existence, will make an appearance sometime Friday night.

On the other side of Main Street, Grizzly Peak's bash runs the same hours as Arbor's, and includes live entertainment, games (including giant beer pong!), and – you guessed it – German-style beer and food. This year, Grizzly is offering a limited number of advance VIP tickets: $50 for one day ($75 for both) includes five food/drink tickets (10 for the two-day pass), an Oktoberfest t-shirt and commemorative bracelet, and a souvenir "boot" glass. Call the brewery at 734-741-7325 or stop in to reserve your tickets.

Prost!

Eleven-ish Beers to Try at the Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival

Pictured: A Girl Named Egypt Double IPA

I’ve never written one of these “Beers I’m Looking Forward to Trying at the XX Festival” posts before, largely because everyone’s tastes and preferences in beer are so diverse – and who, besides me, cares what I like (or think I’ll like), anyway?

Well, there’s a first time for everything. So here, in no particular order, are some beers I’m looking forward to trying at the 21st Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival next weekend in Ypsilanti. Caveat: The list is a bit biased in favor of me loving good pilsners and local breweries, but, you know, see the paragraph above. Other caveat: There’s more than 11 beers below, but the Rules of Listicle Writing require there be a number in the headline, so here we are.

Arbor Brewing Refreshes Brand, Will Distribute Cans Statewide

Image courtesy of Arbor Brewing.

In addition to the recent announcement that they will be opening a Plymouth location, Arbor Brewing has more big news. Here it is, in their own words:

YPSILANTI – Arbor Brewing Company announced today that it is switching its beer packaging from bottles to cans to offer  customers an even higher quality and sustainable package for its award-winning  craft brews. Along with new packaging, the 22-year-old brewery unveils a fresh, new look.

Started in Ann Arbor in 1995, Arbor Brewing expanded into a production brewery in Ypsilanti in 2006 and has been distributing its beer in bottles ever since. In January 2018, the brewery is making the switch to package its year-round and seasonal beers in aluminum cans, while its sour series will remain in 500 mL bottles.

The first three beers to be launched in cans are Strawberry Blonde, Euchre Pils, and Buzzsaw IPA, which are hitting store shelves now, and will be statewide by the end of the month. Arbor Brewing will release many  favorite seasonal beers in cans throughout 2018, alongside a few new beers.

Arbor Brewing made the decision to transition to cans for several reasons.

Quality – The impact on the beer was the most important. Packaging in cans increases the quality and freshness of the beer by reducing exposure to oxygen and sunlight, both of which contribute to a shorter shelf life. Cans allow the brewery to better deliver brewery-fresh beer to its customers across the state.

Pack-ability – Cans travel better, making it more convenient and safer for consumers to take their Arbor Brewing beer with them - hiking, kayaking, boating, tailgating, etc.

Sustainability – Arbor Brewing has been strongly committed to environmental stewardship for over two decades. Cans are 100 percent recyclable, and have a lighter carbon footprint than bottles, thanks in part to being lighter when empty and packing denser than bottles, reducing fuel in shipping.

The cans also feature a new look for the brewery.

“This is the first major branding change in the brewery’s 22-year history. In addition to sporting an updated logo, the cans feature new artwork and bright, eye-catching colors,” said Mike Messink, managing partner, Arbor Brewing Company. “The new packaging includes an “Ypsi Made” stamp to emphasize the production brewery’s roots in Ypsilanti, and calls out its 1995 origins, which place it as one of the early pioneers in the Michigan craft brewing industry,” Messink added.

These changes are the latest at the brewery since becoming part of Michigan-based Farm + Ferment in May 2017. Since the acquisition, the brewery has been investing in new equipment and technology.

“Our focus has been on the continuous improvement of the quality of our beer, and to give our brewers the tools to explore styles and ingredients as craft beer continues to evolve,” said Messink.

Join Washington Street's Brewers for a Collaborative October 24 Pub Crawl

Join the head brewers of Grizzly Peak, Blue Tractor, and Arbor Brewing Brewpub for a brewery crawl celebrating their new collaborative beer, Scarlet Jacket.

You might as well call Ann Arbor's Washington Street "Beer Street." The three brewpubs that grace this downtown artery – Arbor Brewing Brewpub, Grizzly Peak, and Blue Tractor – are all among the top 10 producing brewpubs in the state of Michigan. In fact, between the three of them, they accounted for about 12 percent of all the brewpub-produced beer sold here in the Mitten (more than 2,800 barrels) in 2016.*

On Tuesday, October 24, join the head brewers of each of these esteemed establishments for a special pub crawl celebrating the release of their collaborative brew, Scarlet Jacket. The beer was inspired by two recipes from postwar England.

"Ron Pattinson runs a website where he and British brewer Kristen England re-create old recipes," says Grizzly Peak head brewer Duncan Williams. "We blended two recipes from 1945-46 to create a typical low-gravity beer that was brewed before, during, and after World War II."

Each brewery brewed its own version of Scarlet Jacket. The name is an homage to Tetley's, a long-running British beer brand whose historical logo incorporated a redcoat-wearing fox huntsman, according to Blue Tractor head brewer Pat Meehan.

The crawl begins in the Grizzly Peak Den bar at 6 p.m., moves to Arbor at 6:45, then finished up at Blue Tractor at 7:30 p.m. Each location will have a cask of the beer on hand, and Williams and Meehan will be joined by Arbor head brewer Chris Davies.

Previously, the three brewpubs collaborated on Washingtonacity, a traditional English-style bitter.

* Numbers from Michigan Beer Guide.

Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Nucleation Point of Craft Beer

Source: Great Lakes Brewing News

(Note: I wrote a couple features on the Ann Arbor brewing scene for the current (October/November 2017) issue of Great Lakes Brewing News. The first, "Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Nucleation Point of Craft Beer," is about the big influence our little city has had on the larger craft beer world.)

What is the measure of a “good beer city”? Is it the number of breweries in and around town? The consistent high quality and drinkability of the beers made there? The general availability and choice of fine brews? Certainly all of these things are important yardsticks when determining whether a particular town is worthy of becoming a “beer-cation” destination. But there’s an additional, less tangible factor that is at least as important: a city’s overall beer culture. By that admittedly trickier-to-quantify standard, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a beer city par excellence. A quick tour through this Midwestern college town’s quietly influential brewing past, present, and potential future provides ample evidence.

Read the rest here.

Beer Tour Guy Podcast Episode IV: A New Dope

A face for radio.

Yesterday I paid a visit to the Podcast Detroit studios in Royal Oak to sit down with my pal Stephen Johnson of Motor City Brew Tours and record an episode of his cleverly named show, "The Beer Tour Guy Podcast."

In my podcasting debut, we talked about (duh) beer, writing, the Ann Arbor brewing scene, the sport of fowling, Steve's mom, and many other things. Because you're bored at work, you probably want to hear this scintillating conversation, don't you? You can listen here.

Arbor Brewing Begins New Chapter in Business Evolution

Farm + Ferment principals Mike Collins and Mike Messink toast their new business arrangement with Arbor's Rene and Matt Greff.

Note: This article was originally published May 11 in Current magazine under the headline "Former Owners Speak on Sale of North American Portion of Arbor Brewing."

It’s been a staple on downtown Ann Arbor’s Washington Street for more than two decades, and now the Arbor Brewing Co. Brewpub – along with its sister establishment, Ypsilanti’s Arbor Brewing Co. Microbrewery – is entering a new chapter in its business evolution.

Owners Matt and Rene Greff announced on Thursday that Arbor has become a part of Farm + Ferment, a family of Michigan-based businesses focused on craft beer, cider, and wine making. The new partnership sees the Greffs relinquishing ownership over the day-to-day operation of the businesses, but retaining the North American rights to the Arbor brand.

“Matt and I are shifting from more of an operations focus to a brand promotion focus,” said Rene. “So basically someone else gets to do the unpleasant stuff and we get to have all the fun.”

Included under the Farm + Ferment umbrella are several Michigan orchards, vineyards, and hop farms, including Northport Farms, Baia Estate Vineyard, and the Michigan Hop Alliance, a network of hop growers that joined in 2016.

“Farm + Ferment is a new umbrella company that will focus on brewing, cider, and wine making,” said Brian Tennis, founder of Michigan Hop Alliance. “My role will be to focus on our hop operations, overseeing our hop yards, brokering hops both foreign and domestically, and working closely with our network of over 600 breweries around North America and Europe. I’m excited to work with everyone at Arbor and will be providing the brewery with the best hops available, with a strong focus on Michigan-grown ingredients.”

“What’s awesome is we get to be involved in all aspects of brand growth, working with Brian on hop selection, growing the sour beer program, and other things like that because we’re no longer involved in the minutiae of management,” said Matt.

Arbor Brewing Joins Farm + Ferment Business Group

Photo by Allen Williams.

It's official. Arbor Brewing Co. is now part of Farm + Ferment, an umbrella company of Michigan-based hospitality businesses. Below is the press release straight from the horse's mouth. I'll have a write-up for Current magazine later.

Ann Arbor, Mich. – May 11, 2017 – Arbor Brewing Company, one of Michigan’s oldest craft beer brands, has joined the Farm + Ferment family of Michigan-based hospitality businesses, that includes Michigan Hop Alliance, Northport Farms, Baia Estate Vineyard, Bigalora Wood Fired Cucina, Bacco Ristorante and Cloverleaf Fine Wine, through an acquisition by ABC Brew Holding, LLC and ABC Brew Production, LLC.

Farm + Ferment’s ABC Brew Holding, LLC and ABC Brew Production, LLC have acquired the membership interests of Arbor Brewing Company founders Matt and René Greff, and the other investors, in both Arbor Brewing Company, LLC and Corner Brewery, LLC, respectively, and engaged the Greffs in a 10-year agreement. Along with the business assets, ABC Brew Holding, LLC will have exclusive brand rights throughout North America. Greff Brewing Services, LLC will retain exclusive rights to Arbor Brewing Company throughout India, and the two entities will share the brand rights throughout the rest of the world.

“In an era of craft breweries being gobbled up by multi-nationals, we couldn’t be more pleased to be joining a consortium of local, independent Michigan operators representing the best of our industries,” René Greff said. “This strategic partnership will allow both the Arbor Brewing Company Brewpub and Microbrewery to continue to grow and thrive in an evolving craft beer marketplace, and it will free Matt and I up to do what we love best - promote and grow the brand here and abroad.”

“Acquiring a brewery fit perfectly with our long-term strategy,” said Mike Collins, managing principal, Farm + Ferment. “We’ve been very successful with our wine and hop businesses, and are continuing to expand the Bigalora Wood Fired Cucina brand. We were in the initial planning stages of a new brewery when we started discussions with the Greffs. We all knew right away that this was an ideal situation for everyone.”

Collins goes on to say that all current employees will remain, and ABC Brew Production, LLC has plans to expand the Ypsilanti location and eventually open additional brewpubs around the state.

Arbor Brewing Eyes Expansion Through New Business Partnership

Arbor Brewing owners Rene and Matt Greff will continue to be involved following a pending transaction that will see Arbor join a new business group, details of which are to be announced later this week.

Early this morning the Metro Times reported that Arbor Brewing Co. was being sold to the owners of Bigalora, the gourmet pizza restaurant chain with locations in Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Rochester Hills, and Southfield, among others. A few hours ago, Jessica Haynes of The Ann Arbor News provided further details, quoting Mike Collins, a principal for Farm + Ferment, Bigalora's parent group, as follows:

"We're in the final stage of discussions about a partnership with Arbor Brewing Company, and will provide detailed and accurate information in a formal announcement once a transaction is complete."

I reached out to Rene Greff, co-owner of Arbor, for comment and received a similar statement in reply. Here's what she said:

"We are in the final stages of discussions for a partnership and will be sending a press release as soon as details have been finalized. I can tell you that Arbor will be joining a group of Michigan-based businesses, that Matt and I are going to continue to be involved, and that other than expansion, there will be no major changes."

Stay tuned for more details as this story continues to develop.

Update 5/10: Rene Greff today issued a longer official statement:

"Arbor Brewing Company is joining the Michigan-based Farm+Ferment family of businesses. ABC founders Matt and Rene Greff will continue to be involved with the business, both the brewpub and the microbrewery will continue business as usual, and all employees will be retained. The new partners plan to build on the success of the ABC brand and will be announcing renovation and expansion plans in the coming months."

Still waiting for a press release with more details. Continue to stay tuned.

Another Successful Rat Fest in the Books

It’s no secret that Arbor Brewing’s founders Matt and Rene Greff came out of Michigan’s thriving homebrewing scene. And today, with more than two decades in the commercial brewing industry, they still pay homage to their roots with Rat Fest, an annual event featuring dozens of beers created by area homebrewing clubs.

This year’s fest – the seventh – took place February 4 and again drew hundreds of drinkers in search of something different to the Arbor Brewing Microbrewery to sample 28 unique beers brewed by seven different clubs. This year’s participating brewers included the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild Hop Heads, Ann Arbor Brewers Guild Maltsters, Brighton Brew Club, Burns Park Brewing, Hyperion Brewers, Pontiac Brewing Tribe, and the Sons of Liberty Homebrew Club.

Tickets On Sale for Rat Fest 2017

Rat Fest is back February 4 for its seventh incarnation at the Arbor Brewing Microbrewery in Ypsilanti. The popular annual event showcases beers brewed by area homebrewing clubs on Arbor's 10-gallon brewing system, dubbed the Rat Pad.

The event will take place from 1-5 p.m, and follow the same format as previous years, offering 28 different small-batch beers brewed by members of the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild, Pontiac Brewing Tribe, Sons of Liberty, and four other homebrewing clubs. Beers from past events have included such creative takes as Golden Graham Brown Ale, Orange Creamsicle Ale, Shebrew Rye Caraway Ale, Tangerine Coffee IPA, and Loaded Baked Potato Stout.

Tickets are $30 in advance ($35 at the door, if available) and can be purchased by calling the brewery at 734-480-2739 or picking them up in person. The cost includes unlimited beer samples, a commemorative glass, and hot dogs and other appetizers. You know what to do!

The Latest on Glasshouse Brewing

Photo from Glasshouse's Facebook page.

There have been some new developments on Glasshouse Brewing (note development one: the web address is functioning again) since I last posted about it a few weeks ago. First, Glasshouse has hired none other than Kuma Ofori-Mensa, former assistant brewer at Arbor Brewing Brewpub, as their head brewer. According to his Facebook page, Kuma is busy working on recipes in preparation for a late March/early April opening. The opening has been pushed back so many times (as those familiar with brewery openings know is not uncommon), but co-founder/owner Brent Payeur and team are now posting updates on their progress on Facebook. For those interested in obtaining founding memberships, they are again available via the website.

Arbor Brewpub to Revamp Long-Running Monthly Beer Tasting Series in 2016

Photo: Allen "Shaggy" Williams.

Big changes are coming to Ann Arbor's first modern brewery. Beginning in January, the 20-year-old Arbor Brewing brewpub is undergoing a $200,000 makeover, including an expanded bar, renovated kitchen, revamped menu, and the creation of a more open dining area. MLive.com's Jessica Webster has all the details on that stuff.

But that's not all that's changing. The brewpub's long-running signature event, the monthly beer tasting series, is also receiving an overhaul to start the new year. Begun only a few years after the brewpub's opening in 1995, each month the beer tastings have offered attendees approximately two dozen beers from other breweries, along with a few of Arbor's own, typically grouped according to styles or broad themes like Belgian beers, porters and stouts, Michigan-made beers, or wheats and witbiers.

This format has served the event well for the past 17 years, according to owners Matt and Rene Greff, but with the increased popularity of what has come to be known as craft beer and changes in customers' tastes, it was time to update things for a new generation of beer lovers, they said.

Here, then, is your first look at what to expect in 2016:

January: New Beginnings

• Featuring all new breweries and/or new brands from existing breweries
• Arbor will debut a new beer

February: For the Love of Hops

• Feautirng new beers that showcase the variety of American pale ales and IPAs
• Arbor beers: Mr. Delicious Double IPA, Buzzsaw IPA, Largebeat Wheat IPA, HXL, Sacred Cow IPA

March: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

• Featuring half high-gravity beers, half session beers: either above 8% or below 5% ABV
• Arbor beers: Ypsi Gypsi Session IPA, Jackhammer Old Ale, Steamroller Russian Imperial Stout, Super Snapper Very Special Bitter

April: Out of the Ordinary

• Featuring unorthodox beers, weird but worth drinking, such as Dogfish Head's ancient ales, Right Brain Mangalitsa Pig Porter, New Belgium Coconut Curry Hefeweizen
• Arbor beers: Anahata Chakra Honey Lavender Ale, Old Tjikko Spruce Pale Ale, Porter de los Muertos Mole Porter

May: Old World Ales and Lagers

• A historical tasting of beers from Belgium, Germany, the UK, and other European countries with age-old beer industries
• Arbor beers: Uskratch Maibock, Big Ben Mild Ale, Knights of Burtonia Bitter Ale, Gobsmacked English IPA, Euchre Pils, Phat Abbot Dubbel and Tripel, Triple Stone ESB, Rabbit's Pipe Belgian Pale Ale

June: All Summer Long

• Featuring light, easy drinking, and refreshing summer seasonals including wheat and fruit beers
• Arbor beers: Bliss Hefeweizen, Strawberry Blonde Ale, Festival Saison

July: Made In Michigan

• Celebrating Michigan Craft Beer Month with Mitten-made beer

August: Think Global, Drink Local

• Featuring local brewers’ versions of beer styles from all possible continents

September: Fall Favorites

• Featuring Oktoberfests, brown ales, pumpkin beers, and harvest beers
• Arbor beers: Oktoberfest, HopTown Brown Ale, Cotswold's Nut Brown Ale

October: Spooky Scary

• Featuring beers with creepy names like Avery Mephistopholes Stout, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Goose Island Night Stalker Imperial Stout
• Arbor beers: Violin Monster Autumn Ale, Dark Side India Black Ale

November: Wild Winter

• Featuring sour ales and beers made with all wild yeast or via open and spontaneous fermentation
• Arbor beers: Biere Divette, Brune, Framboise, Special Reserve, rotating sour draft beers

December: Home for the Holidays

• Featuring Christmas and other holiday beers
• Arbor beers: Wenceslas Winter Fuel, Terminator Doppelbock, Winter Warrior Belgian Stout, Polar Vortex Belgian IPA

The Rain, Oktoberfest, and Other Things

Arbor Brewing's Matt and Rene Greff in their everyday attire.

Today kicks off the annual two-day Oktoberfest celebration in Downtown Ann Arbor, and in true Michigan fashion, the forecast calls for a cool and possibly rainy autumnesque day, so you'll want to dress accordingly. There is the traditional action of live oompah music, brats, and beers on Washington Street in front of the Arbor Brewing Brewpub, but across the way Grizzly Peak is celebrating not just Oktoberfest, but its 20th anniversary as well. Here are the details.

WHAT: Just in time for Oktoberfest, Washington Street between Ashley and Main streets will set the scene for Grizzly Peak Brewing Co.’s 20th anniversary bash. Revelers are welcome to join in and raise a stein to two decades of success as the highly regarded brewpub debuts a fresh and forward-focused look and menu. Check out live music and DJ Brian Alvarez keeping the beat during this two-day block party, as well as a photo booth and games like giant Jenga and Cornhole. Indulge at delicious outdoor food stations featuring German-inspired fare, Grizzly Peak beer, and a chance to sample brand new menu items, straight off of the grill.

EAT: The Grilling Station will feature slider-sized options of each of three new burgers: The Pork Belly Burger, complete with ale-braised pork belly, jalapeno goat cheese pesto and candied tomato jam; The 2 AM Burger, topped with cheese fondue sauce, fried pickles and crisp bacon; and the Teriyaki Burger, a sirloin burger with prosciutto, pepperjack cheese, pineapple salsa, and house-made Teriyaki sauce.

The Pasta and Sliders Station will feature a Truffled Mac n’ Cheese with three-cheese béchamel and breadcrumb crust as well as the Cuban-style Pulled Pork Sliders with pickled vegetable slaw, Swiss cheese, cilantro lime mustard aioli, and fresh cilantro.

The German Station will feature Pretzels and Bacon Beer Bratwurst topped with sauerkraut, in honor of Oktoberfest.

The Beer Station will quench any thirst with four Grizzly Peak beer options to choose from, including Grizzly Peak XX Pale Ale.

A commemorative beer stadium cup is complimentary with an initial beer purchase and is available for refill.

WHEN: 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, Sept. 11, and resuming 3 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Sept. 12

In related news, the already nationally recognized Jolly Pumpkin is also achieving international accolades, most recently taking home three gold medals from the Hong Kong International Beer Awards for Oro de Calabaza (Best Belgian-Style Ale), Bam Biere (Best Saison), and Calabaza Blanca (Best Wit). Read more about it on MLive.com.

So put on your lederhosen (and poncho?) and celebrate the awesomeness of Downtown Ann Arbor's beer scene tonight and tomorrow. Prost!

Arbor to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with New Beer, Block Party

Rene and Matt Greff celebrate 20 years of Arbor Brewing in July.

It's deja vu all over again. Arbor Brewing, which opened in 1995 just one month before Grizzly Peak did, is also celebrating 20 years of beer by brewing up a commemorative batch of suds and closing Washington Street in front of the pub for a July 31 party. Here's the official press release:

When Arbor Brewing Company (ABC) opened our doors in July 1995, there were only seven breweries in Michigan. Twenty years later, as we put this finishing touches on our anniversary celebration, the number has swelled to nearly 200, and craft beer, once a niche product, has become an international sensation.

In typical ABC fashion, we are taking our celebration to the streets. ABC alumnus Matthew Altruda of Sonic Lunch and "Tree Town Sound" will emcee the festivities as we groove to the deep funk soul of local favorite Third Coast Kings and enjoy special opening performances by various bands featuring ABC staff and alumni.

Owner Matt Greff and head brewer Chris Davies have joined forces to create ABC’s 20th Anniversary Barley Wine, which will be tapped exclusively at the anniversary party along with a soured version we’ve been cellaring for months. These limited releases will also be available in 750 ml commemorative bottles solely at ABC on July 31. The party will feature two bars pouring pub classics like our award-winning Bavarian Bliss and new fan favorites like Strawberry Blonde Ale, Buzzsaw IPA and Ypsi Gypsi Pale Ale. We’ll also be serving up some great street food from our own kitchen plus an assortment of food carts.

The event will be on East Washington Street at Main Street in Downtown Ann Arbor on Friday, July 31, from 5pm to midnight.  As always, there is no cover and we are family-friendly as long as minors are with their parents. 

According to ABC co-owner Rene Greff, “We can’t wait to celebrate this occasion with so many people who have helped make Arbor Brewing Company the success that it is today and look forward to the next 20 years because the best is yet to come!”

Follow the latest ABC happenings on twitter and Facebook and use #ABC20years for up-to-date info or email beth@arborbrewing.com.

Of course, you can read more about the history of Arbor Brewing in my book, Ann Arbor Beer: A Hoppy History of Tree Town Brewing, which also includes a foreword from Rene and Matt Greff.

Celebrating American Craft Beer Week, Ann Arbor Style

Next Monday marks the beginning of American Craft Beer Week (ACBW), and there are various beer-oriented activities going on around town as a result. Here are a few highlights:

• Wolverine State Brewing, 2019 W. Stadium Blvd., is offering a VIP card beginning Monday, May 11, which entitles the bearer to all sorts of swell discounts and privileges throughout ACBW. These include (but are not limited to) 25 cents for your first beer each day, $2 beer specials the rest of the time, and $5 off the May 14 beer and appetizer pairing in the taproom. VIP cards are $18 or $25 with a special commemorative silipint, which you can use in the taproom all week if you want. See more details on Wolverine's website.
• Arbor Brewing Brewpub, 114 E. Washington St., has different discounts and specials each day, including a tour of the brewhouse with head brewer Chris Davies on Saturday, May 16, from 12-2 p.m. RSVP to beth@arborbrewing.com. Go here to see all the other ABC happenings.
• Arbor Brewing Microbrewery, 720 Norris St., Ypsilanti, is gonna party like it's 1995 in honor not only of ACBW but also of the 20th anniversary of Arbor Brewing's founding. Look for daily Facebook contests, '90s throwback pint prices, specialty brews, and some classics from the kitchen. Follow the brewery on Facebook for updates. And don't forget the first Halcyon Sundaze of the season on Sunday, May 17, from 2-9. I'm working on my setlist as I type this!
• World of Beer, 1300 S. University Ave., is kicking things off Monday with a 6-9 p.m. tap event featuring Coronado Brewing and Latitude 42 Brewing. On tap look for Coronado's Islander IPA, Orange Avenue Wit, and Sock Knocker Imperial IPA; Latitude 42's Lilikoi Wheat Ale and Party at the Moon Tower IPA; and a collaboration brew between the two: 10 Degrees of Separation English Brown Ale. Use hashtag #wobtrip throughout the week for a chance to win an excursion to three American craft breweries, and watch WOB's Facebook page for more.
• Each day of the week, HopCat Ann Arbor, 311 Maynard St., is featuring a different brewery on tap. Monday is Dogfish Head (Aprihop, Namaste, Black and Blue, and more), Tuesday is Coronado and Latitude 42, Wednesday is Arbor Brewing, and Thursday is Brooklyn Brewery. Keep an eye on Facebook for specific beer information and tapping times.
• On Thursday, May 14, from 7-9 p.m., the Beer Grotto, 303 S. Ashley St., is hosting "Hoppy History Night," featuring yours truly talking about and signing copies of Ann Arbor Beer along with featured beers from Arbor, including Buzzsaw IPA, Demetrius Sour Ale, Euchre Pilsner, Phat Abbot Tripel, Strawberry Blond Ale, and a special firkin of Ryeclops Rye IPA. Arbor owners Matt and Rene Greff will also be there to give hugs and high fives.

The Every Two Weeks in Beer: Brews to Beat the Winter Blahs

I feel like Randall tonight.

As the joy of the holidays (and college football season) recedes ever further in our metaphorical rear view mirror, the harsh reality of many more weeks of miserable cold, leaden skies, and filthy slush sinks in and gnaws at the soul. What is one to do to survive another interminable Michigan winter? Three guesses what I’m going to say. Oh, you only needed one guess! Very good.

The Every Two Weeks in Beer: Resolve to Drink Better Beer

Coming really soon: 36 taps at The Beer Grotto's new Ann Arbor location at 303 S. Ashley St.

It’s a new year, and you’ve probably got a whole list of things you’ve resolved to accomplish in 2015. Things like get in shape, get organized, save money, finally clean out that damn garage, and stop judging other people so harshly for their poor grammar. Oops, that last one’s me. May I humbly suggest that you also resolve to drink better beer? It’s easy to do. There’s so much of it all around town that it’s hard to keep up, even if you already feel like you’re doing a pretty good job. Here’s the latest roundup to give you ideas. And you may want to go ahead and renew that gym membership in the meantime. Just in case.

The Every Two Weeks in Beer: Happy New Beer

Block Brewing in Howell is just one place serving up some new beer in the New Year.

Soon 2014 will be in the history books, and 2015 will be here, promising another year of the things that make life worth living, like tasty beer. As we prepare to throw out the old and welcome in the new, let’s raise a glass of good cheer, filled to the brim with the world’s best beverage – and I don’t mean Champagne.

The Every Two Weeks in Beer: Beery Christmas to You

These guys again.

It’s Christmas time in the city, and don’t forget to stop as you hustle home with your treasures to check out the numerous festive occasions involving Santa’s favorite beverage. (Although he’s widely regarded as loving milk, Santa is a beer man all the away – just look at that bowl-full-of-jelly gut.) Here’s your holiday guide to where the good stuff is.