The official kickoff of Lansing Beer Week 2013 begins this Sunday with an Automotive History Bike & Brew Tour through downtown Lansing.

One of the oldest bars in Lansing, which has been closed for several years, is set to reopen this summer. Zoobie's Old Town Tavern, owned by the same family since 1932, was the first bar in Michigan to receive a liquor license after the 21st amendment passed repealing prohibition. Over the years it maintained the feel of an old neighborhood bar serving cold beer and humble bar food. I remember visiting Zoobie's once in college and I thought that although it was old and a bit rundown, that at one time it was probably a very nice place.

Since the recent launch of our mobile app, we have been updating our database with Michigan beers, beer bars, breweries, and stores. Our hope is to create a fun, interactive, online forum to rate & discuss Michigan beers and bars, and also to discover new ones. As an incentive to get your reviews featured on the website and mobile app, we're offering an epic summer giveaway. 

On this coming Friday, June 7th, Reno's East will be having a tap takeover featuring beers from Ann Arbor's own Arbor Brewing Company. Arbor's Strawberry Blonde, Bavarian Bliss, Mackinac Fudge Stout, Bollywood Blonde, Ypsi Gypsy, Sacred Cow IPA, and the very rare Bourbon Barrel Altbier will all be on tap in addition to Reno's vast number of other draft offerings.

Once, on a charter fishing boat in Costa Rica, my guide observed of me, "He drink beer, he go to sleep. He wake up, he drink more beer!", and he was right--put it on my luggage. I also like to eat tacos, and I ate a lot of them on that trip. Pork, carne asada, chicken, chorizo, whatever you've got...add some warm corn shells, beans & rice, fresh cilantro, a lime wedge, and a few cold beers and there aren't many things better. The more South American and Carribean food I eat, the more I fall in love with the techniuque of "braising", which is initially searing meat at a high temperature then letting it slowly cook in a covered pot with a variable amount of moisture.

Our next unique food and beer tasting at the REO Town Pub in Lansing is set for next Wednesday, May 15th and we are very excited. This time we will be featuring beers from New Holland Brewing Company and a series of small plates from Lansing's own Fork in The Road Artisan Diner.

What better way to spend your Memorial Day weekend in style than in beautiful northern Florida playing golf and drinking craft beer? Play Harder Tours is hosting a unique trip to the Renaissance Wold Golf Village in St. Augustine this Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27. The trip includes a welcome dinner with a 3 night stay at the resort, 2 rounds of championship golf, an extensive tour of the Jacksonville beer and brewery scene, and a private party and dinner to cap the beer tour at Aardwolf Brewery in Jacksonville.

On Thursday, April 18th, Reno's East will holding a Tap Takeover featuring the delectable Belgian style beers of Brewery Vivant from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Vivant has one of the most innovative and unique brewing operations in the whole state and their popularity over the last few years has soared along with their presence and availability in the marketplace.

One of southwest Michigan's most innovative and swiftly growing breweries will be bring a tap takeover event to Reno's East on Friday, April 19th. If you are unfamiliar with Green Bush, they are located almost at the Michigan/Indiana border in Sawyer.

It's spring time and that means it's time to kick off another season of Tiger Baseball at Comerica Park in Detroit. With the team coming up just short of winning a World Series title last fall, hopes and expectations are high that this will be the year they bring a championship back to The D!