Black Lotus Brewery

Black Lotus BreweryBlack Lotus Brewery
Black Lotus BreweryBlack Lotus Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

1 East 14 Mile Road
Clawson, Michigan, 48017
United States

// CLOSED //
BEER STATS
Average:
3.65
Beers:
26
Ratings:
125
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.42
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
46
pDev:
19.59%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by David_G:
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Rated by David_G from Michigan

2.75/5  rDev -19.6%

Mar 13, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of bushbeer75
Reviewed by bushbeer75 from Michigan

3.72/5  rDev +8.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Black Lotus is a smaller Brewery located in Clawson - a bedroom community. The Brewery has a small town feel.

Their beer offerings include; 'Annual Brews'/Specialty Seasonal beers, brews on tap such as; Barleywines, Shandy/Radler, Schwarzbier, Berliner Weisse, American Amber, IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Hefeweizen, Witbier, and Fruit Beer. All the tap beers are brewed in Clawson. I had their Hefeweizen and it was a good representation of the style.

Black Lotus has an average selection of pub type food on their menu. All I had was their chips and salsa so I felt it wasn't fair to rate their food.
May 10, 2019
Photo of Kundun
Rated by Kundun from Michigan

4.93/5  rDev +44.2%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
relaxed.. refreshingly non corporate brew pub . loved my server and everything we had.
Aug 31, 2017
 
Rated: 3.34 by HopHEAD1522 from Michigan

Jul 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.69 by moshea from Michigan

Apr 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.59 by MI_beerdrinker from Texas

Nov 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.91 by kyle_goochstink from Michigan

Sep 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4.15 by DanGeo from Michigan

Jun 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.39 by midlifec from Michigan

Jun 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.15 by Cotton_27 from Michigan

Mar 30, 2016
Photo of JasonR1975
Reviewed by JasonR1975 from Michigan

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Decent enough vibe, downtown Clawson. Big downgrade on quality (always flies when your food comes) and beer is just average although last visit had a couple of better beers. Service and food is always good and taplist if usually varied even if quality is meh.
Mar 07, 2016
Photo of red94tt
Reviewed by red94tt from Michigan

2.25/5  rDev -34.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2 | service: 2 | selection: 2 | food: 3.5
Vibe - Black Lotus has a small town feel to it. Smack dab in the middle of downtown Clawson, their location has been a fixture in the quiet community for years. The bar seating is enjoyable, it's a square design with a giant projector TV on the back wall so watching a game from this area is great. The tall ceilings of the building are nice, it makes the smaller floor space seem larger than it really is. Outside seating is available in the warmer months and being that it's located alongside the downtown stretch, it makes for an enjoyable experience.

Quality - Unfortunately, this is where my review starts to go down hill. The overall quality of Black Lotus' product is average at best. Most of their beer is ok enough to appeal to the masses but if you're looking for a place that will standout or even compete with some of the other local breweries, you're not going to find that with BL. Some of their viewable practices have made me scratch my head as well. While sitting at their bar one night, my wife ordered a glass of their "apricot wheat". We watched as the bartender added some sort of apricot flavored syrup to the freshly poured glass of regular World Wide Wheat beer; come on man....

If going, I'd recommend the Detroit Hip Hops, it's a good, serviceable APA/IPA. For limited releases, their Sky Farm Saison (Gin Barrel Aged) is solid.

Service - Hit or miss. Sometimes the servers are on point, other nights they forget about you. On busy nights, a waitress will typically take your name and let you know when a table is ready. I've watched guests that have come in later than our party get seated before us. Mind you, they do not take reservations. If you're lucky, one of the owners/brewers will come around to chat and "talking shop" has resulted with them bashing other local breweries several times in the past.

Selection - Depending on the season, they usually have a few of their brews on tap. They also have guest taps. To me, this isn't a good look. As a brewery, if you have multiple guest taps on-site, it screams that either you can't produce enough different beers to keep everyone happy or you don't have enough faith in your own product. It's possible that it's a combination of both or maybe it's neither but in my opinion, it's a bad practice. They also no longer do flights of their own beer...strange for a brewery.

Food - Not bad, their menu is failry extensive and has a lot of good eats. This is probably one of the shining stars of the operation.
Feb 21, 2016
Photo of MIBeerGeek
Reviewed by MIBeerGeek from Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4
Small little brewery with a great Vibe.

Only have a few beers on tap usually, but always a good mix.

Food and atmosphere are great. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

Try the Imperial Oatmeal Stout!
Dec 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.53 by uccle81 from Michigan

Oct 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.9 by rkf1976 from Michigan

Aug 27, 2015
Photo of gmorri0
Reviewed by gmorri0 from Michigan

1.6/5  rDev -53.2%
vibe: 2 | quality: 1 | service: 3 | selection: 1 | food: 1
Never been to a brewery that didn't offer a flight until going here. Then the beer I chose was a Jalepenao Beer, but was spicy and didn't taste anything like beer
Aug 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.86 by Buck_Jones from Michigan

Jun 20, 2015
Photo of onespartan
Reviewed by onespartan from Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +26%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
I've been coming here on and off since it opened. Substantial improvements have been made lately with their new brewer. Ten of their own taps and a nice selection of guest taps.
Jun 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by FaradayUncaged from Michigan

Apr 10, 2015
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Rated by Doublicious from Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +19.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Cool place in a nice neighborhood friendly management
Mar 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.29 by Brandonparrent from Michigan

Jan 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by amalburg from Michigan

Nov 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.68 by Taphouse_Traveler from Florida

Oct 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by goast8127 from Michigan

Oct 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Hyperion208 from Michigan

Sep 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by rjcoy06 from Michigan

Sep 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Dustin_A_Stoutdrinker from Michigan

Sep 05, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by tommy5 from Michigan

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by leadahmer from Michigan

Dec 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by sternamagrapha7x from Michigan

Dec 08, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by Stu_Grimson from Michigan

Dec 04, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by Danielr26 from Michigan

Nov 25, 2013
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Reviewed by PapaGoose03 from Michigan

3.31/5  rDev -3.2%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.75 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
This was stop #5 of our pub crawl on this Thursday, although our group was now down to two people, my wife and me. We came here for dinner and to try the beers, in addition to experiencing the place.

The pub is located on a very busy street corner with constant traffic, even at 7:30 PM, so we chose to select a seat inside instead of on the patio at the front of the building. Watching traffic and hearing the noise just doesn't appeal to me while eating. We chose the last available table and it happened to be out of view of the servers' station so that we sat there 4-5 minutes before I went and got a someone to take our order. (The servers were very busy too because the place was full, which probably contributed to them not seeing us.)

We chose a sampler flight with 4 of the 7 beers that were on the menu, but our server informed us that one of my choices was unavailable (which was the one that I was most curious about) so I had to choose another. There were 10 guest beers listed on the menu, although it wasn't stated whether they were tap or bottles. We felt that the beers were just average and pretty close to style, but there was nothing exciting about them. We graded them at a C rating.

The food menu consists of typical pub food selections, although some of the ingredients seemed to be kicked up a notch per the descriptions on the menu. We each ordered a sandwich and thoroughly enjoyed them. So we rated the food higher than the beer at a B.

It was an okay visit to this pub so that I'd probably go back there again, but it would be more for the food rather than the beer.
Sep 16, 2013
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Reviewed by Tommyblocks from Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I have been to Black Lotus a dozen times and its pretty enjoyable. I think both the beer and the food are okay. Nothing was bad and at the same time nothing just jumped out at me like it was on a different level of excellence. I enjoyed the atmosphere, there really isn't too much like that right in that immediate area so it sets itself apart from the other local places. I can say that I am blessed to have so much variety living in downtown Chicago, I have lots of options on a daily basis and I think that may weigh a bit on this average review. I have lots of friends from that area who swear by Black Lotus. So if you may like this place more than my review reflects.
Jul 29, 2013
Photo of Kerrie
Reviewed by Kerrie from Michigan

3.43/5  rDev +0.3%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I've been here twice, but only had the food once. I see that the reviewer before me mentioned the coffee shop atmosphere, and I'd agree with that. They have an area for live music, but the place is so small that it gets too loud in there when that's going on. My boyfriend and I were unable to carry a conversation when the band was playing (and he's a musician, so I normally wouldn't complain about live music, but the noise in the small, cramped building is too much).

The quality is okay. My food was mediocre, and the selection was very low, so I wouldn't eat there again. The beer selection is quite short, too. I had a flight of 4 last time I went, and most were mediocre except the pumpkin ale.

The service is spot-on, probably because the place is so small.

Overall, it's not a place I'd frequent, but their pumpkin beer was by far the best pumpkin beer I've had last season. I'd go again just for that, but nothing else.
May 09, 2013
Photo of KickInTheChalice
Reviewed by KickInTheChalice from Illinois

2.6/5  rDev -24%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 2 | food: 4
As some other people have mentioned, the vibe is more of a coffee shop than a bar. The open-air feel was noticeable, even in January. We were there in the early afternoon, so I don't get a sense of the crowd at night.

The main problem is that the beer just is not that good and they only serve their own. My sister ordered the apricot wheat, but it came out with a terrible tan color, cascading like crazy. It turns out it hit a 'yeast bubble,' and after a few tries she had the amber, which was ok. The Thai porter was an interesting concept, but it ended up watery. 'The Gift' was anything but. Credit to the brewer for trying to mix up the style a little bit, but the flavors just did not do it for me. It tasted like 2/3 of a Hefe and 1/3 Belgian dark.

The bright spot of my experience was the food. The wings were good, the wasabi salmon wrap was good, and my sister's pulled pork had just the flavor I like.

Unfortunately, the food is not enough to get me back there without any decent beer. Even just having 10 Shorts / Founders / Bells in bottles would be enough, but a brewpub without good beer does not get very far.
Jan 19, 2011
Photo of LilBeerDoctor
Reviewed by LilBeerDoctor from New York

3.73/5  rDev +9.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Reviewed on 6/21/2010.

This is a neat brewpub with a relaxed atmosphere. It definitely has a coffee-shop like appearance. They have indoor and outdoor seating and a large screen TV projection. There were 7 or 8 beers on tap which were all pretty solid. I especially enjoyed the Detroit Hip Hop APA. The food menu is alright - I just ordered a hummus platter but it was pretty tasty. The service is great - very friendly and attentive. A great place to chill with a tasty brew! I would definitely seek it out.
Dec 23, 2010
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Reviewed by tipperofcows from Virginia

3.63/5  rDev +6.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4
I live within walking distance of this place, so I've been there quite a few times. When you first walk in, the place seems a lot more like a trendy coffee shop than a bar. It's a breath of fresh air when you're used to the other bars in the clawson area though, simply because it's different. They offer live music from time to time, which is really hit or miss... either i've really liked it, or really hated it. Definately not a good place to watch sports though, as they only have one screen, and it's rarely on; however, they'll turn it on for you as long as no one else is watching it.

Beer-wise, they offer several on tap, a couple of which change with the season, but most of them stay the same year-round. Personal favorites are The Gift (strong belgian), Apricot Wheat (fruity, but not TOO fruity, if you know what i mean), and the Pumpkin Ale they bring out in october, which has some great spice to it. A couple of the beers are spectacular, but most of them are just decent.

Price-wise, most beers are 4.50 a pint, with some (such as the gift) costing a little bit more. It's a little steep, but it's the best beer within 10-15 miles, so I don't mind paying it every now and then. Food prices are really cheap though (4 dollar burgers, for example), and the food is really good for bar food, so if you're going for dinner and some drinks, it'll balance out. The free popcorn machine is also a plus.

Service is off and on. It's never been downright awful, but there have been a few times that it's taken a while to get our beer. They offer beer-to-go in the form of growlers (no six packs) if you like to take beer home. If I remember right, they're around 15 bucks or so.

Overall, if you're in the area, the Lotus is definately worth checking out. I wish they'd branch out more and offer some different selections from time to time, but it's definately the best in the immediate area and totally worth at least a look.
Jul 17, 2008
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Reviewed by ElGrecoVerde from Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +24.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Sat outside on a nice Spring day. The patio seating felt a bit close to the road, especially when trucks would drive by, but hey, outdoor seating is always a plus.

As for the beer, it ranges from boring to exciting depending on what you get. I believe the brewery is new, so maybe they're still working out their styles, but I found the beers they got more aggressive with turned out better. It's like painting, if your too uptight and careful it won't turn out right.

An example: Their Ms. Michigan Pale Ale tasted like a slightly sweet lager. They clearly held back on that one. But The Gift, their Belgian style ale, was clearly more aggressive and an all around good brew.

Food was excellent, and very cheap. Beer prices were a tad high, but cheap food balances the costs.

I will definitely be going back. I hope they loosen up the flavors as they start refining their brews.
May 08, 2008
Photo of SaucyA
Reviewed by SaucyA from Michigan

2.96/5  rDev -13.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.5
Was doing a job for someone in Clawson and passed by this place. I've heard of it so I figured I'd stop in. It was around 3:30pm when I went in.

Atmosphere is definitely coffeshop/hipster vibe. Free wifi, nice bar, fireplace... it seems like a nice place for a beer and a chat. Non smoking and quiet music. My kinda place.

Quality is hard to be judged. I sampled their strong belgian pale, and ipa. The belgian was a bit sweet, but hid it's abv well. The ipa tasted a lot like marijuana. The growler of amber lager I bought came in a nice bottle, but the product inside was less than spectacular. Not nearly enough "oomph".

Service seemed to be good. Friendly bartender was more than helpful. Can't say for certain if they'd be awesome whilst packed, but was greeted as I sat down, and she seemed nice enough.

Selection was decent in terms of amount, they had about 8 or so beers if I remember correctly. Too many easy drinkers if you ask me (apricot wheat, a couple lagers, oatmeal stout and the like)... Black Lotus, I wouldn't mind seeing a big beer on the menu next to the belgian pale. Do an RIS or barleywine or something for the people that like to taste their brew :)

Growlers are $5 for the bottle and $13 for the fill. I believe they're $10 a fill on Tuesday.

If I lived in the area, I'd probably come in a bit. If I was coming from out of state, however, I'd definitely stop by the heavy hitters first. Let's see some big beers, crew!
Feb 28, 2008
Black Lotus Brewery in Clawson, MI
Brewery rating: 3.65 out of 5 with 125 ratings