In the nineteenth century, dozens of local breweries worked tirelessly to slake the thirst of the rapidly growing city of Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids Brewing Company, along with other savvy barley merchants, established a beer culture that would dominate western Michigan until Prohibition turned off the spigots. After the repeal of the Noble Experiment, gigantic national brands stunted the growth of area breweries for decades, but the contemporary craft brew renaissance turned Furniture City back into Beer City, USA. Tour local operations like Founders and HopCat with veteran hophead Patrick Evans and enjoy the rich heritage of Grand Rapids beer.
Patrick Evans is a reporter for the Grand Rapids Business Journal and also works part-time as a bartender for the Mitten Brewing Company. A member of the Grand Rapids Society of Brewers, Evans holds a BA from Michigan State University and maintains a blog called Mitten Brew.