It’s that time of year again, when Michigan transforms into a land of orange, red, yellow and green from the top of the Upper Peninsula down to the southern border. And there’s no better way to celebrate all that a Michigan fall has to offer than with a delicious brew from the Great Beer State.

Back by popular demand, Pure Michigan has partnered with Short’s Brewing Company to create the Pure Michigan Autumn IPA, a 100 percent Michigan-grown and harvested IPA that highlights the state’s agricultural bounty and nationally-recognized craft beer industry.  

To celebrate the release of the beer—which will be distributed around Michigan at Meijer, Busch’s, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Food Center, Kroger Marketplace and many independent retailers beginning Oct. 6—Pure Michigan and Short’s are hosting a virtual Michigan beer and food tasting happy hour with several aficionados, including:

• Short’s founder Joe Short
• Mongers’ Provisions co-owner Zach Berg
• Detroit Free Press social, search and audience editor and craft beer writer Brian Manzullo
• Siren of Stout founder and vice president of Fermenta, a women's craft collective, Barb Baker
• Executive Producer and co-host of Michigan’s Great Beer State Podcast, and author of “Rising Tide: Stories from the Michigan Brewers Guild” and “Beervangelist’s Guide to the Galaxy, A philosophy of beer and food” Fred “The Beervangelist” Bueltmann

 
To join in on the fun, visit Pure Michigan’s and Short’s Facebook pages on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m.
  
Here’s everything you’ll need to partake in the virtual tasting from the comfort of your own home:  
 

THE BEER

• Short’s Pure Michigan Autumn IPA – Straw-colored and slightly hazy, this beer leads with slightly sweet, fruity and malty flavors that are immediately followed with a pleasant hoppiness that finishes dry.
• Stout or porter of choice – These two distinct styles are similar in character and pair well with the flavors of fall.
• Oktoberfest of choice – Most Michigan breweries have a variation of this classic, fall style with a storied history.
• Wild card – Dealer’s choice! Choose one of your favorite brews, wine or spirit from a Michigan maker and pair with a fun snack.

 

THE FOOD

Pairing suggestions from Zach Berg, co-owner of Mongers’ Provisions.

• To pair with the Pure Michigan Autumn IPA, look for a good Midwestern cheddar. A cheddar that is two years old or younger, still creamy and sweet with a little bit of a sharp bite at the end to balance the hops.  Evergreen Lane's Goat Milk Cheddar would be a lot fun with this beer. Evergreen makes wonderful cheeses in Fennville, Michigan.
• For a Stout or a Porter this time of year, think of a cheese pairing like adding cream to your coffee in the morning. With the bold notes of well-toasted malts, a creamy cheese is a good choice. Try Zingerman’s Creamery’s newest creation, the Goat Brie.
• To pair with an Oktoberfest beer, try Mountain Style Cheeses like Gruyère or Comté.
• Zach’s wild card – “Michigan Apples. This time of year, I crave apples. There are so many great apples grown right here in Michigan to choose from. I love unique apples and I am always seeking out more obscure varieties. I am also always looking for any excuse to eat more Idyll Farms, Mont Idyll from Northport, Michigan. I love pairing Mont Idyll with a dry cider and some sliced apples on the side.”

 

THE TRAVEL

• Throughout the discussion, panelists will share their favorite fall destinations in Michigan from a hiking trail near Bellaire, like Glacial Hills, to sunset point at Belle Isle.

More information on the Pure Michigan Autumn IPA, including an interactive map (coming soon), highlighting locations where to find and purchase the beer after the Oct. 6 release, can be found at shortsbrewing.com/puremichigan and michigan.org/breweries.
 
Pure Michigan and Short’s Brewing Company remind those 21 and over to drink responsibly.

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