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These 16-ounce cans of Molson Canadian at O&W Inc. in Ypsilanti are among the thousands of cases of beer that will be delivered to the Big House on New Year's Day.

(Courtesy of O&W Inc.)

There will be beer.

In fact, there will be lots of it.

Two local distributors are planning to pump millions of ounces of Canadian and Michigan brews into the Big House for the Winter Classic hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on New Year's Day in Ann Arbor.

As far as anyone can remember, this will be the first time in history that beer will be sold inside Michigan Stadium, which is normally bone dry.

Jim Wanty, president of O&W Inc., a beer and wine distributor in Ypsilanti, said his company will be providing the lion's share of suds.

"It's going to be 16-ounce cans of Molson Canadian and Coors Light," he said, noting both brands were chosen because they're official sponsors of the NHL.

Wanty said his company will be trucking in 6,500 to 7,000 cases (24 cans per case) starting at 6 a.m. the morning of the game.

"This is the Super Bowl of events for hockey," Wanty said, acknowledging it's going to attract a lot of Canadian visitors. "They're good beer drinkers up in Canada."

Rave Associates Inc., a beer and wine distributor in Ann Arbor, will be handling the delivery of Michigan beers, including some from Kalamazoo-based Bell's Brewery and some from Grand Rapids-based Founders Brewing Co.

Rick Lack, executive vice president of Rave Associates, said quantities haven't been determined yet, but there will be three Michigan beer stands — each with two taps — pouring Bell's Winter White and Two-Hearted Ale.

For those in the upper suites, there will be 12-ounce bottles of Founders All Day IPA and Dirty Bastard, and Bell's Two-Hearted and Amber Ale.

"This is an awesome opportunity to have our beer at such a special event, so we're just excited," said Laura Bell, Bell's vice president. "It's certainly a pretty big deal."

Cans of Coors Light await their New Year's Day delivery to the Big House.

The University of Michigan's governing board agreed to

temporarily lift the venue's ban

on alcohol sales and consumption for one day for the NHL-sponsored event.

University officials said this is a one-time allowance and the athletic department has no intention of selling alcohol at university-sponsored athletic events.

Normally, including during Michigan football games, alcohol sale and consumption is strictly forbidden inside the stadium. In fact, the university bans purses from the stadium partly to dissuade fans from trying to sneak in liquor.

While alcohol hasn't been sold at the Big House as long as anyone can remember, many longtime Michigan football fans remember the days when you could bring your own 12-pack or cooler of beer into the stadium, and there was a party store nearby where you could restock at halftime. Fans recall that lasted through the '70s and ended sometime in the '80s.

"I'm pushing 65 years old," Wanty said. "I remember taking a 12-pack into the stadium in my 20s when they let you."

Lack, who attended his first Michigan game in 1977 at the age of 9, said he remembers the BYOB days as well. He said he's made more than 140 trips to the Big House and never has beer been sold inside the stadium.

"But you can bet your bottom dollar, I'll be drinking a Michigan beer in there watching the Red Wings on New Year's Day," he said.

The NHL website spells out the policies for the Winter Classic game, noting fans still will be prohibited from bringing their own alcohol into the stadium.

"Fans who choose to consume alcohol must do so in a legal and responsible manner," according to the NHL's official fan code of conduct. "Intervention with an intoxicated or impaired fan will be handled in a prompt and safe manner."

Wanty said the 16-ounce cans of Coors and Molson will be sold throughout the stadium at concession stands, and hawkers will be walking up and down the aisles selling them during the game. He said they also will be sold outside the stadium during the NHL pre-game festivities near Crisler Center starting at 9 a.m.

Both beer distributors have been working on the logistics with Sodexo, the company handling concessions. They indicated it's going to be a challenge serving up beer inside a stadium that's not normally set up for it.

Lack said there was some talk of not having draft beer, which requires volunteers to pour it, but Sodexo is making it happen.

Cold temperatures are another concern, raising not only the question of how much cold beer people are going to want to drink out in 13-degree weather, but also whether — with overnight lows near zero – the beer actually could freeze. Wanty said he'll have space heaters inside his trailers to make sure that doesn't happen.

"It's been a little bit of a process," he said of the logistics of the overall operation. "It's just a matter of logically placing everything in the right spots at the right time."

Ryan Stanton covers Ann Arbor city hall for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com or 734-623-2529 or follow him on Twitter.