The Michigan Brewers Guild will be hosting the 25th Annual Michigan Summer Beer Festival will be on July 26 and 27, 2024. The two-day festival will take place in Ypsilanti’s Riverside Park in Depot Town. Friday’s hours are 5-9 pm and Saturday’s are 1-6 pm.

There will be over 100 Michigan breweries on site serving up almost 700 different beers. In addition to the beer, food and live music will be available.

We at Better on Draft Media looked through the Beer List for the festival and decided that these are the 21 beers you need to try.

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Commemorative

Fuego de Brad

20+ breweries | Michigan | Variety of Styles | Unknown ABVs

Jeremy Altier (The Royal Oak Brewery) and Erik Harms (Dragonmead Brewery) are spearheading a commemorative beer in honor of Brad Etheridge. You can read more about their endeavor here. Look for an Orange Heart Symbol in the festival’s program to find the participating breweries and beers.

Light Beers

Stars and Stripes

Arvon Brewing Co | Grand Rapids | Pilsner | 4.5% | TENT 1

If you’re still feeling festive after the 4th of July, Arvon has you covered with a ‘Murica lovin’ brew.

Lager for the Lakes

Bell’s Brewery | Comstock | American Lager | 4.8% | TENT 1

Yep. It’s a name change by only a few words, but it’s still a classic light beer to cleanse the palate or enjoy on a hot day.

On Wednesday’s We Drink Pils

Big Lake Brewing | Holland | Pilsner | 4.5% | TENT 2

You can’t go wrong with a classic Mean Girls reference! So fetch!

Make Friday or Saturday an honorary Wednesday at the fest!

Your Father’s Mustache

Blue Tractor Brewery x Grizzly Peak Brewing Company | Ann Arbor | Pre-Prohibition Lager | 5.2% | TENT 9

This collaboration beer between Blue Tractor Brewery and Grizzly Peak Brewing Company will be available at both tents. The beer is inspired by well-known baker and homebrewer, Jeff Renner.

Fuddy Duddy Kolsch

Ypsi Alehouse | Ypsilanti | Kölsch | 5.3% | TENT 10

If you’re looking for a “beery-beer with flavor“, one of the festival’s hometown breweries has you covered. True-to-style Ypsi Alehouse is a great stop in the fest.

Session IPAs

Low Boi

Batch Brewing Company | Detroit | Session IPA | 4.2% | TENT 1

Low Boi has been my go to beer whenever I visit Batch Brewing Company. Eric Plata has been killing it at Batch lately!

RELATED: Eric has been a regular since he arrived on the Michigan beer scene. Check out our prior coverage here.

Baby Cit

City Built Brewing Company | Grand Rapids | Session IPA | 5.1% | TENT 1

City Built Brewing Company continues to be a powerhouse and star in the Grand Rapids beer scene. Baby Cit is one that you should try to enjoy at the fest. The citrus notes sparkle throughout this SIPA.

RELATED: City Built Brewing Company w/ Edwin Collazo | #MichiganBeer Series 036

Voidbjörn

Ogma Brewing Co | Jackson | Session IPA [West Coast Pilsner] | Unknown ABV

According to materials by the Michigan Brewers Guild, this beer is listed as a Session IPA. We were unable to find information about this beer until a recent post on Ogma’s social media. The brewery has stated that its now a West Coast Pilsner. The direction of the beer changed after the deadline passed for breweries to submit their lists.

Ogma does such an excellent job of blending beer styles that we decided to keep this one in the Session IPA slot. We challenge you to close your eyes and see if you can spot the stylistic differences between a West Coast Pilsner and a Session IPA with Voidbjörn.

RELATED: Ogma Brewing w/ Andrew Volks & Holly Schittenhelm | #MichiganBeer Series 027

Left Handed Lawnmower

Ore Dock Brewing Company | Marquette | Session IPA | 4.6% | TENT 6

Lawn mowing is one of my favorite summertime activities. Not sure about this left handed lawnmower business though. Will this be a new favorite for after pushing the lawnmower around?

Damp

Pigeon Hill Brewing Company | Muskegon | Session IPA | 2.5% | TENT 2

DAMP HAS RETURNED! One of my favorite beer discoveries from this past year is Damp from Muskegon’s Pigeon Hill. Crushable is an understatement with this one. Tons of typical IPA characteristics and flavorful yet only 2.5%?!

Beers with Fruit

Peach Tree Hazy IPA

Dark Horse Brewing Company | Marshall | NEIPA | 7% | TENT 4

Out of all the breweries taking a flagship beer and making variants of it to put into variety packs, Dark Horse Brewing Company is probably doing the best job at it. The Crooked Tree now Hazy Crooked Tree spinoffs have been fun to see and taste!

Razzpeño

Eternity Brewing Company | Howell | Spiced/Herbed Beer | 6.6% | TENT 2

Eternity Brewing has been churning out solid brews lately. On a recent visit I counted the beers on the chalkboard and it was 20+ brews of varying styles. Razzpeño is a raspberry beer spiced with jalapeños. The heat is there but not in your face. It’s a nice one to enjoy at summer beer festival.

Barber St Peach Tea Ale

Four Circles Brewery | Brighton | Fruit Beer | Unknown ABV | TENT 8

Happy Year 1 Anniversary to Four Circles Brewery. They have been making excellent small batch beers in Brighton. All of their beers that we’ve had have been phenomenal. They like to play with various fruits and add-ins so we are sure this beer will be a good one to try!

Strawberry Daq

HOMES Brewery | Ann Arbor | Fruit Beer | Unknown ABV | TENT 1

HOMES Brewery always brings fun beers to beer festivals. We’ve never been disappointed in their selection. A strawberry daiquiri sounds like a fun alternative to a beer during a summer beer festival. We’re looking forward to seeing what this entails.

Raspberry Creamsicle M-43

Old Nation Brewing Company | Williamston | NEIPA | 6.8% | TENT 7

Old Nation’s April Fool’s Day beer, Orange Creamsicle was no joke! We’ve heard from the masses that it’s sister, the Raspberry Creamsicle is just as amazing. If you haven’t found either in the wild yet now is your chance!

Ken will be pouring for Old Nation on Friday, so stop by and say “hi” to him!

RELATED: Beer Review: Orange Creamsicle M-43 (Old Nation Brewing Company)

Heavy Beers

Breakfast in Guatemala

Arctic Circle Brewing Company | New Baltimore | Coffee Stout | 6% | TENT 3

MAKE WAY FOR THE 2024 MARCH DRAFTNESS CHAMPIONS!

Arctic Circle’s Coffee Stout may be “lighter” in the ABV department but it’s heavy AF in the tasting notes department. Deven Sills is always brewing up greatness in New Baltimore, including this one!

RELATED: Coopersville Brewing Company // Arctic Circle Brewing Company | #MichiganBeer Series 045

 

Coconut Jacuzzi Gorilla Juice

Ascension Brewing | Novi | Imperial Stout | 16% | TENT 1

Ascension is not messing around this festival. They are bringing two barrel aged beers, two Imperial Stouts, and a handful of other beers. Coconut Jacuzzi sounds like a good time, so save some room for us!

RELATED: Ascension Brewing w/ Adam Czap | #MichiganBeer Series 039

3 Year Anniversary

Dog & Pony Show Brewing | Oak Park | Imperial Stout | 12% | TENT 2

Happy 3 Year Anniversary to Dog & Pony Show! What a way to share the love and celebrations by bringing a coveted brew to a beer fest! This bad boy was barrel aged, so it should be a good one to sip on in Tent 2.

Nevermore w/ Chocolate and Raspberry

Lansing Brewing Company | Lansing | Imperial Pastry Stout | 10% | TENT 2

This is a lovely Pastry Stout that’s smooth and tasty with all the chocolate and raspberry notes to boot!

Barrel Aged Vanilla Midnight

Someday Brewing | Grosse Pointe Woods | Imperial Stout | 13.7% | TENT 3

Someday Brewing’s description of this beer on Untappd stopped me in my tracks. “Midnight, our imperial stout, as the base beer aged 7 months in a 25 gallon rye whiskey barrel and then treated with copious amount of Madagascar and Ugandan vanilla beans to round out this rich, silky, complex beer.” Say less and save me a glass!

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Which beer are you looking forward to?

Cheers!

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Note: Better on Draft Media is an independent media organization. Articles and lists about the festival are created using public information. Additional information and quotes are provided as needed from vetted sources.