Craft Beer Conversations

It's been a year in the making -- a Detroit variety store with a bar and kitchen attached. The Metropolitan Variety Store in the West Village is now open and I was eager to get down there and talk to co-owner Ashley Price, a veteran of the retail side of the craft beer industry. He and I spoke about the here-and-now while also looking ahead a bit.

In November of 2016, Wayne State Police Officer Collin Rose was shot and killed in the line of duty. As we approach the five year anniversary of Officer Rose's murder, The Officer Collin Rose Memorial Foundation teamed up with Copper Hop Brewing Company to honor Officer Rose's memory and help raise funds to support the foundation by brewing a porter called Blueberry Maple Good C.O.P. The beer is available starting November 17th at Copper Hop in St. Clair Shores and 8 Degrees Plato in Detroit, near where Officer Rose was killed. I went to SCS to hang out at Copper Hop with co-owner Ryan Balicki to talk about this charitable pairing. 

Detroit punk rock group the Suicide Machines hooked up with Detroit City Distillery to collaborate on a whiskey AND on a Halloween concert (information on both here). I met up with Jason Navarro, the lead singer of the Machines -- he and I went to DCD's Eastern Market tasting room to have a cocktail or two and talk about how this unique collaboration came about.

There is a little spot on Detroit's east side that serves as a time warp -- things have changed around the 2 Way Inn since it began serving alcohol back in 1876, but little about the 2 Way itself have changed. Danielle Pantallersco is the current caretaker (or General Manager, your choice) -- her mother Mary (the GOAT) owns the bar and Danielle's grandfather bought it back in the 1970s, so it remains a family affair. I went to the corner of Mt. Elliott and Nevada and got buzzed in to have a beer with Danielle

Norden in Chelsea makes craft Aquavit, a centuries old Scandinavian cousin of gin. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Norden teamed up with Mothfire Brewing Company in Ann Arbor to benefit The Pink Fund. I went to the Ugly Dog Distillery where Norden is made to hang with President and Distiller, Robyn Cleveland to get a crash course in Aquavit and their benefit project.

What happens if during your next party you run out of craft beer? Or, maybe you're looking to put a spread of beers together ahead of time. Regardless, Hop Runner has you covered. I sat down with owner Michael Groebe to pick his brain and learn more about how I can get beers delivered to my door!

Nick Britsky, AKA Nick Drinks, has been showcasing the local spirits, cocktails and our favorite places to enjoy them for years. He joined me for a couple of flights at Loaded Dice Brewery and we talked about the vibrant craft cocktail scene in Detroit and what's behind it. Of course we talked craft beer -- malt liquor too!

Nothing surprising about a craft beer mug club. They're everywhere. But about a mugless club? One that's based on a secret society? That's what's about to happen at Brew Detroit. Their marketing and branding wiz, Dave Cicotte, invited me to the Corktown taproom to learn more. But not too much more. The rest is a secret. 

Yes, this is a beer podcast but it turns out things other than craft beer taste awesome too. Detroit City Distillery is introducing a new permanent spirit to their lineup -- Four Grain Bourbon. I went down to the Whiskey Factory on Gratiot to talk to DCD co-owner Michael Forsyth to learn about the new whiskey and to hear the story behind it.

The original Urbanrest opened 4 years ago on Woodward Heights in Ferndale. Instead of growing outward, Zach and Mary Tympinski decided to dig more deeply into Ferndale, opening a second location -- this one downtown on 9 Mile -- this week. You can expect the amazing craft beers but you'll also get custard! Some of the custard is family friendly but some of it is made with Urbanrest beer. I headed downtown to Ferndale to talk with Zach and catch up.