Motor City Brewing Works is flipping the lights back on in Midtown, bringing weekend service back to its Cass Corridor taproom after a months-long pause. The longtime Detroit brewery is returning to a Friday through Sunday schedule through August, with a limited food menu set to launch July 10, restoring a familiar hangout to the neighborhood.
Weekend hours and the menu
According to WXYZ, the brewery said in a social media post that it will be open 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays through August. A limited kitchen menu will start rolling out July 10. The staggered return lets Motor City Brewing Works ease back into service for the summer and zero in on the weekend crowds that define the neighborhood’s traffic patterns.
What forced the pause earlier this year
Motor City Brewing Works wrote on its own website that the section of Detroit’s century-old thermal steam system that powers its kettle reached the end of its useful life and was taken out of service, which made on-site brewing impossible, according to Motor City Brewing Works. With that steam feed shut down, the owners paused production and began weighing options that included repairing aging infrastructure, finding partners or reshaping the business model going forward.
How the taproom stayed visible
FOX 2 Detroit reported that the taproom kept pouring through Feb. 8 before the pause kicked in, and that the brewery aimed to keep its beer on store shelves with help from other brewers while it sorted out next steps. The station noted that owner John Linardos and his team were weighing whether to overhaul infrastructure, bring on partners or map out a succession plan that would protect the brand’s 30-plus-year history.
Local significance
Founded in 1994, Motor City Brewing Works helped jumpstart Detroit’s modern craft beer scene and has grown into one of the city’s longest-running microbreweries, Metro Times notes. The return to weekend hours gives the taproom a shot to reconnect with longtime regulars, along with the art and music crowd that helped turn the space into a neighborhood anchor.
For the latest on hours, menus and events, the brewery says it will post updates on its website and social channels. Check Motor City Brewing Works before you go.
