Bell’s Brewery is proud to be the title sponsor of this year’s 22^nd annual Iceman Cometh Challenge on Saturday (Nov. 5) right here in Michigan. To help celebrate everyone’s accomplishments, multiple Bell’s beers will be on tap.

Before hitting the trail, sample Best Brown, Amber, Oarsman and Two Hearted Friday at the event’s kick-off, the Ice Cycle Expo at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

And as soon as you cross the finish line on Saturday, we’ll be ready to pour Amber Ale, Kalamazoo Stout, Two Hearted Ale, Best Brown Ale, Winter White, Oarsman Ale, Q-Falls and Sparkling Ale.

Later that night, those same beers along with Hell Hath No Fury ... Ale and Christmas Ale will be on tap at The Loading Dock in Traverse City for the Bell’s Sunset on the Season (after) Party starting at 8:30 p.m. Detroit rockers The Orbitsuns will perform and help celebrate another great year.

Athletes from 38 different states, ranging in ages from two to 72-years-old, will compete in one of the largest single day races in the country. An estimated 7,500 people will line the course to cheer the competitors on.

The Bell's Beer Iceman course will take participants from Kalkaska to Timber Ridge Resort, near Traverse City through the hardwood forests, meadows, and cross country ski trails of the Pere Marquette State Forest. Among them will be five of Bell’s own.

Gary Nicholas and Evan Meffert will compete in the 29-mile Iceman while Laura Bell, John Mallett and Nathan Schroeder will take part in the half-frozen eight-mile Slush Cup.

Good luck and a safe ride to all of this year’s participants!

For more on Iceman, go here.  

A look at Bell’s beer events in Michigan, Illinois, South Carolina and Kentucky this week.

Michigan

Nov. 4

Beer Tasting at Drake Party Store
Join us in Kalamazoo for a Bell’s beer tasting and six-pack discounts from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Nov. 5

Beer and cheese pairing
Taste selected cheeses paired with Bell’s beer at Harding’s on Centre Street in Portage from noon to 2 p.m.

Sunset on the Season Party – Iceman Cometh Challenge
Enjoy multiple Bell’s beers on draft after the race including Two Hearted, Winter White, Christmas Ale, Hell Hath No Fury … Ale, Q-Falls, Sparkling Ale and more at the Loading Dock in Traverse City. Bell's Brewery is the proud sponsor of the 2011 Iceman Cometh Challenge. For more information, go here.

Learn to Homebrew Day
Join the Bell's crew and KLOB and learn how to make your own beer. Demonstrations begin at 10 a.m. For more information, go here.

Nov. 6

All Stouts Day
Sample 14 different stouts on tap at Bell’s Eccentric Café starting at noon. Various smoked foods will be featured and the winner of the 2^nd Annual Bell’s Homebrew Competition will also be announced. In the photo above, are the 129 entries received this year.

Illinois

Nov. 3

Bell’s Beer Dinner
Francesca’s Amici in Elmhurst will host a five-course dinner featuring our beer at 7 p.m. Take a look at the menu here. Call 630-279-7970 for more information.

Nov. 5

Beer Hoptacular, Chicago
For one flat fee, sample more than a 100 different beers and vote for your favorite. This year, there are two sessions. For more information, go here.

South Carolina

Nov. 5

Bluffton International & Craft Beer Fest
At 2 p.m. we’ll be pouring Best Brown, Amber, Kalamazoo Stout and Oarsman Ale at The Promenade. For more details on the festival, go here.

Kentucky

Nov. 1

Hopsoulution tapping
A special kep of our DIPA will be tapped at 5 p.m. along with Best Brown and Two Hearted Ale at Cock and Bull English Pub in Covnigton.

Looking ahead

A Bell’s beer tasting as part of Richmond Beer Week in Virginia, a tap takeover at The Beer Bistro in Chicago and more.

First, he identifies a subject. Then he does a little recon for safety.

And with just the right amount of wind, Kalamazoo's Jim Ratliff sends his cameras into the sky a little at a time. He photographs a perspective that is not easy, especially when you also have to take natural lighting, wind direction, wind speed and the challenge of flying a kite into consideration.

Yes, the aerial views of Bell's production facility in Comstock, Mich. below, were taken from a kite.

Ratliff estimates his highest shot was at least 375 feet above ground. He uses his camera's timer to shoot at 10 second intervals with the help of a Sun Oak 9.5-foot Delta Conyne.

Thank you Jim, for sharing. You can see more Kite Aerial Photography by Jim Ratliff here.