MEET & EAT FOOD TOURS
MOVEABLE FEASTS
Statewide tours offer tasty options for corporate foodies and fans of local wine, beer and spirits. BY KHRISTI ZIMMETH
MOST PEOPLE KNOW MICHIGAN IS FAMOUS FOR ITS GREAT LAKES. Fewer, however, know it’s also renowned for its equally great food and drink. From eclectic eateries in Ann Arbor to Traverse City’s top-rated vintages and West Michigan’s best brews, there are many ways to savor the state. The good news for meeting and event planners is that tour operators have done all the hard work. They say participants only need to show up hungry and thirsty. Read on for “satisfying” places to host your next event.
What’s Brewing Out West West Michigan Beer Tours (WMBT) in Kalamazoo was, appropriately, started on a beer napkin. It was 2013, and General Manager and co-founder John Liberty was
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enjoying a pint one evening with co-founders Aric and Lisa Faber and discussing how they could get involved in the renaissance of the area’s craft beer industry. “It was during this conversation that we started our initial business plan. The first tour was 10 months later,” he explains. Tours connect beer lovers with a behindthe-scenes experience showing the process, the people and the pride behind Michigan beer, he says. WMBT specializes in corpo-
rate outings, from team-building, team sales rewards, post-conference entertainment, holiday party alternatives, quarterly bonus events or educational outings. Five- to six-hour trips for 10-50 people are customized to group sizes and interests. “For the safety specialist and engineers, the brewery tour will be more focused on the equipment and processes of brewing beer,” he explains. “For a more agricultural or environmental audience, we’ll have the visits honed in on how locally sourced ingredients are utilized in beer, or visit a local hop farm. The times, dates and locations are all flexible and we work with our clients to determine what locations make the most sense for their needs.” Most include three stops with pints or samples at each, introductions to owners or brewers, and pick-up and drop-off at the location of choice. The company has planned specialty outings for many of West Michigan’s top firms. “We’ve provided a farm-and-beer designed trip for a nationwide association of herb enthusiasts. We created a private tour aimed at safety pro-
P H O T O S : W E S T M I C H I G A N B E E R T O U R S ; B Y T H E S I D E WA L K F O O D T O U R S
Several of the West Michigan’s Beer Tours include three stops with pints or samples at each, introductions to owners or brewers, and pick-up and drop-off at the location of choice.
