Jackie Huss
Lakeshore Museum Center
It sounds bizarre to many that a company named Grand Rapids Brewing Co. bottled its product in Muskegon. Hear the story behind it, a bubbly narrative, as uncovered by a man who traced the corporate history of those that once brewed our beer. The one-night Lakeshore Museum Center event “The Curious History of Grand Rapids Brewing in Muskegon” hosts West Michigan author Pat Evans and his research on the surprising history of Muskegon beer. The event coincides well with the museum’s latest exhibit “Cheers! A History of Brewing in Muskegon”.
“Our exhibit content manager, Aaron Mace, came across this book in research. The author now lives in Las Vegas, so it’s a rare opportunity to talk to him while he’s back in town,” said Lakeshore Museum Center Program Manager Jackie Huss. “It’s a little known fact that Grand Rapids Brewing Co. operated out of Muskegon, so it’s a great opportunity to learn more about Muskegon’s unique brewing history.”
Evans, author of Grand Rapids Beer: An Intoxicating History of River City Brewing was a reporter for The Grand Rapids Business Journal for five years. He also regularly contributed to Grand Rapids Magazine as a food and sports writer. His work as a corporate historian allows him to combine his passion for both history and hops to explain just how Grand Rapids Brewing Co. ended up in Muskegon.
“Not a lot of history books cover beer. I think beer is often forgotten,” Evans said when the book was released in 2015. “I think people will be surprised that there’s that much of a beer history… to know that Grand Rapids Brewing Co. back then was bigger than Founders is now.”
This one-night event on Wednesday, March 18, at 5:30 p.m. is free to all Muskegon County Residents and $5 for non-residents via Eventbrite. Copies of Evan’s book will be available for purchase and signing. To learn more about this event, contact Jackie Huss at jackie@lakeshoremuseum.org or call 231-724-5526.
