Witch’s Hat Brewing to host Grand Opening at New Location

SOUTH LYON – On Saturday, November 15th, Witch’s Hat Brewing officially began calling 601 S. Lafayette Street its new home, thus closing the doors on their original location.  The Grand Opening is scheduled for Friday December 26th, which coincides with the brewery’s 3rd anniversary.

In January 2014, Witch’s Hat Brewing announced that it had secured a new brewery location within its hometown of South Lyon.  The announcement promised a larger taproom for their customers, and more importantly, the ability to make significantly more of their popular beers.  Now just over ten months later, the new facility is officially open to the public.

The original brewery and taproom at 22235 Pontiac Trail closed up shop on Sunday November 9th, a finale which was commemorated with a heartfelt farewell toast by owners Erin and Ryan Cottongim.  During the ensuing week, Witch’s Hat hosted a series of “soft openings” to members of their mug-club, which afforded the opportunity to come see the new place up-close and personal before the general public.

Visitors to the new facility will find a much larger brewing space, which was designed to be the building’s centerpiece.  The new taproom is roughly three-times as large as the old location, and features a large L-shaped bar, a decorative wall to display the mug club’s unique glassware, and a picturesque view of the brewery’s namesake – the century-old Witch’s Hat train depot, located across the street.

With the brewery’s additional capacity, Witch’s Hat says initial focus will be placed upon their flagship beers – Train Hopper India Pale Ale, Edward’s Portly Brown Ale, Three Kord Kolsch, and Big Doedish Double India Pale Ale.  The company views this as a crucial part of their plan for an increased presence in southeast Michigan, specifically at bars and restaurants that support craft beer.  Witch’s Hat expects to boost production over the next 18 months by 5 fold, estimating new capacity at 2500 barrels per year.

HISTORY:

Witch’s Hat Brewing Company opened in December 2011 as a community-focused brewery in South Lyon, Michigan.  Witch’s Hat has been voted one of the “Best Michigan Breweries” by the readers of MLive.com, and also garnished the MISBTDC 2012 Best Small Business award and 2013 Main StreetUSA award.  The brewery and its owners have also been featured on the local Fox affiliate’s “Made in Michigan” TV show.  In 2012, Witch’s Hat produced 350 barrels of beer, and this number increased to nearly 550 barrels in 2013.