Sound the alarms! It’s time to sit back in your favorite lazy boy, hopefully with a delicious craft beer, and read the most amazing list of craft breweries “near me”. I know there are hundreds of breweries in Michigan and of course the BIG GUYS but this list is going to focus on breweries in my neck of the woods.

5)  The Drafting Table

This brewery is new and may not have the clout many other breweries do but I absolutely love this place. It may be the fact it’s a couple of miles from my house and I’ve been waiting for a brewery to open near me FOREVER but regardless they have pretty amazing beers. From the DIPA to the rezolute IPA they have strong hoppy flavors with crisp delicious undertones. Not to be a total IPA snob but they also have other amazing offers such as the “The Monk Crusher”, a fantastic tripel, or the banging Imperial Stout, “Only Fools Russian”. Which I believe is a fairly clever play on words from the lyrics by UB40, “Fools Rush In”.

Yelp Elite Tip: They just added a patio, why not sit at it.

Check out the full review here. Yelp Review – Drafting Table

4) River Rouge Brewing Company

This place is tiny. I mean literally NANO, which I understand means small as shit. All I have to say to the ladies is MANGO EXPLOSION BEER! This stuff is women’s cat nip. But that’s not the only good beer. Ale Yes! is their imperial IPA which, as Jimmy Walker would say, is DYN-O-MITE!

Also, if  you get bored you can walk across the street to Motor City Gas and try some locally distilled whiskey. That’s what I would call a twofer. SHABANG!

Yelp Elite – They have all you can eat pretzels. Have some.

3) Batch Brewing Company

Located in Detroit, it’s the new guy on the block. It may be the new kid but it’s already ready to donkey punch Buddy Levell’s lights out in the parking lot at three o’clock sharp.  The beers are awesome and the location is great. Admittedly I am a bit partial to Detroit these days, with its recent resurgence. But regardless…  the beer is awesome, the atmosphere is great, and the regulars are super cool.

Yelp Elite Tip – The patio gets filled up pretty quick, so arrive early and stake your claim.

2) Witches Hat

God I used to love stumbling home from here when I lived in South Lyon. The beer is just delicious. And I’m not talking about one type, I mean literally ALL the beer is delicious. The train hopper is a staple, the Big Doedish is powerful, and the Night Fury is HEAVY, and I mean the Back to the Future type of heavy like super deep and delicious.

Yelp Elite – They have a bevy of board games. Past the time by playing one. I will dominate you at Battleship.

1) Kuhnhenn

The name is admittedly crazy. It took me nearly 2 years to correctly spell it. But the #1 pick isn’t being judged purely by its name. No, it has many other attributes that put it at the top of my list. For starters, the DRIPA – enough said. Hands down one of the best double IPAs out there. Taste, awesome. Mouth feel, amazing. Appearance, awe-inspiring. It checks all the boxes and then some. The DRIPA may be the big dipper but the Creme Brule Stout plays the little dipper magnificently. So god damn yummy. I know Kuhnhenns can be considered a big guy, especially since the 2nd location has opened and it is absolutely packed all the time. But due to the limited distribution I still consider it a bit of an unknown. Plus the original location is such an immaculate representation of a classic corner bar it’s hard not to love its charm.

BTW If anyone reading this can score a BB4D please hook me up. I’ve been trying to get my hands on one for years.

Yelp Elite Tip – It gets wildly busy at the original location on the weekends, so go on a weekday, Mon-Wed.

*I did a little research on google.com and found out that Kuhnhenn is the owner’s last name.

If you want to check out more of my reviews, check me out on Yelp. The link is below. Just click.

Yelp Reviews – Zachary “Hophead” F.

Leave comments. Tell me about your favorite spots.