Beer City USA Innovates For New Foodie Experience

Grand Rapids Skyline

Grand Rapids has done it again. In a city widely regarded as the Craft Beverage Capital of the United States and one of the country’s top foodie places, Grand Rapids has created a new way for locals and visitors alike to experience the very best of its esteemed food and beverage scene.

Experience Grand Rapids is pleased to announce Flights of Flavor, a first-of-its kind promotion that offers people an innovative foodie adventure. Grand Rapids takes its food and beverage industry seriously. Flights of Flavor is taking this local scene with national reputation to new heights. Specially created sampling menus allow people to explore different tastes and styles in one sitting.

Flights of Flavor – Condado Tacos courtesy photo

Flights of Flavor – Broad Leaf Brewery & Spirits Westside courtesy photo

Flights of Flavor – One Bourbon courtesy photo

“Grand Rapids is always innovating more delicious ways to please palates,” says Kate Lieto, Associate VP of Marketing at Experience Grand Rapids. “Flights of Flavor seamlessly pairs our world-class food with the incredible craft beverages that put us on the map.”

This unique and ongoing culinary and craft beverage adventure launched with a wide range of food and drink establishments including restaurants, coffee houses, ice cream shops, breweries and more. Each offers their own specially crafted flight menus.

“Flights of Flavor is going to be a really fun and visually pleasing promotion,” Lieto says. “With an emphasis on both taste and presentation, guests can enjoy a variety of flavors and styles in one sitting for a truly memorable dining experience. Flights are great for sharing, visually exciting for social media, and just plain fun to eat.”

More than 30 Grand Rapids area restaurants, breweries, cideries, distilleries have committed to the program. Ice cream flights, pizza flights, cocktail flights, margarita flights, soju flights, cider cocktail slushie flights, oyster & cocktail flights (and so much more) are among the selections.

“It’s up to each individual business to craft a lineup that demonstrates its unique expertise,” Lieto says.

Flights of Flavor also includes a rewards component. Guests ordering Flights of Flavor dishes are encouraged to check-in to participating locations via their smartphones to rack up points that can be redeemed for branded merchandise–including stickers, t-shirts, baseball hats and food presentation boards. Alternatively, guests may choose to exchange their points for donations to local charitable organizations.

Brewery Nix, Michigan’s first gluten-free brewery, and Brewery Vivant, the world’s first Leed-certified microbrewery, are among the list of participants. Social Misfits, The Mitten Brewing Company, Forty Acres, Bourbon Bar and Farmhaus, a producer of sought-after ciders on a 150-year-old family farm are but a few of the other participating companies Each has their own story and signature offerings.

“No other city is doing an organized promotion like this, so it’s a great way to further enhance Grand Rapids’ reputation for craft food and beverages,” Lieto says. “It appeals to locals and visitors alike–anyone eager to expand their palates and share their discoveries via social media. Best of all, it’s an ongoing promotion, with food and drink providers coming on board all the time with new ideas.”

Experience Grand Rapids is offering grants to assist businesses in acquiring serviceware to enhance the presentation of their Flights of Flavor offerings. “This campaign is just as much about style as it is flavor,” says Lieto. “We want to help build excitement around every flight, and support businesses that need to buy materials to make it possible.”

For more information, visit FlightsofFlavor.com