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Visit Detroit, an independent, nonprofit economic development organization, is the only organization that promotes the metro Detroit regionally, nationally and internationally as a convention, business meeting and tourism destination.Well, let’s all drink to that.To help celebrate, highlight and promote the Detroit area’s legendary and rich beer history – along with its future – Visit Detroit launched a program called the Detroit Brew Trail where participants can check in at more than 30 breweries and distilleries throughout the metro area.

The Brew Trail, which started earlier this year, features four trail sections: Downtown Detroit, as well as Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties. The more locations participants visit, the more prizes they can earn including stickers, koozies, bottle openers, pint glasses, coasters and more.“The culture of craft brewing and distilling in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties is unrivaled across the country,” said Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari. “Visit Detroit was excited to put together the Detroit Brew Trail to help visitors and locals better access the incredible array of craft breweries, brew pubs, and distilleries.”

Visit Detroit estimates that more than 1,500 people have participated in the Brew Trail, including beer enthusiasts from 18 states outside of Michigan.Looking back, Detroit has a rich beer culture and history of breweries that date to the 1800s and you can still find remnants of that bygone era at many of the city’s craft breweries with several that can be traced back to the Prohibition Era.Looking ahead, Detroit has become a major hub of craft beer in America. More than two dozen breweries have opened in the past few years, and more are on the way.

In downtown, this yeast-hops-malt-and-barley trail leads participants from Midtown to Corktown, downtown and to the Detroit Riverfront and eventually to the beginning of the Macomb County path of the brew trail.Macomb participating breweries include Brooks Brewing in Shelby, Cap N Cork Brewing Company in Macomb and Copper Hop Brewing Company in downtown Saint Clair Shores.

Oakland County, home to the highest concentration of breweries and pubs in the area, serves up more than 400 different kinds of beer. As a self-guided tour, the Detroit Brew Trail includes popular suburban breweries such as Valentine Distilling in Ferndale, Jolly Pumpkin Restaurant and Taphouse in Royal Oak, Cadillac Straits in Madison Heights and North Center Brewing Company in Northville.People can sign up at visitdetroit.com/the-detroit-brew-trail-is-here and new breweries or distilleries in the region can sign up to be listed on the trail.

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