The 17th Annual Winter Beer Festival is set to take place this Saturday, February 25 in Comstock Park, MI. This festival is put on by the Michigan Brewers Guild. The festival runs from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the parking lot surrounding the LMCU Ballpark. Enthusiast members get in an hour early at noon.

With the ice storm behind us, it looks like Saturday will be a typical winter day with partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the mid 30s, and a slight breeze. Layers are needed along with a solid hat and gloves.

We’ve looked over the festival’s beer list of over 120 breweries and more than 700 beers. Like the 2022 U.P. Fall Beer Festival list and the 2022 Detroit Fall Beer Festival list we have ditched the #1-20 beer list style and organized it by style – lighter beers, IPAs, Sours, seasonal-themed beers, and Barrel Aged beers. Within each type of beer, beers are organized in alphabetical order by brewery name. Here are the 20 beers we think you need to try!

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Lighter Beers

Spandex Crusher

Aberrant Ales | Howell | TENT 5

Blonde Ale | 5.5%

Aberrant Ales has been running with new names for their beers since the end of 2021, including their Blonde Ale, Spandex Crusher. If you haven’t checked out the beers with the new names, get on over to their tent at the festival or their taproom in Howell.

 

 

Terrain Grisette

Earthen Ales| Traverse City | TENT 1

Grisette | 4.7%

Earthen Ales never disappoints. Whether you’re in their taproom or patio in Traverse City or sipping on their beers at the tent at a festival, they always deliver solid beers. We are intrigued by the Terrain Grisette for Saturday’s festival and will be paying Andrew a visit.

 

Boreal Dry Hopped Lager

Old Nation Brewing Company* | Williamston | TENT 5

German Pilsner | 5%

Old Nation Brewing Company seems to always have a new beer or two up their sleeves. Boreal Dry Hopped Lager is their newest beer in the portfolio, so we thought it was a great opportunity to see what it is all about.

IPAs

Punctuation Murk

Austin Brothers Beer Co | Alpena | TENT 1

NEIPA | 7.2%

We saw Punctuation Murk come through the TTB recently and are curious about this new addition to the Murk Series that Austin Brothers Beer Co is known for. If its anything like the other beers in the series, it’s going to be excellent!

Check out our Beer Labels posts here!

Snow Machine

Big Lake Brewing| Holland | TENT 2

DIPA | 8%

Are we hoping for a Snow Machine on Saturday before, during, or after the fest? Maybe not in actual snow form. We’ll enjoy Big Lake Brewing‘s Snow Machine as a placeholder as the hopeful sun is shining down on us all!

Citra Evolution

Ellison Brewing Co | East Lansing | TENT 6

NEIPA | 6.75%

Ellison Brewing Co seems to be going through an evolution of itself, so we thought the Citra Evolution NEIPA would be a great way to celebrate this. The brewery recently opened a location in Lansing, launched a non-alcoholic line of beers, and was on the #MichiganSeries. Check out that episode here.

NUNU

Ogma Brewing Co | Jackson | TENT 4

D-NEIPA| 8.3%

Ogma Brewing Co is on Ed’s short list of breweries at the festival he has yet to try. Out of 121 breweries, he hasn’t sampled from 11 of them. The Double NEIPA, NUNU, sounded like a great beer to check Ogma off his list.

Check out Ogma’s episode on the #MichiganBeer Series here.

Sours

Rise

Coopersville Brewing Company | Coopersville | TENT 6

Kettle Sour | Unknown ABV

Our original recommendation for Coopersville Brewing Company was their Tasker’s Pils. They informed us that they are unable to bring it because they didn’t want to rush the Lager.

They did offer a very unique collaboration they did with another West Michigan brewery. Coopersville brewed a pomegranate and hibiscus Kettle Sour called Rise. The collaborating brewery is Burzurk Brewing Co out of Grand Haven. Burzurk brewed an Orange Wheat Ale that has been aged on Oak Tequila staves called Sun. With tents next to each other, it is intended that these two beers be combined to create SunRise, a beer with notes similar to Tequila Sunrise.

Easttown Folk Funk Series: Free Rise Funk

Harmony Brewing | Grand Rapids | TENT 1

Fruited Sour | 9.1%

Harmony Brewing‘s first beer in the Easttown Folk Funk Series is Free Rise Funk. According to their Facebook post announcing the beer it is a Fruited Sour brewed with black currant and prickly pear. They finished it with the Norwegian Farmhouse Yeast Kveik. It is going to be funky for sure.

Sour Roots

**North Center Brewing Company x Eternity Brewing | Northville + Howell | TENTs 4 + 6

Sour NEIPA | 6%

Sour Roots kind of breaks the rules of the category as it is a Sour NEIPA. In conversations with Kevin DeGrood of North Center Brewing Company this beer is going to break a lot of rules with flavor profile, looks, and tasting notes. “It’s going to have a pretty unique color with an earthy tart finish,” DeGrood said. It was brewed with beets, carrots, purple potatoes, and ginger. Each brewery brewed Sour Roots on their own systems, so DeGrood is looking for people to try both at the North Center tent (TENT 4) and the Eternity Brewing tent (TENT 6) to see what they think!

Passion Fruit Pucker

Two Roots Brewing Co | Auburn Hills | TENT 2

Non-Alcoholic Sour | 0.5%

We’re happy to have Two Roots Brewing Co part of the Michigan Beer family and at Michigan Brewers Guild festivals. Their Non-Alcoholic options are flavorful and breaking down barriers in the beer world. Passion Fruit Pucker promises a balance between sour and tart, along with electrolytes and Vitamin B12.

Check out our podcast episode with Two Roots here.

You’re My Sour Blue

Unexpected Craft Brewing Company | Oak Park | TENT 4

Fruited Sour | 4%

We enjoy seeing what Eddie Stencel is up to at Unexpected Craft Brewing Company in Oak Park. A reincarnation of his first brewery, River Rogue Brewing Company, Unexpected Craft is one of our favorites in metro Detroit! You’re My Sour Blue is a lighter Fruited Sour that will be easy drinking.

Check out our conversation with Eddie on an episode of the #MichiganBeer Series here.

Seasonal Beers

Shamrock Bean Flicker

Odd Side Ales | Grand Haven | TENT 2

Blonde Ale | 4.5%

If you’re looking to get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit a little early, go ahead and enjoy one of the Bean Flicker variations from Odd Side Ales. The Shamrock maintains the Coffee Blonde notes everyone has fallen in love with and throws in mint and white chocolate.

King Paczki

Pigeon Hill Brewing Company| Muskegon | TENT 4

Fruit Beer | 5%

If you missed out on paczki this past Fat Tuesday or just need another fill, Pigeon Hill Brewing Company is bringing the raspberry donut in beer form with King Paczki. Pigeon Hill has cemented itself as a Dessert Beer King, so you won’t be disappointed.

King Cake Lager

Tri-City Brewing | Bay City | TENT 6

Helles Lager | 5.8%

Continue the Mardi Gras celebration with Tri-City Brewing‘s King Cake Lager. We know it will be a party on Saturday at the festival, so let’s warm up with this spiced Helles Lager!

 

Irish Hills

Wolverine State Brewing Co | Ann Arbor | TENT 6

Red Lager | 5.3%

We can hear the Irish Hills calling our names to be ready for St. Patrick’s Day. Even though we’re a few weeks away, we are going to acknowledge the call and encourage you to give Wolverine State Brewing Co‘s Red Lager, Irish Hills, a go!

Barrel Aged Beers

Iron Lion: Bourbon Quad

Albion Malleable Brewing Co | Albion | TENT 4

Belgian Quadrupel | 13.5%

Albion Malleable Brewing Co‘s Iron Lion: Bourbon Quad is their Iron Lion: Quad bourbon barrel aged for seven months. We thought it would be a different BBA beer for you to sip on to stay warm.

Check out Albion Malleable’s episode of the #MichiganSeries here.

End Boss 2022

Alebird Taphouse and Brewery | Byron Center | TENT 2

Imperial Stout | 18.5%

Alebird Taphouse and Brewery is bringing the latest iteration of End Boss with the 2022 liquid! 2021’s version was 12.6% and was for Alebird’s 2nd Anniversary. 2022’s version was much bolder at 18.5% and hard more coffee, chocolate, and vanilla notes.

BBA Plead the 5th S’MORE

Dark Horse Brewing Co | Marshall | TENT 2

Russian Imperial Stout | 11%

Dark Horse is back! Better on Draft had the honor of visiting Dark Horse Brewing Co for 4 Elf Day this past December. While on site, we recorded a three-part episode of Episode 32 of the #MichiganBeer Series. Old staples like Plead the 5th are getting remixed, like the beer they are bringing to Winter Beer Fest, Plead the 5th S’MORE!

Listen to the three-part episode below:

• Part 1 – 1997 to 2019
• Part 2 – 2019 to 2022
• Part 3 – 2022 and Beyond

 

BBA French Toast Devil Dog

ROAK Brewing Co | Marshall | TENT 2

Oatmeal Stout | 11.4%

With ROAK Brewing Co and Dark Horse sharing pretty much everything these days, we’re seeing a lot of variations happening with well known brands. ROAK’s Devil Dog is a staple in their portfolio, so we’re excited to see how well the BBA Peanut Butter Cup version goes over.

 

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Which beer are you looking forward to trying?

Cheers!

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*Thank you to Old Nation Brewing Company for their sponsorship of the Michigan Brewery Map.

**Thank you to North Center Brewing Company for their sponsorship of Better on Draft Media.