USA, MI: Detroit’s Eastern Market Brewing acquiring Axle Brewing Company

Earlier this summer, Axle Brewing Company announced they would cease production and close Ferndale’s Livernois Tap & Brewery. On Friday, September 27 Detroit’s Eastern Market Brewing Co. announced they are acquiring Axle, Brewbound reported.

Axle Brewing Co. President Dan Riley said, “When we made the difficult decision to close at the end of June, we shared that our goal was to secure a buyer that holds our values and interest in this vibrant community with the infrastructure and scale to succeed. We are thrilled Eastern Market Brewing Co. is coming on board to make it a reality.”

EMBC has been brewing at capacity for much of 2019 and their new Ferndale Project will triple production in close proximity to the existing facility in the heart of Eastern Market. The plan is for the brewery and taproom to open as soon as all licensing is approved, likely in early 2020.

“We’ve followed Axle closely since 2017 when they shifted focus from distribution to their taproom and we’ve admired all that Dan and his team did for the Ferndale community. When Axle announced they would be closing, I reached out to Dan to offer my support. What started as a hug has ended in a handshake. We’re grateful for the opportunity,” said Dayne Bartscht, Managing Partner of Eastern Market Brewing Company.

EMBC will shift production of the beers they self-distribute, primarily hop-forward IPAs (e.g., Elephant Juice) and fruit-forward kettle sours, to Ferndale and serve them fresh in the taproom. Packaging will also shift to Ferndale, with plans to greatly expand their selection of cans and to utilize the additional space to begin experimenting with barrel-aged beers. Eastern Market’s taproom will remain the same, serving beer created at both locations.

Bartscht continued, “Eastern Market Brewing Company’s Ferndale Project will be an extension of what we’ve started in downtown Detroit, while also unique to Ferndale. The beer we produce on Livernois will be creative, progressive, and unconventional. Much of our team lives in Ferndale and being able to expand our operations to an area where they live and play was an important component in our decision making. I’m excited to get to know the community and spend time in Ferndale with my family.”

Axle built a foundation at Livernois that aligns with the three pillars of EMBC: community, camaraderie, and craft. These shared values, along with the fact that Riley and his partner, Brilliant Detroit Co-Founder Carolyn Bellinson, own the building, will help with a smooth transition between the two breweries. While Riley will not be involved in the operations of EMBC or the Ferndale Project, he will remain engaged in the local Ferndale community.

“The outpouring of encouragement and support from our guests, team members, and community during our final stretch reinforced that we created something very special together. EMBC has built a respected brand and a highly engaged community brewery in Detroit’s Eastern Market and we are confident their vision, values, and amazing beer will translate very well on Livernois. I’m definitely looking forward to drinking an Elephant Juice in the beer garden with some friends from the neighborhood soon!” said Riley.

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