Fort Street Brewery

Fort Street BreweryFort Street Brewery
Fort Street BreweryFort Street Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

1660 Fort Street
Lincoln Park, Michigan, 48146
United States

// CLOSED //

Closing 7/18
BEER STATS
Average:
3.57
Beers:
26
Ratings:
77
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.74
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
57
pDev:
16.84%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by 86sportster883:
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Reviewed by 86sportster883 from Maryland

3.23/5  rDev -13.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.5
I drove straight to the Fort Street Brewery after arriving at DTW and picking up my rental car on a mid-week afternoon. The place was nearly empty but still had a party bar feel to it, helped by Tull's Aqualung and other classic rock tracts that blared out over the sound system.

Their standard beer offerings included the:

Lincoln Lager - (4%, 9 IBU, $2.00) made w/ German malt and hops, golden w/brilliant clarity, but I didn't really care for this one,

Corktown Red - (4.75%, 22 IBU, $2.25) dark reddish brown with a big caramel malt base balanced by a dose of hop bitterness on the finish,

Snowplowed (6.25%, 15 IBU, $3.50) - made w/honey malt, rye, caramel oats and juniper berries,

Mild Adversity (3.75%, 24 IBU, $3.00) English Style Mild - very odd, but very drinkable, with a touch of chocolate on the finish,

hIgh-BU-tiful (8.0%, 100 IBU, $2.25) Imperial IPA, made w/Scottish barley an loads of American hops,

Keppen Farm Stout (4.9%, 27 IBU, $2.25) - A milk stout, and the

Turbo Sarsaparilla (4.2%) - Described as a rootbeer flavored malt beverage.

At the time, all they had on tap was the Mild, the Red, the Lager and the Turbo Sarsparilla. I tried half pints of all, but the sarsparilla, and each seemed decent. The tough chick bartender was friendly enough but looked like she would easily kick my ass, and would enjoy doing so to boot.

Overall, the Fort Street Brewery seemed to have some real potential, but their limited beer availability kept me from sticking around long enough to really find out.
Apr 16, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.43 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Jul 08, 2017
 
Rated: 4.04 by Cwill24 from Michigan

Dec 16, 2016
Photo of PolhillS
Reviewed by PolhillS from Maryland

4.54/5  rDev +21.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.5
Really nice place. Neighborhood vibe, very comfortable. The food is not fancy, but it's good and the "Something Different" has some good selections. The beer selection was eight beers during my visit, the stouts and the black IPA were flavorful and very good.
Local sports, a pool table, and family friendly. Nice varied crowd. Enjoyed my visit
Feb 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4.33 by jcMPLS from Minnesota

Dec 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.78 by Raime from Korea (North)

Oct 12, 2015
Photo of DetroitDownRiver
Reviewed by DetroitDownRiver from Michigan

2.2/5  rDev -41.2%
vibe: 1 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 2 | food: 2
I have been going to FSB since 2006. After years of going, I slowly was going less and less, until not going at all. If you read many of the reviews, you will understand. Primarily, the owner(s), or specifically one. They are very arrogant. You cannot sit where you would like unless it is okay with them. You cannot put a couple of tables together unless it is okay with them. The beers were very good originally, but continued to go down year after year. If you or others who frequented FSB made any suggestions, it seemed as though they tried to do the complete opposite. I knew and went with a lot of customers to FSB, but all of us began to understand this was not a customer friendly establishment. One time I brought a big party early on, after just a few years going there, when I first realized something was wrong. Our entire group probably spent close to $2000 there. This was a good group of people having a good time. All we heard all night was what we couldn't do all night. Silly stuff like don't put those tables together...you can only sit in this area...etc. etc.. The worst thing that happened was one of my last visits last year when I overheard the owner talking about me. I just got off of work after 16 hours and all I wanted to do was get a quick bite to eat and have couple of beers, then go home and go to sleep. He thought I didn't hear him, but he was talking to another group of customers stating that people who come in here shouldn't come in just to play keno and watch tv, etc., etc.. I had bought $5 worth of keno and was watching the Tiger game. I noticed he gestured my way. That was the last straw. Shameful for a business owner to do something like this, especially to a customer who has been going there for years. I am sure I was not the only one. The brewmaster has since left who was there since they opened, but that does not take away from the precedent the owner(s) have set. I wish the new brewmaster luck. I will end this for now and maybe one day will stop in to try a brew down the road...if they are still around.
Aug 21, 2015
Photo of Ekoseck
Rated by Ekoseck from Michigan

4.49/5  rDev +20.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4 | food: 4.75
Great Beer ...Fun place - and the food Can be great at times ( I believe they change chefs like they change their socks)
May 09, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Krisss from Michigan

Apr 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by jrs3994243 from Michigan

Feb 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.28 by Brandonparrent from Michigan

Jan 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by moshea from Michigan

Dec 12, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by beornagain from Canada (ON)

Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.28 by Timmyg2678

Sep 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by rjcoy06 from Michigan

Sep 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Eric1Mess from Michigan

Aug 30, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by RicardoC313 from Michigan

Aug 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by MahjongNucleus from Michigan

Jul 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Kitastrophe from Michigan

Jul 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by CaptainFleeker from Illinois

Jun 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Rayek from Colorado

Apr 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by combatFlexo from Michigan

Apr 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by leprechaunandfatman from Ohio

Mar 23, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by David_G from Michigan

Mar 13, 2014
 
Rated: 2.73 by importedfromdet from Michigan

Feb 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Doublicious from Michigan

Feb 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by DavidRandall from Michigan

Feb 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Dshep1340 from Michigan

Feb 13, 2014
Photo of Rohkey
Reviewed by Rohkey from Michigan

3.34/5  rDev -10.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.25 | service: 2.75 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
Fort Street is one of only two breweries that I know of in the downriver area. In my opinion, is on par with the Detroit breweries (but that's not saying a whole lot).

Good atmosphere, quiet most of the time but gets loud for their Thursday releases and on busy nights. Usually have a couple sports games playing with a large-screen projector perpendicular to the bar as well. Generally the customers are older and much more relaxed than bars in the area, which is a nice getaway.

It's a convenient location to go to if you're in downriver and want to go to a brewery and have pub food, but, time permitting, I'd rather head 30 mins or so up the road to Kuhnhenn if I wanted great beer. While their beer isn't bad by any means, they generally have 4-6 on tap and also they release one small cask every Thursday that is often gone early in the weekend. The small cask beers in my opinion are better than their usuals, and it is frustrating that two of their 4-6 slots are an average lager and a sub-par root beer flavored beer. They occasionally release real gems (Keppen Farm Stout, Beernormous, Tripel Crown, Michigan Monks), but there are also the times where I have come in and the only salvageable offering is an average quality IPA, pale ale, or seasonal.

Their kitchen has a fairly limited menu, but it's what you would expect from a microbrewery. They have good pizza and burgers and also often have a couple local recipes.

Service is more or less inattentive. They do enough for me not to complain (such as coming within 5 mins of your glass being empty), but rarely am I really satisfied about the service when I'm walking out. It can take 5-10 mins to get their attention when your food comes and something was screwed up with the order (which unfortunately happens a little more often than I'd like). They staff also doesn't seem to make an effort to connect or remember their customers, I've been here at least 25 times and I'm still asked for ID from the same servers that have probably already seen me three of four times that month. There are one or two servers that are really dreadful, and a couple that are decent. Also the owner is usually there but has never made an attempt to talk to me (or anyone else I came with) despite being chummy with some of the other patrons.

In sum, it isn't a necessary inclusion on your brewery tour, but it's a nice place to go to if you want to get out of the house with some friends to a low-key establishment.
Jan 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by leadahmer from Michigan

Dec 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Danielr26 from Michigan

Nov 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Higy from Indiana

Nov 19, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by Rons35 from Michigan

Nov 13, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by chewy6935 from Michigan

Nov 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by JasonR1975 from Michigan

Oct 08, 2013
Photo of Francois
Reviewed by Francois

2.23/5  rDev -40.4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 2.25 | service: 2 | selection: 2 | food: 2.25
I live downriver and was glad to see a brew pub opened here.
Have been going there off and on since it opened.
Getting more frustrated with this establishment. The food and beer are hit and miss, in my opinion. I get dis appointed when their beer and menu selection is deficient.
I brew my own beer, went to chef school in San Francisco and have worked in white table restaurants.
Our last visit was the last straw. When Doug sat us down, we asked for a "high top". He stated "REALLY". There was space and it was not busy. His next statement was, my wait staff will "bitch and moan" He reluctantly seated us where we requested to sit for a "cover" of four. Not a demanding request.
I said, Thank you for accommodating us. He had no response, and walked away, no eye contact.
This did effect my evening with my family and I unsubscribe to e-mails.
I will not return any time soon.
I hoped that they would have been more customer service focused.
I would have been reprimanded or fired for such behavior.
Get your shit together, Doug.
Feb 02, 2013
Photo of Jay43613
Reviewed by Jay43613 from Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
I love coming here. I have been several times now. There is an enormous beer variety and I have yet to try a bad one. All of the food that I have tried there so far is highly complimentary to the variety of beer that they serve. The service could use a little bit of a change in the happy direction, but I would still highly recommend Fort Street Brewery.
Jan 07, 2013
Photo of claminat420
Reviewed by claminat420 from Michigan

2.28/5  rDev -39%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 1 | food: 3
alright i didn't want to judge this place on my first time there which sucked so i went a few more times. out of four visits one was pretty good. the atmosphere is prolly the best attribute this place has. service is alright. i didn't see the wanna-be model b&tch workin the bar who likes to socialize more with other workers then get people drinks. but anywho service has been alright. went last night and was clearly disappointed. they only had four or five beers on tap which all to me are lame. my mom's bf tried a lincoln lager and said it tasted very skunky which isn't good. my gf tried the sarsaparilla (spelling?) and it tasted like a bud or bud light with the slightest bit of mug root beer poured into it. they had some other foo-foo beer which the owner/brewer loves to brew. food is a hit or miss. i went last time and got steak fajitas that were good. last night i ordered a burger medium and it came totally pink. i ordered a coke and it tasted funny. my gf and mother both tried it and told me to send it back. i also ordered a shot of makers and it was piss warm. my biggest beef with this place is the owner and brewer is a wanna-be ron jeffries from jolly pumpkin. it's hard for him to brew a solid beer and not add nutmeg and figs and b.s. to it. i don't wanna come off as an a$#hole but i'm good on this place. i'm calling this place to go under in two years. if not it's mostly staying alive as a restaurant and not as a brewery.

Example- purple gang and bag of hops were sold out. nothing crazy just solid brews. but if you want his b.s. juniper rye or something else with spices they'll have em for months on end.
Jan 21, 2012
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Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3
The Fort Street Brewery was located on a busy street outside of Detroit. The dinning area included numerous low tops, high tops, and bar stools...very big area. There were big screens and Michigan sports flags hanging from the ceiling. The quality was good, the food was ok, the servise was great. The selection for beer was good, but I thought the menu was lacking a little. There was no pizza on the kids menu and the adult fair was standard bar fare. The value was ok, $32 for adult meal, kids meal, kids drink, and a sampler platter.
Nov 12, 2011
Fort Street Brewery in Lincoln Park, MI
Brewery rating: 3.57 out of 5 with 77 ratings