USA, MI: Brew Detroit production moving to Marshall
After closing its taproom last month, Brew Detroit announced that its beer would be brewed across the state after a Livonia-based beverage company acquired the business, FOX 2 Detroit reported on February 19.
Production is moving to the Dark Horse Brewery in Marshall after the acquisition by Benchmark Beverage. This comes after Brew Detroit said that its focus would be on beer production moving forward.
The backstory:
Auday Arabo, the president of Benchmark, said the plan is to continue brewing Cerveza Delray, YumTown, Campin' Beer, and Cloud 19. He said a dark version of Cerveza will also be available year-round.
"There shouldn't be any changes. If anything, hopefully we can even make the beer a little better," he said, adding that a brewer from the Detroit location is moving to Marshall. "We kept the staff that really wanted to move to the Marshall facility. We kept the sales people as well. So, there should be no change whatsoever."
Benchmark's portfolio includes numerous liquor brands. The company, which is owned by Lipari Family investment company LKI, also oversees ROAK Brewing Co. and Dark Horse Brewery, both now brewed in Marshall. Moving forward, Brew Detroit's beers will be brewed and sold at Dark Horse Brewery.
"We really wanted to make sure we kept this, what I call iconic Detroit line, still going in the state of Michigan," Arabo said. "We really wanted to stay in Detroit, but we just couldn't make that happen. So, that's why we decided to consolidate Marshall with our existing operation."
When Brew Detroit posted about the change, fans expressed feelings about the move, with many disappointed that the beer would no longer be made in Detroit. Arabo said Brew Detroit would have closed had it not been acquired by Benchmark.
"The alternative would have been Brew Detroit going completely out of business, and you would never see the five or six beers available at all. So, I think keeping it in Michigan and keeping some of the staff and keeping the formulas the way they are is a win-win for everybody," he said. "The most important thing we want to tell people is we want to make sure the brand survives, because the alternative was to go out of business."
Brew Detroit echoed the sentiment, citing a difficult market.
"This move will allow the Michigan craft beer and imported spirits brands to share a sales force and financial resources to help stay relevant and competitive in a tough market we call home," the brewery wrote in a social media post announcing the change. "We will still be a part of a business located in the gritty state of Michigan. Our heart will remain in Detroit where we were born, and we are proud to say that we will always be brewed in our Great Beer State of Michigan."
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