Rochester Mills Announces Winners of Mills Big Brew Review Michigan Homebrew Contest

Rochester MillsRochester, MI — Rochester Mills Beer Co. and Production Brewery are proud to announce that the annual Mills Big Brew Day has yet again returned a wide spectrum of quality beers that showcase the talents of Michigan homebrewers. Warren resident Zach Typinski’s Imperial IPA and Grand Rapids (Beer City USA) resident Adam Campbell’s Saison triumphed over the 70 competing homebrews to become the 2013 Mills Big Brew Review Michigan Homebrew Contest winners.

In addition to Adams’ and Zach’s winning brews, Rochester Mills also honors top four finalists Rochester Hills resident Scott HIlls’ Strawberry Blonde and Saint Clair resident Chelsea Harrington’s Hibiscus Wit for their exceptional entries. Zach will now have the opportunity to collaborate with the Mills’ head brewers on a recipe that will be brewed on the Rochester Mills Production system for distribution across Michigan, the Great Beer State, and Adam will work with Rochester Mills Beer Co. brewers to have his Sasion available at the brew pub in downtown Rochester.

For years, Rochester Mills has supported the Michigan homebrewing community and have hosted a Big Brew Day event. This year, founder Mike Plesz and the brewers at Rochester Mills decided to kick things up a notch to recognize the most talented homebrewers for their world class brews through the Mills Big Brew Review Michigan Homebrew Contest. The Big Brew Day on Saturday, April 27th, 2013 drew more than 250 homebrewers from across the State and far away as Maryland to the back lot of Rochester Mills Production Brewery in Auburn Hills to be part of the largest, single day, homebrewing event in the World.122 batches of beer, totaling 1012 gallons were brewed throughout the day.

In addition, 19* Michigan homebrew clubs were represented:
Pontiac Brewing Tribe (Auburn Hills), SNOBs (Waterford), KGB (Warren), SLAB (South Lyon), CRAFT (Macomb Township), Black Bottom (Detroit), No Restraints (Rochester), Lapeer Area Brewers (Lapeer), Sons of Liberty (Plymouth), Richmond Worthogs (Richmond), Greater Lansing Brew Crew (Lansing), MENZ (Richmond), Cass River (Frankenmuth), Ann Arbor Brewers Guild (Ann Arbor), Berkley Tied House (Berkley), Malty Dogs (Southfield), Brew Bubbas (Warren), Long Point Brew Club (Chesterfield), Toledo Glass City Mashers (Toledo*, Ohio).

“We were completely overwhelmed by the response and interest,” said Rochester Mills founder, Mike Plesz. “But thanks to all of our volunteers, staff and a great group of homebrewers, it turned out to be a great day for brewing and then a wonderfully social day of sampling.”

The brewers at Rochester Mills are currently reviewing their production schedule and coordinating with the winners to determine when the beers will be made based on their seasonality, the Mills current offerings and upcoming seasonal brews like Oktoberfest.

Ingredient sponsors for the 2013 Mills Big Brew Day supplying hops and malt to homebrewers participating in the event include Hopunion LLC, Briess Malt & Ingredients Company and Country Malt Group.

Rochester Mills is host to monthly meetings of local home brew club, The Pontiac Brewing Tribe, who helped coordinate and execute the event.

ABOUT ROCHESTER MILLS BEER CO. & PRODUCTION BREWERY

Rochester Mills Beer Co. has been one of the top producing brewpubs in Michigan since it opened in 1998. The pub offers a diverse beer menu with eleven different styles of beer consistently available as well as a number of reoccurring seasonal offerings. In 2012 the Rochester Mills Production Brewery was opened and began producing select year-round and seasonal offerings that are distributed across Michigan on draft and in 16oz. aluminum cans and is one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the State.