Brewery Vivant. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
“When you’re a young guy, the thought of opening a brewery is like the coolest thing in the world,” said Jason Spaulding. If this is true, Spaulding, who already has two breweries under his belt, can be heralded as the Michael Jordan of the beer world; one that young men everywhere aspire to emulate. Spaulding cofounded the New Holland Brewing Company and has since turned his attention to Grand Rapids, opening Brewery Vivant in December of last year.
Brewery Vivant. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
Spaulding’s love affair with beer can be traced back to a trip to Europe with Hope College’s soccer team on which he played. While there to play in a number of scrimmage games, he was drawn to the European culture of beer. “People really took pride in their local beer,” Spaulding said. “It was more than just the commercialism that it is over here.”
Upon returning home, Spaulding and a friend, Brett VanderKamp, began looking at the various microbreweries in the area. With the hope of instilling a culture of beer in West Michigan, the dynamic duo opened New Holland Brewing Company in Holland, Michigan in 1997. During the next eight years, New Holland experienced great success: opening a new pub in downtown Holland, shipping out thousands of barrels of beer, and even winning beer awards. (Not to mention the fact that Spaulding met his wife in the pub at New Holland.) However, Spaulding and VanderKamp eventually parted ways.
An original stained glass window. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
“As time went on, we had different visions of what we wanted to do,” Spaulding said. In 2005, Spaulding sold all of his shares to VanderKamp and walked away from New Holland. “It was amicable as it could be,” said Spaulding, “and gave me the ability to focus on what I was really passionate about to get this up and going.”
After a two-year stint in the professional world of 8-5 jobs, Spaulding found himself once again ready to dive back into beer. The first step was another trip across the pond, this time enrolling in a brewing school in Germany in 2007. After finishing his schooling, his wife joined him and they went on a tour across Belgium and Northern France, visiting farmhouse breweries. Much of the inspiration for Brewery Vivant came from the beer and beer culture experienced during the trip.
The Chapel Sign remains. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
“They take a very patient and artistic approach to beer,” Spaulding said of the brewers he met in Europe. “Over there they brew beer for the sake of beer.” While making money is an essential aspect of any business, Spaulding hopes to take this artistic approach to beer through Brewery Vivant.
Brewery Vivant, owned by Spaulding and his wife, resides in what was a funeral home in the early 1900’s. The pub lays claim to what had been the funeral home’s chapel. While obviously things have changed in the last century, there are several aspects that have remained the same. The original stained glass windows are still present, giving the whole pub an almost solemn air. The ceiling boasts large wooden beams, further lending itself to a look that almost feels like a monastery. In fact, Vivant’s Solitude, Belgian Amber Ale, is modeled after a beer made famous by Trappist Monks in Belgium.
Vivant sells beer in cans rather than bottles. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
The on-sight brewery inhabits the space that once housed the livery, where the horses and hearses were stored. The brewery is relatively small and provides the space used for Spaulding’s office, the brewing of beer, the canning of beer, as well as the storage of beer after it has been brewed. While this might not seem like much space, it is sufficient, as Spaulding has no plans of expanding Vivant’s reach outside the region. “We don’t want to be big. We want to be small,” said Spaulding. “We are in the community so that we can become a part of the community. If all the beer we make gets consumed here and we can’t ever distribute outside of Grand Rapids or outside of Michigan, I am totally cool with that.”
Taking after the artistic approach to brewing that was rampant in the Belgian countryside, Spaulding and head brewer Jacob Derylo, previously employed by New Holland, aim to create their own unique beers. “We never brew a beer saying ‘we want to make exactly this,’” said Spaulding. “Let’s make something that we think will taste good and that we’re excited about.” Some of Vivant’s brews don’t fit squarely into a particular style, which can prove tricky when entering brewing contests. Yet Spaulding remains undeterred. “We’re not here to get medals and stuff,” Spaulding said. “We are just here to make good beer.”
A sign welcoming beer lovers. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
While beer is the primary focus at Brewery Vivant, the food ranks a close second. Most people think of wine as the prime beverage to pair with food, yet Spaulding claims that beer is at least equally compatible with meals. “Our beers tend to have all these little nuances to them,” said Spaulding, “and if you put some thought into it, you can pair it up with food nicely and it actually increases what you enjoy about the beer and increases what you enjoy about the food. Our hope is that it creates a whole experience.”
With menu items ranging from frites (the German version of French Fries), to escargot, sautéed soft shell crab, and “Sage Tagliatelle with local asparagus, fava beans, onion confit, and kal-carbon goat cheese cream”, it is obvious that Vivant is serving up more than your typical bar food. Vivant also emphasizes local ingredients, as evidenced by the piece of fresh local cheese served alongside the beer sampler.
Spaulding, his wife (business partner), and son. Photo by Chad Cramblet.
Brewery Vivant aims to be a staple in the community. With its artistic approach to beer and its decadent menu, it is sure to be a haven for beer and food lovers. However, with its aim to donate 10% of its profits to community organizations, its focus on environmental sustainability (they aim to literally throw nothing in the trash!), and its focus on buying local ingredients whenever possible, it seems likely that Vivant will gain the affections of many area people. Vivant is here to stay. Spaulding has done it again! ~Chad Cramblet, Regional Director
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