Kalamazoo, MI—The fourth annual Kalamazoo Beer Week is scheduled for January 11-18, 2014. Established in January, 2010 by Imperial Beverage, the first Kalamazoo Beer Week was created as a community event to help Imperial celebrate its 2010 Craft Beer Distributor of the Year award. The first year, 16 events were hosted in 14 locations around Kalamazoo, and it was clear that the excitement was catching.
Now in its fourth year, KBW will offer new and exciting events, while remaining true to old reliables. “We expect upwards of 150 events this year,” said Anne Drummond, Imperial Beverage’s Marketing and PR Director. “Kalamazoo Beer Week has grown into a real community event, featuring dozens of breweries, both local and national, and all of your favorite Kalamazoo craft beer locations.”
In order to be part of the Kalamazoo Beer Week official lineup, three things must be in place. 1) the event features craft beer, using the Brewers Association official definition of craft. (More info can be found at http://www.craftbeer.com/
the-beverage/what-is-craft- beer.) 2) the events take place in breweries themselves, or where craft beer is sold or consumed, and features a programmed element, and 3) brewer or brewery representative presents to attendees. One thing that KBW is not: it is not a for-profit entity that drives consumers to a third party site for a gathering of thousands under a tent. Says Drummond, “…those events are great, but that isn’t what we are doing. Kalamazoo Beer Week is fashioned for the sole purpose of craft beer appreciation, consumer education, and experiential learning in the breweries, brewpubs, restaurants and retail locations of Kalamazoo.”
KBW will, along with the hosting parties, work to promote the series of events using traditional and grass-roots marketing methods, including web, social media, point of sale, and other items to get the word out. KBW is a partnership between Imperial Beverage and Discover Kalamazoo, who describe themselves as “initiating partners”. In the coming weeks, you’ll see the website, social media, and recruitment materials begin to hit the public.
A few of the breweries confirmed to participate in Kalamazoo Beer Week 2014 (in no particular order):
Arcadia Brewing
Bell’s Brewery
Brewery Vivant
Berghoff Brewing
Finch’s Beer Co.
Founder’s Brewing Co.
Rockford Brewing Company
Great Lakes Brewing Company
Southern Tier
Boatyard Brewing
Gonzo’s BiggDogg Brewing Company
Stone Brewing Company
Vander Mill Ciders
Greenbush
Tibb’s Brewing
Just a few of the new featured locations or parties already committed to 2014:
Alamo Draft House
Michigan Mobil Canning
Southwest Michigan Beer Tours
