Kid Rock's Beer, Atwater, Micro Brews Now Brewing In Corktown (VIDEO)

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - A revolution — and evolution — in Detroit's brewing scene is occurring in Corktown.

Kid Rock's BADASS beer has been relaunched and is being brewed at Brew Detroit on Abbott Street. The facility also brews beers from Motor City Brewing Works and Atwater Brewery along with offering the first beer canning facility in the city since the 1985 closure of Stroh Brewery.

"Brew Detroit is a collaborative facility," said Erika Brockberg, director of retail operation for Brew Detroit, which has plans to grow beyond the three current brands at the facility. "A few local ones right now, we are working to bring a few more into the fold in the next year. You'll see a lot of different things come out of here."

Brew Detroit opened in April 2013 in the former Detroit Ball Bearing Company and features a 68,000-square foot factory, and a 7,000-square-foot tasting which is opens Thursday.

The $9.6 million facility brings nearly 30 jobs to the city, with a commitment that at least 50 percent of the employees will be Detroit residents. Those working at Brew Detroit will be use state-of-the-art equipment that offers automated brewing and bottling - but with the opportunity for the brewmaster to carefully oversee the creation of batch of beer.

This includes the beer canning operation for BADASS beer and Atwater's popular beers, including Dirty Blond Ale, Grand Circus Session IPA and Atwater Lager.

Additionally, Brew Detroit is the new home for Kid Rock's BADASS beer. The beer, which was brewed in Webberville, began brewing at the Detroit facility in December, according to a post on the beer's Facebook page.

The beer is available in cans and bottles in stores in communities including Detroit, Livonia, Monroe,  Port Huron, Flint, Battle Creek and Traverse City.

Across the street, Batch Brewing Company is opening the city's first nano-brewery.

Stephen Roginson was a home brewer who was downsized from his corporate marketing position and decided to pursue his dream of opening a nano-brewery. With the help of a $50,000 grant he won in the Hatch Detroit competition in 2013, he was able to open his "small" batch brewery in the former Porter Street Station, on Porter.

"We are right down the street from Mudgie's, we are across the park from Brew Detroit, we are adjacent to St. Cece's, we are over by Le Petit Zinc. It is a great little food and beverage culture in the neighborhood in Corktown," said Roginson.

He will be offering eight different, small batch beers on tap for the opening night along with food offerings from executive chef Matt Johnson. These include Bavarian pretzels, rib eye on a Mexican bolillo roll and smoked whitefish spread.

"There are an infinite number of palates out there ... it's our job to make the best beer that we can so hopefully they enjoy ours too."