On Guard, a Detroit Free Press beer in collaboration with Batch Brewing Co., on sale today

Amelia Benavides-Colón, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·3 min read

The Detroit Free Press' latest partnership — with Batch Brewing Company — is all about journalism, community and heritage.

Michigan's largest newspaper and the 9-year-old Corktown brewery collaborated this past year to develop and produce "On Guard," a pre-Prohibition lager with a touch of malt sweetness and hop flavor. The lager is available to the public starting today, on tap and in cans, at Batch's brewpub on 1400 Porter St. in Detroit.

Named after the Free Press' longtime slogan, this limited-edition beer "celebrates the essential role of a free press in maintaining a democracy and honors local journalists for staying on guard to shine light on the truth, hold power accountable and serve their communities with the information they need."

The project is the brainchild of Free Press social, search and audience editor Brian Manzullo, who said internal conversations about collaborating with a Detroit brewery started five years ago, when he began writing about Michigan craft beer. (The COVID-19 pandemic paused those conversations.)

"I fell in love with the community aspect of the (craft beer) industry, and that really overlaps with us and our mission of holding power accountable and creating an informed society," Manzullo said.

Last year, Manzullo reached out to Dave Cicotte, director of marketing and events at Batch, to see if it would be interested in teaming up, and a partnership was formed.

Eric Danta Plata, Batch Brewing Co. production manager, and Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press social search and audience editor, give a toast during the brew day for On Guard, a pre-Prohibition lager, on Monday, March 4, 2024.
Eric Danta Plata, Batch Brewing Co. production manager, and Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press social search and audience editor, give a toast during the brew day for On Guard, a pre-Prohibition lager, on Monday, March 4, 2024.

The alcohol by volume of On Guard is 4.7%.

Pre-Prohibition lagers are unique in their continental ingredients, said Batch production manager Eric Danta Plata. "On Guard" is a crisp, easy-drinking beer with notes of black pepper from the locally sourced hop and a sweet aftertaste.

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"Given the history of the Free Press and what we are celebrating, we kind of feel that the (pre-Prohibition lager) was the perfect style," Plata said. "What we use in ours is a very traditional idea of that style by using American 6-Row as a base malt, as well as flaked corn that we were able to get regionally."

Stephen Roginson opened Batch Brewing Co. in 2015 after crowdfunding $25,000 and winning $50,000 from Comerica Bank's Hatch Detroit small business contest. Roginson said he looks forward to combining the journalism and alcohol enthusiast communities through the collaboration.

The Detroit Free Press partnered with Batch Brewing Co. to create a pre-Prohibition lager called On Guard, which is the Free Press' longtime slogan. The beer will be available starting Friday, April 19 with a public release party at Batch Brewing Co. in Detroit.
The Detroit Free Press partnered with Batch Brewing Co. to create a pre-Prohibition lager called On Guard, which is the Free Press' longtime slogan. The beer will be available starting Friday, April 19 with a public release party at Batch Brewing Co. in Detroit.

In 2021, Roginson was named a Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Food Fighter for his work raising $60,000 for out-of-work service employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Oftentimes, journalists (are) out on their own and, us as employees of this organization (Batch Brewing Co.) are busy with responsibilities," Roginson said, "so it's going to be awesome being able to just gather, drink a beer, and a hit little bit of a pause button on the busy schedules and celebrate doing a cool collaboration."

A glass of On Guard, a pre-Prohibition lager by Batch Brewing Co. in collaboration with the Detroit Free Press.
A glass of On Guard, a pre-Prohibition lager by Batch Brewing Co. in collaboration with the Detroit Free Press.

To celebrate On Guard's arrival, Batch will host a release party from 5-11 tonight at its Corktown brewpub. On Guard will be on tap and in 4-pack cans, with a portion of the proceeds — $2 for each four-pack and $1 for each 16-ounce draft — going to the Detroit Historical Museum for its critical role in chronicling the city's legacy. The museum currently has an exhibition on display titled "Detroit's Brewing Heritage" and a six-part podcast on Detroit's rich brewing history.

At the release party, learn more about On Guard's story through a short, 10-minute documentary produced by Brian Kaufman, the Free Press’ Emmy-winning executive video producer. The documentary will screen with sound at 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

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Free Press reporter Kylie Martin contributed.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Free Press' new beer, On Guard, available now