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

Westland, MI - Michigan ranks 6th in the country for the 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 over 8,700 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.

Blood Orange Honey by Cheboygan Brewing Company – Cheboygan Brewing Company first began in 1872 when the town of Cheboygan played an important role in Michigan's logging industry, but closed in 1911 as the lumber industry moved on. In 2011, the brewery was reopened and now has a dynamic team of Michiganders that have worked hard to transform the brewery into the modern alehouse that it is today. Blood Orange Honey is an American style wheat-ale with an addition of honey and blood orange puree, resulting in a medium bodied beer with an exhilarating nose of citrus.

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 drinkers to enjoy. Fairly new to the microbew scene, Griffin Claw has been regaled as Michigan's next great brewery.

Wheezin' the Juice IPA by Grand Armory Brewing Company – Grand Armory Brewing is a craft brewery that opened in July of 2015. Located in Grand Haven's Downtown District, this brewing company's main focus is creating high quality and diverse styles of beer. Wheezin' the Juice is a 6.5% ABV juicy IPA with tropical flavors mixing perfectly with the bitterness of a tradition IPA. It is the perfect drink for all of Michigan's seasons, especially for hot summer's days.

The event will also feature popular Domestics, such as Coors Lite, Alaskan Amber Ale, and Molson Ice as well as Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, Truly Wild Berry Seltzer, and Corona Light.

Westland's Blues, Brews and BBQ festival will be held August 6th & 7th. Stay up to date on all the latest news and updates about this landmark event by visiting http://www.cityofwestland.com.