[Metromode] Fermenta galvanizes women in Michigan's craft beverage industry

ANGIE WILLIAMS AT GRIFFIN CLAW BREWERY - DAVID LEWINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY

As a writer and a woman, I tend to feel a bit uneasy about writing about women in various industries in a way that is pointedly exclusive of men. "Listicles" proclaiming "Top 10 Female Brewers" irk me endlessly – why can't it just be "Top 10 Brewers" with a mix of men and women? The separate designation is akin to saying that women aren't really good enough to hold their own against men, thus necessitating their own special "lady list."

Read more.

[HOT LIST] Your EID Holiday Shopping Guide

Two James Spirits. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

There's one week until Christmas - time to start shopping!!! Allow me to make it easy on you: buy them booze. Why? Because everyone likes booze. (Except people who don't drink. Don't buy them booze. But everyone else likes booze.) Here's a few (several!) ideas for booze-themed gifts to give this holiday season.

Schramm's Made in Michigan basket.

#1 Buy them booze baskets
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a basket full of booze. Schramm's Mead in Ferndale is offering two different gift baskets in $40 and $60 price points. The larger basket features all items made in Michigan. 8 Degrees Plato in Ferndale has customizable gift buckets (as in ice buckets), which you can choose to stock full of craft beer and any combination of artisan foods, beer stemware, beer-themed gift items like beer bottle cap jewelry made by a local artist, beer books, and more.

Merchant's Fine Wine in Dearborn is making customized gift baskets from their extensive assortment of imported and craft beers, as well as wine, coffee, tea, chocolates, cheese and sausage, and whatever else they carry (which I don't  really know because I never make it past the beer section…it's a big store!). The Wine Garden in St. Clair Shores also has customizable gift baskets which can include anything from their selection of craft beer (they pay extra close attention to the Belgians) as well as their large selection of wines, their custom-built cigar humidor, and their exceptional selection of whiskeys and bourbons (one of the best in the state - get your George Dickel bottles there right now, and nowhere else).

Specialty meads from Superior Lakes at the Wine Garden.

#2 Buy them straight-up booze
Alcohol is the perfect holiday gift for those you don't know what to buy. It says, "I don't really know what you like, but I know you like to drink." Michigan's craft booze scene - beer, mead, cider, spirits, even wine (yes, wine counts) - has been exploding in recent years, and, as is typically the case with fast-growing industries, this has been the biggest year yet. This holiday season, give the gift that says you're thoughtful, you support the local economy, and you also have taste.

While Founders and Bell's get all the accolades from the chest-thumpers on Beer Advocate and the media outlets that troll them for their listicles, the reality is New Holland's Dragon's Milk is probably the best bourbon barrel aged stout being made in our state. (SHHHHHHHHHH, DON'T TELL ANYONE.) But don't take my word for it. (No but really, do.)

Valentine Distilling in Ferndale now has two vodkas, a gin, and a whiskey on store shelves, but stop by the distillery itself to pick up some of their barrel-aged gin, an extra-special gift for spirits connoisseurs. Or give them a taste of Detroit history with a bottle from Two James Spirits, the first licensed distillery in the city of Detroit since before Prohibition. The bottles alone are pieces of art. Plus they come with booze in them.

Heed the mead with a little something special (as in, special release) from Schramm's, B. Nektar, Superior Lakes, or Kuhnhenn. Or brave the crowds at Kuhnhenn this weekend for their special Winter Solstice bottle release - all the big, burly beers and meaty meads their rapid fans wait all year for. It's kind of a big deal.

Craft Box + custom buckets from 8 Degrees.

#3 Buy them booze subscriptions
What's better than the gift of booze? The gift of booze 12 times. 8 Degrees Plato now offers a monthly "Craft Box" club membership. With a one-time membership fee of a whopping $5, members get access to a monthly Craft Box selection featuring craft beers, ciders, artisan foods, and beer-themed goodies. The boxes are $45 each month.

Great Lakes Coffee in Midtown now offers BWC (beer - wine - coffee) clubs. Sign up for a monthly subscription for beer ($25), wine ($40), coffee ($30), or all three ($85), all of the exceptional quality and quirky caliber you've come to expect from the folks at IFAD. Email andrew@greatlakescoffee.com to get signed up, or to sign someone else up.

#5 Buy them books about booze
First, buy the two books I was somewhat involved with: Ann Arbor Beer: A Hoppy History of Tree Town Brewing and Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insider's Guide to Detroit. Both are amazing. Because they in some way involve me.

Aside from those, also pick up the newly-released Detroit's Historic Eastern Market, written by Eastern Market's vice president of business development Randall Fogelman and writer Lisa Rush. This book is part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing.

Also newly-released is Michigan's Best Beer Guide, a comprehensive guide to all of Michigan's breweries and brewpubs. (But with how fast this industry is growing, it won't be comprehensive for long.)

#6 Buy them furniture made out of booze barrels
DEAR FRIENDS, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY FOR ME, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING. New Holland (I LOVE YOU GUYS) has started re-purposing their used barrels into crafty furniture pieces - with a special emphasis on Dragon's Milk, MICHIGAN'S BEST BBA STOUT BUT DON'T TELL ANYONE BECAUSE THEN IT WILL BE RUINED. The BarrelWorks Project shop is now live.

#7 Buy them booze clothing and accessories
Got a man who likes his ties as much as he likes his whiskey? BAM - whiskey ties. Detroit tie lab and international sensation Cyberoptix has whiskey and beer-themed ties. Order them online or pick up the whiskey tie at the Emerald, an independently-owned store inside the Park Shelton in Midtown. Hugh in Midtown has all sorts of crystal beerware, cocktail accoutrements, and vintage ice buckets, but I'm particularly partial to the tiki mugs, because tiki mugs.

#8 Buy them booze-infused foods and mixers
Speaking of Hugh, they are the first retail outlet to carry Wolf Moon, a local partnership with McClure's Pickles producing artisan cocktail mixers. Just add booze! (For that, see #2.) Read more about Wolf Moon here. And speaking of McClure's, it's still the best damn Bloody Mary mix on the market, the end. Always good for gifts with a nice bottle of vodka. (Or gin! Tequila even, like Blue Nectar, another Michigan-made product.) And speaking of mixers! Order a hand-crafted seasonal syrup (or six) from Voigt's Soda House, available for pick-up in store or delivery (for orders over $50). For sodas. But really for cocktails.

You still have time to order some beer mustard, beer soap, and hop candy from Founders. Plus, Rock City Eatery will be selling bourbon/butterscotch/pecan and sweet potato whiskey pies (and two other flavors not boozey) on December 23 and 24, first-come first-serve. (He sold out within minutes on Thanksgiving so, you know. Can only make so many pies in that oven and spend so many hours not sleeping.)

[NEWS BITES] Tickets to FestivALE at One-Eyed Betty's are now on sale

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 23, and don't plan on doing anything else. One-Eyed Betty's is hosting a monster FestivALE – a fall festival for all! (Or a festivus for the rest of us, if you must.)

What started out as a beer tent to coincide with the Ferndale DDA's 5k obstacle course nighttime run (a fundraising effort for their holiday events) has turned into a full-scale holiday festival with lots of food and beer and entertainment – like fire dancers, aerialists, and stilt-walkers, plus music from Americana bluegrass bands like the Appleseed Collective.

The DDA approached Beth Hussey, owner of One-Eyed Betty's, about hosting a beer tent for the 1,000 runners they expect at their event. She agreed, then figured, "If I'm going to do a beer tent I might as well turn it into a thing and make it a big deal."

And oh, IT'S A BIG DEAL. FestivALE will feature all seasonal and holiday beers, including some very special limited releases and rare imports. The whole concept is based around Christmas beers – those high-octane specialty releases like St. Bernardus Christmas Ale and Delerium Noel. There will be several local breweries pouring samples of seasonal and limited releases from Bell's, Dark Horse, and Arbor Brewing, all set up in an outdoor tent like at the Michigan Brewers Guild festivals. Plus Short's will have a 30-tap takeover going on inside. There will also be a special one-off Christmas beer booth with scheduled tappings of extremely limited kegs of rare and unusual beers from St. Bernardus, Petrus, Unibroue, Van Eeecke, and more (some of these kegs are the only ones allotted to the state of Michigan). Harpoon with also be there with kegs of their Winter Warmer and their ciders, available for the first time in kegs.

Since this is the Saturday before Thanksgiving and right as we all get into the full holiday swing, the food will also be equally as special as the beer. They'll have a "roast beast" dinner of whole pig, goat, and lamb, all served as finger food in rolls or tortillas with complementary sauces. Beth is also having a giant tartiflette pan custom-made by local metalworker Richard Gage to make the traditional cold weather comfort food of Franco-Swiss origin made with potatoes, Reblochon cheese, lardons and onions (they'll put their own spin on it, naturally). And there will be a six-foot-long apple strudel.

"We're really going for a different kind of feel than other festivals," Beth says. "We just want it to be a really awesome party with really great beer, really great food, and a really great atmosphere."

Another awesome food and drink festival in Ferndale that puts all others to shame? I'm in.

Tickets to FestivaALE are now on sale! $20 advance/$25 at the door.

[EID Events] October 9-November 2

ONGOING

Ferndale Restaurant Week, through October 13
More here.

Dine Drink Detroit, October 10-16
More here.

THIS WEEKEND 

(revolver) Dinner with the Cook's Crossing, Hamtramck, October 11
The new communal-style chef's tasting dinner is now taking reservations for October 11 but hurry, only 35 seats are available. Read more about them here and make your reservations.

Farmington FoodaPollooza, Riley Park, Farmington, October 13
Farmington's first-ever food truck rally is hosted by Off the Beaten Path Books, Grow Farmington, and KickstART Farmington and will have four food trucks and live music.

Good Food Gathering, Plymouth Michigan Gathering Space, Plymouth, October 13
A celebration of all things Michigan-made, hosted by Door-to-Door Organics.

AND BEYOND

Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak Beer Dinner, Forest Grill, Birmingham October 14
Five courses featuring the beers of Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak as well as some Civilized Spirits. Tickets are $70pp.

The Great Pumpkin Feast at the Root, White Lake October 16
Every course features pumpkin as a highlighted ingredient with beer pairings from, naturally, Jolly Pumpkin Brewery. Seats still available.

Michigan Craft Beer Gala, Karl's Cabin, Plymouth October 16
Featuring a chef's buffet including items like pate and charcuterie as well as 10 3-oz. samples of Michigan craft beers from Witch's Hat, New Holland, Right Brain and Liberty Street.

Salumi Dinner by Righteous Rojo at Zingerman's Events, Ann Arbor, October 16
A selection of salumi (as well as vegetarian options) will be served from 5-10 p.m. or until they run out of food. No seating times; just drop on by.

Detroit Beer Week, October 17-27
New Official Beer Destinations now and events are being announced daily; follow the Facebook page for updates.
~Rock City Eatery Food + Beer Specials featuring Dark Horse, October 17-27
~Sammie, Soup + Beer Combo Special at Mudgie's all through DBW, October 17-27 
~Afternoon Delight Daily at Woodbridge Pub, October 17-27
~Griffin Claw's Brewmaster Dan Rogers at Woodbridge Pub, October 17
~Short's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 19
~Orange + Black Party at Woodbridge Pub, October 20
~New Holland Double-Header at Woodbridge Pub, October 21
~Kill All the ZomBEEs at Foran's, October 21
~Arbor Brewing Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 23
~Bell's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 24
~Cans for Cans at Green Dot Stables, October 24 
~Beer Fest Hangover Brunch at Woodbridge Pub, October 27

Windsor Craft Beer Festival, Windsor October 18-19
Right on the other side of the Detroit River lies the exotic land of Windsor-Essex, and lo and behold they brew beer there. Can't wait for Fall Beer Fest in Eastern Market? Get prepped the weekend before with this celebration of craft beer heritage in Windsor-Essex in historic Olde Walkerville.

WindsorEats Bikes + Beers Cycling Tour (Beer Fest Edition), Windsor October 19
Visit local beerie establishments by bike then end your tour at Windsor's inaugural craft beer festival.

(revolver) Dinner with Rubbed, Hamtramck, October 18-19
The European-style deli and sandwich shopping opening soon in Corktown will present this five-course dinner at (revolver). Two seatings are available each day.

Theatre Bizarre: The Procession, the Masonic Temple, Detroit October 18-19
New this year is a Preview Gala on Friday night. Limited tickets are available for this intimate event where masks are mandatory and masqueraders are led through a strolling dinner and scheduled performances. On Saturday, join the Procession.

West Village Biergarten, West Village, Detroit, October 19-20
Hatch Detroit and the Villages of Detroit present this pop-up beer garden to introduce Phase II of the Detroit Lions Living for the Neighborhood Initiative in West Village.

Halloween Harry Potter Hogwarts Feast at the Old Town Hall, Farmington October 19
Off the Beaten Path Books presents this Harry Potter-themed Halloween feast in Farmington. Dress in your wizardly best and allow the sorting hat to decide if you are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or (shudder) Slytherin. (There are only 25 seats per table so not everyone can be Gryffindor.) There will be house tables and house cups, butter beer, and readings from the Harry Potter books. Artisan Knitworks in downtown Farmington will also have knit kits available to make your own house scarves and earn your house extra points (okay, so houses will be sorted in advance). Tickets are $25.

Sweater Weather, Boston-Edison, Detroit, October 19
This event is hosted by 826michigan and will be held inside a historic mansion in the Boston-Edison district. Food by Righteous Rojo.

Kung Food Pop-Up Dinner After the Shanghai Ballet, Music Hall, downtown Detroit October 20
Following the performance of The Butterfly Lovers (China's own Romeo and Juliet) by the Shanghai Ballet at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, enjoy a dinner with local Asian food pop-up Kung Food. Combo tickets are $50.

Sundaylicious, MotorCity Wine, Corktown, October 20
This Sunday's food feature is a raw bar from Chef Robert Scherer of the London Chop House.

Michigan Brewers Guild Fall Beer Festival, Eastern Market October 25-26
As if this needs any kind of explanation.

Wrestlemania Halloween at Green Dot Stables, Corktown October 31
Break out your '80s spandex for a Wrestlemania Halloween at everyone's favorite slider joint, Green Dot Stables. There will be food and drink specials and theme music. 

Dia de los Muertos at Imperial, Ferndale November 1-2
Remember when they did this last year and it was amazing? Well, they're doing it again. Details TBA. For now, set those dates aside. 

[NEWS BITES] Introducing Ferndale Restaurant Week + FestivALE

The Burger Brawl winner at One-Eyed Betty's.

Fall is a time for food. We can officially ditch the summer diets and stop worrying about having a "bikini body" (or, for some of us, just continue going on with business as usual but with the relief that comes from knowing we can hide all our rolls under bulky sweaters and snazzy leather jackets) and stuff our faces with the unparalleled bounty of fall foods. Pumpkins and apples and Bambis and Thumpers and doughnuts and pie and all the other rich, fattening, flavorful comfort foods we deny ourselves when it's 90 degrees outside if for no other reason than the fact that it's 90 degrees outside.

So it makes sense that there are a millionjillionfafillion fall-themed food events going on this year because it's fall and fall is awesome. Coming up next is the brand-new Ferndale Restaurant Week, an effort from the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority chaired by Beth Hussey, co-owner of One-Eyed-Betty's.

Beth, who previously spent a couple of years in Grand Rapids and dealing with all of the ArtPrize shenanigans and restaurant week events out there, had been wanting to do something similar in Ferndale for awhile. But she didn't want it to be a "normal" restaurant week – she wanted to really put in the effort to make it cool.

Since Ferndale is home to a wide variety of restaurants and food spots – casual, upscale, breakfast and lunch only, ice cream shops, beer and burger bars – Ferndale Restaurant Week offers a wide variety of options so you can experience everything Ferndale has to offer at prices that make sense for the individual businesses.

The Ferndale Restaurant Week website.

"It's as easy as one-two-three," Beth says, and the website was designed with that in mind. With food options set at $10, $20, and $30 price points; offerings for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner; and options for one or two people, Ferndale Restaurant Week offers the most variety and the most flexibility. Visit the website for the full breakdown of who's offering what with notations next to their names.

23 restaurants in downtown Ferndale are participating in this event, which will be held twice annually in the spring and fall (basically it's most of them). The website will live year-round as a resource for restaurants in downtown Ferndale and participating restaurants will benefit from year-round visibility and promotion.

This first edition of Ferndale Restaurant Week will be held October 7-13.

But that's not all Beth has in the works.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 23, and don't plan on doing anything else. One-Eyed Betty's is hosting a monster FestivALE – a fall festival for all! (Or a festivus for the rest of us, if you must.)

What started out as a beer tent to coincide with the Ferndale DDA's 5k obstacle course nighttime run (a fundraising effort for their holiday events) has turned into a full-scale holiday festival with lots of food and beer and entertainment – like fire dancers, aerialists, and stilt-walkers, plus music from Americana bluegrass bands like the Appleseed Collective.

The DDA approached Beth about hosting a beer tent for the 1,000 runners they expect at their event. She agreed, then figured, "If I'm going to do a beer tent I might as well turn it into a thing and make it a big deal."

And oh, IT'S A BIG DEAL. FestivALE will feature all seasonal and holiday beers, including some very special limited releases and rare imports. The whole concept is based around Christmas beers – those high-octane specialty releases like St. Bernardus Christmas Ale and Delerium Noel. There will be several local breweries pouring samples of seasonal and limited releases including (so far) Bell's, Dark Horse, Arbor Brewing, and (99% sure) Short's, all set up in an outdoor tent like at the Michigan Brewers Guild festivals. There will also be a special one-off Christmas beer booth with scheduled tappings of extremely limited kegs of rare and unusual beers (some of these kegs are the only ones allotted to the state of Michigan). Harpoon with also be there with kegs of their Winter Warmer and their ciders, available for the first time in kegs.

Since this is the Saturday before Thanksgiving and right as we all get into the full holiday swing, the food will also be equally as special as the beer. They'll have a "roast beast" dinner of pig, goat, and lamb, all served as finger food in rolls or tortillas with complementary sauces. Beth is also having a giant tartiflette pan custom-made by local metalworker Richard Gage to make the traditional cold weather comfort food of Franco-Swiss origin made with potatoes, Reblochon cheese, lardons and onions (they'll put their own spin on it, naturally). And there will probably be a six-foot-long apple strudel.

"We're really going for a different kind of feel than other festivals," Beth says. "We just want it to be a really awesome party with really great beer, really great food, and a really great atmosphere."

Another awesome food and drink festival in Ferndale that puts all others to shame? I'm in.

UPDATE: Tickets to FestivaALE are now on sale!

[Fox News] Fall foliage road trip along Michigan's Upper Peninsula

At the top of Brockway Mountain on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Fall colors are as short-lived as they are glorious. While there's no shortage of beautiful mountain ranges, national forests, and wooded shorelines in the U.S. to enjoy this season, Michigan's Upper Peninsula offers some of the most rugged terrain and diverse natural scenery you'll find anywhere. A driving tour across the U.P., as it's known, will let you take in all of the stunning scenery, outdoor recreation opportunities, and delicious food and beer.

The U.P. is vast. It stretches some 384 miles from east to west, and has 4,300 inland lakes and 1,700 miles of shoreline on three Great Lakes. Much is forest, so you'll be able to take in all of the reds, oranges, golds, and greens of the season.

Read more.

Want to see more? View over 200 fall photos taken last year in the U.P. here. 

[EID Events] September 26-29, 2013

The Big Top Beer Tent and carnival setup, part of Rochester Mills' annual Oktoberfest celebration.

Ongoing

Hamtramck Food Week through September 28
Don't miss the final days of the first-ever Hamtramck Food Week going on now! $10 dinners at 10 participating locations and a whole lot more. Like trivia night tonight at Small's!

Detroit Restaurant Week through September 29
Just because you haven't made reservations yet doesn't mean you're completely SOL. Could be someone cancels and you could squeeze in, you never know. Or go somewhere like the Rattlesnake, put your name in, then head across the street to Andrew's on the Corner and knock a few back while you wait for a table. That sounds like a plenty good time.

Michigan Renaissance Festival, through September 29
I realize this isn't for everyone. If you hate fantasy and fun, you'll probably hate this. But for those who enjoy a bit of whimsy, Faire is fabulous. Whether you're in garb or not, Ren Fest is a blast every single year. Lots to eat and drink and see and do and buy. (Like leather! So much leather! And silver things! And shiny things!) Plus there's the Guinness Pub, which is pretty much the epicenter of fun-having.

Bastone Brewery Oktoberfest, through October 13
Bastone is now serving their annual Oktoberfest menu with their popular Rocktoberfest lager and special edition beer glasses.

Tonight

Slows Oktoberfest, 4:00-8:00 p.m.
The annual Oktoberfest party at Slows. Several seasonal kegs will be tapped, plus there will be homemade sausage and sauerkraut.

A2 Art and Brew, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Like Ann Arbor's Artini martini crawl, but with beer.

Rochester Mills Oktoberfest 2013, Tonight through September 29
Little Bavaria in downtown Rochester, complete with ceremonial keg-tappings, polka and lederhosen.

DIFFA: Dining by Design Tonight through Saturday
The annual Michigan AIDS Coalition fundraiser features over 30 over-the-top dining installations from the area's top talent in interior design, art, and architecture. The event starts tonight with Cocktails by Design, followed by the ArtWorks art auction tomorrow and the Gala Dinner on Saturday. There is also a public preview on Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. that's only $5.

Rap + Noodles at Green Dot Stables, 10:30 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Late night noodles (with a different featured bowl every month), DJs Frankie Banks with guests, $2 Sapporo, no cover. Every last Thursday of the month.

Friday, September 27

Plymouth Restaurant Week, through October 5
Has enough of restaurant weeks yet? Well, here's another one! This one's in Plymouth and features three-tier pricing.

Beer and BBQ at the Dearborn Historical Museum, 5:00 - 11:00 p.m.
$8 in advance or $9 at the door with beer from Kuhnhenn and Dragonmead and meat from Detroit BBQ Co. More info here.

(revolver) Friday and Saturday
A new communal-style chef's tasting dinner is opening this weekend in Hamtramck for Hamtramck Food Week. Read more about them here and make your reservations, some spots are still available.

Brewed in Michigan, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Kind of a mini-Michigan beer fest out in Milford. Lots of food, lots of beer.

Griffin Claw Beer, Sausage and Cheese sampling at Tom's Oyster Bar, Royal Oak, 7:30 p.m.
All of those things.

Saturday, September 28

Fall Flavor Weekends at the Henry Ford, through October 6
Celebrate harvest season at the Henry Ford during their Fall Flavor Weekends featuring a variety of fall foods and related programming.

Garden Bowl Centennial Celebration, all day and all night
Lebowski bowling. Need I say more?

Hockeytown BrewHaha, 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Beer and food trucks at the JLA.

Dabble in the Farms, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
A new fundraising event for Camp Casey and the Grosse Pointe Rotary Club on the Hill in Grosse Pointe Farms. Beer and wine and spirits and food and music and things. $30 advance/$40 at the door. Notables include Bailout Productions with Two James Spirits, Dragonmead, MillKing It Productions, Short's, and more.

Cattle Baron's Ball, 6:30 - 11:30 p.m.
If you fancy.

Sunday, September 29

Sundaylicious Oktoberfest, 5:00 - 11:00 p.m.
MotorCity Wine owners Dave and Melissa are putting on the food themselves at this special Oktoberfest edition of Sundaylicious at their new spot in Corktown. Kartoffelpuffer, sauerkraut Kartoffel Salat, Rotkohl and other things you can't pronounce but will go well with a dry Riesling or Oktoberfest beer.

Coming up
This fall kicks all other falls' asses.

Free Lunch Friday (FLF) October 4
Register now for a networky rah rah Detroit lunch thing at Detroit Labs next Friday. (Actually the free spots are all taken but you can still snag a non-free spot with a donation.)

Ferndale Restaurant Week, October 7-13
More here.

Dine Drink Detroit, October 10-16
More here.

Detroit Beer Week, October 17-27
Signing up Official Beer Destinations now; events will be posted soon!

Windsor Craft Beer Festival, October 18-19
Right on the other side of the Detroit River lies the exotic land of Windsor-Essex, and lo and behold they brew beer there. Can't wait for Fall Beer Fest in Eastern Market? Get prepped the weekend before with this celebration of craft beer heritage in Windsor-Essex in historic Olde Walkerville.

Theatre Bizarre: The Procession, October 18-19
New this year is a Preview Gala on Friday night. Limited tickets are available for this intimate event where masks are mandatory and masqueraders are led through a strolling dinner and scheduled performances. On Saturday, join the Procession.

Michigan Brewers Guild Fall Beer Festival, October 25-26
As if this needs any kind of explanation.

[EID Preview] First look at the new Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. production facility

The entrance of the new tasting room. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Earlier this week, Warren-based Kuhnhenn Brewing Company made the official announcement (though I spilled the beans earlier this month) that they have purchased a new facility in Clinton Township that will enable them to significantly increase their production capacity - up to 20,000 barrels annually. (To put that in perspective, the nationally-acclaimed Russian River Brewing in SoCal has officially maxed out at 14,100 barrels annually. It's no Bell's or Founders - with production capacities of 500,000 and 340,000 barrels, respectively - but 20,000 barrels is a lot of beer.)

Kuhnhenn is already a player on a national level, having racked up plenty of awards at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup over the years (two of the largest and most prestigious beer competitions in the country and world) and getting ranked #12 in a list of the best brewers in the world by user-generated RateBeer. This new 35,000-square-foot facility, located in the former Evergreen Lawn and Landscape building on Groesbeck just south of Metro Parkway, will also allow them to significantly increase their mead production, with an estimated production of 2-3,000 barrels in the first year.

With this new production facility also comes a new tasting room and multi-season outdoor beer garden with an estimated capacity of 250-300 people. Simply put, it took them long enough to make the leap (this search for a bigger production facility has been in discussion for years), but now that they have it is LEGIT.

They expect to be open sometime in the first quarter of 2014, ideally before the Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival in Grand Rapids but certainly no later than St. Patrick's Day. Equipment is already being delivered and I got a walk-through of the new space yesterday. Check it out.

This will be the three-season beer garden. 

Tasting room: south side.

Tasting room: north side. 

Part of the production area (which will be visible to the tasting room).

New tanks!

More photos here.