(TRAVEL: Find Beercation Guides<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s pretty funny,\u201d Bell tells CraftBeer.com. \u201cThere\u2019s this attitude that the coasts are cooler and hipper. Let me tell you, I\u2019ve seen a lot of West Coast beers launch in the Midwest and Michigan and fall flat on their faces, because guess what, the beer really isn\u2019t better than ours, and people here, especially in Michigan, are homers. There\u2019s been just as many interesting things going on here as there is on the coasts.\u201d<\/p>\n Bell says Michigan has a lot going for it in terms of differentiating its beer, especially when it comes to local ingredients. The four Great Lakes surrounding Michigan is an obvious advantage in terms of water. So is the region\u2019s local grain.<\/p>\n Bell explains that while West Coast beers tend to be hop heavy and place an importance on its prominence, beers from Michigan proudly showcase a heavy dose of its home-grown malt, creating a distinct style for the region.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re the bread box of the country and I think we\u2019ve always liked malt,\u201d Bell says. \u201cI certainly believe in making all-malt beer. That\u2019s what we got into the business to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Graham says the first \u201cexplosion\u201d of craft breweries in Michigan was the mid-to-late 90s.<\/p>\n But before that, there were several pioneers who paved the way, he says. When Real Ale Co. in Chelsea opened in 1982, it was the Michigan’s first independently-owned brewery. It was only open a few years, closing in 1986 (as a side note, the then-head brewer, Ted Badgerow, is still rocking and opened Ypsi Alehouse<\/a> in Ypsilanti last year). Still, Real Ale Co. made a significant contribution to craft beer\u2019s future in many ways.<\/p>\n \u201cI think [Real Ale Co.] gave people something to aspire to,\u201d Graham said.<\/p>\n (VISIT: Find Michigan Breweries<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n As the story goes, Larry Bell\u2019s visit to Real Ale Co. helped inspire him to start his own brewery. He even bought a brew kettle (which he ended up never using to brew beer) and some other equipment from them to get started. In 1985, he launched Kalamazoo Brewing Co., and in 2005, he changed the name to Bell\u2019s Brewery. Today, it is Michigan\u2019s largest independent brewery.<\/p>\n A few more breweries started to trickle in during the early 90s, but the big highlight of that time was a legislature change that took place in 1992. Bell himself helped lawmakers craft a bill that would allow breweries to charge for beer by the glass and sell food \u2013 a brewery license, if you will \u2013 which had been previously prohibited. The law passed in late 1992, sparking investment and setting the table for the rush of breweries that would follow in the years to come — and that includes Founders. Since opening in 1997, Founders\u00a0(no longer under the BA-defined craft brewer<\/a>\u00a0umbrella due to\u00a0Mahou San Miguel’s 30 percent<\/a> stake in the brewery) has also left an indelible mark on the state’s brewing scene.<\/p>\n Grand Rapids has become Michigan\u2019s beer destination. It has earned national attention for its beer scene by finishing first in various reader\u2019s choice polls over the past few years, and it has branded itself as \u201cBeer City USA\u201d in its tourism marketing. One of the main reasons is its Beer City Ale Trail<\/a>, a walking route that connects dozens of downtown breweries. Notable independent craft breweries in the Grand Rapids area include Brewery Vivant<\/a>, New Holland and Grand Rapids Brewing Co.<\/a>, among many others.<\/p>\nMichigan Beer Pioneers<\/h2>\n
![\"Bell's](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Laura-Bell-700.jpg\")
Michigan\u2019s Best Cities for Beer<\/h2>\n