Michigan has played a big part in the craft beer revolution. It is home to hundreds of breweries. The Great Lakes State even got rebranded as The Great Beer State a decade ago. Let’s take a closer look at some of Michigan's top beer makers.
Arclight Brewery on Main Street in Watervliet is first on the list. They offer several Fruited American Sours. In addition, Arclight offers numerous house brews along with a few specialty ales.
Batch Brewing Company is based in Detroit's Corktown. Batch has a varied lineup of specialized brews, wines and hard cider.
Bell’s Brewery of Comstock Township might be Michigan’s most well-known craft beer maker. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is loved by craft beer aficionados. Bell’s can be found in 45 of the 50 states.
Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette has a fine selection of year-round brews and seasonals as well. The pub also has Hoppy Seasonals, a Lager Series, and a Barrel-Aged Series.
Cadillac Straits Brewing Company of Madison Heights was founded in 2017. They offer a variety of exclusive beers on tap. Cadillac Straits has homemade root beer if you want a non-alcoholic drink.
Cheboygan Brewing Company is located off Lake Huron, a few miles southeast of Mackinaw City. They carry four flagship brews and two seasonal selections.
Copper Hop Brewing Company in St. Clair Shores is a highly rated spot. Copper Hop serves a wide variety of craft beers, ciders and wines.
Dark Horse Brewing Company of Marshall in Calhoun County is a cult favorite. Dark Horse merged with Roak Brewing Co. in late 2019. Their menu is loaded with good stuff.
Downey Brewing Company in Dearborn is a beer lover’s dream. Downey has plenty of unique offerings with a full spectrum of suds and craft seltzers.
Drafting Table Brewing Company of Wixom has quickly earned it’s reputation as a craft beer destination. Drafting Table’s taproom lists up to 16 different home made brews on draft. To add, they serve their own hard cider and beer slushies.
Dragonmead Brewery in Warren is an acclaimed beer maker at the vanguard of Michigan’s craft movement. They are famous for their Final Absolution, a beloved belgian trippel ale.
East Channel Brewing Company of Munising must be mentioned here. The U.P. brewery is south of Grand Island, mere blocks away from Lake Superior.
Eastern Market Brewing Co in Detroit has built a strong following of its own. That extends across the Canadian border to beer drinkers from the Great White North.
Ellison Brewery + Spirits in East Lansing is a fixture on the scene. They have a brewpub there and a tap room/event space in REO Town.
Founders Brewing Co. of Grand Rapids rates among the highest profile brewers in Michigan. Founders has been in existence for over a quarter century. They make quality brews across the board.
Griffin Claw Brewing Company in Birmingham has steadily grown into a favored brand. With two World Beer Cup awards, they clearly earned their place among the best.
Warren'sKuhnhenn Brewing is another standout of our state. Kuhnhenn makes a stellar Double Rice IPA (DRIPA) among others.
Many other brew houses in Michigan deserve a mention. Some of them in alphabetical order are:
Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery in Petoskey and The Mitten Brewing Company of Grand Rapids.
New Holland Brewing Company, not far from Lake Michigan. Railtown Brewing Company of Caledonia, on the outskirts of Grand Rapids.
River’s Edge Brewing Co. in Milford Charter Twp, merely steps away from the Huron River. Short’s Brewing Company of Bellaire is another leader in the industry.
A number of top brewers in the Metro Detroit area include: Tenacity Craft in Detroit, Unexpected Craft Brewing Company of Oak Park and Urbanrest Brewing Company in Ferndale.
A fun way to see these breweries would be by beer trail. Various trails exist in the Great Lakes State, such as:
Give a Craft Beer Trail of Kalamazoo https://www.discoverkalamazoo.com/food-drink/drinks-breweries/breweries/give-a-craft-beer-trail/
With dozens of craft breweries, Grand Rapids was branded Beer City, USA a decade ago. The Grand Rapids Beer City Ale Trail celebrates this hub of hops and malts. https://www.experiencegr.com/things-to-do/beer-city/
Holland Area Hops, Grains, Grapes and Grains Tour https://www.holland.org/hops-grapes-spirits
TC Ale Trail Traverse City https://www.traversecity.com/listings/tc-ale-trail/1244/
U.P. Brew Trail https://www.facebook.com/UPBrewTrail/
Cheers!