There are countless to choose from, and countless more stories to tell/share.
There are countless to choose from, and countless more stories to tell/share.
Hopcat and Ale Mary's have the best selections in town. You can taste your way across America and find a beer to suit anyones palette.
My favorite beer-centric place in the city is Ye Olde Tap Room on Alter. They have all of my favortes from Michigan and some very hard to find brews from Germany and Belgium I also enjoy the all-Michigan selection at Grand Trunk Pub.
I second Ye Old Tap Room. It has an incredible prohibition history and is so much more interesting than those sterile chains. It is an interesting cross between an English pub and an American dive: http://www.taproomdetroit.com/history/prohibition.html
The drawback would be, if I remember correctly, that it is mostly bottled beer rather than having many, many drafts.
You are right about this. However with their huge selection of European beers, bottling is part of keeping the quality. Wheat beer specifically does not travel too well in kegs. German and Belgian wheat beers travel better in bottle as opposed to barrel form. Its a small factor, but it means everything when you want to sell the idea of something that is probably new to most people trying the product.
Ale Mary's isn't a chain at all, and Hopcat is a chain in the loosest sense of the word.
Craft Breww City has a great selection - usually 40+ on tap and a hundred or so bottles and cans.
Special mention to Kuhnenn and Dragonmead in Warren. They only carry their own beers, but they both have an amazing selection, and they are always *fresh* Dragonmead is probably my favorite beer-centric bar in Metro Detroit.