Former pharmaceutical salesmen David Manson and Andy Langlois opened Blackrocks in 2010, taking the name from a local landmark.

By 2013, persistent demand for Blackrocks' beer led Manson and Langlois to add an outdoor patio and increase their brewing capacity.

David Manson and Andy Langlois founded Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, Michigan, and opened its doors on December 28, 2010.

[4] Manson and Langlois took the brewery's name from a set of rocks in Marquette's Presque Isle Park from which people jump into Lake Superior.

[6] A fence running along the back edge of the taproom's property incorporates used skis, including some donated by patrons of the brewery.

[7] The location featured two floors for customers and a large patio available year-round, with fire pits installed for use during Marquette's cold winters.

The club's initial membership was limited to 50 people at US$40 apiece, and the brewery found that it had to continually expand the program to meet demand.

[10][24] As of 2022[update], chances to join are rare and require an individual to find a "golden ticket" hidden on public land during designated periods.

[10][29][30] In addition to their existing equipment, they installed a twenty-barrel system in the building, which allowed the brewery to expand production to 2,200 barrels per year.

[33][34][35][36] After continuing rapid growth in demand, the company constructed a 24-by-24-foot (7.3 m × 7.3 m) addition on the northern side of the former bottling plant in 2018,[37] and added two 120-barrel fermentors in May 2024.

[3] In mid-2024, Blackrocks began expanding its taproom brewing system from three to seven barrels with the goal of maintaining 16 different beer taps year-round.

[23] As of 2024[update], Blackrocks is the largest craft brewery in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after overtaking the Keweenaw Brewing Company.