As part of its ongoing efforts to inform, educate and entertain beer lovers and its Enthusiast Members, the Michigan Brewers Guild has launched a weekly podcast. Michigan’s Great Beer State Podcast shares conversations and stories from the passionate people who contribute to our vibrant Michigan beer community.
The show is made of up a mix of full-length archived interviews from the Guilds first documentary book project, A Rising Tide, Stories from the Michigan Brewers Guild, and conversations recorded in the here and now. Each episode is kicked off with a conversational update from hosts Scott Graham, Guild executive director and The Beervangelist, Fred Bueltmann, author of A Rising Tide.
“We are planning an exclusive offer for our Enthusiast Members, providing access to the live recording of the conversational introductions of these episodes, as well as an open forum Question & Answer session immediately following,” Graham says. “We plan to have the technical and logistical details of this behind-the-scenes opportunity ironed out and announced within the month of June 2020.”
This podcast will be available through multiple outlets including Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Player.FM, Podbean, Blurbrry and Stitcher, as well as being uploaded to the MBG YouTube channel in video format. Both the audio and video files will also be available on MiBeer.com.
Three episodes are now available, including the inaugural episode (S1/E1) with Fred and Scott introducing the what and why behind this podcast, talk about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the industry and to the Guild’s Spring and Summer Beer Festivals. Episode #2 includes an interview with Jack Archiable Traverse Brewing Company (closed) and Short’s Brewing Company, while Episode #3 features Kim Collins of Guardian Brewing in Saugatuck (Kim was also elected to the Guild board in January 2020).
Fred Bueltmann, “The Beervangelist,” is an author and independent consultant on company culture, the ideals of the craft marketplace and the connected lifestyle. He has more than two decades of experience as an executive in the beverage industry, including service at New Holland Brewing Company and Bell’s Brewing. Bueltmann is past president of the Michigan Brewers Guild and recipient of their prestigious Tom Burns Award, recognizing the pioneering spirit of the “Great Beer State.” In 2019, he authored a collaborative book, A Rising Tide — Stories from the Michigan Brewers Guild. Fred’s first book, The Beervangelist’s Guide to the Galaxy, was recognized as an Indie Book Award finalist. Fred shared his perspective in a TedX talk, “The Community of Collaboration” and regularly shares interviews and conversations on cultural shifts through his This Craft Nation project and podcast and other projects. He co-founded Red Horse Center for Collaborative Leadership in Fennville, Michigan where he and his wife Ulla partner with horses to help people personally and professionally.
A northern Michigan native, Scott Graham has been involved with beer and the brewing industry in Michigan for more than 30 years. After completing the U.S. Brewers Academy’s Short Course in Brewing, he went on to earn a diploma in Brewing Technology from the Siebel Institute of Technology. Scott served as an apprentice at the Frankenmuth Brewery; was the founding Brewmaster for Big Buck Brewery in Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Auburn Hills and Grapevine, Texas; and has managed sales for breweries, both large and small. In addition to his brewing background, Scott has extensive experience in beer sales and marketing having worked in various roles for a Michigan beer wholesaler and as a Sales Manager in Michigan for Miller Brewing Company. He was a founding member of the Guild (while at Big Buck) and was elected to its second Board of Directors. Since January 2007, Scott has served as the Guild’s Executive Director and has lead the organization grow significantly in terms of scale – membership (brewery, allied and Enthusiast), events (from one to five), legislative activity, educational programming and reputation. Scott is a member of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) as well as Past President of MBAA District Michigan.
Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild held its first festival in July 1998. Today, it hosts five festivals dedicated exclusively to Michigan beer produced by its nearly 300 member breweries (a number that increases on a monthly basis).
The Guild is a passionate beer community that believes in quality artisanship, bold character, fun, responsibility and pushing the boundaries. The mission of the Guild is to promote and protect the Michigan beer industry with an overarching goal to help locally brewed beer attain 20% of all beer sales in the state by 2025.
Michigan’s brewing industry contributes more than 21,000 full-time jobs and $872 million in labor income, with a total economic impact of over $2.5 billion. In terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation—supporting its title as “The Great Beer State.”