Events

Star War: The Force Awakens kicks-off our summer Beer Garden movie series on June 14.  Admission for all movies is free and all will begin at dusk. Bring a blanket and/or a low-backed chair.  See you in the Beer Garden! The full schedule June 28: Anchorman July 12: La La Land Aug. 2: Get Out Aug. 16: Pitch Perfect Sept. 5: Back to the Future (with costume contest!) Sept. 20: The Big Lebowski Follow the Eccentric Cafe on Facebook to learn how you can win our next Sweat Seats giveaway (includes a Bell's gift card, popcorn and candy).  [[{"fid":"4930","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"3":{"format":"default"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"3"}}]] [[{"fid":"4379","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"4":{"format":"default"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"4"}}]]   [[{"fid":"4381","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"5":{"format":"default"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"5"}}]]  

Another great Michigan event is almost here.  The 12th Annual Winter Beer Festvial is Feb. 24 and 25 in Comstock Park. Tickets for the festival, while available, can be purchased here. Per tradition, we'll be pre-gaming at The Meanwhile with the original Grand Rapids Beer Week Tap Event, Friday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. We'll be taking over the taps with Amber, Boon Companion, Brett Berliner Weisse, 2015 Cherry Stout, Honey Hearted, Hopslam, Kalamazoo Stout, Lager of the Lakes, Oatsmobile, Smitten, Traverse City Barrel Aged 30th Anniversary Ale, Two Hearted, Uberon, Consecrator Doppelbock, Le Batteur, Kal-Haven and Black Note.  For the festival at Fifth Third Ballpark, we'll be pouring the beers below, on both Friday night and Saturday. No timed tappings this year. Winter Beer Festival tap list 30th Anniversary Ale Brett Berliner Weiss 2015 Cherry Stout Hopslam Kal-Haven Ale Lager of the Lakes Le Batteur Oatsmobile  Traverse City Barrel Aged 355 E Stout Traverse City Barrel Aged Cherry Third Coast Old Ale Traverse City Barrel Aged Expedition Stout Traverse City Barrel Aged Jupiter Traverse City Barrel Aged Neptune 2015 Third Coast Old Ale Two Hearted Uberon

Below is a look at Bell’s events hosted at the Eccentric Café and around Kalamazoo for Kalamazoo Beer Week 2017. For more information and for updates, keep an eye here on our website and on our social media. Jan. 14 5th Annual Bell’s Snow Jog Adventure (Leisure) Race & Challenge, multiple locations in downtown Kalamazoo. Starts and ends at the Eccentric Cafe. Food donations and proceeds benefit Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. This event is sold out. Jan. 15 Bell’s Beer Brunch, Eccentric Café, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., all-you-can-eat. Live music from The Whistle Stop Review. Jan. 16 Bell’s Tap Event, Taco Bob’s (downtown Kalamazoo on the Mall), 5 p.m. Bell’s Beer Dinner, Eccentric Café, 6 p.m., limited seats. Call 269-382-2332 to reserve your spot (reservations are required). $50 per person. Must 21 or older.  Bell’s Tasting, Salut, Kalamazoo, 4-6 p.m. Jan. 17 Second Ever Bell’s Great American Spell-Off, Eccentric Café. Registration is $20 and includes your first beer. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; bee starts at 8 p.m. Benefits Comstock Public Library. Email cbuzz@bellsbeer.com to register (limited spots available). Beer and Pasties, Old Dog Tavern, 6 p.m. Jan. 18 Mario Kart Tournament, Shakespeare’s Pub, Kalamazoo, 7 p.m. Jortslam Hopslam Release Party featuring Live Band Karaoke, Eccentric Cafe. Doors open at 7 p.m. No cover. Do you have the jortiest jorts? Winners will be announced during set-break. You can also take your photo with our Hopslam photo cut-out. Bell’s Tasting, Drake Party Center, Kalamazoo, 6-8 p.m. Jan. 19 Bell’s Tasting, Mega-Bev, Kalamazoo, 4-7 p.m. Zazios Chef’s Table, 6:30 p.m. start On the menu ARUGULA: Roasted tomato, goat cheese, olive oil, lemon paired with Lager of the Lakes SCALLOP: Seared, carmelized onion, fried brussel leaves, grana, balsamic paired with Amber Ale. RAMEN: Braised pork, egg, pickled shiitake, radish, scallion, broth paired with Hopslam BRISKET: Smoked, creamy polenta, collards, red onion marmalade paired with Black Note TART: Sour cherry, puff pastry, pistachio, vanilla, custard paired with Le Batteur Barrel Aged Beer Tour, Comstock Brewery, 6 p.m. Limited space. First-come, first-served. SOLD OUT. Sign up for the wait list (please include your name, phone number and email contact info). Jan. 20 Beer Dinner, The Park Club, Kalamazoo, 6 p.m. Tappening, Airway Lanes, Portage, 6 p.m. Jan. 21 Tap Takeover with Saugatuck Brewing Company, Burdick’s, downtown Kalamazoo  

Looking forward to another Iceman! Not only are we bringing the beer, we also have ten Bell's family members racing this year. When you come to pick up your packet at the Grand Traverse Resort (and peruse awesome race gear), we'll have: Amber Best Brown Java Stout Kalamazoo Stout Lager of the Lakes Oarsman Oatsmobile Porter Roundhouse  Two Hearted  Winter White On race day at Timber Ridge, we'll be pouring 12 different beers at two locations: Amber Oarsman Two Hearted Oatsmobile Best Brown Kalamazoo Stout Porter Lager of the Lakes Winter White Two Hearted Roundhouse  Java Stout The offficial post-race party will again be at West Bay Beach, a Holiday Inn Resort with The Orbitsuns and DJ Motaz performing.  On tap, we'll have: 30th Anniversary Ale Amber Ale Cherry Stout Christmas Ale Oatsmobile Third Coast Old Ale Two Hearted  Winter White Imperial Red Here's to a safe and fast finish! Cheers!

From the 10 Stouts of November project to beers like Black Note and Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition, stouts have a long history here at Bell's. Kalamazoo Stout is offered year-round and every fall, we release other favorites like Cherry Stout, Java Stout and Special Double Cream Stout. In November, we turn over the taps at our pub, the Eccentric Café, to celebrate All Stouts Day. This year, our annual celebration of all beers stout is Nov. 6. We'd love for you to join us, but if you can't, help us celebrate with these two badges (because one just wasn't enough for all of them)! Unlock the first by checking into two of our stouts. Unlock the other by checking into two more. Both badges will be available for one month, Oct. 15 - Nov. 15. Cheers! [[{"fid":"2468","view_mode":"default","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":1288,"width":1304,"style":"width: 300px; height: 296px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]Eligible beers Includes year round and specialty stouts, along with some that may be found in your own cellar or at our events like All Stouts Day: Bear Hug Imperial Stout Batch 4,000 Batch 7,000 Bourbon Barrel Aged 30th Anniversary Ale  Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged Kalamazoo Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged Double Cream Stout 30th Anniversary Ale  Batch 4,000  Black Note Blackbeard’s Rum Barrel Aged Bear Hug Stout Brett Stout Cherry Stout Cinnamon Sunrise Stout Dagger Stout Expedition Stout Harry Magill’s Spiced Stout  Java Stout  Kalamazoo Stout  Milchkaffee  Milk Stout  Mole Stout  Neptune (The Mystic) Oatmeal Stout  Overland Stout  Rye Stout  Smoked Stout  Special Double Cream Stout  Spiced Stout Sweet Potato Stout  Traverse City 355 E Stout with Vanilla Beans Traverse City Neptune Traverse City Whiskey Barrel 355 East Stout  Traverse City Whiskey Barrel Dagger Stout  Trumpeter’s Stout  Traverse City Whiskey Expedition Stout  Crazy Brewer Beer   

We’re in Colorado this week for the Great American Beer Festival! We’ll be there in our brand new booth, made from reclaimed wood by our friends at Great Lakes Yard. Here’s a list of beers we’ll be pouring at the festival: Oatsmobile Octoberfest Black Note Poolside Boon Companion Raspberry Wild One Le Batteur Bale So Hard will be pouring at the Pro-Am booth during the Thursday session.  Our friends from Upper Hand will also be well represented at GABF with: Upper Hand Lager 906 Ale Old Fighter  With help from our friends at Crooked Stave, we’ve also sent a small, special shipment of Bell's beer around town in bottles, cans and draught earlier this month. Please remember, quantities are limited and only available while supplies last.  Bell's beer will also be featured at 21 different events in Colorado as part of the festival celebrations, with several specialties, including Larry's Latest Session IPA, Uberon (bourbon-barrel-aged Oberon), Traverse City Whiskey Barrel Aged Expedition Stout, as well as classics such as Kalamazoo Stout, Two Hearted Ale and Best Brown. Check out our events calendar to see what we have scheduled. If you see us, make sure to tag us on social media (@bellsbrewery, #bellsbeer and @bellsbeer on Facebook), we’d love to see your photos!

Tasting notes: Rustic pale gold farmhouse ale with brettanomyces. Funky, fruity, bright tart finish. Le Batteur is a rustic pale gold farmhouse ale brewed with Brettanomyces, or Brett. It is fermented in a 30 year old foeder tanks originally used for wine making. The beer's delicate pale malts have a touch of raw wheat. The Tettnang hops combine with the Brett to create a complex beer with fruity and funky notes with a tart finish. Le Batteur was brewed and fermented downtown Kalamazoo in our original brewery. Keep an eye on our events calendar and beer finder to see if it's coming to a bar or restaurant near you. You should also be on the look out for Le Bretteur, a variation aged in French oak Chardonnay barrels.

More than 20 men and six women braved the challenge that is the Bell's Hot Dog Eating Competition on Sept. 10! Now in its 10th year at the Eccentric Cafe, the winner of this annual event takes home a trophy and Bell's gift card.  This year's men's division winner, Frank the Tank, ate 17 hot dogs, shattering the previous record of 13.  The record for our women's division was also broken this year. Tara ate 7 3/4! Keep an eye out for details for our 11th competition next summer!

11/23/2017 This past Saturday, we kicked off our 7th Annual Homebrew Competition.  Part of the festivities that day also included a fundraiser for Pints for Prostates, a grass roots campaign that uses beer to reach men and start crucial conversations about their health.  With help from Pints for Prostates, we shared statistics about prostate cancer including information about risk factors. We also accepted donations for them, which were personally matched by Larry Bell, president and founder of our brewery. Thank you to everyone who helped us support this cause! For more information on how you can contribute, go here.  And be on the look out for special blue Crowns for a Cure on bottles of Bell's beer!

Our 7th annual Homebrew Competition Kick-off and wort giveaway was this past Saturday.  Just over 200 homebrewers signed up for wort, the first of which lined up just after 5 a.m.! Thank you to all who joined us for wort, the Expo (especially our vendors) and our brewers who worked through the night to get everything ready! Check out the photo gallery below and remember, competition entries (four 12 oz. bottles) are due to the Bell’s General Store by 7 p.m., Sunday, October 30. Also, if you haven't tried Bale So Hard (the winner from last year's competition), be sure to enjoy some while it lasts!