A homebrewer chases a Boston lager in his basement and ends up selling a Detroit brewery to Molson Coors weeks before the world shuts down. From there, the story only gets wilder: Mark Reith buys back into Michigan beer with Lansing Brewing Company, revives a century‑old brand, and builds a portfolio that spans lagers, ciders, spirits, and award‑winning non‑alcoholic craft beer. Along the way he discovers the quiet variable that decides a beer’s future on the shelf—dissolved oxygen—and why packaging technology can be the difference between stale in two weeks or bright for months.
We sit down with Mark and Microcanner’s founder, Todd Vriesinga, to connect the dots between passion and process. Mark walks us through the Atwater pivots, the breakout hit Dirty Blonde, and the decision to lean into cans with a smaller footprint and a smarter line. Todd opens his shop doors for a rare tour of the machines behind the machines—CNC precision, a bullet‑fast waterjet, and a team that prototypes same‑day. When supply chains buckled, Microcanner stocked PLCs and motors early, shifted to remote training, and literally flew themselves to customers to keep breweries alive. That mix of foresight and grit reinforces a theme that runs through every segment: quality scales when the details are right.
We also zoom out. The market is changing, not shrinking. RTDs, THC sodas, and NA beer are rising; lagers are having a moment again; and smart brands are building portfolios that flex. Mark keeps LBC rooted in Michigan with MSU Athletics partnerships while using shared infrastructure to take select labels national. Todd keeps Microcanner privately held and relentlessly practical, focusing on low DO, reliable fills, and can‑format versatility that actually pays off at retail.
If you care about craft beer, canning tech, and the decisions that keep small businesses alive, this story hits every note: strategy, engineering, and the human side of work that doesn’t quit. Hit follow, share this with a friend who loves craft beverages, and leave a review to tell us what surprised you most.

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