Events

Pizzapalooza is our celebration of all things beer & pizza leading up to National Pizza Day on Tuesday, February 9th. We're partnering with shops, pubs, gorcery stores and restaurants throughout our distribution areas to bring you the ultimate beer & pizza pairings.   It's also the perfect time to settle the age old debate: which pizza style really IS the best?!  If there's one thing we can agree on, it's that pizza and beer are a match made in heaven. And it's all fine and well until someone questions the supremacy of your square, perfectly-crunchy Detroit deep dish, or the perks of a 10-foot journey to your favorite frozen pizza...  New York, Detroit, Frozen, Chicago -- what's got your vote?  Fight for your favorite STYLE and vote February 1st to the 8th! Voting will be open from February 1st to 8th. VOTE HERE.  We'll announce the winner on National Pizza Day - February 9th.  To see if there are any special events near you, keep an eye on your trusty, local spot's social media pages, and check out our Events page here.  Suggested Beer & Pizza Pairings Two Hearted with Pepperoni or Jalapenos Hopslam with Hawaiian or Hot Honey Light Hearted with Margarita or Pesto Bright White with Meat Lovers or Caramelized Onion Official with BBQ or Anchovies

2020 is almost over. That means a New Year and …. HOPSLAM! Over the past few years, we’ve offered a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hop on a special behind-the-scenes brewery tour focused on nothing other than our beloved Double IPA. Most recently, we partnered with one of our fantastic area destinations to give one lucky pair a one night stay in the Hopslam Suite Royale.  This tour has always been limited and in order to get a coveted seat, you had to show your love of Hopslam. And y’all never disappoint. The submissions we’ve received over the years have been incredible. For 2021, we have a twist.  Since we are unable to bring you to our brewery for an exclusive tour, we are bringing the brewery to everyone! (Still for free.) That’s right, all (those 21 and up) are welcome to join us this year as we celebrate the release of Hopslam virtually with Hopslamania! What does Hopslamania include?  A virtual tour of our brewery (with some surprise stops).  A guided Hopslam tasting focused on sensory; we’ll show you how we evaluate the raw ingredients that go into Hopslam before we sample the deliciousness itself.  Q&A  Also, Hopslam (you’ll need to pick that up on your own).  All from the comforts of your own couch (or wherever your tune in for virtual events).  For those who want to go all in, our General Store has the perfect solution: a Hopslamania Virtual Kit. For $33.99 you will receive hops and malt samples for your at-home sensory experience, two Hopslam snifters glasses and a Hopslam tin tacker. Get yours here.  For the sweepstakes portion of this special event, we will randomly choose three winners from everyone who shares a song, a photo, a poem, anything creative, that shows your love and passion for this specialty release.  Three lucky winners will be announced at both of our virtual events. What’s at stake? Glad you asked. Grand prize:  A handmade Hopslam Pillow, Hopslam blanket and Hopslam sweatshirt First runner-up: A Hopslam blanket & Hopslam sweatshirt  2nd runner-up: A Hopslam blanket & Hopslam t-shirt  All three winners will also receive an (empty) 2021 Hopslam mini-keg signed by Larry Bell himself.  How do you enter? Share a post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram that shows your love for Hopslam using the hashtag #HopslamMe and #Entry. Be sure to make it public and tag us @bellsbrewery.  The deadline to enter is December 31st at midnight. Winners will be notified directly by email prior to these events. Our virtual Hopslamania virtual events will be held on:  Jan. 21 @ 7pm Feb. 4 @ 7pm Sign-up for the virtual event here: https://bit.ly/3sNHe1k​​​​​​​ You can take a look at all of the legal info and rules here.  Let’s see what you’ve got Hopslam fans!

Bell’s Brewery and Mel’s Charities of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, are teaming up to raise money for community organizations serving special needs, human services and memorial scholarships. During the month of January, an incredible list of participating restaurants will help bring awareness to a great community resource and compete for the honor of Best Chili on the Bell’s Ozaukee County Chili Trail. “The money we raise during this month-long event will stay right here in the community. We will follow all local health guidelines, which along with a to-go option, will help keep people safe while we support Mel’s Charities,” said John Lutz, Sales Representative for Bell’s. We specifically chose a month to offer this so we could help promote good social distancing. This, along with masks, helps us support an amazing organization, the community and local restaurants, he added. “When Bell’s presented us this opportunity it became apparent that we both love having fun and impacting lives in our community. We are grateful for this opportunity to partner with the brewery, “said Tom “Mel” Stanton, Executive Director for Mel’s Charities. Mel’s Charities has been supporting non-profit organizations in Ozaukee County since 1999 and has raised more than $1,300,000 in grants to date. Those who purchase a ticket to this virtual cook-off will receive a goodie bag filled with Bell’s merchandise including a custom 12 oz. soup bowl with spoon, coupons for free chili samples and more. For every redeemed coupon, chili fans (those 21 and older) will also be entered into a special raffle for a chance to win even more Bell’s merchandise and beer. The grand prize will feature a Bell’s Retro Cooler with a Bell’s winter hat and scarf. Every participant is encouraged to vote for their favorite recipe online at melscharities.org. Tickets for the Chili Trail are $20 and can be purchased online at melscharities.org. Participating locations include (please visit the event website for the most up to date listing):

Employees of Bell’s Brewery are lacing up to Run Hoppy; for the first time, Bell’s beer fans are invited to join in! Bell's Run Hoppy 5K & Stroll, originally a Bell’s employee wellness event held annually at its Comstock Brewery, has gone virtual. This year’s race is open to the public (those 21 and up). Participants can run (or walk) their 5K the week of Sept. 28, 2020. You can register here. For this year’s Run Hoppy 5K & Stroll, a portion of proceeds will go to support To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. “Giving back to the communities we sell our beer in is an important aspect of all of our partnered events. It is one of our guiding principles,” Larry Bell, Bell’s President and Founder said. The virtual race follows in the footsteps of this year’s Oberun 5K. That annual race also went virtual this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Oberun helped raised money for Karen’s Trail and the construction of a 70 mile trail system in Michigan with race partner Running Fit Events. Registration opened Aug. 28 with two pricing options for those who want to participate. For $35, racers will receive a finisher’s medal and race shirt. There will be no cost to those who do not wish to receive either piece of swag and just want to run or walk. All racers will receive access to an exclusive Facebook community and content, a custom bib to print out at home to use for their run or walk, a digital finisher certificate and a one-time online discount code for 15% off all branded wearables and glassware at Bell’s General Store. Race week challenges are also planned to help keep participants motivated and have fun. “Run Hoppy has been an incredible event for us in the past and going virtual allows us to continue offering this benefit,” Sara Burhans, Bell’s Wellness Coordinator said. “Being able to open this up to a wider audience of Bell’s fans and enthusiasts takes this event to another level.” “We hope this virtual race will help people stay inspired and feel part of a larger group with a common goal,” she added. Physical, emotional, social and financial wellness are all cornerstones of how Bell’s approaches its employee benefits program. Bell’s was a winner in this year’s Governor’s Fitness Awards presented by the Michigan Fitness Foundation and Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports. Key dates for Bell's Run Hoppy 5K & Stroll 2020 Aug. 28: Registration opens Sept. 18: Last day to register and receive t-shirt and medal Sept. 28: Run Hoppy Race Week begins Oct. 2: Last day to register. Oct. 3: Final day to run and submit finish time (required to receive swag).

Bell’s Eccentric Café has been a staple in the Southwest Michigan music scene for decades, and this summer’s concert series line-up shows that tradition will continue. Bell’s Brewery has been a long-time supporter of the arts and local music community, showcasing acts from all genres and backgrounds to perform at Bell’s Eccentric Café and Beer Garden. We’re excited to bring you this year’s 2019 Summer Beer Garden lineup. Tickets are on sale now.  Combining the improvements we are making to the Beer Garden with the incredible and diverse lineup of artists, we will have one of the best summer concert lineups ever. Take a look below at the full lineup, answers to some frequently asked questions, where to buy tickets and more! May 31st – Steppin in It w/ May Erlewine & The Motivations: Lansing based Americana group, Steppin in It is returning to Kalamazoo to open up the Beer Garden with May Erlewine & the Motivations! Together, these two exceptional bands will have you dancing the night away, surely a night you won’t want to miss. **Limited tickets remaining here!  June 1st – Lettuce: Known for their incendiary live shows, extensive touring, Lettuce brings a new vitality to classic funk, matching their smooth and soulful grooves with a hip-hop-inspired urgency. **Limited tickets remaining here! June 2nd – Sunday Funday in the Beer Garden with The Crane Wives, Barn On Fire, House of Boogie, Uncle Kooky: Rounding things out in our Beer Garden weekend opener will be a free, full daylong event of live music for the whole family to enjoy! Kick-off the day with Uncle Kooky at 11:30am, followed by House of Boogie, Barn on Fire, and ending the evening will be Grand Rapids folk band, The Crane Wives! This is a free event and open to all ages until 9pm. June 15th – Trampled By Turtles w/ The Slamming Doors: American bluegrass/folk-rock band from Duluth, Minnesota will be stopping by for an evening in the Beer Garden with support from The Slamming Doors. Their latest album, “Life Is Good on the Open Road” released in May of 2018 and they are excited to share this album with Kalamazoo! SOLD OUT! June 29th – Built To Spill: 20 years after the release of seminal album, “Keep It like a Secret”, Idaho indie-rock band will make their debut in the Beer Garden to play the album in its entirety! Fans will be able to hear much-loved song such as “Carry the Zero” and “You Were Right” alongside other tracks from the band’s extensive back catalogue. SOLD OUT! July 9th – Fusion Presents… Whiskey Myers: Loud and proud, they sing about what they know with a refreshing directness and clarity. Whiskey Myers’ songs are stories with characters and situations that are immediately relatable. Through the quality of these songs, and their undeniable power in concert and on record, the band has attracted ad devoted army of fans who pack venues and rock the night away! Tickets here! July 19th – Kurt Vile: Known for his solo work and as the former lead guitarist of rock band, The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile is stopping by Kalamazoo for a show in the Beer Garden! Vile created his first record in three years, the eclectic and electrifying "Bottle It In", which he recorded at various studios around the country over two very busy years. **Limited tickets remaining here! July 23rd – Conor Oberst: Conor Oberst is an American singer-songwriter from Omaha Nebraska who began his recording career in 1993 at the age of 13! He is best known for his work in Bright Eyes and has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, The Faint, Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and Better Oblivion Community Center. **Limited tickets remaining here! July 27th – Sir Mix-A-Lot: Yup…he’s back again for round two, this time in the Beer Garden! Sir Mix-A-Lot is celebrating 25 years of his hit single, “Baby Got Back” and you chance to hear it live in concert has come again. Tickets here! August 10th – CFG & RSP Present - Abbey Road: The Corn Fed Girls and The Red Sea Pedestrians are coming together to perform one of the greatest albums of all time, Abbey Road, complete with all instruments and in its entirety. Your chance has come to see what sold out theatre crowds and summer festivals have been raving about. Tickets here! August 16th – Here Come the Mummies w/ Hannah Rose and the GravesTones: Your favorite eight-piece funk-rock band of 5000 year-old Egyptian mummies are returning to Kalamazoo for another show after their sold out performance last summer! Some claim the group is reincarnated Grammy-Winning studio musicians, regardless, Here Come the Mummies’ mysterious personas, and unrelenting live shows will bend your brain and melt your face. Tickets here! September 14th – Langhorne Slim & The Law: American singer-songwriter, Langhorne Slim has been spotted on fan-favorite tours with the Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, Drive-by Truckers, & more. His song “Electric Love Letter” was chosen as number 5 on the Rolling Stone editor’s top ten picks and was even featured in the movie, “Waitress”. Langhorne Slim’s music encourages listeners to find ways to challenge today’s social rigidity as he re-interprets the sound of a free-spirited life. Tickets here! September 15th – Sunday Funday in the Beer Garden with Zed Zeppelin, Jake Simmons & The Little Ghosts, Analog Ancestry, DJ M Sord, and Uncle Kooky: Come hang out in the Beer Garden with friends and family for a free, full daylong event of live music for everyone to enjoy! Kick-off the day with Uncle Kooky at 11:30am, followed by Analog Ancestry, Jake Simmons & The Little Ghosts, DJ M Sord, and ending the evening will Led Zeppelin cover band, Zed Zeppelin! This is a free event and open to all ages. **Save the date for our 2019 Octoberfest Celebration in the Beer Garden on September 20th and 21st! answers to some frequently asked questions All shows are 21+ except June 2nd and September 14th (until 9:00PM) Guests are not allowed to bring their own lawn chairs into the garden due to capacity and safety restrictions (unless otherwise noted). Fans cannot bring in outside containers (empty water bottles are OK – they can be refilled inside) or other alcoholic beverages into the Beer Garden For those who may need extra assistance, we are more than happy to provide designated seating. Just let us know ahead of time by emailing concertinfo@bellsbeer.com Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at TicketWeb.com or by stopping in the Bell’s General Store. On the day of the show, once doors open, tickets can only be purchased at the door, while supplies last. Cameras without removable lenses are allowed, we ask that everyone be mindful and respectful of the artists performing and those nearby in the audience. Food may be available for purchase outside. If you would like to grab a bite or enjoy dinner before a show, we recommend arriving early and checking in with our host or grab a seat in the bar. Smoking is allowed only in designated area outside of Bell’s Eccentric Café’s establishment. Prohibited items – outside food and beverage, weapons of any kind, illegal drugs, umbrellas noise makers, blankets and backpacks, professional camera with removable lenses, coolers, bikes, skateboards or rolling skates, signs and banners. Only certified service animals are allowed inside the Café and Beer Garden. In the event the show is moved indoors due to inclement weather, those with Weather Dependent tickets are no longer valid and will be refunded in 2-3 business days. All Guaranteed Admission tickets remain valid and have guaranteed admission into the Back Room. If show has moved indoors announcement will be sent via TicketWeb and Social Media, no later than 3pm. day of show. Questions, comments or concerns, please email concertinfo@bellsbeer.com By use of this ticket, the ticket purchaser/holder (“Holder”) agrees that Bell’s Brewery shall have the unrestricted right and license to the Holder’s image, likeness, comments or other proprietary or public rights in any broadcast, telecast or photograph and/or video and/or audio sound recording taken in connection with the event or other transmission or reproduction in whole or in part of the event, for all purposes, without compensation. If you have other questions, you can always reach out to us directly. Cheers to warm summer nights in the Beer Garden!

Once again, it’s time for the Great Taste of the Midwest! We will be in Madison on Saturday, August 11th to offer up some of the finest beers from our line-up. As always, our pre-party will kick off Friday at 10 a.m. at Maduro, 117 E Main St, Madison, so if you missed out on tickets to the festival, join us there! Below is our official tap list, both for Maduro and the Great Taste. If you want to know our theme this year, you’ll have to come visit us at our booth! Be sure to stop by to say hello and snap a photo with us! Maduro Amber Ale Black Note Honey Hearted L’Appel Du Vide Blackberry Pomegranate Oarsman Lager of the Lakes Oberon Two Hearted Larry’s Latest IPA-1 Oarsman The Oracle Quinannan Falls Wedding Ale 30th Anniversary Cherry Reserve Wild One Uberon Larry’s Latest Belgian Ale Pooltime Firkin-Two Hearted Great Taste Uberon Wild One Quinannan Falls The Oracle Pomegranate Oarsman Honey Hearted Wedding Ale Larry’s Latest Belgian Ale Oarsman Two Hearted L’Appel du Vide Blackberry Raspberry Wild One Beer Michigan Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition Stout 30th Anniversary Cherry Reserve Captain Longhaul Rum Mole Stout  Coffee’s On Traverse City Whiskey Barrel Aged Expedition Stout Black Note Brandy Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Orange Stout Madeira Brown Ale  

Celebrate the longest night of the year with a Bell’s stout and earn our latest Untappd badge! Our Dark Night, Darker Beer badge will be available for one week  beginning Dec. 16 until Dec. 23. One check-in is all you need to earn it. Eligible beers (a mix of bottled and draught options) include: Traverse City 355 East Stout Traverse City 355 E. Stout with vanilla beans Arabicadabra Bear Hug Imperial Stout Bell's 30th Anniversary Stout Black Note Blackbeard's Rum Barrel Aged Bear Hug Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry Stout Brandy Barrel Chocolate Orange Stout Captain Long Haul Cherry Stout Coffee's On Dagger Stout Expedition Stout Harry Magill’s Spiced Stout Java Stout Kalamazoo Stout Mole Stout Neptune Oatmeal Stout Overland Stout Rum Barrel Mole Stout Rye Stout Smoked Stout Special Double Cream Stout Sweet Potato Stout Traverse City Whiskey Chocolate Orange Stout Trumpeter's Stout Whiskey Barrel Aged Cherry Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition We’re also celebrating at events around our distribution area on the actual winter solstice, Dec. 21 at 5:03 p.m. (actual event start times can and will vary of course). These events will feature a range of stouts with some that have rarely left our pub, the Eccentric Cafe. Many of these beers are readily available at your favorite local bar, restaurant and/or retailer.  You can also earn it at the Eccentric Cafe or even at home. Need help finding our beer near you? Go here. Keep an eye on our Event Calendar and no matter where you celebrate, raise a stout with us to celebrate the darkest night of the year!

The Eccentric Café, General Store and Comstock Brewery will either be closed or have reduced hours during the holidays.  Thanksgiving Day - Café, store and brewery closed.  Christmas Eve - Café and store close at 5 p.m. Last call before then.  Christmas Day - Café, store and brewery closed.  New Years Day - Café, store and brewery closed.  We apologize for any inconvenience, but we do want to give all of our employees time to get home to be with their family and friends.   All other days the Café and General Store will maintain normal business hours - the store opening at 10 a.m. and the Café opening as 11 a.m. Tours will not be available Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Years Day. But we are bringing behind-the-scenes brewery tours back for December. Those Wednesday and Thursday evening options are free and include samples. Reserve your spot. On December 30th and New Year’s Eve, the Eccentric Café will host Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers for a special 2 night concert event with a special VIP option. Get tickets here or in person at the Bell's General Store. 

Tasting Notes: Whiskey barrel aged beer with spicy, toffee characteristics and a warming finish.  A part of the same family, Oberon and Überon share fruity traits, but little besides that.  Originally brewed in the mid-2000's and then again in 2012, 2017 marks the third release of Überon.   The main reason for barrel-aging this beer is to coax flavors out of the barrels and allow the beer to interact with the whiskey. The end result is a copper colored beer with whiskey characteristics that portray woody, vanilla and candy-like flavors.  See if Überon is available on our Tap Cam, or check out our Events Calendar to see if an event near you will be featuring it. Also, keep your eye out for more specialty and innovative beers! Want more Oberon? Get to know Titania.      [[{"fid":"3036","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"1"}}]]  

As the autumn chill begins to set in and the evenings last longer, one of our favorite Bell’s holidays is fast approaching! On Sunday Nov. 5 beginning at 11 a.m. the Eccentric Cafe will change their taps to focus on stouts for the 9th annual All Stouts Day. The historic Bell’s holiday, that originated as the 10 Stouts of November, features more than 20 different stouts. Specialty tours with specific stout focused lessons will be available at our Kalamazoo brewery location (b-1) all weekend long. These tours will alo include a three year vertical tasting of Expedition Stout for all of age (21+) tour guests. Year-round, seasonal and specialty stouts will all be a part of this year’s tap list. For those with a different type of palate, many of our standard options will still be available. Not able to make the trip to Kalamazoo for this holiday? Check out our Beer Finder to see where you can grab some of our stouts near you. Tap List 355 E. Stout 355 E. Stout with Vanilla Arabicadabra BBA 30th Bear Hug Stout Blackbeard's Bear Hug '17 Brandy Barrel Chocolate Orange Stout Captain Long Haul Cherry Stout Coffee's On Dagger Stout Double Cream Stout Expedition Stout Harry Magill's Spiced Stout Java Stout Kalamazoo Stout Oatmeal Stout Overland Stout Mole Stout Rum Barrel Mole Stout Rye Stout Smoked Stout Sweet Potato Stout TC Dagger TC Whiskey Chocolate Orange Stout Trumpeter's Stout And additional surprises day-of. See you there!