It is a big weekend for craft beer fans in Michigan City, and things kicked off in a special way on Friday night when Burn ‘Em Brewing celebrated the grand opening of their brand new location at 1215 E. 2nd Street.
Located just a few doors down from Blue Chip Casino, the new building represents a major milestone for Burn ‘Em, who opened its original taproom back in 2015. It features a larger taproom, an event center, and soon, a full kitchen. Situated right on U.S. 12, it is also more visible and accessible – especially for cyclists. Burn ‘Em began work on the building exactly one year to the day before Friday’s grand opening, and owner Steve Murray was thrilled to see a crowd packed in minutes after he opened the doors.
“There really are no words. We're so happy to finally be open here and to see a turnout like this,” he said. “It’s a little overwhelming, but I’m so excited. When we opened, there was a line out the door. People were tailgating! It was pretty wild to see.”
The building, with its striking black façade and huge windows facing out towards Lake Michigan, cuts a distinct profile compared to Burn ‘Em’s old location, which was tucked away outside of the city proper.
“We’re out of the woods now, literally,” Murray said. “We’re much closer to downtown now, which we’re really happy about. We’ve always tried to be a part of the community by doing givebacks and whatever else we can. I feel like being closer to downtown is going to help us do even more of that, especially as this new location helps us grow.”
The innovative brewery’s full line of beers was available at the grand opening, from Darkside of the Moo and Kreamed Corn, to Fourteen Buck Chuck and Hessian Horseman. With 24 taps in total, as well as a new lineup of guest wines and ciders, there was no shortage of flavor.
Burn ‘Em’s new kitchen is still a work-in-progress, and not quite ready to open. Instead, Murray connected with Cook Street Cafe, a Michigan City based food truck, to help feed the overflowing tide of hungry craft beer aficionados. One of those aficionados, Greg Kist, came by with his family to celebrate his mother’s 80th birthday.
“I’ve been a fan of Burn ‘Em’s since they opened. I live a mile from their old facility,” he said. “The thing that’s special about them is their innovation. They’re all different, the artwork is great, and the names are filled with puns. I also knew the owner’s grandfather. I raced sailboats with him. I’m proud of Steve, proud of all of the guys, they’ve done a great job and I hope this place flourishes.”
While customers sampled beers, an artist named Matthew Raney was hard at work painting a huge mural that spans the building’s interior entranceway. Raney is a Michigan City Schools art teacher and has worked with Burn ‘Em for years.
“I rolled into Burn ‘Em one day with a stack of paintings and asked if I could hang them up. They said yeah, they loved them, and that led to me doing a mural on their patio back in 2017,” Raney said. “As soon as they started this project they told me they were going to need some more murals. They’ve been great. They're just the best bunch of guys and I was thrilled to do this.”
Burn ‘Em Brewing is currently hiring for all positions, from dishwashers to bartenders, with extra need for line cooks and other help around the kitchen. Interested individuals can send their resumes to hiring@burnembrewing.com, along with what position they would like to apply for.
Burn ‘Em is also hosting an Ice Shelf Afterparty on February 24, featuring live music by America Eats It’s Young. They are also hosting their Annual 4/20 Weekend in April, kicking things off on Friday, April 19 with a concert by Robert Rolfe Feddersen and Debutants – doors open at 7 p.m. CST.
To learn more about Burn ‘Em Brewing, visit burnembrewing.com.
