7 Detroit Breweries & Taprooms Headed to Metro Detroit in 2017

Michigan’s brewing culture is strong and that stream of beer is about to get even bigger in metro Detroit this year as a new wave of craft beer establishments start opening their taps. Already this winter, Pontiac welcomed Fillmore 13 Brewery to its downtown district and several new spots are expected to launch in the coming weeks.

From farmhouse ale and kombucha breweries to a new outpost of a local favorite, below find the latest updates on seven metro Detroit beer destinations on track to debut in 2017.

Urbanrest Brewing Co.

Facebook/Urbanrest

More than two years in the making, Urbanrest Brewing Co. will finally make landfall this spring in a former paint filter manufacturing facility on the East Side of Ferndale. Owners Zach and Mary Typinski and Scott O’Keefe plan to brew Belgian farmhouse-style ales using a 15-barrel system. From the interior of the 65-seat taproom to the stainless steel vessels converted from old dairy equipment, the founders of Urbanrest have done much of the grunt work for the buildout themselves. Initially the brewery plans to feature around five taps with two devoted to house-fermented kombucha. Urbanrest will also offer swing top growlers for taking beer to-go. Charcuterie boards featuring locally raised meats from Farm Field Table as well as cheeses and jams will be available in the taproom. The brewery also plans to partner with food trucks.

2615 Wolcott Ave., Ferndale. Opening late-May.

Axle Brewing Company’s Livernois Tap & Brewery

Facebook/Axle Brewing Company

Announced just short of a year ago, Royal Oak-based craft brewery Axle Brewing Co. is bringing a taproom and brewhouse to Ferndale this spring. The 10,000-square-foot space developed by Patrick Thompson Design is expected to feature a cellar and seasonal beer garden as well as a menu developed by the team from Grey Ghost in Detroit. During a recent preview at Grey Ghost, diners tasted a range of beer-friendly fare including smoked brisket.

567 Livernois Ave., Ferndale. Opening in April.

Black Bottom Brewing Company

Michelle and Chris Gerard

Detroit-based homebrewers group Black Bottom Brewing Club is getting its own dedicated brewing hub this year to bring its small-batch beers to a wider audience. Founder Sean Murphy has leased space from Le Petit Zinc in Corktown and plans to use a three-barrel system to brew French saisons, farmhouse ales, and Belgians to pair with the food offered at the cafe. Beers will be made with 100 percent Michigan ingredients and a portion of the proceeds from beer sales will go to community-based charities in Detroit.

1055 Trumbull St, Detroit (shared with Le Petit Zinc); possibly Boston Edison too. Opening in summer 2017.

Motor City Brewing Works

Brenna Houck

Longtime Cass Corridor brewpub Motor City Brewing Works is plotting an expansion to The Avenue of Fashion later this year. The company has leased space on the north side of the former Hunter Supper Club building across the street from Good Cakes and Bakes. The brewery will share space with a new fast-casual restaurant, Slyde. According to representatives for the brewery, the buildout has not started yet.

19350 Livernois Ave, Detroit. Opening in late-2017/winter.

Jamex Brewing Co.

Facebook/Jamex Brewing

Beer and cider microbrewer Jamex Brewing Company is well into its buildout of a small tasting room on Harper Avenue. The brewery is expected to have roughly eight taps pouring pints and filling growlers, according to the St. Clair Shores Sentinel.

21721 Harper Ave, St. Clair Shores. Opening in 2017.

Eastern Market Brewing

Facebook/Eastern Market Brewing

Eastern Market Brewing Company is in the process of renovating the former S&D Packing building into a 120-seat taproom with communal tables. Last month the brewery created its first collaboration with Batch Brewing Company in Corktown — the Punxsutawney Pale — and the group has plans for similar projects with Dark Horse Brewing Company, Detroit Beer Company, Dragonmead, and more local brewers. Eastern Market Brewing is also developing recipes with a pilot system while the buildout continues.

2515 Riopelle, Detroit. Opening in late-spring.

Shipwreck Brewing Company

Shipwreck/Facebook

Washing up on St. Clair Shores’ Nautical Mile very soon, Shipwreck Brewing will offer microbrews and a full restaurant menu, according to the St. Clair Shores Sentinel. The company is currently renovating a 5,000-square-foot banquet hall, which will seat around 75 patrons inside with additional patio seating. Shipwreck is already planning an upcoming collaboration with Eastern Market Brewing Co.

24409 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores. Opening spring/summer.

Other beer intel:

Facebook/Flagstar Strand Theatre Pontiac

• The Fillmore 13 Brewery debuted on March 6 at 7 North Saginaw St. in downtown Pontiac. The brewery serves a long list of craft beers offered in a range of sizes including howlers and growlers and offers a full menu featuring pizzas and sandwiches.
• Windmill Brewing, featured on Eater Detroit’s brewery tracking list in 2014, has found a home outside of Metro Detroit. Co-founder Shawn Grose tells Eater the green-powered brewing venture has begun the process of applying for federal and state licensing to brew from a hop farm in Huron Township.
• Brew Detroit in Corktown may be adding a kitchen sometime in the future, however the project is still in the early planning stages.
• Oxford-based brewhouse HomeGrown Brewing Company is wrapping up construction and has started brewing some of its first batches of beer. Somewhat further behind is Falling Down Beer Company, which started working on framing the interior of the brewery last month.

• All Beer Here Coverage [ED]