UPDATE: Bell's Brewery decides to participate afterall

KALAMAZOO, MI – You can put an orange peel in Larry Bell's beers, but he says to keep your politics out.



Bell’s Brewery Inc., Michigan's largest beer maker, will not participate this weekend in the state's largest beer festival after founder and president Larry Bell discovered the Protect Michigan Craft Beer Political Action Committee will be raising funds at the event.

On Wednesday, Bell pulled out of the Michigan Beer Guild's sold-out 16th Annual Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti, taking place this weekend. The move is directly related to the political fundraising, said Bell, who was once president of the guild.

“I don’t want to be part of it,” Bell said Thursday. “I find it distasteful that they are bringing politics into the fest. I have no idea where that money will go. I don’t want to be part of trying to raise political money from drunk or slightly intoxicated people.”

Protect Michigan Craft Beer is an independent political action committee formed two years ago by Brett VanderKamp, of New Holland Brewing Co., and Tim Suprise, of Arcadia Brewing Co. The PAC raises funds to support legislators at a statewide level who are supportive of the growth of the craft beer community.

“That’s our mission, not unlike other PACs, we have a special interest and that is the Michigan craft beer community,” said Suprise, whose Arcadia Brewing Co., located in Battle Creek, is building a new brewery and brewpub in Kalamazoo. “The committee intends to raise resources for advocacy so we can have a voice and a seat at the table. I think it’s a fairly well-understood part of our state regulatory environment and on the federal level.”

Suprise said the majority of the members in the Michigan Beer Guild support and will benefit from the committees efforts, including Bell’s Brewery. The PAC has contributed to Hildenbrand Community Fund, associated with Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Grand Rapids, and Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, in 2013, according to public records.

Word that Bell's would skip the beer festival came on the day Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell and Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell toured both Bell's Brewery and Arcadia Brewing Co. in Kalamazoo to celebrate the region's blooming craft beer industry.

“I think anytime we have internal issues is certainly a regrettable thing,” Suprise said of the guild.

Scott Newman-Bale, treasurer of the Michigan Beer Guild and chief financial officer of Short’s Brewing Co., said the PAC attended the event last year and Bell received a refund after voicing his concerns. Newman-Bale said the PAC’s mission is closely aligned with the guild’s mission, however, they are separate initiatives.

“The Guild’s mission is to introduce people to Michigan beer and the PAC is on that direction on the legislative side,” Newman-Bale said.

Newman-Bale said the guild plans to resolve any future issues before the guild’s “U.P. Fall Festival” which takes place in Marquette in Sept.

“We are disappointed Bell’s won’t be there tomorrow,” Newman-Bale said.

Contact Ursula Zerilli at uzerilli@mlive.com. Follow her on twitter.