Burn ‘Em Brewing: Something Different On Tap

Walk into Burn ‘Em Brewing on any given weekend and it’s unlikely to be the same experience as your last time there.

One night, the taproom hums with conversation while friends work their way through a flight of beers. The next, a punk band is setting up on stage as families finish dinner and regulars settle into their seats.

Over the years, Burn ‘Em has grown into something that’s hard to define with a single label.

It’s part brewery, part restaurant, part music venue, and part gathering place—shaped less by a master plan and more by a willingness to keep trying something new.

That venue you experience today wasn’t part of some carefully scripted business plan. Burn ‘Em has always been more interested in curiosity than convention, allowing the business to evolve naturally as new ideas—and new people—found their way through the doors.

What began in 2015 as a small brewery founded by a group of friends has spent the last decade steadily growing into one of Michigan City’s most distinctive gathering places — all without ever losing sight of the philosophy that got it there in the first place.

One step at a time.

Brewing Something Bigger

Like many craft breweries, Burn ‘Em began around homebrewing.

Brothers Steve and Blake Murray spent years post-college experimenting with recipes and brew kits alongside friends, turning a hobby into something they eventually couldn’t stop working on. As their interest grew, so did the realization that brewing beer professionally might actually be a viable career.

Working at Greenbush Brewing in Sawyer, MI. offered a glimpse into that world. So, when the brewery upgraded its equipment, the brothers purchased the original brewing system and built their brewery around what the business could afford instead of taking on too much too soon. It was a practical decision, but one that would shape the business for years to come.

Around that same time, they settled on a name. Burn ‘Em Brewing pays tribute to their late father, Hugh Burnham Murray, borrowing the rhythm from his middle and last names. Fittingly, the brewery’s original home occupied the former headquarters of Michigan City Associates, Hugh’s construction company.

 

While Steve’s focus naturally settled around the brewery itself—overseeing production, refining recipes, and working with local suppliers—Blake found his creative outlet in the kitchen. Together, they’ve built a business where experimentation doesn’t stop at the tap list. A beer may be rooted in centuries-old brewing traditions, while the food might combine cultures and reimagine American favorites.

Every step forward was intentional. Rather than chasing rapid expansion or outside investment, the brothers focused on building the business the same way they had started it—patiently, thoughtfully, and one brew at a time.

Growin’ Like Grain

Burn ‘Em’s original home on Freyer Road didn’t stay small for long.

The brewery slowly gained a cult-like following and outgrew its production space. Over the next decade, the business began changing alongside the crowd that supported it. What started as a niche spot gradually became a popular destination. The kitchen expanded. Live music became a regular occurrence. Community events filled the calendar, and guests found more reasons to stay long after finishing their first pint.

The decision to move to a new location wasn’t about reinventing Burn ‘Em. It was about creating a space that reflected what the business had naturally grown into.

Hidden in Plain Sight

The search for a new space led them to an old warehouse on East 2nd Street that many longtime residents barely noticed anymore.

Inside, the building was hardly more than an empty shell. Years of different tenants had left their mark, but very little remained worth preserving beyond the structure itself.

They stripped the building to its bones, rebuilding nearly everything from the inside out. High industrial ceilings remained, but dark warehouse space gave way to a bright open tap room, brewing equipment, and a stage that would eventually host everything from bluegrass bands to stand-up comedy.

Ironically, many customers compliment the design and layout of the space — assuming it’s new down to the foundation.

But rather than building something entirely new, Burn ‘Em tapped into the potential that possibly had been sitting there all along, giving one of Michigan City’s overlooked industrial buildings an entirely new purpose.

 

 

Expect the Unexpected

If there’s one thing Burn ‘Em has become known for over the years, it’s refusing to color inside the lines.

That philosophy begins with the beer.

Alongside traditional lagers and classic ales are creations inspired by the region itself. Many ingredients are locally sourced, with one seasonal favorite incorporating freshly harvested spruce tips from a Christmas tree farm in Rolling Prairie, adding bright notes that can only come from Northwest Indiana.

Steve and Blake remain closely involved in every batch that leaves the brewery, overseeing everything from recipe development to sourcing ingredients that support the restaurant’s farm-to-table approach. Even after the brewing process is complete, little goes to waste. The spent grain left behind is donated to local cattle farmers, where it supplements feed and gives one more purpose to every brew.

Blake has developed a loyal following for weekly specials that combine in-season, small batch, local ingredients and rarely make a second appearance. Familiar comfort foods become a blank canvas for new ideas, blending flavors and cuisines in ways that are both unexpected and approachable. One week it might be a crab rangoon-inspired burger. The next, an entirely different creation has taken its place. For many guests, that’s become part of the appeal—if something catches your eye, it’s probably worth ordering now, because it may not be there next week.

Regulars have learned not to ask when their favorite special is coming back or what inspired the name of a new beer — it’s all part of the mystique.

The artwork is bold. The music changes. The beer names rarely take themselves too seriously. It feels equally at home hosting a bluegrass band one night and BINGO the next. It’s a space where creativity is celebrated as much as craftsmanship.

Families eat dinner alongside craft beer enthusiasts. Concertgoers mingle with neighbors who stopped in after work. Local organizations host fundraisers while out-of-towners try “Hipster Juicebag” for the first time. It’s a melting pot from the people to the menu.

 

Tapped In

For Steve and Blake, owning a business has never really meant kicking back with a beer and watching the show.

On any given night, they’re checking on what’s brewing, running food to a table, or clearing dishes between conversations. That hands-on approach, the brothers say, has become part of Burn ‘Em’s culture and sets the tone for the rest of the staff.

Many employees have been with the brewery for years, and so have many of its customers. Over time, some familiar faces have become genuine friendships. The team has watched first dates become engagements, engagements become marriages, and the event room even advertises divorce parties.

For Burn ‘Em, good hospitality isn’t complicated. It’s about making people feel welcome enough that they want to come back—and giving them reasons to do it.

Looking A-Head

Steve and Blake say for now, they’re focused on doing things right — so don’t expect another major expansion anytime soon.

However, they acknowledge the reputation they’ve built for delivering the unexpected.

So, the patio will continue to evolve, new beers will find their way onto the taps, and events will continue to grow.

Experimentation has never been a phase. It’s simply how Burn ‘Em operates.

And after more than a decade, the brewery has certainly tapped into something different.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Businesses featured through the “It’s A City Thing” initiative are featured at the discretion of the City of Michigan City for storytelling, tourism, and community engagement purposes. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee by the City of Michigan City, its officials, employees, or affiliates. No business paid, compensated, or otherwise provided consideration in exchange for participation or inclusion in this feature.