This week numerous Michigan craft beers are taking over the Lansing bar scene in celebration of the Fourth Annual Lansing Beer Week (LBW).
LBW is a week-long event promoting locally made beers and celebrating craft beer events in the Lansing area, organizer Paul Starr said.
Different local bars hold events every day, Starr said, which include tap takeovers, craft beer specials, and beer-food pairings.
The Beer Grotto, a new bar in Lansing, has been releasing Michigan craft beers and having different events every day since LBW started, Jake VanAtta, the bar’s director of marketing, said.
“Every night we have a certain event with different breweries,” The Beer Grotto’s Manger Josh Wadds said, adding they’re having a Short’s Brewing Company night on Saturday and a Founders Brewing Co. event on Sunday.
VanAtta said Starr has done a great job of bringing the Michigan beer scene to Lansing.
“The whole goal of Lansing Beer Fest is to showcase beers that people wouldn’t normally have,” VanAtta said.
Several breweries are opening up in Lansing, Wadds said, so they’re trying to introduce craft beer and get people excited for it.
“Downtown really needed a place like this where it’s a big open space with pub style service, so you can come and enjoy yourself and…drink at your own pace,” Wadds said. “They’re going to try beer that they’ve never had, and it’s gonna be the best thing that they’ve ever tasted in their life.”
The Beer Grotto will continue to have events throughout the week, VanAtta said, such as Lansing Beer Fest’s after party on Saturday.
“The main attraction for this week is Lansing Beer Fest in Reo Town, that’s the biggest event going on during the week,” Starr said.
VanAtta said they were excited to participate in this event, plus LBW has drawn more profits and people to the bar.
Wadds agrees business has picked up and some nights have been really busy.
Seventeen bars and breweries around the Lansing area are participating in LBW, Starr said, adding this year the bars now set up and run their events in an effort to help LBW expand.
“I just feel like it’s just gonna keep building and building each year,” Wadds said.
“Overall, it’s been a great event, a lot of local bars are doing awesome things,” VanAtta said, “we had the opportunity to bring some great beers to downtown Lansing that people can’t find every day.”
LBW ends Saturday, June 27, and all event information can be found online at lansingbeerweek.com.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
