Downtown Royal Oak welcomes new self-serve taproom

Marina Johnson, Detroit Free Press
·3 min read
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Soon, those visiting downtown Royal Oak for a cold drink will be able to go right up to the counter and pour themselves a glass from a variety of beers, wines, ciders, and seltzers.

The North End Taproom, one of the first self-serve taprooms in the city, will open its doors on Aug. 16, according to a news release. Inside, guests will have over 40 tap options to choose from, along with a full-service kitchen.

Drink options are plentiful and include a two-hearted IPA, tangerine wheat, black ale, salted caramel porter (S.C.P.), buzz blanket, BBA tiramisu stout, and more. Many selections are imported from cities across the state of Michigan.

Food menu items include a bbq chicken lettuce wrap, tatchos, a grilled cheese-burger, etc.

The current owners, Jon and Katheryn Stoia, are excited to open their doors, as self-serve breweries were illegal until late 2022.

According to the release, Jon and Katheryn moved back to Michigan after the pandemic and realized they missed the self-serve style from California. Illegal at the time in Michigan, the couple thought the state could benefit from the specific business style and helped to advocate for its legality.

More: Get ready for 'self-serve' beer and wine at Michigan restaurants thanks to new law

North End Taproom, located in downtown Royal Oak and owned by Jon and Katheryn Stoia, is one of the first self-serve taprooms in the city.
North End Taproom, located in downtown Royal Oak and owned by Jon and Katheryn Stoia, is one of the first self-serve taprooms in the city.

Senate Bill 656 was first introduced by Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, who stated 45 other states allow self-serve dispensing equipment.

“Michigan has one of the country’s largest craft beer industries, and this reform will make a big difference in the technology available to business owners looking at new ways to better serve their customers,” Runestad said in a statement.

SB 656, now Public Act 136 of 2022, legalized restaurants and other establishments with on-site liquor licenses in Michigan to provide self-dispensing equipment so customers can pour their own drinks.

Self-serving drink stations have become more prevalent during the pandemic, as the stations allow patrons to hold onto their glasses without constantly needing to be refilled by restaurant staff, per a House Fiscal Agency analysis of the bill, wrote the Detroit Free Press.

North End Taproom, located in downtown Royal Oak and owned by Jon and Katheryn Stoia, is one of the first self-serve taprooms in the city.
North End Taproom, located in downtown Royal Oak and owned by Jon and Katheryn Stoia, is one of the first self-serve taprooms in the city.

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The self-serving machines are not allowed to be at individual tables, but rather the bill allows establishments to create "beer walls" where visitors can get a refill.

However, this new law doesn't mean customers can drink to their heart's content. It caps the total liquid volume being served at 96 ounces per order: 16 ounces per individual serving of beer, and 12 ounces of each individual serving of wine or a mixed drink. Straight liquor cannot be dispensed from the kiosks.

Establishments also cannot sell or advertise unlimited amounts of drinks from the self-serve dispensers.

North End Taproom is located at 111 S. Main St. in the downtown district of Royal Oak. The first self-serve taproom in the city, Lincoln Tap, is located at 330 E Lincoln Avenue.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Self-service taproom with beers, seltzers, etc. opens in Royal Oak