Weekend Beer Events - August 4-7

We're halfway through the week...time to start thinking about the weekend!  Seth and I will be at the 2nd Annual in Elk Rapids this Saturday.  Sounds like it's going to be an really fun time and we hope to see you there!  If not, there are still plenty of other Michigan beer events going on.  It's going to be another hot and humid weekend, so get out there and enjoy some cold, refreshing Michigan beer!

Thursday, August 4th:

Hot Glass + Cold Beer
Time:  5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost:  $55 tickets and $200 VIP tickets available.
Venue:  Glass Academy
Address:  25331 Trowbridge, Dearborn 48124
Details: "A spectacular glassblowing beer tasting event on August 4, 2011 from 5-10pm. New this year: Green Handcrafted Glass Tumblers! Enjoy Michigan Breweries, Food Samples from Amazing Restaurants and Vendors, and LIVE Glassblowing! Get your tickets now because this event will sell out!"

UNIQUE Michigan Craft Beers Event
Time:  4:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Cost:  $25
Venue:  Mercy's
Address:  300 S. Thayer, Ann Arbor, MI
Details:  "We will be showcasing over 30 beers from:
Wolverine State Brewing, Ann Arbor Brewing Co, Bell’s, Arcadia, Shorts, Jolly Pumpkin, Dark Horse, and more.  Appetizers and finger foods included."

Cask conditioned ale tapping at Fort Street Brewery
Time:  8:00 pm to 2:00 am
Cost:  Varies depending on the beer
Venue:  Fort Street Brewery
Address:  1660 Fort St., Lincoln Park, MI
Details:  A new cask is tapped every Thursday.  For more information, call 313-389-9620


Friday, August 5th:

Hop Field Day & Tour
Time:  8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Cost:  $25 per person which includes lunch and transportation by charter bus.
Venue:  MSU Horticultural Station
Address:  6686 South Center Highway, Traverse City
Details:  "Offered by Michigan State University Extension. Participants will meet at the MSU Horticultural Research Statio, 6686 South Center Highway, and travel to Doug Periard’s hop yard near Suttons Bay, New Mission Organic’s hop yard near Omena for tours and then to Empire Hops Farm for lunch and a tour of their processing operation, then return to the Research Station for a research update, followed by an educational beer tasting led by local brewers.

This field day is for hop growers and anyone interested in hops production and harvesting. The cost is $25 per person which includes lunch and transportation by charter bus. Some costs are being defrayed by a USDA OREI grant and the Michigan Restaurants Association."

New Holland Brewing Co. Backyard Beer-B-Q
Time:  5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost:  No cover charge
Venue:  New Holland Brewing Co.
Address:  66 East 8th St., Holland, MI
Details: "Our Backyard Beer-B-Q Series 2011 has begun! Every Friday we’ll be grillin’ on our back patio starting at 5pm. Each week we’ll have a different recipe using a New Holland beer. Grab your favorite NHB brew and rock out to the classics by your buds."

Free Mead Tasting at B. Nektar Meadery
Time: 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost: Free
Venue: B. Nektar Meadery
Address:  1505 Jarvis, Suite B, Ferndale, MI 48220
Details: "Mead is one of the oldest forms of fermented beverages.  At it’s most basic, mead is a simple wine fermented from honey, water and yeast.  B. Nektar’s award-winning meads start with good quality raw honey and then improvise from there.
On the first and 3rd Friday of every month, B. Nektar opens its doors to the public.  Taste a wide selection of the meads, talk to our meadmakers about what we do, meet other mead enthusiasts and homebrewers, and see where the magic happens- all for absolutely free.  It’s a great time- all that’s missing is you!"


Saturday, August 6th:


2nd Annual Short's Fest
Time:  6:00 pm to 12:00 am
Cost:  Admission is free. Drink tokens cost $3 and are redeemable for Short’s beer or Short’s homemade soda pop.
Venue:  Short's Elk Rapids Production Brewery
Address:  211 East C Loomis Drive, Elk Rapids‎ MI‎ 49629
Details:  "Join us during Harbor Days in Elk Rapids for the 2nd Annual Short’s Fest. We created this event last year and it was a huge success… so this year we decided to make it even better. Features include: free admission – all ages welcome; 20 Short’s Brews on tap, include 3 real ales; natural, alcohol-free soda brewed by Joe Short; food from the Blue Pelican; unveiling of the S.S. Honey Badger (Short’s new beer truck!); plus live music by Valentiger from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Short’s Fest will also be a great place to watch the Harbor Days Fireworks! Be sure to embrace the “Short’s” theme by wearing your favorite cargo shorts or cut-offs!"

Copper Canyon Brewery Presents Beerposium #25 -- Session Beers
Time:  5:00 pm
Cost:  Reservations will be taken as seating is limited. $20 in advance $25 day of event. You will get at least 12 different beverages.
Venue:  Copper Canyon Brewery
Address:  27522 Northwestern Hwy, Southfield, MI
Details:  "Session Beer is a relatively new term (earliest ref appears to be in the 1980's), however, “session” is a term that dates back to WWI. During WWI, workers were allowed to go to the pub in two different 4 hr “sessions” and at the time beer strength was mandated by law and high tariffs. So, effectively, it was a time where one could go to the pub, have several beers in a “session” and not stagger home. Here we are doing a tasting of beers under 4.5%. Remarkably, there are many beers out there that fulfill this standard and are still quite tasty. You will be surprised by the variability of beers and styles that will be represented. These are the perfect beers of summer, where you want a couple to quench your thirst, yet allow you to finish the work at hand."


Sunday, July 3rd:

Microbrew Tastings with The Traverse City Tall Ship Co.
Time:  All day
Cost:  $50 per person
Venue:  Traverse City Tall Ship Co.
Address:  13390 S.W. Bay Shore Dr., Traverse City, MI 49684
Details:  "Join us on Sunday evenings aboard the tall ship Manitou (mid-June through Labor Day) for a sampling of superb local beer from Short’s Brewing Company , paired with Traverse City’s own Crusted Creations pizza.  For more information please call 231-941-2000 or 800-678-0383. "

Open Jazz Jam Session at HopCat
Time:  7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost:  No cover
Venue:  HopCat
Address:  25 Ionia SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Details:  "Every Sunday night West Michigan's jazz artists and jazz fans will have a place to relax and hang and get together for an 'old skool' jam session at HopCat in downtown Grand Rapids. After the first set, competent musicians and serious jazz students will be invited to join the trio hosted by drummer Randy Marsh. There may be an occasional Organissimo sighting when Jim Alfredson is home off the road."