Detroit’s First Black-Owned Brewery Wants to Make Drinking Stout a Year-Round Tradition #DetroitFood
Detroit’s first Black-owned brewery, Roar Brewing, opened its taproom at 666 Selden Street in early July with a weekend celebration that kicked off on Thursday, July 10. The three-day event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a set by Detroit’s own DJ Invisible, live music performances, TVs broadcasting local sports, and a lively hustle line that energized the courtyard patio. And, of course, there were plenty of pints — most notably the MVP of the tap list, a black honey oat stout. That choice wasn’t accidental; it speaks directly to the brewery’s mission and identity.
When discussing the lack of representation in Michigan’s craft beer scene, especially in Detroit, owner Evan Fay attributes it to people’s unfamiliarity with the product or fear of how they might be perceived as newcomers to the industry.
“Think of us as Detroit’s Guinness”
“I don’t think people don’t drink craft beer. I think they just don’t drink beer, yet,” Fay says. “I didn’t drink a ton of beer before going into the service, but once I started learning about its complexities and the people behind it, it changed my perspective. I started to imagine what my place in it could look like. I’m hoping to inspire others in that way, too.”
Fay worked with Wayne State historians to confirm that Roar was indeed Detroit’s first Black-owned brewery. He knew it was a bold claim to make and wanted to ensure to pay homage to any who may have come before, only to be told that there were none, and learned that Black-owned breweries make up less than 1 percent of the breweries in the country. Roar is joining a small but growing community of Black-owned breweries and beer professionals in the state that includes 734 Brewing Company in Ypsilanti and Black Calder Brewing Co. in Kentwood.
Roar’s black honey oat stout is the brewery’s main beer, a rare choice since few breweries make a dark stout their flagship. “We want to make everyone stout drinkers,” Fay says. “It represents the brewery really well; dark, smooth, creamy, and there’s a subtle sweetness from the honey. People think stouts are just for cold weather, but I want to enjoy them any time, all the time. Think of us as Detroit’s Guinness.”
Fay, a U.S. Air Force veteran, co-owns Café Noir, a French-style cafe in Detroit’s North End, and Chloë Monroe Galleries on John R. Roar Brewing now occupies the former home of Nain Rouge Brewery — a fitting space for Detroit’s first Black-owned brewery as Nain Rouge early on was marked for a brewing education program focused on low-income, and minority brewers in the city. The address is no longer affiliated with the neighboring restaurant inside the Smith & Co. building (previously known as Smith & Co., Epiphany – Nain Rouge Kitchen, and Vigilante Kitchen).
“Craft breweries are good at gathering the community together through their programming,” Fay says. “When I was traveling a lot, breweries and cafes were where we went to grab a drink and get to know the city through there. Breweries and cafes are two businesses that I’ve started because of that aspect — building community to make everyone feel at home right away.”
Fay’s interest in beer started after college, while stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
“My first experience with beer in college wasn’t craft,” Fay says. “But being stationed near Fort Collins, [Colorado], I’d visit New Belgium often and got immersed in the culture. Later in Alaska, spots like Midnight Sun Brewing had that same welcoming vibe. When we moved to Detroit, I knew I wanted to emulate that here.”
Roar debuted with a lineup of six beers, which it calls its franchise players: a raspberry wheat, pilsner, IPA, amber, and that honey oat stout. The beers are brewed on a 10-barrel system by head brewer Dave Hale, formerly of Nain Rouge. Fay served as assistant brewer during the early stages, helping develop the lineup in collaboration, but stepped back as day-to-day operations began drawing his attention away from the brewing process. The brewery uses locally sourced ingredients, including malt from Great Lakes Malt and honey from Hives for Heroes, a Michigan-based, veteran-owned business.
Roar’s interior opens onto an extended patio through a roll-up garage door, linking it to the nearby restaurant corridor. The brewery plans to add an 800-square-foot, three-and-a-half-season room to the outdoor plaza to increase covered seating. Events include karaoke nights, hustle and line dancing, weekly drum circles, and sports watch parties, aiming to make the brewery both a gathering spot and a taproom. A small bites food menu is currently being developed in collaboration with the neighboring Barcade, an old-school video game arcade and beer bar, and the brewery collaborated with So Creamalicious on a popcorn flight that pairs with the taproom’s franchise players beer flight.
The brewery also offers a pay-it-forward program inspired by Midnight Sun Brewing, where guests can buy a beer for someone who has experienced a specific situation or moment written on a card, which is then hung on the wall. Instead of a traditional mug club, Roar offers a season pass model tied to Detroit’s pro sports teams. The annual Roar Pride membership costs about $175, while season pass memberships range from approximately $100 to $150.
The brewery also has plans to host three brewery tours a day with beertenders facilitating them. Fay’s goal is for everyone that works at Roar to know as much about the beer and the brewing process as the brewers do. The aim is to make beer really accessible to everyone in a comfortable and inviting environment.
Roar Brewing is located at 666 Selden Street in Detroit; open 4 p.m. to midnight Monday though Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday — except during football season.
from Eater Detroit
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