Seven members Michigan Brewers Guild brought home a collective 12 medals (7 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze) from this year’s U.S. Open Beer Championship held in Oxford, Ohio. Breweries from around the country submitted 9,000 beers representing over 170 different styles to competition. Here are the Michigan medalists in their respective categories:
American Pale Ale
- BRONZE – College Pale Ale – Schoolcraft Brewery
West Coast Style IPA
- BRONZE – Dank Angeles – Loaded Dice Brewery
Experimental IPA
- GOLD – Chilly Willy – Territorial Brewing Company
American Amber/Red Ale
- SILVER – Michigan Amber – Big Lake Brewing
German Wheat Beer – Weizen/Weissbier
- GOLD – Küsterer Original Weissbier – Cedar Springs Brewing Company
Belgian Quadrupel
- GOLD – Two Brewers are Better Than One – Silver Harbor Brewing
Italian Pilsner
- BRONZE – SC Italian Pils – Schoolcraft Brewery
Munchner Dunkel
- GOLD – Spedunkel – Territorial Brewing Company
German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesn
- SILVER – SC Maerzen – Schoolcraft Brewery
American Fruit – POG & Pineapple
- GOLD – Bell’s Oberon Sunshine Tropical Shandy – Bell’s Brewery
Barrel Aged Strong Stout/Porter Specialty
- GOLD – Toastbusters – Silver Harbor Brewing
Session Beer
- GOLD – Bell’s Oberon Sunshine Lemonade Shandy – Bell’s Brewery
Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild held its first festival in July 1998. Today, it hosts four festivals dedicated exclusively to Michigan beer produced by its nearly 300 member breweries. Within the state, and beyond, Michigan is referred to as “The Great Beer State” ranking #8 nationally for the number of breweries.
The Michigan Brewers Guild is a network of innovative and passionate brewers that serves as the recognized advocate for the Michigan beer industry. The mission of the Guild is to promote and protect the Michigan beer industry with an overarching goal to realize continued share growth and assure a healthy small business environment for breweries.
Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes more than $1.8 billion in total economic impact. In terms of overall number breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #8 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.”