If we're not Beer City USA anymore then-- who are we?

Since first winning the prestigious title from the annual USA Today 10Best reader poll in 2012 the city of Grand Rapids, MI has been considered Mecca for beer lovers. According to Experience Grand Rapids,

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beer tourism now accounts for a $38.5 million regional economic impact to the greater Grand Rapids area...A 2019 study estimates that local breweries attracted over 94,000 beer tourists during the study year, with 25 percent...from outside Michigan.

I remember when Grand Rapids' local craft beer scene was booming and the National Homebrewers Conference was held in town back in 2014; now that was a big deal.

At the time I remember counting at least 8 craft breweries within city limits and I thought even that was a bit much. However, today that number is more like 40 breweries all within a 30 minute drive of each other.

All this pomp and circumstance and you're telling me the entire state of Michigan doesn't even crack the Top 5 when it comes to states with most breweries?! How can that be?

An annual study by the Brewers Association examined the state of the craft beer industry in America for 2023 and they found we've reach our all-time highest number of breweries!

Last year, the number of craft operations reached an all-time high with a whopping 9,761 craft breweries, up from 9,552 in 2022. But despite there being over 200 more operational breweries last year, beer output shrank by about 1 million barrels

Drinking culture website VinePair compiled the data. See how Michigan's craft beer scene stacks up to the rest of the country below and check out the full graphic here.

states with most breweries
Sara Pinsonault via VinePair.com
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Your Childhood is Now an Exhibit at Michigan's Henry Ford Museum

I'm sorry, Generation X. Your childhood is officially a museum exhibit. The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation's Your Place in Time displays showcases each generation's impact on the United States, from the Progressive Generation to today. While it's not surprising to see items from the 1890s or 1950s displayed for their historical significance, it's a bit jarring to round a corner and see your childhood toys under glass. Here's a look at one of those displays featuring Generation X's impact on electronic play and the first generation to require the phrase "batteries not included."

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Joy in the Mitten: The 11 Happiest Cities in Michigan

CreditDonkey looked at Michigan cities with over 20,000 residents to determine the Mitten State's happiest. Using information available through the U.S. Census Bureau and FBI Uniform Crime Reports and looking at 7 different categories, here are the 11 Happiest Cities in Michigan. (For full methodology and more insight, see the link on the #1 entry).

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

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