'Iron Chef'-like Michigan Brewers Challenge

By Garret Ellison | gellison@mlive.com To coincide with a beer history exhibit planned this fall, the Grand Rapids Public Museum is launching an “Iron Chef”-like challenge to determine which Michigan brewery will get to supply the museum with beer during the exhibit’s fall run.
“I hope to capture a lot of attention for what Michigan as a whole, and West Michigan is doing brew-wise these days,” said Steve Smith, the “chief beer geek,” in charge of beer purchasing and the beer menu at HopCat in Grand Rapids.
Smith has been collaborating with the museum on organizing the challenge, which is tentatively planned for Friday, October 19 and Saturday the 20th.
Brewers in the area have been prepped with some rules for the challenge, which is designed to showcase as much Michigan-sourced ingredients as possible.
Recipe rules for the challenge include:
• 80 percent of the malt bill must be from Michigan.
• 50 percent of the hop bill must be from Michigan.
Now, for the variable:
• Each brewery can have a variable of their choosing. Smith said the variable is meant to capture the audience and allow the brewers to really show off their stuff.
The variable can be either wood (staves or barrel — as longs as it’s from a Michigan distillery); a herb or spice addition such as tea or coffee that would help make the beer unique; or a yeast strain.
The sampling will tentatively take place Friday and Saturday at the Van Andel Museum Canter and the museum will purchase two half barrels of beer from each brewer for the event. Smith said they are hoping to include between 30 and 40 Michigan breweries, but confirmations are still rolling in.
Due to production schedule constraints at larger breweries like Founders and Bell’s, the majority of the brewers in the challenge will be smaller operators who have the scheduling flexibility of a small batch system.
“This will be a nice way to showcase the little guy who is doing cool things,” he said.
The first place winner with the most public votes over the two days of sampling will be asked to reproduce the beer recipe and have it sold on tap (or in bottles or cans if that’s an option) at the museum throughout the entire fall exhibit. The Top 5 finishing breweries will get to participate in a black tie beer dinner at the museum in November.

Beer Talk With Vinnie of Russian River

Over the past 30 years, California microbrew has conquered niche markets and infiltrated the mainstream in its evolution from “social lubricant” to “serious, artisanal product.” Arguably, no individual is more responsible for this spirit of innovation than Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Company, based in Santa Rosa.
 Acclaimed for his generously hoppy beers, which possess a cult following of Trekkie-like fervor, Cilurzo is credited with inventing the double IPA early in his career in San Diego; and Russian River’s elusive, seasonally released Pliny the Younger was recently determined, by popular vote, to be the best beer in the world. However, Cilurzo’s mavericky side is perhaps best reflected in his sour ales: a highly specialized range of Belgian-derived brews, revered in beer-geek circles for their complexity. Aged in wine barrels for years at a time, with the addition of fruit like sour cherries and currants, and often subjected to the risky practice of spontaneous fermentation, sours are as temperamental as they are inefficient in respect to time, cost-effectiveness, and space preservation. Often called “wild ales," these beers require a knowledgeable, experienced brewer to tame them. see the entire interview here. beer-talk-russian-river-brewing-co

New Breweries Opening in Holland This Fall

By STEPHEN KLOOSTERMAN The Holland Sentinel New Holland Brewing Co.’s 12-year run as the only brewery in the Holland area is set to end this fall.
Born out of the popularity of the craft beer scene that New Holland has worked to promote, two new entrepreneurs are working to open two new breweries — one just a few doors down from New Holland’s Eighth Street pub, the other somewhere in Holland Township, where New Holland brews its beer.
 “New Holland is thrilled to know that we're going to be have some friends in the brewing industry downtown,” said New Holland partner Brett VanderKamp. “We believe that anybody who is offering good beer is good for the community ... We think that anything that offers the consumer more choices is a good thing. And we look forward to years of enjoyment.”
 Trevor Doublestein worked up a sweat Thursday afternoon working on the interior of 76 E. Eighth St. where he plans to launch "Our Brewing Company" LLC this fall. “I started a couple of weeks ago,” said Doublestein, a longtime homebrewer who has a background in construction. “We’re going to build our own tables, our own bar.”  Doublestein has a silent partner in Ada and is bringing a trained brewer, Ed Degalan, on staff.  The new business will be what brewers call a “nanobrewery,” with a variety of small-scale brews available, Doublestein said. He’ll repeat customer favorites, but much of the fare will be “small batches, constantly changing.”  There won’t be a kitchen serving hot food, but snacks such as popcorn and chips will be available to go along with the beer.  Customers will also be able to learn more about the brewing process at the place.
  A second bar featuring craft beer is in the works for a Holland Township location.  "Big Lake Brewing" LLC recently signed a lease, said partner Travis Prueter. He wouldn’t give the address of the location. The company is working to secure a liquor license from Holland Township.  “We’re just doing beer and wine — we’re not going to serve any hot food,” Prueter said. He and his two partners hope to open the company in eight to 10 months.

'How Beer Saved The World'

 Grab a beer, sit back and see 'How Beer Saved The World'  How_beer_saved_the_world

SURPRISE! MillerCoors Buys Assets Of Michigan Brewing Co.

 The assets of the former brewer of Kid Rock's Badass Beer have been acquired through auction by MillerCoors. According to beer insider website Beer Pulse, the Chicago-based joint venture acquired the equipment and brand trademarks of Michigan Brewing Co., best known for making the Kid Rock-branded brew. "We bought some of the assets of the Michigan Brewing Co. at auction with the primary intention of acquiring their brewery equipment, which is in excellent condition," MillerCoors spokesman Peter Marino told Beer Pulse.
  MillerCoors did not acquire the 76,000-square-foot Webberville brewing facility.
 An on-site restaurant drew customers in recent years to Michigan Brewing Co. and its craft beers won medals at the Great American Beer Festival. But founder Bobby Mason was evicted in April following foreclosure on the brewery.
 Kid Rock's camp last month said it was looking for a new brewer for Badass Beer, but conceded that could take beyond summer.