Brewery, Improv Theater Fosters Community in Ann Arbor
Since its opening during the fall of 2024, hear.say brewing + theater, at 2350 W. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor, has brought the community together to celebrate brews and theater…
Since its opening during the fall of 2024, hear.say brewing + theater, at 2350 W. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor, has brought the community together to celebrate brews and theater under one roof.
The space that owner Tony DeRosa found for hear.say's home had belonged to Townies Brewery, which shuttered its operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, DeRosa said, "It was a good opportunity to inherit some [brewing] equipment."
DeRosa has championed hear.say's innovative concept from the beginning, uniting his love for craft beer and comedy.
"Working here, I watch somebody smile if they like a beer. … I get to see, day to day, the impact of my work when people like the product on the beer side or on the comedy side," DeRosa told the website Concentrate. DeRosa believes the design of hear.say's theater space adjacent to the taproom allows his guests to grab a beer, enjoy a show, or do both.
The enclosed theater space at hear.say is the setting for improv shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Standup comedy is offered late on most Fridays and Saturdays. The venue has also started several improv classes.
On the brewery side of hear.say, DeRosa said he's concentrating on "wholesome ingredients" in the brews. Head Brewer Ben Schnurle, former owner of One Drop Brewing Company in Oxford, Michigan, brews batches using premium non-GMO grain from Germany. Hops arrive from Yakima Chief, New Zealand, or — for one specific endeavor, a Michigan India Pale Ale — Michigan.
"We're not putting garbage in people's beer," DeRosa said in his interview with Concentrate. "I don't mean that as a critique on anybody else, but there's a certain purity to what we're doing on the beer side."
