Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Blues, Brews & BBQ Features Some of Michigan's Finest Craft Beers

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Blues, Brews & BBQ Features Some of Michigan's Finest Craft Beers

Westland, MI - Michigan is ranked 5th in the country for number of breweries, micro-breweries and brew pubs. The industry, which consists of more than 200 brewing factories, contributes nearly $7 billion to the state's economy every year. Since 2011, the number of Michigan craft breweries has more than doubled and there are now more than 5,000 across the United States.

Westland's Blues Brews and BBQ festival is one of metro-Detroit's most highly anticipated events. Attended by thousands of people throughout the region, the event pulls together Detroit Blues legends, mouthwatering BBQ and a sampling of Michigan brews. This year's selections include:

Atwater Dirty Blonde - Atwater Brewery was founded in 1977 when it made its debut in Detroit's Rivertown district. Today the brewery is thriving and expanding at its original location including a full scale biergarten and taphouse. They recently opened Atwater in the Park located 8 miles from the brewery and a location in Grand Rapids in 2016. Atwater Dirty Blonde is a wheat ale brewed to be a bright straw color and lightly sweet with a crisp finish which includes fresh orange peel and coriander.

Erik the Red by Dragonmead - Dragonmead Brewery was founded in 1997, well ahead of the craft beer revolution in Michigan. Their mission is to produce beer so good that it changes the very nature of the industry. Erik the Red is an Irish Style Amber Ale. The Irish style is accomplished by using a true Irish yeast strain in fermentation. It is light in finish but bold in taste. Melanoidin malt in added for the red color and the spicy finish comes through from the use of Chinook hops.

Norms Raggedy IPA by Griffin Claw - Griffin Claw Brewing Company is located out of Birmingham. Norm's Raggedy IPA is their World Beer Cup Champion. The key is in the giant, wonderful combination of piney, citrusy and fruity hops with a surprisingly low malt profile. This mellow double IPA is not only a great introduction for someone who wants to try a double IPA, but also offers a lot for experienced IPA drinkings to enjoy. Fairly new to the microbew scene, Griffin Claw has been regaled as Michigan's next great brewery.

Angry Orchard Rose - The Angry Orchard Cider apple orchard is a 60 acre orchard located in Walden, New York where it has been making cider for more than 200 years. Their rose is made with rare, red flesh apples from France. Each apple is crisp, juicy and red to the core adding an irresistible rosy blush and apple forward taste with a refreshing dry finish. This selection serves as a gluten free alternative for event attendees.

The event will also feature popular Domestics, such as Miller Lite and Molson Ice as well as Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy and Corona Light.

Stay up to date on all the latest news and updates about this landmark event by visiting www.cityofwestland.com.

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Western Wayne Fire Association firefighters collaboratively serving the Cities of Wayne and Westland are licensed paramedics who responded to over 13,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds if shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more that 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

Westland's philosophy is that government should embrace good business principles. Providing oversight over the City's operating budget of $60 million dollars, Westland is the only community in Wayne County with a 3-year balanced budget and an approximately 10 percent budget surplus.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.