Craft Beer Conversations

Motor City Brewing Works is a landmark in the Michigan craft beer scene -- around since 1994, it's Detroit's oldest craft brewery. Zach ventured to the heart of the Cultural Center to sit down with industry veteran Pat Scanlon who is overseeing MCBW's production efforts. Pat looks back on the history of MCBW and what's next for this Detroit classic.

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Need help finding a brewery? Curious as to what many of Michigan's 400+ breweries feature? Well, good news today with the release of the Michigan Beer Map App from Better on Draft Media and MEFTEK, Zach spoke with Ken Konarzewski Jr. from Better on Draft to get a better idea of what the app has to offer and how it came to be. More information on the app (it's free on both Apple and Android platforms) can be found here.

Arctic Circle Brewing Company plans to open in April so Zach went out to Chesterfield Township to hang out with co-founders Eric Lehman Jr. and Deven Sills. The three talk about what it's taken to get to this point, how COVID forced them to pivot (hello, Kickstarter) and what to expect when the tap room doors finally fling open.

Check out their Kickstarter campaign by clicking HERE.

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Zach found himself in Novi, talking to the four brewers at Ascension Brewing Company about what it's like to not have a head brewer, how they've progressed throughout the pandemic, what drives their popular canning line and what lies ahead for Ascension.

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With one of the most thoughtful selections of craft beer / spirits / wine in metro Detroit, Holiday Market is a favorite destination for our boozy favorites. Zach hit up the downtown Royal Oak grocery story to talk with Beer Director Ashley Price about how he curates their offerings.

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2020 was a year like no other -- the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way metro Detroit craft breweries operated in a big way. But, Michigan isn't called the 'Great Beer State' for nothing. Zach not only looks back on the coronavirus and craft beer but looks beyond, discovering what makes local flavors so special.

HUGE THANKS TO: Michigan State University's College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Motor City Gas, Blake's Hard Cider, Jamex Brewing, Brown Iron Brewhouse, Dearborn Brewing, the Detroit Chapter of Girls Pint Out, Fillmore 13 Brewery, Ferndale Project, North Center Brewing Co., Detroit Beer Co., Royal Oak Brewery, Motor City Brew Tours, Witch's Hat Brewing Company, Batch Brewing Company and Brew Detroit!

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Brew Detroit started as a contract-only facility but the Corktown facility has been turning out it's own high caliber line of craft beers while producing some of the most notable state and regional brands. Zach toured the almost 70,000 square-foot facility with Head of Sales and Marketing, Dave Cicotte to understand how it all works.

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The Frankenmuth Brewery has been making beer since 1862, making it Michigan's oldest microbrewery and one of the oldest in America. Zach travels to the land of Bavaria and Christmas to chat with owner Haithem Sarafa and brewmaster Steve Buzka to find out what happens when history meets innovation in Michigan's most popular tourist spot.

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Batch Brewing Company has been around since 2015, repping Detroit's oldest neighborhood. The standard-setting brewery has seen a lot of changes in the last 5 years, but certainly over the last several months. One of their biggest innovations has been their charitable Feel Good Tap. Zach sits down with Batch Brewing Company founder Stephen Roginson for the full story.

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