Meantime, a New Beer Hub, Takes Shape in Cass Corridor | Eater Detroit

"Hospitality veterans Erik Annonson and Elliot Hoffman, alongside partner Brittney Carnahan, are set to take over the location and reopen it under a new iteration that reflects their concept: “a nebulous amount of time where patrons can choose to hang out for just one drink or stay for many.” Annonson and Hoffman bring decades of industry experience — most recently at Cøllect and Eastern Market Brewing Co. — and had originally planned to open a brewery under the name Side Pull Beer Company before pausing those plans to take this space. Hoffman said, “So much of what we wanted to do, for so long, was open a brewery,” and added, “And I think, even though we’re so passionate about that side of it, so much of us wanting to produce beer was about creating something to bring people together. It’s really about beer being a conduit of the human interaction and conversation, and we’re really focused on the conversations that go deep into the night.” Hoffman also noted that the old bottle-shop-plus-bar format already aligned with their approach: “It was an epicenter for the craft beer community, and we don’t take that lightly. It’s something we’re excited to be a part of and the main reason we were drawn to it. It’s also in the community we wanted to be a part of, though granted we’re going to put our own fingerprints on it and spin to it, but it’s a humbling experience to carry on what was started.” The team is reimagining some original brewery ideas for the new space, including installing a side pull faucet; “This type of faucet is commonly used to control the flow of beer, creating a creamy head, which is the traditional way to serve and enjoy a Czech pilsner.” They plan to have a house Czech-style lager brewed in collaboration with a Hamtramck partner (the recipe was initially intended to be the flagship label at their original brewery). Tentative plans aim to open to the public in early April, and the brew will be previewed at the partner brewery on Monday, March 10; former members of the prior shop’s membership program are being asked to watch their email for details on transitioning memberships. Annonson reflected on the broader industry context: “We’ve gone through different eras in the beer industry. From budding to IBU wars, the pastry stout, the smoothie-bath, and now the lager evolution, alongside a dip in the overall industry. You never know what the next step will be, and with beer, you’ve got to constantly be excited about it. Even if you’re just figuring out how to survive in craft beer.”" - Courtney Burk