Motor City Brewing Works starts 31st year with pause in operations

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A fixture in Detroit beer that just celebrated its 31st anniversary is pausing operations at its taproom and looking to the future.

Motor City Brewing Works said its taproom will be open through Feb. 8. After that, the brewery will take a break and "take a thoughtful look at what comes next."

Dig deeper:

The brewery, perhaps best known for the popular Ghettoblaster beer, said it runs on Detroit's historic thermal steam system. At the end of last year, the section of this system that powered Motor City's kettle and much of the brewery reached the end of its life, and service was stopped on Dec. 31, 2025.

"While that change forced our hand, it also gives us a moment to step back and consider longer-term possibilities," Motor City wrote on its website.

What's next:

For now, Motor City Brewing Works said it will keep its beer on store shelves with the help of other breweries. However, the future is unclear.

Motor City plans to figure out a path forward during this pause.

According to the brewery, it will "explore next steps, whether that’s reworking infrastructure, finding the right partners, or identifying a succession path that respects the history of this place while giving it a future."

Local perspective:

Reactions to Motor City's announcement included sadness, along with hope that the brewery's pause would be brief.

On a Facebook post announcing what was happening, many shared memories, including stories about drinking and gathering at the brewery, which turned 31 on Jan. 1.

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