The Detroit Beer Company Review

The Detroit Beer Company

The last brewery stop on our Michigan tour back in 2010 was the Detroit Beer Company.  We had just parked the car in a lot across from Comerica and had taken a stroll around the stadium when we decided to go for an early dinner at the DBC.  Fortunately for us, it was (and still is) located barely a block and a half away from the baseball stadium.  Now you might think that this would be a bad thing--that the brewery would have been overrun with rabid Tigers' fans intent on getting soused before the big match up against the Mariners...but you'd be wrong.  Surprisingly, for as busy as it was, we were able to get a seat outside pretty much right away.  The crowd never grew overly rowdy indoors nor did the people waiting to get in.  It definitely left a positive impression on me since I had wrongly assumed that a big city inherently meant rowdy crowds.

Detroit Beer Company Flight

Ironically, the biggest problem that I faced while visiting the acclaimed brewpub was my appetite.  I was still full from lunch when we arrived but everything on the menu (especially the beer) was so tantalizingly delicious (not to mention what I was seeing and smelling on the tables all around me) that I had to partake.  I ordered a sampler and was able to get pretty much everything that they had on tap.  Unfortunately, at this stage of the game, I hadn't yet accepted the possibility of not finishing everything.  It didn't help that the beer was great--arguably the best I had had on the trip.

And so I set about eating another meal (I think I grabbed the pulled pork sliders (seen below) and drinking my way through another flight.  I fell in love with the People Mover Porter, Steam Tunnel Stout, Hop Grenade Double IPA, and the 313 Double Lager.  The lattermost surprised me because I am not usually a fan of lagers but this was just awesome.  I can't recall specifically how large the samples were but I get the sense that these were more than the standard four-ounce pours, which was great because I was able to enjoy more of the beers mentioned above but bad because I just kept getting fuller.  I felt like Augustus Gloop, especially after my wife and I decided to order dessert on top of everything else.  Originally, our waitress had us sold on some kind of fried Twinkie thing but they were all out so my wife decided to get the banana split.  I managed only a few bites before calling it quits but it was definitely among the best splits I've ever had!

The banana split...decadence incarnate!

Though we ate outside, it seemed like the interior was alive and kicking before the game.  I'd imagine that it would be a pretty awesome place to grab a few pints with some pals when the Tigers have a home stand.  I know that, for our purposes, my wife and I were duly impressed with the quality of the food, the awesomeness of the beer, and the inviting, relaxed atmosphere that the outdoor seating provided us.  This is definitely a must-see spot for any beer fan visiting Detroit.

GRADING

I'm giving the Detroit Beer Company brewpub a grade of A based upon how delicious and reasonably priced both its food and its beer was, as well as how comfortable it was to drink and to dine there.  It's in a great location and, to me, it seems like the perfect place to grab something to drink before or after a ballgame, after clocking out of the office on a weeknight, or just if you happen to be in the area.  Definitely a place I would go back to and one that comes very highly recommended.

BEERS SAMPLED

Broadway Light
Detroit Lager
Detroit Red
Local 1529 IPA
People Mover Porter
Steam Tunnel Stout
The Detroit Dwarf
Hop Grenade Double IPA
313 Double Lager

For more information on the Detroit Beer Company, please visit its official website here.

Cheers!

--Beer Whisperer Matt