MittenBrew raises a pint (or two) to Michigan microbreweries

This week, the guys behind the foodie madness at Grand Rapids Grub launched the next best thing to tipping a few at a Michigan microbrewery. MittenBrew.com takes readers on virtual visits to the state's breweries and samples their wares via articles and stories written by professional writers who have a passion for writing about, and drinking, good beer.

The articles, along with photographs of the breweries, their brews and their people, tell the stories of the breweries. Video tours give folks a taste of different brew houses, fermenting rooms and more, giving readers a front row seat to what's happening behind the scenes. Future plans for the site include featuring beer recipes for home brewers and brewing tips from brew masters.

Bryan Esler, Rob Kirkbride and Christopher Epplett, co-owners of grgrub.com and now MittenBrew, all have regular day jobs and are also journalists with experience writing for publications like The Grand Rapids Press, The Grand Haven Tribune and The Monday Morning Quarterback.

"We couldn't find a single beer website specifically about Michigan breweries and written by people who have journalism experience," says Chris Epplett. "We wanted to bring something to it in a professional manner as writers and editors. We love beer and we also have the abilities to write about it in a professional way and a journalistically correct way, which is different than just a blog."

MittenBrew has about five people working as writers, Epplett says, three in West Michigan, and others covering Traverse City, Ann Arbor and Lansing. While the first articles are about Grand Rapids and West Michigan breweries, future articles will take readers throughout the state, where Epplett says there are over 60 breweries to-date.

GRgrub.com launched in July 2009 and now has some 1,500 unique visitors a week and over 1,100 Facebook fans, Epplett says. In its first two days, MittenBrew attracted about 300 visitors.

"There really is a great respect for the state of Michigan and the beers that we brew, like Bell's Oberon and Founders, which are really growing around the world," Epplett says. "We have everything from a lot of bitterness to a lot of hops. The reputation for Michigan breweries is really growing outside the U.S. We want to do whatever we can to show our enthusiasm for it, as well."

Source: Christopher Epplett, MittenBrew and Grand Rapids Grub
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor