Burn ‘Em Brewing hosted one of its biggest parties of the year on Saturday, February 22, as it invited fans out to its One Year Anniversary Bash. The day-long festivities celebrated the brewery’s one-year anniversary at its new location, which features a family-friendly taproom, full-scratch kitchen, and event room.
Hosted on the same day as Michigan City’s Shelf Ice Brewfest, the Bash also served as the second annual after-party to the popular event. Things kicked off at noon, with Burn ‘Em Owner Steve Murray cracking open a cask of ale and K.C. Mars, owner of Michigan City’s Static Age record shop, spinning vinyl. Visitors also took part in a silent auction featuring various prizes, including the opportunity to craft their own brew.
“The love and support from the community has been epic this year, and we just wanted to share our excitement with everyone,” Murray said. “The location has been a whole different monster than we were used to back at the old spot, now that we’ve got a family-friendly, full-service restaurant. This day last year, we didn’t even have the kitchen open as we were just slinging beers with a food truck out in the yard.”
This year, Burn ‘Em had its full menu available for attendees. The menu has evolved over the year and features options such as ‘What the Cluck?!’, a sandwich with fried ramen noodle-crusted chicken breast, and the ‘Crawfish Étouffée,’ a thick Cajun stew with Louisiana crawfish tail meat, plus classics such as smashburgers, hand-made pretzels, Italian beef, and more.
“It’s been surprising just how much our food has taken off,” Murray said. “Beer culture’s been on a bit of a decline since COVID, so making the jump to this restaurant’s been a key growth factor for us, and our fans have really embraced it. We have Mug Club members who have their tables. I'm sure they love being indoors rather than outdoors when we do events like this – and we’re not spending thousands on propane every year!”
The kitchen staff, which has grown tremendously over the year, worked behind the scenes to keep the partygoers fueled.
“I’ve known the Murrays for a long time and have opened a few restaurants before, so I kind of knew what we were in for when I signed on,” Jeff Kennedy, a Burn ‘Em kitchen team member, said. “We’ve got such a killer crew here that it’s been brilliant. We’ve come together really well. It’s a good place to work.”
Later in the evening, Burn ‘Em hosted live music in its Back Room event hall, with performances by Bonehawk, Modern Vultures, and Left Lane Cruiser. It was all-hands on deck for the Burn ‘Em Brewing team, some members of which, such as Steve Knight, were there for the Grand Opening last year. He moved away during the year to be closer to his grandchildren but returned for the day to take part as a guest bartender.
“I used to just be a fan. I’d go to Burn ‘Em to drink fairly often, and after I retired, I went there looking for a part-time job,” Knight said. “It’s been amazing to see them grow. When they first launched their beer, I loved it. The owners were fantastic. It became my home brewery. When I started working there, it was even better. It was never a job for me.”
With its one-year anniversary in the books, Burn ‘Em’s calendar is still packed full of events. It is set to host a Mask Masking Workshop “Arts & Drafts” on February 28, a Punk Rock Burlesque & Variety Show on March 1, and its annual 4/20ish Party is not too far around the corner.
To learn more about Burn ‘Em Brewing and all of its upcoming events, visit burnembrewing.com.
