The 34th Annual Great American Beer Festival

  This is the granddaddy of them all, America’s oldest and largest craft beer festival. The scope of this event is insane: 60,000 attendees enjoying 3,500 beers from 750 breweries. In 2015 tickets sold out in about an hour. New additions to the fest included a Meet The Brewers Pavilion, …

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The IPA from St. James’s Gate

This is the fifth entry in the Brewers Project Series from one of the world’s most beloved beer brands. The good folks from Guinness were in town recently at Hubbard Inn for the 2nd stop on the 20-city North American tour to debut Nitro IPA. Chicago Beverage Systems will distribute …

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No Barley, No Beer

For the 2nd straight summer, we’re dedicating a story to the agricultural side of the beer experience. In 2014, we spent 4 days on one the most majestic hop farms in the world – Elk Mountain Farms. This year the focus was a media outreach event to a barley farm …

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Pitchfork Music Festival 10th Anniversary

  The annual Pitchfork Music Fest is the only local, 3 days summer bash to feature beers made in the neighborhood that it resides. Goose Island’s production facility on the Near West Side is just three blocks from Union Park. At least one of those beers went on to become …

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Believe In BBQ

The space at 560 W. Grand Ave in the past has been home to Riverfront Mayfest and Beerhoptacular, but never have we seen any party like this. Three days of beer, bbq and country music over 2 stages. And for good measure Jack Daniels set up a mini tour of …

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Miller Lite Extra Bases Club at The Cell

The Miller Lite Extra Bases Club made it’s debut this season at Sox Park. A key feature is that it’s no longer private suite like years past. Anyone with a ticket to the game can party in the 250-person event space. MillerCoors is the team’s official beer partner. The revamp …

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Summer Beer Cocktails

It’s the peak of the summer season. Here are a few ideas from downtown establishments with beer programs that easily get overlooked. Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap recently debuted Hop Signals – a smoked hop pale ale collaboration w Two Brothers that includes hops smoked in Jake Melnick’s Southern Pride Smoker! …

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The 8hr Summer Bash on Grandville Avenue SW

  Not sure what official numbers from Founders Fest 2015 were but there had to be about 4000 folks in attendance. It s the biggest annual event for Michigan’s finest brewery, a block party that features 8 bands and runs for 8hrs on Grandville Avenue. 85 degrees is certainly Summer …

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