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NOW UPDATED: Each beer also mentions which shed/tent it’s in!

Each and every year the Michigan Brewers Guild have four major festivals in which they collect a huge number of beers from the now over 300 breweries in the state. Every October the Fall Beer Festival takes over Eastern Market Shed 5 in Detroit, MI. and this year is no different! With OVER 950 different beers from 130  breweries, the list is the biggest ever. But with over 950 beers, we tell you the 20 we want to try at the festival!

 

1. 127 Brewing – Where’s My Kilt (Tent 3)

In a recent episode of Better on Draft, Drafting Table taught us the schilling system and how beer was purchased back in Scotland, the more expensive, the higher the abv.  Where’s my Kilt from this Jackson brewery is one you cannot miss, especially with the cold October Michigan chill.  A great place to start without destroying your taste buds of bitterness and one you cannot miss!

2. Arcadia Ales – Deliverance (Shed 5)

This is the first beer on our list we simply chose for it’s name.  A sour Brown Ale barrel aged to perfect, this beer will shoot you in the mouth with some good sour and malt flavor, and be a bit boozy for those who may not be ready for it.  This will be a two token beer due to the ABV, so make sure you save it as this will be one you don’t want to miss out on!

3. Bastone Brewing – Kung Fu Smurf (Shed 5)

This Belgian Quad is only 10%, but it packs a big kick!  Winning silver medal at the 2018 GABF, this beer is one of the best of its kind.  This is not for the faint at heart, you need to be ready to be smacked with the booze on this one, but it goes down smooth!  Know your limits everyone, this one kicks!

4. Brew Detroit – Cerveza Delray (Shed 5)

Winning bronze at GABF for the international pils category, Cerveza Delray is easily becoming Brew Detroit’s #1 beer.  While you may want to do the Faygo tour for the festival, make sure to grab a second token for this beer here as it is one you don’t want to miss.  Light, crisp, and delicious and perfect for any weather!

5. Creston – Golden Age (Tent 3)

This one caught our eyes.  A coffee lager.  Named after their event space at the brewery, Golden Age should back a nice bitter punch from the coffee with the crisp of the lager.  An interesting mix of flavors we are simply excited to try!

6. Dragonmead – Armageddon Grand Cru (Shed 5)

With 21 years of family brewing, Dragonmead brings one of, if not, in my opinion, their best beer they make.  Armageddon is a Belgian Quad that doesn’t pack the boozy punch you expect from the style, and a beer that Spencer has perfected.  I would suggest this first before any other beer, and I know I say that a lot, but if you’re not from the area, this is the beer to get!!!

7. Ozone’s Brewhouse – Totally Awesome #1 IPA (Tent 1)

Their first in a rotating series, the Totally Awesome #1 takes the best of Centennial and Chinook and brings them together with a citrus flavor and faint pine notes that aren’t overly bitter on the back end.  A solid beer and one to keep your buzz going even at 6%

8. Grand Armory – Cloudy with a Chance of Hops (In Betweeners)

A double New England IPA, this craze isn’t going anywhere.  Grand Armory out of Grand Haven will be tapping this beer early for the enthusiasts and while it is a two token beer, one to try.  If this isn’t a NE IPA you have had, this is one you must.  Skip the M43 and head right to Grand Armory!  This isn’t distro, so get it while it lasts!

9. Brewery Becker – Kriek Dubbel (Tent 3)

Until the beer festival decides to try to get more GF beers, we will continue to promote Brewery Becker and the fact they deglutenize their beers.  While not legally gluten free, de-glutenized means that the gluten has been removed, and the ppm of gluten is so small, those with coeliac’s won’t have any issues drinking!  While we enter the third festival (and first fall one) without mead or cider, this is a must try (as well as the rest of their beers).

10. Cellarmen’s – Smoked Cydeer (Tent 1)

We asked Dom for information on this beer as we will be pouring it for them Friday nights.  He tells us its a secret!  We even tried bugging Ian, but didn’t get any further with him.  They told us we can say you get the smoke from cherry wood smoked malt and a cider taste.

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11. Jolly Pumpkin – Pure Speculation (Shed 5)

Jolly Pumpkins first ever non-sour beer.  I can’t even tell you what could or would happen.  But you won’t know until you try right?  But can’t go wrong with an IPA during the IPA season!  We’d love to hear from you after the event (or if you grab it before!)

12. Latitude 42 – Banging the Chains (Tent 3)

On Saturday we will be at the Latitude 42 tent pouring at some point, make sure to come and say hi!  This double IPA is a new brew they are looking to promote a it more.  So if you’re looking for the imperial IPA, and a delicious yet bitter beer, stop on by and say hi!

13. Lucky Girl – Fight

This was our FAVORITE beer at the Summer Beer Festival this year.  Lucky Girl knocked out this brown ale, so sweet and smooth, easy to drink, and makes you wanting more!  This is a must have at any point, this will provide so much flavor you can have it to start, end, or right in the middle, but you have to stop by and have what we called the winner of Summer Beer Festival!

14. Monkey Fist – GW’s Little White Lie (In-Betweeners)

Short for George Washington’s Little White Lie, this beer will blow your mind with the tartness of the beer.  A Belgian wit you’re going to get plenty of spices but the Cherry will come through the most! If the weather is a bit hotter than normal, this is going to hit the spot perfectly!

15. North Center – Event Horizon (Tent 1)

One from our sponsors, North Center is doing this imperial stout.  This is one of Kodi’s newest creations and one you cannot miss!  We highly suggest you get out and try it if you love the dark boozy tastes!

16. Rustic Leaf – BBA Sunrise Stout (Grassy Patch)

Rustic Leaf has been the surprise brewery of the year with so many delicious beers coming out of their brewery.  They don’t go big normally but we realized this beer (7pm Friday release) is one that we don’t think you should miss.  They don’t distro much outside of Metro Detroit so unless you plan on heading to the brewery (which you should), we suggest waiting in this line and grabbing a taste right away!

17. Short’s Brewing – Set Phasers to Love (Tent 2)

A nod to our former host Angela, her new digs at Short’s is bringing out this great brew.  A Gin and Tonic inspired beer aged in Gin Barrels, this is one for the gin fan in your life.  I believe they have canned this as well, but why not get it fresh on draft at the festival!

18. SuperNatural Spirits – Unicorn Blood Hibiscus (Tent 6)

The Unicorn Blood Hibiscus is just one of the many crazy things to have come out of the SuperNatural lab!  This Pale Ale is so crisp and crushable it’s going to leave you wanting some more.  They are bringing some more heavy beers but this may be the perfect beer between beers!!!!

19. Salt Springs Brewery – Headless Hopsman (Shed 5)

Don’t let the name fool you about hops, this pumpkin ale is going to give you all the sweetness you can handle.  Using 100 lbs of roasted pumpkin, there are no adjuncts and this beer will be the best pumpkin beer there.  If this is your style, this is your beer!

20. UrbanRest Brewing – BBA 4 Roses Prince Junior (Tent 1)

I couldn’t tell you if UrbanRest intended the pun on Freddie Prince Jr, but we decided it for them!  EVERY SINGLE BEER UrbanRest does with their open fermentation knocks it out of the park, and now barred aged in 4 roses barrels, this is a can’t miss!

Categories: BlogsThe List

Ken

A craft beer fan since 19, used to look for your non-regular beers on frequent trips to downtown Windsor with friends, at 21 Ken basically took over an entire refrigerator with monthly visits to Merchants. With 5 years of podcasting prior, Ken decided to create the brand and show Better on Draft in the spring of 2015, and began creating his dream of a beer-centric website that wasn't too full of itself. He now runs the board and does a lot of the back office stuff while the show goes on, keeping everyone in line, and the beer flowing!

3 Comments

Bo · October 25, 2018 at 1:08 pm

Prince Junior? C’mon man. That’s not even his name. (It’s Prinze.)

    Ken · October 25, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    I mean if that’s the only issue with the article I feel it’s okay. But yes we know it’s Prinze, but sometimes we don’t take things so literal since it’s pronounced quite nearly the same. We hope you enjoy the fest! We will be at Cellarmens on Friday and Latitude 42 Saturday

New Beer Friday, Splash of Spring Edition (April 26) – The Market · July 28, 2023 at 1:41 am

[…] Monkey Fist George Washington’s Little White Lie, $2.79/16oz – “Short for George Washington’s Little White Lie, this beer will blow your mind with the tartness of the beer. A Belgian wit you’re going to get plenty of spices but the Cherry will come through the most! If the weather is a bit hotter than normal, this is going to hit the spot perfectly” (source). […]

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