Schmohz Brewing head brewer Chas Thompson plants a tree at the 2013 Brewers Grove tree planting. Courtesy Bryan Esler | MittenBrew.com
The Brewers Grove Project is back for the second year.
More than 20 Grand Rapids-area breweries have partnered with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks to raise money for the Urban Forest Project.
Each brewery will brew a tree-themed beer, with $1 from each pint heading to the Brewers Grove Fund, which will expand the Riverside Park tree canopy and help the Urban Forest Project achieve maximum tree canopy in the city.
Last year, the tree/beer project helped plant 30 trees at Riverside Park, and helped Friends of Grand Rapids Parks earn Arbor Day Foundation’s Excellence in Urban Forest Leadership Award.
“The Brewers Grove Project is uniquely Grand Rapids,” said Steve Faber, executive director of the parks group. “Our community is known for great craft beer and also as a leader in urban forest issues nationally.”
A kickoff party will be held at Harmony Brewing Co. in Eastown with local politicians and brewers to help the public learn more about the Brewers Grove Project. Along with Harmony’s tree beer, Sumac Hefeweizen, White Flame Brewing Co., Pike 51 and Cellar Brewing Company also will have their beers on tap.
"We want to be a benefit to the community that is very supportive of us and our industry,” said Jackson VanDyke, Harmony owner. "This is a great way for the breweries to collaborate and do something positive for our city.”
This year, area breweries also will sell Brewers Grove shirts for $18, with $1 from each going to the fund. Grand Rapids artist Erica Lang designed the logo.
A party will be held on Sept. 12 to celebrate the project. The movie “Strange Brew” will screen at 8:30 p.m. The trees funded by this year’s project will be planted in October and attendees on Sept. 12 can sign up to help.
The participating breweries and their special offerings are:
B.O.B.’s Brewery, Tangerine Trees, fruited wit
Brewery Vivant, Devastation, oak aged double IPA
Cellar Brewing Co., Apple Ridge IPA, fruited IPA
Crankers Brewery, Kangaroo Rodeo Barrel, aged brown ale
EB Coffee & Pub, Oaked Melon Saison, red oak Saison
Elk Brewing, Sassafras Brown
Founders Brewing Co., Lil’ Saplin’, young barrel-aged Scotch ale with additional oak
Grand Rapids Brewing Co., Bonita Applebrown, smoked brown porter with apple
Gravel Bottom Craft Brewery & Supply, Cedarino, cedar planked pale ale
Harmony Brewing Co., Sumac Attack, sumac Hefeweizen
The Hideout Brewing Co., Sticky TreeHugger, maple oak pilsner
HopCat, Naughty Nicodemus, cucumber juniper lime gruit
Jaden James Brewery, Smoke on the Water, smoked Marzen
The Mitten Brewing Co., Oak Aged Pine Tar DIPA (week 1) and Double Maple Pecan Brown, imperial brown ale (week 2)
O'Connor's Homebrew Supply, Smokin' Red Wood Scotch Ale, extract kit
Osgood Brewing, Spruce Almighty, spruce tip black IPA
Perrin Brewing Co., Hopwood, oak-aged double IPA
Pike 51 Brewing Co., Beer That Shall Not be Named, maple almond Belgian brown ale
Rockford Brewing Co., Beechwood Brown, smoked oatmeal brown
Schmohz Brewery, Barrel Aged Kiss My Scottish Arse, smoked Scottish ale
White Flame Brewing Co., Nut Job, black walnut ale
The Peoples Cider Co., Cherry Tree Cyser, cherry cyser