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Geek Out at Metro Detroit’s Top Beer Bars

These bars and restaurants take suds seriously

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Metro Detroit is blessed with a solid selection of beer bars that deliver on extensive taps and bottles, as well as painstakingly edited rotations. The city's growing bar industry is keeping pace with craft beer lovers’ interests in both foreign and domestic suds. Diners in the Motor City today can often find lowbrow offerings like Miller High Life alongside high-end bottles of Duchesse de Bourgogne, proving that area bartenders aren't afraid to toy with expectations.

With Michigan's enduring affection of craft brews, it's only appropriate to recognize the bars that are maintaining a quality beer menu. Here, now, are 15 solid destinations for beer fanatics in metro Detroit.

Did we miss your place for a pint? Make your case for why we should add it in the comments or reach us at the tipline.

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Ye Olde Tap Room

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With roots reaching back to Prohibition, Ye Olde Tap Room has cultivated a deep beer list in its long history. Today the bars serves more than 250 different beers. Sorted by country and style, customers are guaranteed to find something surprising on the list.

Jacoby's German Biergarten

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Still kickin' since 1904, German tavern Jacoby's maintains a solid list of German, Belgian, and English beers in addition to domestics and the typical Michigan beer standard-bearers. Located in close proximity to Greektown, it’s a popular spot for bar hoppers in downtown Detroit.

Grand Trunk Pub

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This downtown pub keeps customers in corned beef-topped burgers and craft brews. Michigan breweries are well-represented on the list of more than 100 beers coming from every corner of the Mitten, with the occasional Wisconsin or Illinois brewery thrown into the mix. For folks who’d rather drink at home, Grand Trunk assembles custom six packs to-go.

Mudgie's Deli

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Mudgie's Deli may be known for its sandwiches, but beer lovers should also seek out this Corktown spot for its beer selection. The list is literally a thick, stapled packet filled with dozens of beers and descriptions. Sample a local ale or treat the table to a Swiss-made cider or a Swedish gose. The choices are always fresh and interesting.

Wright & Co.

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This Woodward Avenue restaurant compliments refined bar food and immaculate atmosphere with excellent cocktails and a brief, but discerning beer menu. A constant ebb and flow of seasonal and limited-release beers favors German, Belgian, and Scandinavian breweries with a handful of American brewers thrown in.

The Brakeman

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This American beer hall in downtown Detroit doesn’t have an especially extensive selection of beer, but it makes up for it in character. Imbibers purchase beer tokens at a counter and exchange them for pints at the bar, which is filled with games and TVs. Groups can also pool their resources to rent a tap table with pour-your-own beers. While there’s no food on the menu, the Brakeman is attached to a carryout chicken restaurant called Penny Red’s where customers can purchase fried chicken buckets and sandwiches.

Paramita Sound

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This record store at the base of the Siren Hotel features a small, but mighty wine bar. Bartender Anna Atanassova keeps beer drinkers happy, too, with a mix of domestics like Miller High Life ($3 for a 17-ounce pour) and as well as Michigan craft beer and imports from Germany and Belgium. Hangout and listen to live DJs while wading into Paramita Sound’s thoughtful list of “low stock” bottles and cans — a source for limited-release and hard-to-find beers.

8 Degrees Plato Detroit

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Local, regional, global — if you can think of it, 8 Degrees Plato probably has it in stock. This Cass Corridor bottle shop and bar combo caters to connoisseurs with a rotating selection of local and out-of-state beers on tap. Customers may also choose a bottle or can from the store's shelves.

Smith & Co.

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Eat wagyu burgers and carne asada bowls while sipping a tart hibiscus wheat ale at this trendy New American beer hall in Cass Corridor. The bar at Smith & Co. keeps a variety of Michigan beers on draft and in cans. Forthcoming Nain Rouge Brewery, comprises a large portion of the list and, when it officially opens, will have lines that literally pump beer from the brewery into the restaurant.

Selden Standard

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Selden Standard nails its food and drink in equal measure. Seasonal plates of handmade pasta, grilled mushrooms with hummus, and beef tartare are paired with a tight list of cocktails, wine, sake and (most importantly) beer. The main beverage menu features a more affordable, but still intriguing array of bottled and draft beers such as German kölsch and Canadian-brewed Belgian dark ale. Customers can also treat themselves to reserve bottles like a Cantillon Kriek lambic.

This Grand Rapids-based beer bar chain is an essential stop for beer geeks in search of sheer variety and seasoned french fries. The Detroit location boasts 130 taps as well as bottles and cans. The menu is sorted by style and dominated by Michigan beers with some craft beer favorites such as Oregon’s Rogue thrown in.

One-Eyed Betty's

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No secret here, One-Eyed Betty’s lively Ferndale restaurant is an easy choice for beer fanatics. Known for its crispy fried brussel sprouts and bacon burgers, Betty’s also features 47 beer taps and an equally wide assortment of bottles and cans. The menu is divided roughly 50/50 between Michigan and out-of-state brews with good representation in each style category. As a bonus, the bar matches its beer with a formidable whiskey list for those seeking the harder stuff.

A room with industrial ceilings, a long, dark wood bar, and tables with benches filled with customers. One-Eyed Betty’s [Official photo]

Ferndale’s homage to the Upper Peninsula is a craft beer oasis with a cozy feel and lots of arcade games. Head here for pizza choose from more than 30 Michigan beers and ciders. In warm weather, M-Brew’s pet-friendly patio is a popular spot to kick back with a cold drink, but patrons can also fill a growler to-go.

Three Blind Mice Irish Pub

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Dubbed the “five-star dive bar,” this Mount Clemens pub deserves praise for its beer catalogue. Choose from nearly 300 beers from around the world: 30 on tap, 224 in the bottle, and 47 in cans. Sip your pint of Dragonmead or Perrin while snacking on Irish nachos and Scotch eggs.

Clubhouse BFD

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A true destination for craft beer, Clubhouse BFD is a place to go sample brews from the U.S. and abroad. Lists are updated regularly as selections are rotated out making for more adventures. The bar also features pub food with options like pretzels, potato-cheese pierogi, and French dip sandwiches.

Ye Olde Tap Room

With roots reaching back to Prohibition, Ye Olde Tap Room has cultivated a deep beer list in its long history. Today the bars serves more than 250 different beers. Sorted by country and style, customers are guaranteed to find something surprising on the list.

Jacoby's German Biergarten

Still kickin' since 1904, German tavern Jacoby's maintains a solid list of German, Belgian, and English beers in addition to domestics and the typical Michigan beer standard-bearers. Located in close proximity to Greektown, it’s a popular spot for bar hoppers in downtown Detroit.

Grand Trunk Pub

This downtown pub keeps customers in corned beef-topped burgers and craft brews. Michigan breweries are well-represented on the list of more than 100 beers coming from every corner of the Mitten, with the occasional Wisconsin or Illinois brewery thrown into the mix. For folks who’d rather drink at home, Grand Trunk assembles custom six packs to-go.

Mudgie's Deli

Mudgie's Deli may be known for its sandwiches, but beer lovers should also seek out this Corktown spot for its beer selection. The list is literally a thick, stapled packet filled with dozens of beers and descriptions. Sample a local ale or treat the table to a Swiss-made cider or a Swedish gose. The choices are always fresh and interesting.

Wright & Co.

This Woodward Avenue restaurant compliments refined bar food and immaculate atmosphere with excellent cocktails and a brief, but discerning beer menu. A constant ebb and flow of seasonal and limited-release beers favors German, Belgian, and Scandinavian breweries with a handful of American brewers thrown in.

The Brakeman

This American beer hall in downtown Detroit doesn’t have an especially extensive selection of beer, but it makes up for it in character. Imbibers purchase beer tokens at a counter and exchange them for pints at the bar, which is filled with games and TVs. Groups can also pool their resources to rent a tap table with pour-your-own beers. While there’s no food on the menu, the Brakeman is attached to a carryout chicken restaurant called Penny Red’s where customers can purchase fried chicken buckets and sandwiches.

Paramita Sound

This record store at the base of the Siren Hotel features a small, but mighty wine bar. Bartender Anna Atanassova keeps beer drinkers happy, too, with a mix of domestics like Miller High Life ($3 for a 17-ounce pour) and as well as Michigan craft beer and imports from Germany and Belgium. Hangout and listen to live DJs while wading into Paramita Sound’s thoughtful list of “low stock” bottles and cans — a source for limited-release and hard-to-find beers.

8 Degrees Plato Detroit

Local, regional, global — if you can think of it, 8 Degrees Plato probably has it in stock. This Cass Corridor bottle shop and bar combo caters to connoisseurs with a rotating selection of local and out-of-state beers on tap. Customers may also choose a bottle or can from the store's shelves.

Smith & Co.

Eat wagyu burgers and carne asada bowls while sipping a tart hibiscus wheat ale at this trendy New American beer hall in Cass Corridor. The bar at Smith & Co. keeps a variety of Michigan beers on draft and in cans. Forthcoming Nain Rouge Brewery, comprises a large portion of the list and, when it officially opens, will have lines that literally pump beer from the brewery into the restaurant.

Selden Standard

Selden Standard nails its food and drink in equal measure. Seasonal plates of handmade pasta, grilled mushrooms with hummus, and beef tartare are paired with a tight list of cocktails, wine, sake and (most importantly) beer. The main beverage menu features a more affordable, but still intriguing array of bottled and draft beers such as German kölsch and Canadian-brewed Belgian dark ale. Customers can also treat themselves to reserve bottles like a Cantillon Kriek lambic.

HopCat

This Grand Rapids-based beer bar chain is an essential stop for beer geeks in search of sheer variety and seasoned french fries. The Detroit location boasts 130 taps as well as bottles and cans. The menu is sorted by style and dominated by Michigan beers with some craft beer favorites such as Oregon’s Rogue thrown in.

One-Eyed Betty's

No secret here, One-Eyed Betty’s lively Ferndale restaurant is an easy choice for beer fanatics. Known for its crispy fried brussel sprouts and bacon burgers, Betty’s also features 47 beer taps and an equally wide assortment of bottles and cans. The menu is divided roughly 50/50 between Michigan and out-of-state brews with good representation in each style category. As a bonus, the bar matches its beer with a formidable whiskey list for those seeking the harder stuff.

A room with industrial ceilings, a long, dark wood bar, and tables with benches filled with customers. One-Eyed Betty’s [Official photo]

M-Brew

Ferndale’s homage to the Upper Peninsula is a craft beer oasis with a cozy feel and lots of arcade games. Head here for pizza choose from more than 30 Michigan beers and ciders. In warm weather, M-Brew’s pet-friendly patio is a popular spot to kick back with a cold drink, but patrons can also fill a growler to-go.

Three Blind Mice Irish Pub

Dubbed the “five-star dive bar,” this Mount Clemens pub deserves praise for its beer catalogue. Choose from nearly 300 beers from around the world: 30 on tap, 224 in the bottle, and 47 in cans. Sip your pint of Dragonmead or Perrin while snacking on Irish nachos and Scotch eggs.

Clubhouse BFD

A true destination for craft beer, Clubhouse BFD is a place to go sample brews from the U.S. and abroad. Lists are updated regularly as selections are rotated out making for more adventures. The bar also features pub food with options like pretzels, potato-cheese pierogi, and French dip sandwiches.

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