Michigan breweries worth the drive, and the Uber ride back home

By Metro Times editorial staff on Sat, Aug 10, 2019 at 10:27 am

The craft brewery scene is all the rage lately, and luckily for us, Michigan has been offering exciting beer-soaked spots for years. These breweries across the Mitten are truly worthy of you time, money, and the Uber/Lyft ride back home.

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Blackrocks Brewery

424 N. Third St., Marquette
This mellow microbrewery is a go-to spot for the locals of Marquette who love craft beer. There’s also live music and an opportunity to get a breath of fresh air with outdoor seating.

Photo via Blackrocks Brewery / Facebook

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New Holland Brewing: Pub on 8th

66 E. Eighth St., Holland
New Holland’s Pub on 8th brewing spot brings the West Michigan community together for diverse events, good food, and, of course, freshly brewed craft beers. The comfortable pub offers a balanced and diverse collection of beer and spirits.

Photo via New Holland Brewing: Pub on 8th / Facebook

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Jolly Pumpkin

441 W. Canfield St. #9, Detroit
This vibrant spot offers a slew of house beers and a menu with a large selection of pizza, sandwiches, and truffle fries, to name a few. Jolly Pumpkin specializes in sour and saison-style beers, in addition to other liquor choices. Also, Obama visited this exact location in 2016!

Photo via Jolly Pumpkin / Facebook

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Ozone’s Brewhouse

305 Beaver St., Lansing
With the bold combinations of beer and this brewery being near one of the best pizzerias in Michigan, Detroit Frankie’s Wood Fired Brick Oven, Ozone’s Brewhouse has solidified its position in the brewery scene. This microbrewery owned by a father-son duo offers five mainstays and seven rotating taps.

Photo via Ozone’s Brewhouse / Facebook

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Paw Paw Brewing

780 S. Gremps St., Paw Paw
Established in 2010 by brothers-in-law Ben Fleckestein and Ryan Sylvester, Paw Paw Brewing sits on the banks of the Paw Paw River, inspired by the idea of bringing community members together over a glass of classic, craft beer. American cuisine is also available, offering flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, gourmet burgers, and a little something for the kiddos.

Photo via Paw Paw Brewing Company / Facebook

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Original Gravity Brewing

440 County St., Milan
Owner Brad Sancho left a major engineering position in 2008 to fulfill his dream and passion of homebrewing by opening a microbrewery in Southeast Michigan. Good bear and notably delicious deli sandwiches is what Original Gravity provides, as well as board games, live music, and TV to continue its commitment to a family-friendly environment.

Photo via Original Gravity Brewing Company / Facebook

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Griffin Claw

575 S. Eton St., Birmingham
Griffin Claw owner Dan Rogers’ beer journey is one that led him to great success. He started out with his own personal brewing, went to Big Rock in Birmingham, and officially opened the Griffin Claw Brewery Company in 2013. Rogers is an award-winning brewer, and uses his establishment to feed, entertain, and serve fresh beer to faithful consumers.

Photo via Google Maps

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Kuhnhenn Brewing

5919 Chicago Rd., Warren
Kuhnhenn Brewing serves freshly brewed beer, while also allowing customers to do the same by including a brew supply shop right next door. This brewery offers a new drink for testing on occasion.

Photo via Kuhnhenn Brewing Warren Taproom / Facebook

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The Mitten Brewing Company

112 W. Nagonaba St., Northport
Food trucks, a beautiful and relaxing outdoor area, and a taproom to mingle in is what the Mitten Brewing Company offers. This vintage, baseball-themed microbrewery focuses on community involvement and charitable giving, while playing a vital role in expanding Michigan’s craft beer scene.

Photo via The Mitten Brewing Company / Facebook

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Barn Brewers

114 Main St., Lawton
The idea of growing hops on a family farm would eventually lead to a recipe for unique, coveted beer. Barn Brewers is accompanied by Bombas, its sold separate food joint loved for its ribs and fish tacos.

Photo via Barn Brewers Brewery / Facebook

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Fenton Winery and Brewery

1370 N. Long Lake Rd., Fenton
Fenton Winery and Brewery is a mixture of country chic and upper echelon, with the wooden-ceiling landscape of a hundred sparkling lights greeting customers as they enter the establishment.The overall relaxed energy is joined by a wide-range menu, craft wines and beers, and frequent live music sets.

Photo via Fenton Winery & Brewery / Facebook

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UrbanRest - Ferndale

2615 Wolcott St., Ferndale
UrbanRest brewery is like walking into a secret underground society. This industrial taproom serving seasonal craft beer experiments with different flavors through a precise fermentation process in order to create quality products for its customers.

Photo via Urbanrest Beer / Facebook

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Brewery Terra Firma

2959 Hartman Rd., Traverse City
This scenic brewery is associated with a MEAP-certified farm, production brewery, and tap room. The beers are culinary-inspired and created through sustainable methods. This brewery has a BYO (Bring Your Own) policy for grub.

Photo via Brewery Terra Firma / Twitter

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Big Lake Brewing

13 W. Seventh St., Holland
Over the last five years, Big Lakes Brewing has grown figuratively and physically, expanding to a 7,000-square-foot brewery with a full kitchen. The company enjoys presenting a good beer fit to customers’ tastes, and it provides an uplifting environment to enjoy it in.

Photo via Big Lake Brewing / Facebook

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Tenacity Brewing

5620, 119 N. Grand Traverse St., Flint
What does one do with a renovated firehouse? You turn it into a brewery! Craft beers, finger foods, patio-sitting and live music are just a few perks to Tenacity Brewing located in Flint..

Photo via Tenacity Brewing / Facebook

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Brew Works

5909 S. Warner Ave., Fremont
Surrounded by beautiful grasslands and freshly-grown, colorful gardens, Brew Works of Fremont has 12 taps featuring in-house brewed craft beers, plus select brews and siders from other local breweries. The “Brew Works Breakfast” offers unique and tasty choices.

Photo via The Commons of Fremont / Facebook

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Mountain Town Brewing

3068 Jen's Way, Mount Pleasant
If you’re looking for a place where craft beer and smoked meat and BBQ meet, Mountain Town Brewing located in the Mount Pleasant area is the place to be. Its smokehouse and taproom are a feature of the brewery, assisted by the 18-tap pourer of delicious craft beer.

Photo via Mountain Town Brewing Co. / Facebook

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Dark Horse

511 S. Kalamazoo Ave., Marshall
Family-owned craft beer and a menu full of good grub to choose from is Dark Horse’s specialty. Things get even better with the unique atmosphere featuring customer-owned mugs on the ceiling, as well as the occasional live music and special events.

Photo via Dark Horse / Facebook

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Short’s Brewing Company

121 N. Bridge St., Bellaire
The beers and menu at Shorts are inspired by alternative rock band Ween. From its local music acts and recent additions of new indoor/outdoor seating and a third bar, guests are guaranteed a good time as well as a hand-crafted beer or two designed to make one feel like a rockstar themselves.

Photo via Short’s Brewing Company / Facebook

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Ascension Brewing Company

42000 Grand River Ave., Novi
You would probably mistake this beer gathering for a freshly built three-story home in the country due to its Southern decor. The small microbrewery is known for its crafted beer ales and food, including wraps, soups and salads, sandwiches, street tacos, and desserts.

Photo via Ascension Brewing Company / Facebook

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