It’s Not About Beer: #Verlander4MVP

 If you’re expecting to read a post about sabermetrics, this is not it (this is: Bill Simmons on Justin Verlander and the meaning of “Most Valuable Player”).  This is more of a drunken rant; a rant from a Tiger fan that thinks our star pitcher deserves not only the Cy Young, but also the MVP.

For most of the season Justin Verlander was in a pretty tight race for the Cy Young award with Jered Weaver of the Angels and CC Sabathia of the Yankees.  At this point, Verlander has pretty much separated himself from the pack and looks like the clear front-runner for the Cy Young.  Verlander leads the league in wins (21), ERA (2.34), and strikeouts (224)—the Triple Crown.  Winning the Triple Crown would essentially give JV a lock at winning the American League Cy Young Award.

While the Cy Young is a prestigious award, Verlander’s spectacular season warrants further accolades—the Most Valuable Player Award.  Without Verlander’s 21 wins, the Tigers are merely a .500 club, and probably not in the playoff race.  With Verlander, the Tigers are leading the AL Central by 7.5 games and are in pretty good shape to not only make the playoffs (knock on wood), but also possibly take a run at winning the AL Pennant and even the World Series.

Of course there are plenty of other players having great seasons—Granderson and Bautista to name a few.  But, are these players truly most valuable?  Despite his career season, the Yankees would likely still make the playoffs without Granderson.  So, while undoubtedly “valuable” to his club, is Granderson really “most valuable” on a team of stars?  Bautista is also having a career season, but on a mediocre team.  Shouldn’t the MVP be awarded to a player who not only plays an amazing season, but also leads his team to the playoffs, with his “value” to the team?  I think so.  I don’t mean to discount Granderson or Bautista’s seasons, just to argue that they are not “most valuable” players.

Maybe this is just the beer talking, maybe this is just a rant.  Either way, it has been a pleasure to watch JV play this year, and I look forward to watching Verlander and the Tigers continue their season in October.  Cheers to Justin Verlander and the Tigers!

Lessons Learned from the Summer Beer Fest

1.             Lines Suck

Waiting in a long line in the beating hot sun with 1000s of other eager beer drinkers is not fun.  If you were in this line with me, impatiently waiting to enter the festival and sample some of the finest beers in Michigan, then you realize what a bummer this was.

You can join the Michigan Brewers Guild as an enthusiast member, which (among other benefits) allows you to skip that huge line and enter the festival an hour early than the commoners.  In fact, don’t wait until next year to do it, join now so you can take advantage of this line jumping privilege at the rest of the beer festivals (UP Beer Fest in September and the Fall Beer Fest in October).

Not only will you be able to skip that long line, but imagine having another hour to sample more beers.  It might even allow you to try some of the special beers that you missed out.  There were a few that I wanted to try that were already gone by the time I got into the festival at 1 (Dark Horse’s Super Juice was one).

2.            Eat a Big Breakfast

Another important lesson learned from the beer festival is to eat a big hearty, greasy breakfast prior to the festival.  A hot day in the sun, drinking beer, especially some of these high ABVs will really take its toll on the underfed festivalgoer.  If you don’t eat a big breakfast, then you should at least pack some sandwiches and snacks to eat during the festival, or bring a few bucks to buy lunch on the fair grounds.

3.            Remember Times of Limited Releases

I was lucky enough to try a few of the timed releases—Founders Blushing Monk, Bell’s The Oracle DIPA and Batch 10,000.  However, I missed one that I really wanted to try—KBS.  In the hustle and bustle of the festival I misread the sign at the Founders booth, thinking KBS was released at 5pm, an hour after it was actually released.  By the time I realized it was released at 4, not 5, it was too late.  The line was long (although not quite as long as the line to get into the festival at 1), and KBS would have run dry by the time I got in line to get my drink.

Life goes on.  We were able to try a few more beers, and then get in line at Bell’s for the Oracle at 5pm.  All was well in the end, but next year I will certainly remember to get my details straight so I don’t miss out on any of the special timed releases.

4.            Support Your Local Brewers

This is something we already know, but it doesn’t hurt to say it again.  Support your local brewers, or we’ll lose ‘em.  The summer beer fest really highlights how many brewers we have in this great state.  If you want to make sure they stay around, then we need to buy their beer to keep them brewing.

Cherry Pie Whole: 4th of July in Traverse City with Right Brain Brewery

Northern Michigan is well known for many things—sand dunes, lakes, cherries, and of course…beer!  If you’re Up North this summer, be sure to check out some of the local breweries, and you’ll see how Michigan has earned the name: the Great Beer State.  While in Traverse City over the 4^th of July weekend, which coincided with the Cherry Festival, I took a trip to the Right Brain Brewery, and I can assure you, I’ll be back.

Right Brain is located in a renovated warehouse in Traverse City, there’s not much to look at on the outside, but when you walk in you enter a fun room filled with some funky art and groovy beer.  From the nondescript warehouse to the open taproom and imaginative beer flavors, Right Brain had a similar feel to Wolverine State Brewing in Ann Arbor, and like Wolverine, the real focus here is on the beer.

They have all the beer styles you will find at most craft breweries, but what really stands out are their unique, local flavors.  In particular, over the 4^th of July weekend Right Brain had Cherry Pie Whole, a beer brewed with 50 whole Cherry Pies from the Grand Traverse Pie Company, on tap.  Cherry Pie and beer are both things many Americans enjoy on the 4^th of July, but drinking a Cherry Pie beer was a new experience for me.  The sweet, slightly tart flavor really felt like drinking a Cherry Pie, which was perhaps the perfect beer to drink while watching fireworks on the 4^th of July.

Read more about Right Brain and Cherry Pie Whole at:

Drink Michigan, Pie-Whole Beer: Right Brain Brewery

Promote Michigan, Right Brain Brewery Taps into “Cherry Pie Whole Beer”

 

Bonfires, Baseball & Beer—Summertime in Michigan

Summer beers are on tap, boats are on the water, ribs are on the grill, and the Tigers are leading the division—summertime in Michigan is upon us!  It’s time to grab your favorite beer and enjoy all that Michigan has to offer.  Whether it’s on the lake, at Comerica Park (look for the Atwater beer booth in right field), at a bonfire, or whatever else you enjoy (leave comments with what you like to do!), there are no shortages for great summertime activities in Michigan.

 

Drinking a Bell’s Oberon at a bonfire after a nice summer day on the golf course or lake is probably one of the best summertime activities.   The calm blaze of the fire against the summer night sky, conversation with friends, and sipping a refreshing beer all make for an idyllic Michigan summer night.

As June comes to an end, and 4^th of July just around the corner, it sometimes feels as if summer is already halfway over.  It’s not!  We still have plenty of summertime left, so get out on the lake, head to a Tigers game at Comerica Park, and have a bonfire with friends (I know I will).  Go enjoy Pure Michigan this summer with your favorite Michigan beer!