Local Voices

Griffin Claw's New Seasonal Beer Celebrates Spring, Detroit's Comeback

Hannah LePage, granddaughter of one of the owners of Griffin Claw Brewing Company, designed the can for "Mr. Blue Sky" beer.

Here’s some cheery news about spring as the metro Detroit area digs out from up to 16.7 feet of snow:

Griffin Claw Brewing Company, Birmingham’s popular taproom, biergarten, brewing and distributing facility, released its spring seasonal “Mr. Blue Sky” beer Wednesday

The Detroit-themed beer is brewed with coriander and grapefruit peel. The beer a is easy drinking low ABV session-able beer, and it’s being released in 16-ounce pint cans designed by Birmingham resident and high school student Hannah LePage – also the granddaughter of Bonnie LePage, one of the owners of Griffin Claw.

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The taste of spring isn’t the only good news in the announcement.

The artwork for the Mr. Blue Sky beer can centers around Michigan’s economic comeback with a special focus on Detroit. The iconic “Spirit of Detroit” statue is featured with the Detroit skyline behind it and is bright vibrant shades of blue. Griffin Claw Brewing Company came up with the Mr. Blue Sky name and asked LePage to brainstorm graphics for the beer.

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LePage, 17, is currently is a junior at Academy of the Sacred Heart. She has won numerous local awards over the years for her artwork and also helped with the illustrations inside Griffin Claw Brewing Company’s taproom on the chalkboard wall by the kitchen.

Mr. Blue Sky is now available inside the Taproom and was shipped out Wednesday to the brewery’s distribution channel. It will be available later this week or early next week at the 819 restaurants and bars and 1,442 grocery stores and party stores that carry Griffin Claw Brewing Company beer throughout Michigan.

About Griffin Claw Brewing Company

With a mission to serve the best craft beers, Griffin Claw Brewing Company is located at, in the heart of Birmingham’s emerging Rail District. Dan Rogers, Head Brewer and Director of Brewery Operations, oversees all the brewing, distilling, distributing, and operations at the 12,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility.

Griffin Claw is one of the first breweries to begin using a Meura’s Micromash filter, which Rogers says delivers an incredible quality of beer with efficiencies unmatched by other brewing systems.

The brewery also recently added a centrifuge and high-gravity brewing system to make even more consistent beer faster to reach their desired capacity.

Where: 575 S. Eton St., downtown Birmingham | Taproom hours: 2-11 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday; noon-12 a.m., Friday-Saturday; noon-10 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday | Phone: (248) 712-4050 | Web: Griffin Claw Brewing Company online or on Facebook.

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