Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

amicar

Missouri

4.58/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5

In the heart of Warren, MI- I stopped by on a trip visiting friends/ relatives (partially because of reviews read on this site). Located in a quirky building attached to a car repair shop. It's a comparatively small space, but comfortable and not cramped. I went on a Monday night, about 10:15pm (closes at Midnight), with about a dozen people there. The place was decorated tastefully for Halloween.

When I sat down, the patron before me had left a BA list of beers and their ratings! The barkeep was prompt and friendly, with good knowledge of all dozen or so beers, and more than happy to offer a taster glass before making that all- important ordering decision.

There was a wide range of beers from light, fruity ones to serious Belgian style ales. A few to keep the newbies to good beer happy, but mostly geared to serious beer drinkers. The few I tried were excellent examples of the styles they were supposed to represent, and of good quality.

A few snacks are available to pair with the beers, but no true food menu. An interesting feature is their "brew on premises" feature which is available.

Overall, an EXCELLENT place. Truly the best I've been to in Michigan thus far. I will definitely make it a point to stop by every time Im back in town.

10-27-2004 05:39:38 | More by amicar

ecoboy

Rhode Island

4.51/5  rDev +8.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5

So: I've never been to a brewery tasting room in MI before. If they were all like Kuhnhenn, I might dedicate a whole vacation to the state.

Truth be told, the numerical rating system of BA is not fully able to express a simple fact: sometimes it's really just about the beer. the atmosphere is really only appealing to those who want to hang around a brewery. But with these choices done this well, you can overlook the hard cement and the "workplace" atmosphere.

14-count-'em-14 choices when I was there, ranging from 4.5% to 12.5% in ABV, from lager to old ale, from fruit beer to IPA. The Simcoe Silly was an outstanding take on a Belgian ale (and I'm a devotee of Allagash and Ommegang, so I mean it.) The server wouldn't let me leave (I was driving and wasn't going to even try anything at 12.5) without a shot of the "Few Schillings Too Many" which reminded me of the '00 and '01 Newport Storms, muddy and mouth-filling, and extremely intense, while also complex.

And that's a server attitude I can get along with: here try this, I think you'll like it. It gives an aura of "labor of love" rather than "sell! sell! sell!" that this BA digs. I brought home some bombers of Devil's Horn and IPA, since I didn't have the time and energy to try them at the source.

Do not miss. I can't wait to go back.

08-13-2004 17:25:35 | More by ecoboy

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +15.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5

Atmosphere: Kuhnhenn is located at the corner of Chicago and Mound Road in Warren. The exterior of the building has the typical hardware store look (unsurprising, since it was one), and there's a homebrew supply store next door. Inside, the place has a fairly spartan look, with just tables, the bar, and their (numerous) awards hanging on the walls. Behind the bar sits a large flat-screen TV. In the back corner is a collection of Kuhnhenn's wines and meads. Behind the bar sits a kitchen-like location with their brewing and winemaking equipment, fermenters, and 20 gallon BOP pots. In the back sits most of the storage facilities. We went on a Friday night, and there was a very large crowd, mostly wine drinkers with their crackers and cheese, but there were several people drinking beer as well. On Monday night, the place was nearly dead, which gave us a nice chance to converse with people.

Quality/Selection: Kuhnhenn usually has about 12 offerings on tap, with a couple bottle-only beers offered as well. The range of beers were from a surprisingly good American Lager up to a delicious Fourth Demensia Old Ale. If the selection of beers is good, then the quality of these beers is even better!! I didn't have a truly terrible beer in the whole time I was there, some were quite unique, and some of their beers are truly world-class (the Raspberry Eisbock being a prime example).

Service: Where I really came to love Kuhnhenn was their service. The first time we went, the place was packed and yet we did get served fairly quickly. Brett did indeed come and check our IDs again, but we did have out-of-state IDs, and to be fair we do look young. In addition that night, Mr. Kuhnhenn saw me taking pictures around, and gave us a nice on-the-spot tour of the location. I was outside talking to trbeer about getting to his house, so I wasn't there while my brother purchased the first round of beers, so I couldn't speak there. The day after, at the Summer Beer Festival, I ran into Eric Kuhnhenn and he promised me a taste of their Raspberry Eisbock whenever I made it to the brewery on Monday. On Monday, they certainly came through on their word!! We did get a chance to taste that sheer ambrosia, as well as some Simcoe Silly and Few Shillings Too Many (at no cost, no less!), and I definitely appreciated that. In addition, we stayed and chatted with Brett and Eric for almost 2 hours, and it was truly enlightening, as they both have a true passion for beer and converse about it quite well. The Kuhnhenns actually manage to make their service match their beer quality, and that's not easy to do!

Food: The food at Kuhnhenn tends to be typical wine tasting fare, with items such as crackers and cheese, along with things like pretzels. I also saw people bringing in food.

Wow...I'd heard so much about Kuhnhenn, and I couldn't wait to get there. I admit that we were maybe a bit tired and probably wouldn't have rated the place as highly as we did, but even then I noticed that the beers were well above-average for brewpub beers. Mr. Kuhnhenn's tour just made our day that much better. As for Monday, I can't say that I've had a better experience at a brewpub. Brett asked us to raise the profile of Kuhnhenn on BA...well, I had to tell him that wasn't necessary as they already have the highest regard on BA, and it's certainly deserved. So, I have to thank the Kuhnhenn family for one of the top brewpubs in the country, with fantastic service to match, and I have to admit that I'm horribly jealous of those who could go there on a regular basis, so you can bet I'll be going again!

07-31-2004 23:45:05 | More by beergeek279

cupbeerman

Pennsylvania

4.86/5  rDev +16.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I am in heaven, that the feeling I got when I walked into the Kuhnhenn Brewing Company. The family saw the writing on the wall when Home Depots started to show up all over Detroit, it was time to turn the hardware store into a new business. I am really glad they decided to turn the place into a brewpub.

The selection of beer includes ten tap selections and a few beers on the menu that are bottle only choices. Of the ten beers that were on draft, about half normal brewpub selections (American lager, Ipa, Dunkel) and some that are somewhat rare (Tangerine wit, Saison, and a Maibock) . I had the opportunity to sample all ten draft beer selection and the beers were fresh and the draft lines seemed to be well taken care of. I really did not find one of the ten beers that I did not like.

The atmosphere of this place is quite unique, the place fits the build of being an old hardware store perfectly. Inside there is a bar with about fifteen bar-stools scattered around. Also there are about eight tables, that raises the seating of the establishment to around forty people. At night all the seating is necessary since the place is packed, but even during this time, a person can enjoy a beer without distractions. However during a weekday around noon, the place can be very quite and conversation can be done with the Brett and Eric (if they are not busy brewing of course).

The service was excellent, upon entering the place the first time however I was carded twice (Brett explained that the place is getting so popular that he is starting to fear out of state fakes) so I will not let that factor into the score. The sampler includes all of the beers that are currently on draft, served in about six ounce mini mugs. The bartender also will answer any of the questions, that a customer would have about the beers.

Overall the Kuhnhenn Brewing Company is one of top brewpubs in the world. This place should be a place that every BA, should visit multiple times during their beer drinking time. I did not look at the food menu, but they did have a full wine list that they also make themselves. They also have a Brew/Wine/Soda on Premises business that allows customers to make their own beer and wine.

07-28-2004 23:52:31 | More by cupbeerman

sparkydoyle

Pennsylvania

4.64/5  rDev +11.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5

Visited 7/19/04 around 9 pm. Situated in a northern Detroit suburb, the establishment consists of a brewpub alongside a homebrewer supply store. The pub features a large bar as well as tables, and at the time of our visit, more than 8 beers were offered.

The Monday night crowd consisted of a small group of beer fans, and a local homebrewer who came in to share stories, pass around samples from a recent batch, and enjoy some Fourth Dementia. Sitting at the tables were people who came in with casseroles who were enjoying the Kuhnhenn’s “other” product line, homemade German-style wines (which according to my partner were impressive in their own right). It’s important to note that the menu is limited, however customers are welcome to bring their own food, or phone in an order for delivery.

The beer menu was pretty broad for a small brewpub (lagers, ales, a couple of wheat beers, and beers of various gravities and hop rates), and several were remarkable. The proprietors were happy to offer samples and discuss the various beers. An unpretentious establishment with excellent beer and enjoyable ambiance.

07-23-2004 02:48:54 | More by sparkydoyle

garthwaite

Virginia

4.94/5  rDev +18.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

Very interesting place located just north of Detroit. Fairly large building which houses both a homebrew shop & a tasting room. The tasting room set-up was pretty straight forward with a good sized bar & quite a few tables, though they were all empty when we arrived. They have pre-made sandwiches along with chips, nuts, cheeses, etc in case you're hungry, but of course - we came for the beer. They had quite a few items on the menu, which was a one-of-a-kind creation. Some of those items on tap were:
Tangerine Wit, Extra Stout, IPA, Porter, Strong Ale, Saison, Pale Ale, MaiBock, Nut Brown, Red, Old Ale ....with a few others available from the bottle. Everything we sampled was incredibly unique & fantastically enjoyable.
The atmosphere is as friendly, unassuming, & downright rare as could be imagined. These guys really know brewing & allow you to taste their fantastic creations in a straightforward, no-frills setting. Really glad I got the chance to stop in for a few taps & some bottles to go & hoping I can get back there sometime soon.

07-15-2004 12:44:17 | More by garthwaite

marburg

Michigan

4.56/5  rDev +9.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5

This is my third re-review of Kuhnhenn's. I find it necessary to do so because every time I visit, they've improved the place that much more. With some fresh paint on the walls, a better organization of space, and what seems to be a growing clientele, these guys are now more or less tops in all of SE Michigan for brewpubs, in my humble opinion.

The owners seem to be great guys -- just two brothers who dig beer. Likewise, the staff is courteous and fun. And they're ALWAYS experimenting here. Wheat wines, fruity eisbocks, fruit-infused wines, molasses ales, and all kinds of rotating selections makes it worth going back since you'll almost always have something new to try.

The quality is superb. I've never had a bad beer here, and about half their beers are always pushing the envelope of being new and creative. As I've noted before, my friend works here, and his eisbock is one of the greatest beers I've ever had. And while he brews a lot, his primary job is making wine, not beer; so that gives you an idea of how talented these guys are!

I'm sure that after two or three more stops, I'll have rated this place up to straight 5s in every category. For now, they'll have to accept near perfection. ;-) If you're anywhere in the area, you owe it to yourself to stop in. Superb, superb, superb.

03-07-2004 22:18:08 | More by marburg

CRJMellor

Arkansas

4.7/5  rDev +12.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4

Architecturally interesting building in an older part of the metro Detroit area. Home brew shop near the parking and pub and BOP section in the front. Very big windows allow lots of natural light into the bar, which for me is a very nice departure from lots of places. Snakc food is offered with sausages, cheese, crackers and gourmet pretzels being the main offerings.
The beer, ah the beer. Always seem to have 10-12 beers on draught and maybe 1 available bottled to go. Seem to have a few staples but brewers seem very comfortable with small batch and constantly rotating offerings. Bartender knew a lot about beer and she was very liberal with the samples.
The brewpots are behind the relatively big bar and really neat to sit at the bar and smell the hops steeping and wort boiling.
Great prewpub experience.

01-19-2004 00:24:21 | More by CRJMellor

Sixpack595

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 2 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5

Lets be honest, you go here for the beer not the decor. It looks like its still under construction, but the beer is great. Theres a good selection of traditional and experimental brews, and every one I tried was worth a look. The staff was great, the beer was great, and the only food served were some very good pretzels. You're not going there for dinner, but they do have some nice stuff to snack on. Bonus points since Marburg convinced his buddy to break open a couple bottles of their incredible Rasberry Eisbock for us, and we got cookies from a birthday party there too. Mmmm....cookies.

12-17-2003 06:39:49 | More by Sixpack595

putnam

Michigan

4.84/5  rDev +16.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

I know some folks won't appreciate this bar's utter lack of commercialism. Some people want phony, fake, Potemkin brew-pubs. If you're one of these, stay away from Kuhnhenn's!

Sandwiched between an "Autohaus" and a "Hardware store" (read: brew/wine supply shop) the interior is efficiently spacious. The Mash tuns and kettles are right on the floor, mixing with the guests. The staff go about their business without a lot of chatter. When asked questions they replied directly and concisely. No ego.
The selection of beers was terrific. Every one I tasted was unique...none of that cookie-cutter sameness that plagues so many establishments. This is hard-working, blue-collar gourmet craftsmanship. Heart and soul.

11-02-2003 18:50:22 | More by putnam