On Sunday, October 15, 2023, 2 Stones Events and SELCRA joined forces to host Growl-er Brewfest 2023, a dog-centric event that showcased local craft breweries and food trucks and featured the live musical talents of DownRiver Dan. You may be curious why we were there, considering we don’t have a dog as a companion. But we love dogs, beer, and cider, and live music. Plus, it was a lovely fall day, perfect for hanging out.
Growl-er Brewfest
We mosied over to Brighton, Michigan, for beer and puppy action. I’ve been to a lot of beer festivals (probably shouldn’t say that with such pride), but what caught my attention, aside from the adorable dogs, were the inviting blue chairs and the picnic tables. The atmosphere felt reminiscent of a classic park gathering, complete with live music to enjoy.
Beer Monkey sponsored the event. They had the genius idea to bring the football game with them. Plus, they had a fine display of their coolers and apparel.
Growl-er Brewfest Partners include:
- Beauchamp Water Treatment Solutions
- Cooper and Binkley Jewelers
- Planted Provisioning
- Explore Brighton Howell Area
- DogWatch of Southeastern MI
- Happy Paws Haven
Each of them had plenty of cool swag for the pups and their people.
A Spotlight on a Cider Revelation
Naturally, when I spotted Ore Creek’s booth at the Growl-er Brewfest, I made a beeline for it! I discovered Ore Creek Craft Cider while researching cider and kicking out several articles:
- Michigan’s hard cider renaissance: Orchards, entrepreneurs, and the future of an age-old beverage
- Hey, Beer Lovers! What you need to know about delicious Michigan Hard Cider
- A Tates of Michigan Hard Cider
If you haven’t been to the Ore Creek taproom in Pinckney, make plans right after reading this story and get out there. Their cider is wonderful, and the taphouse is an experience.
Savoring the Variety
Though tempted to use all my tickets at Ore Creek’s booth, I decided to spread the enjoyment and proceeded to my next destination: Trinchero Family Estate Wines. They had a wide assortment of Joel Gott wines to try.
Of course, I had to get Brewery Becker’s Hefeweizen. It was spectacular, with notes of banana bread. The original “hazy” beer, as our friend Dave Ringler out at Cedar Springs would say.
Recalling a Memorable Visit to Brewery Becker
A year ago, we visited Brewery Becker and took a journey back in time. We thank Annie Zipser of the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild for introducing us to Brewery Becker. She was kind enough to share her insights after Brenda spilled Annie’s beer at the Detroit Fall Beer Festival. Annie recommended Brewery Becker’s 1905 Amsdell IPA and their Hornindal raw beer. After tasting these beers, we knew we had to visit.
Brewery Highlights
Other breweries included:
- Block Brewing Company – Their blocktoberfest made for a malty treat.
- Eternity Brewing Company – Their light lager was perfect for kicking back and taking it easy
- Full Circle Brews – A new brewery in Brighton. Their oatmeal stout, with its dark roasted hint of coffee, is a fall celebration.
- Hartland Brewing – hit the mark with a wonderful Marzen! Prost
- Rivers Edge Brewery Co. – The Demo Days IPA was delightful and very refreshing
- North Center Brewing Co – Had a wide selection available, but the hit was the Bruise Berry kettle sour. Yum!
- Third Monk Brewery Co. – The Foot Fuel IPA may have a strange name, but it is a bright and clean IPA with a wonderful floral nose.
The Heart of the Festival
At the heart of the festivities were the blue chairs and Down River Dan strumming on his guitar. Many people were enjoying the food too. La Rotisserie was serving up chicken dishes, and Junkyard Pit Crew had your barbeque needs fully covered.
A Perfect Day in Brighton
Growl-er Brewfest boasted an impressive array of food, drinks, and music, but the beautiful pups were the undeniable stars of the show. You could see the joy in both the dogs and their humans as they enjoyed this special afternoon in Brighton. If you are looking for a relaxing afternoon with your furry friends, you can’t do better than Growl-er Brewfest.
Pictures
We’ve got more pictures from the Growl-er Brewfest in our gallery.
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