VISIT
925 CHERRY STREET IN THE EAST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
PUB | MENU | BREWERY | OUR BUILDINGS | PRIVATE EVENTS
Step inside our Pub and you will feel like you just stepped inside a Belgian monastery…except we don’t have monks walking around in robes. Instead we have a pretty casual scene where you can come for a goblet of beer with friends, or bring the whole work team down for dinner. Our Pub is a place to indulge in the culture of beer. It is a way of life for us and we love to share our passion with all visitors that take the time to stop into the Chapel.
Tours: Walk through our production space and learn how Brewery Vivant brews staples like Farm Hand and sours like 2016 GABF bronze medal winner, Angelina. Tours are offered Saturdays* at 2pm and 3:30pm, $10/person- first come, first served. 21+ (includes samples). *The Pub is open, but we do not offer tours on WABF Saturday.
Bon Vivant: We live the good life by brewing farmhouse inspired beers, serving a from-scratch menu, and building sustainable community one beer at a time. You'll notice our menu selection is carefully curated, constantly tweaked, and perfectly paired it with our beer. The great thing about having a kitchen attached to a brewery is the ability to design menu items around certain beers and also brew beers to specifically pair with a dish.
Reservations: We are a casual place and do not take reservations. If there is a wait, it's never so bad with a beer in your hand-- and we do our best to accommodate that! If you've got a larger group (15+) and are trying to plan ahead, give a buzz and we'll see what we can do. Availability can vary depending on the night of the week. Learn more about reserving the private event space.
Note bene: Vivant kitchen closes an hour before the Pub closes.
Special Days:
- Monday is Stein Night (bring your own Litre stein or buy a sweet one at the Pub, fills start at $5!)
- Tuesday is Monk Club night. Monks get $2 off beers.
- Wednesday is Growler Day, get $2 off fills.
- Thursday is the start of our weekend specials menu (including dessert!), runs til they run out!
The pub is closed for the following holidays so our employees can spend time with family & friends; New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.
YES! We do accept Brewery Vivant cans back at our pub for recycling and deposit reimbursement. See the host. We are also an official recycle drop off site for the 100% post-consumer-recycled-content (PCR) rings. And proud of it!
PRIVATE EVENTS
HOST YOUR PRIVATE EVENT AT THE PUB!
We offer our semi-private “Walloon Room” as a space to host events of all sorts: fundraisers, parties, educational talks, private tastings and more!
The Walloon Room: The inspiration for our Belgian & French style beers comes from the region of Southern Belgium known as Wallonia. The French-speakers from the area are known as Walloons.
The room is available for use from Noon-10PM Sundays and 3-11PM Monday-Thursday. We can comfortably seat 30-40 people or you can have your group mingle throughout the space.
Rates & packages vary.
Contact Ward at ward@breweryvivant.com for more information to plan your event!
THE BREWERY
Nestled into the heart of the East Hills neighborhood (about a mile from downtown), Brewery Vivant is a full manufacturing production brewer. All beer is brewed on premise and either served in the pub or packaged for distribution throughout Michigan and Chicagoland. The brewery itself is a 20-barrel (bbl), three-vessel brewhouse built by our friends across the lake in Wisconsin, the WM Sprinkman Corportation.
The brewery has seen quite a bit of change since opening in 2010. While you will still find the signature "milk-can" grant on our 20-bbl Sprinkman brewing system, the original horizontal dairy tanks have all been replaced with stainless steel brewing specific fermenters. Not to worry though, you will still find these original tanks along with three 40-bbl wooden Foeders in our completely separate "Funk House" where the award-winning Plein de Vie sour beers are aged. After fermentation, the beer passes through a state-of-the-art GEA centrifuge to remove excess yeast and hop particles to achieve the desired turbidity in the finished beers: not too bright, not too cloudy. Lastly, brewers carefully package each beer on our automated Wild Goose 4-head canning line or into kegs.
One thing that has stayed the same since 2010 is our commitment to producing the highest quality Farmhouse and Belgian inspired beers you can find. Enjoy!
OUR BUILDINGS
BREWERY VIVANT IS THE FIRST LEED CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL MICROBREWERY IN THE WORLD!
Brewery Vivant is housed in an 80+ year-old renovated building sitting in the heart of the East Hills neighborhood and has immeasurable character. While the building has had many uses, none have them have been a brewery so we had to get creative to fit our use in this space...but that is what gives it its charm.
The Metcalf family operated the largest funeral home in Grand Rapids from 1894 to 1980. The location where the brewery now stands was built in 1915. Although the building was originally constructed as an automobile garage, the Metcalfs repurposed it as the livery for the company’s 17 large white horses when they moved to the Cherry Street location in 1916.
Over the years the funeral home expanded. In 1948 the current Chapel building was built and that now is home to the Brewery Vivant pub. The original wood beams and light fixtures were able to be restored and provide a great ambiance. All the renovations followed strict Historic Preservation standards and every effort was made to bring the building back to its original look.
Learn more about the sustainable efficiencies of our space.
Chapel Then
Chapel today
Lake Drive Horse Stable
Metcalf Funeral Card
