The Best Breweries in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids has built one of the strongest craft brewery scenes in the Midwest. The city that calls itself Beer City USA has earned it — not through marketing, but through the actual quality of what gets poured there. These are the breweries worth knowing.

Founders Brewing Co.

Founders is the brewery that put Grand Rapids on the national craft beer map. Their All Day IPA became one of the best-selling craft beers in the country, and their seasonal releases — particularly KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) — have cult followings that extend well beyond Michigan. The taproom on Monroe Ave NW is worth visiting even if you have had their beers elsewhere. The atmosphere is different when you are drinking it where it was made.

Rockford Brewing Company

About 15 miles north of downtown Grand Rapids, Rockford Brewing has been serving the communities along the Rogue River since 2013. What sets them apart is a commitment to using locally sourced ingredients — Michigan hops, Michigan malt, Michigan water. The result is beer that tastes like it belongs here. Their taproom has a warmth that larger operations often lose.

Read the full Rockford Brewing Company spotlight

Brewery Vivant

Brewery Vivant operates out of a converted funeral home chapel in the East Hills neighborhood — which sounds like a gimmick until you walk in and realize the space is genuinely beautiful. They specialize in Belgian and European-inspired ales, and their focus on sustainability (they were the first certified B Corp brewery in Michigan) runs through everything they do without being preachy about it.

Mitten Brewing Company

The Mitten is housed in a converted baseball stadium in the West Side neighborhood, which creates an atmosphere that is impossible to replicate. Wood-fired pizza, Michigan craft beer, and a space that feels like it belongs to the city rather than being dropped into it. One of the best overall experiences in Grand Rapids beer.

Grand Rapids Brewing Company

The oldest craft brewery in Grand Rapids, with a history that traces back to 1893. The current incarnation on Ionia Ave SW takes that heritage seriously and pairs it with a serious food program. Their Silver Foam — a Michigan Pale Ale — is a reliable pint any time of year.