The Michigan Brewers Guild, Master Brewers Association of Michigan, and Michigan State University Extension rally together for the annual Great Beer State Conference and Trade Show in Kalamazoo.
The annual Great Beer State Conference and Trade Show held at the Radisson Plaza in Kalamazoo once again offered an unique opportunity for everyone involved in Michigan’s craft beer community to share ideas, insights, and innovations. The bonus is a bevy of beautiful Michigan beers to enjoy as you learn, network, and catch up with your beer friends and family. Once again, we were proud to represent Life In Michigan as an allied member of the guild. We also happen to be ultra-mega Michigan beer enthusiasts—What’s not to love, right?
Trade Show
The guild hosted over 60 Allied members who took part in the trade show on the lower level of the Radisson Plaza. The show provides plenty of opportunities to discover products that keep a brewery running smoothly. It is also a space for meeting up with old and new friends over a beer.
This year, we were conveniently located next to John Liberty at Millcraft and one of the four beer stations. Talk about prime real estate.
Our prime location gave us the opportunity to talk with a lot of folks and make new friends. One of our new friends is Maddie from Ann Arbor Tees. She came over to let us know she loves our podcast! The crazy thing is, she isn’t family, and we didn’t have to pay her!
We even made a Life In Michigan hoodie sale to Ben Forche (Four Keys Brewing). Thanks, Ben!! I failed to get a shot of Ben and Lindsey. So now we have another reason to get our butts down to Blissfield for a visit to Four Keys.
Special Remarks from Director Tim Boring
Thursday at the conference included two special speakers. The first was Director Tim Boring from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). He spoke about the ways in which the department is working to uphold its mission to “ improve quality of life with the people of Michigan.”
Boring shared the department’s emphasis on a “soil health” approach to farming that focuses on increasing profitability through diversification and reduced input costs rather than simply adding more acreage. Coming from a six-generation family farm in Stockbridge, the concept of soil health plays out in crop diversity as well as a thoughtful approach to fertilizers.
The department is also keen on seeking ways to facilitate new agricultural businesses. There is a need to promote emerging careers that include not just farmers, but mechanics and veterinarians. It was clear listening to Tim Boring that a healthy ag business in Michigan is in step with a robust brewing industry. That synergy can be found in every pint.
Keynote from Ken Schramm
Fanboy and general manager Alec Mull (Bell’s Brewery) had the pleasure of introducing the keynote speaker, Ken Schramm. Ken is the co-founder and head mead maker at Schramm’s Mead in Ferndale. He is also the author of The Compleat Meadmaker (2003).
While the narrative coming out of the news showcases brewery closures and inclement forecasts, Ken feels that the outlook is actually good for the brewing industry. In fact, “the future’s so bright”, we may need to wear shades. This sentiment was reflected earlier, when Scott Graham (Executive Director, Michigan Brewers Guild) mentioned that attendance at the Great Beer State Conference was up for the first time since the pandemic. Tooting my own horn, I agree with Ken that the bad news is overplayed and wrote about it not long ago.
Ken went on to share a fascinating story on the long history of humans and alcohol. Our genetic ability to metabolize alcohol goes back 9 million years to our early ancestors. This gift is expressed in the ADH1 gene. We have been making alcoholic beverages, particularly beer, for thousands of years. In fact, the oldest continuous brewery is Weihenstephan in Freising, Germany. Ken mentioned that he hopes to be around and take his team to the 1000th anniversary in 2040.
Using history, Ken relayed how we have seen numerous highs and lows in the brewing industry, citing the pandemic in 1918, immediately followed by Prohibition. The most recent pandemic was a significant setback, yet Ken Schramm sees the industry pulling out of this toward a brighter future.
Ken wrapped up with a call to action. The giant corporate alcohol manufacturers (including beer, NA, and spirits) have dominated the press. Belittling craft beer in favor of their mega-swill. He feels that craft beverages need to work on controlling the narrative by telling stories about the communities they serve.
After Ken’s talk, I felt a renewed spark to shout the praises of Michigan beer. We truly live in a state gifted with a lot of talented local craftspersons who create remarkable beverages.
Session Highlights: Education, Mental Health, and No More Tokens
There were many great sessions at the Great Beer State Conference. As a non-brewer, a few were way over my head. For example, Jay Green (Brewer – Perrin Brewing) mentioned that he learned a ton at the A Practical Brewer’s View of pH presented by Ashton Lewis (RahrBSG).
I was happily surprised by the Brewing Education in Michigan session, which introduced me to the variety of brewing education opportunities in Michigan. Presenters included Cory Emal (Eastern Michigan University), Abbie Groff-Blasak (Grand Rapids Community College), Aaron Rose (Kalamazoo Valley Community College), Dr. Nicole Shriner (Michigan State University), and Annette May (Schoolcraft College). Each program offering is unique, and these schools cover the gamut from brewing and distilling technology to research. People of any age looking to get into the brewing industry can definitely get a jumpstart at one of these schools.
The guild is making concerted efforts to address mental wellness. Part of that effort included training on suicide prevention (presented by Six Feet Over) and supporting mental health and wellness.
While it may not sound like much fun, I found the conversation during the Government Affairs Panel very interesting. Scott Breslin (Public Affairs Associates) examined the candidates for the 2026 race for Michigan’s next governor. Scott Newman-Bale (Short’s Brewing) highlighted the legislative victories for the brewing industry. One key win is the ability for brewery taprooms to sell NA beers that they did not produce. Another big win for beer festival goers is no more tokens. You simply buy an entry ticket and enjoy samples of great Michigan beer. This applies to all licensed Michigan beer festivals. Goodbye, little yellow buckets!
Behind The Beer Dinner
Fred Bueltmann (Red Horse Center for Collaborative Leadership, aka “The Beervangelist”) is one of the masterminds behind the massive beer-and-food-pairing dinner at the conference. The food and beer pairings span the diversity of styles in both the culinary and brewsology worlds. Four dinner stations and one dessert station let you try Pad Thai with a Brew Detroit Winter Lager. Or dig into Churrasco flank steak and Batch Brewing’s HEAP New Zealand Pils. Or feast on Coq Au Vin with Brewery Outre’s Rosé.
This year, Fred offered us a special behind-the-scenes peek into the dinner preparations. We met with Lindsay Davies, who is the logistical grand master and producer of the Great Beer State Dinner. She gave us a tour of the bakery and kitchen areas.
The bakery team was busy prepping a dazzling array of delicious delights.
In the kitchen, we met with Executive Chef John Mendles as the kitchen team worked to slice succulent roasted pork loin and deep fry the Tempura Broccoli and Cauliflower. Chef Mendles shared that the Great Beer State pairing dinner is one of the biggest and most diverse menus that he prepares each year. I had the distinct feeling he enjoys the challenge of coming up with a variety of textures and flavors to challenge Fred in the pairings.
Lindsay revealed her extensive playbook, which factors in every detail of the dinner with clockwork precision. While the bustle of executing this event is a monumental endeavor, Lindsay seems at ease under pressure. A sure sign of a master at work.
While the work behind the scenes is fast-paced, detailed, and demanding, everyone working was beaming with pride. Seeing these artists at work and experiencing the finished product, I had a deeper appreciation for this highly imaginative and sumptuous pairing dinner. Many thanks to Fred, Lindsay, John, and their hardworking teams for an outstanding pairing dinner.
Awards
Chinook Cup
The annual Hop Growers of Michigan Chinook Cup featured the best in Michigan hops. During the judging, the room filled with hop samples smelled fabulous as brewers evaluated each sample.
Alec Mull announced the winners, noting that all the samples were superb. Second place was a tie between Top Hops Farm and Acadia Farms. The winner was Hop Head Farms.
The contest had a bittersweet quality as a number of hop farms in Michigan have struggled to stay in business despite producing some of the finest hops in the world. This was made evident as Alec mentioned that Hop Head Farms had shut down as of December 2025. Let’s hope that more Michigan brewers see the enormous value in using quality Michigan hops and keep those still in the game going strong.
Defender Of Michigan Beer Award
The Defender Of Michigan Beer Award is given in recognition of legislators in Michigan who strive to support and defend the Michigan craft beer industry. This year’s award was presented by Scott Newman-Bale to State Representative Joe Aragona for his work supporting Michigan beer. As an added bonus, Scott gave Representative Arago a special IPA brewed by Short’s. The can art features Aragona and his rescue dog Etna.
Tom Burns Award
The Tom Burns Award honors those who embodied the pioneering spirit of the Michigan brewing community. This year’s award was presented by Scott Graham to Chas Thompson. If you’ve been to any of the Michigan Brewers Guild festivals, you have seen Chas leading in the setup of each event. He is the guy on the microphone leading the fight song and helping tap the celebratory firkin. Behind the scenes, Chas also provides IT support for the guild and so much more. I can’t think of a better person to receive this award, given his tireless efforts to support and promote Michigan beer.
Looking Forward
While we aren’t in the brewing business, we are lovers of Michigan beer and the people involved in this industry. In my gut, I feel that Ken Schramm is on the money. The future of Michigan beer is bright. The breweries in our state produce the best beer in the world. I’m looking forward to celebrating Michigan beer with you all in Grand Rapids at the Winter Beer Fest in February.
Stop by the gallery for more photos from the Great Beer State Conference and Trade Show.
Become a Supporter!
We warmly invite you to join our Life In Michigan community. Your support is not just appreciated—it is essential. It enables us to continue sharing the unique and captivating stories that showcase Michigan in all its vibrant glory. Whether you buy us a beer, treat yourself to a snuggly warm hoodie, or provide ongoing support through Substack, every contribution helps enhance our mission.
If our content resonates with you, we encourage you to become ambassadors of our stories. Share our work on your social media or forward a link to someone who would appreciate it as much as you do. Your support, in any form, breathes life into our cause and keeps the spirit of Life in Michigan thriving.
Thank you for being a vital part of our community.
Stay Connected
We’d love it if you liked our Facebook page. Better yet, subscribe to our Sunday Sip newsletter through Substack. You can also find us on Instagram.
