Oktoberfest Dinner & Brew Cruise on MI Princess

Tomorrow at 7pm at the Shark Club in Howell, Witch's Hat Brewing from South Lyon will hosting a tap takeover. They'll be bringing at least four of their beers with them that include their Edward Portly Brown, a dark American brown ale and their Big Doedish, a strong, double IPA.

There is a fun event coming up in a few weeks in Royal Oak. It's called Bru Fest and will be held at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market on June 16th from 7PM-11PM. All of the proceeds will go to benefit the Children's Leukemia Foundation of Michigan. This promises to be a fun time of good food and beer in the always hip Royal Oak, a suburb or Detroit. The market is located right near downtown so if you want to make a night of it, all the bars and restaurants are just a short walk away.

This is a quick, easy, and delicious beer marinade you can use for chicken and seafood (we used chicken breast tenders and raw shrimp) on the grill. I made mine with Frankenmuth Brewery's Batch 69 IPA. You can use any beer for this recipe, but I found that the IPA really stuck to the delicate meat and added a lot of flavor.

Last Friday we helped sponsor Woldumar Nature Center's very first beer and wine tasting event, Petals & Vines. There were four breweries (Darkhorse Brewing Co., Arcadia Ales Brewing Co., and Mt. Pleasant Brewing Co., Dragonmead Microbrewery) and two wineries (Burgdorf's Winery and Sandhill Crane Winery) represented. There was also live music and a delicious, light dinner of kabobs, rice, pita & hummus,and fresh fruit. The Red Ledge Brewers Club of Grand Ledge was also there doing a homebrew demonstration.

There is a great event coming up to help you kick off your summer season in style at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing. On Thursday, May 17th from 6:00 - 9:00 PM, the Zoo will be hosting "Wine and Stein", an hors d'oeurves and beer & wine tasting bash. All food and beverages will be supplied by local restaurants and distributors. Tickets are $30 ($25 for zoo members) and in addition to the refreshments, guests will also receive a complimentary tasting glass, get to enjoy live music, and be able to meet some of the zoo's animal residents.

Grand Rapids is on the cusp of something very exciting. A few years ago, the venerable Yoda of American home brewing, Charlie Papazian, started a national poll contest called, "Beer City USA". The idea was to create a poll that went beyond sales statistics and market research to determine where in the country the most excitement and enthusiasm existed for craft beer. As craft beer has always been more about people rather than huge numbers and output, it was fitting that a poll like this be created. It gave the true lovers of craft beer a voice and the chance to stand up and declare their town, "Beer City USA"!

Short's Brewing Company will be hosting a tap takeover at the Shark Club in Howell on Saturday, May 5th from Noon to Midnight. Want to rock out your Cinco de Mayo in a non-traditional way? Well, come on down for a day of music, great food specials, and at least 20 different Short's beers on tap!

There is an exciting event coming up soon at Woldumar Nature Center in Lansing. Woldumar is the only non-profit, privately run nature center in Lansing and focuses on educating people, especially children, on the joys and wonders of the outdoor world. It is set on 178 acres of forest, wetlands, and restored prairie previously owned by the Olds family and runs along the Grand River on the far west side of town. They hold outdoor youth summer camps, boating events, owl watching and other community programs throughout the year.

Beer and Pizza.  What's better??  Now that it's grilling season (and it's always beer & pizza season), it's time to grill pizza....and drink beer.  Grilling pizza is tricky, but If you get it right the crust is even crispier and flakier than in the oven and the toppings take on a smoky flavor that I just love.  To add a layer of delicious to this, I thought I might saute the vegetables in an Arcadia Sky High Rye/chicken stock mixture.  The beer adds the perfect amount of gentle bitterness and the stock adds just the right amount savory richness. Add a little pepperoni and fresh mozzarella and you're ready to go.