Michigan Craft Beer Industry Gets Attention from State Legislature

This story was reported and written by Jessica Nunez. 

Michigan lawmakers met Tuesday to discuss legislation that would support Michigan's rapidly growing craft beer industry.

The Regulatory Reform Committee discussed bills that would allow for the expansion of microbreweries and brew pubs across the state.


According to the Associated Press, the bills would let microbreweries double their barrel output, would let smaller brew pubs own interests in other brew pubs and let large breweries sell beer for on-premises consumption at up to two locations instead of one.

According to a June article in Bridge magazine, Michigan ranked fifth in the nation in the number of breweries in 2012, and the industry contributed about $133 million to the state’s economy.

Michigan added 17 breweries last year and outpaced the average national industry growth rate by 12 percent, according to a Grand Rapids Business Journal article. The closest craft breweries to Farmington and Farmington Hills are CJ's Brewing Company in Commerce Township and Copper Canyon in Southfield.