West Michigan Breweries Collaborate for Pride Center Fundraiser Beer

Grand Rapids’ Brewery Vivant and Guardian Brewing Company of Saugatuck have partnered to create a special beer to raise funds for Grand Rapids Pride Center (GRPC) and bring awareness to LGBTQ+ issues. The beer, named Werk Boots, will be released on June 9 in time for the 34th annual Pride Festival in downtown Grand Rapids. Styled as an English Pale Ale, the shandy-like Werk Boots is lemon forward with fruit derived notes of hoppy orange characters that finishes with a citrus tang. It is dry, effervescent, crisp and tart.  zzubreebym

Kim Collins of Guardian Brewing and Ciaran Leask from Vivant worked together to write the recipe. The beer was brewed at both breweries over two days with other industry professionals and friends of Leask and Collins.  

“This has been a dream of mine since I started brewing with Brewery Vivant,” says brewer Ciaran Leask. “I worked with Kim to decide on a style and to write the recipe. We had a brew day at Guardian, inviting our fellow queer brewer, Kodi from North Center Brewing, and we had our brew day at Vivant with local LGBTQ folk, Bri of Grand Rapids Pride Center and Casey of Elk Brewing. It was an amazing experience to be able to gather a group of like-minded beer queers from Michigan and just do what we love–make and talk beer.”

GRPC board member and Pride Festival Committee organizer, Bri Hubbard-Ross says, "Getting to be part of the Werk Boots brew was a really fun experience and oddly liberating. I’ve never been in a space like that with other queers who share the same geeky, nerdy beer interests, it was definitely empowering. The Grand Rapids Pride Center is elated to receive such an artistic and thoughtful donation from Brewery Vivant and Guardian. These breweries have not only been remarkable partners, but outstanding allies that pride themselves on providing safe spaces to those in our communities. We are so grateful to be a part of the creation and distribution of Werk Boots.”

Both Brewery Vivant and Guardian Brewing will be releasing Werk Boots on Thursday, June 9. It will be available at Vivant on draft and in cans, and at Guardian in Saugatuck on draft.  

Who we are

Brewery Vivant is the world’s first LEED® certified commercial microbrewery and a Certified B Corporation. We brew beer in the European tradition with the addition of American ingenuity. At our pub we strive to elevate the enjoyment of beer & food and the sense of community in everything we do. Brewery Vivant prides itself on being a destination brewery in the “Beer City” of Grand Rapids. We distribute throughout the State of Michigan.

Guardian Brewing Company is Michigan’s first 100% LGBTQ+ and women-owned craft brewery, located in Saugatuck, offering an eclectic menu of 22 draft beers, hard cider, classic cocktails, wine, and NA options. We offer a space for our community to enjoy fresh food options that are both locally and regionally sourced and take great pride in creating excellent meat, foods fermented in-house, as well as a variety of vegetarian and vegan dish choices. In addition to providing quality craft beer, drinks, and food, Guardian features live music, trivia, Maker’s Markets, and monthly Certified Cicerone led Beer School classes, a “must visit” destination for out-of-town visitors. For more information, please visit www.guardianbrewinco.com.