PRESS RELEASE FOLLOWS
(LANSING, Mich)—More than 700 individuals are expected to attend the Michigan Brewers Guild (MBG) and Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) – District Michigan Annual Conference & Trade Show, January 10-12, 2018, in Kalamazoo.
The three-day event kicks off with the largest Trade Show to date, with about 110 exhibitors inside The Valley Arena at the Wings Event Center. Throughout the day on Thursday and Friday, a series of breakout sessions will be held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Kalamazoo Center focusing on topics of interest to the growing craft beer industry. The MBG’s Annual Meeting and Board of Directors vote will take place on Thursday morning followed by the keynote presentation by Dan Carmody, President at Eastern Market Corporation in Detroit.
Other speakers include Rich Michaels, F.X. Matt Brewing Company – Utica, NY; Karl Ockert, Deschutes Brewing Company – Bend, OR; John Holl, Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine; Carl Setzer,Great Leap Brewing -Beijing, China; Gary Nicholas, Nicholas Brewing Projects – Minneapolis MN; Joe Short, Short’s Brewing Company – Elk Rapids and Bellaire; and Julie Stanley, Food Dance Restaurant – Kalamazoo; among others. The complete schedule, including all speakers, can be found on the Conference Page on MiBeer.com.
Thursday culminates with an elaborate strolling beer dinner developed by The Beervangelist Fred Bueltmann of This Craft Nation & Red Horse Creative Solutions in Fennville (Fred is also one of the conference speakers) and the culinary team at the Radisson.
The cost to attend the conference is $300 per person ($225 for members of the Michigan Brewers Guild (MBG) and Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) – District Michigan). Online registration is now open.
The Michigan Brewers Guild is the network of innovative and passionate brewers that serves as the recognized advocate for the Michigan craft beer industry. The mission of the Guild is to promote and protect the Michigan craft beer industry with an overarching goal to help craft beer acquire 20% of the market by 2025.
Michigan’s thriving brewing industry conservatively contributes more than $144 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $600 million. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”