The Mitten Brewing

What The Mitten Brewing does

The Mitten Brewing Co. is a privately held, baseball-themed microbrewery and full-service restaurant founded in 2012 in Grand Rapids, Michigan by lifelong friends Chris Andrus and Max Trierweiler. The company operates three taproom locations (Grand Rapids flagship, Northport on Grand Traverse Bay, and Saugatuck on Water Street) plus a takeout pizza kitchen in Rockford and an offsite brewing facility, all within West Michigan. Core products are handcrafted beers brewed on a small-scale three-barrel brewhouse system and award-winning wood-fired pizzas, with the venue itself — a decommissioned Victorian firehouse (Engine House No. 9) — functioning as a defining experiential asset.

Revenue is generated primarily through on-site food and beverage transactions across taproom locations, supplemented by takeout via online ordering (Heartland POS), private event bookings for groups of 20+, wholesale keg sales, branded merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, gift cards), and an annual Mitten Clubhouse membership program ($50–$68/year) providing recurring revenue from loyal patrons with perks such as personalized mugs, 50% off drafts on clubhouse nights, and 10% off food and merchandise. Pricing for core food and beer is not publicly disclosed. Customer mix centers on local West Michigan residents and Michigan tourism visitors; secondary segments include private event bookers and Clubhouse members.

Operationally, the company is led by the two co-founder co-owners with dedicated taproom managers in Saugatuck and Northport, employs 101–250 staff offering a $15/hour minimum wage plus benefits, and has accumulated significant brand equity via seven 'Best Pizza' recognitions and three World Beer Cup wins (2016, 2022, 2023). A wholly-owned nonprofit subsidiary, Mitten Foundation, Inc. (established 2017), has raised more than $500,000 for local nonprofits, functioning as a community-engagement and goodwill channel rather than a separate revenue line. The company has no disclosed external investors, parent company, funding rounds, or acquisitions, and remains founder-controlled and independently financed.

Name

The Mitten Brewing

Legal name

The Mitten Brewing Co.

Website

https://mittenbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Mitten Brewing Co. is a privately held baseball-themed microbrewery founded in 2012 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, operating three taprooms, a takeout pizza kitchen, and an offsite brewing facility across West Michigan, serving local residents and tourism visitors with award-winning craft beer and wood-fired pizzas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbrewery and Taproom Restaurant

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft brewery
• Gourmet pizza
• Taproom restaurant
• Craft beer
• Membership program

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: On-site taproom sales of handcrafted beers and gourmet pizzas at all locations. Takeout and online ordering available.
2. Clubhouse Memberships: Annual membership program ($50-$68) offering perks including 20oz pours, 50% off drafts on clubhouse nights, $1 off pours daily, 10% off food and merchandise.
3. Merchandise Sales: Apparel including t-shirts ($22-$32), hoodies ($60), and gift cards ($15+) sold through online store.
4. Event Bookings: Private event bookings for upstairs dining room with minimum 25 guests, 2 weeks advance notice required.
5. Keg Sales: Wholesale keg orders available by contacting Jon at [email protected]

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Mitten Brewing Co. operates a multi-location microbrewery and restaurant business that brews and serves handcrafted craft beers on-site at four Michigan taproom locations and serves award-winning wood-fired gourmet pizzas alongside them. It complements on-site taproom sales with takeout/online ordering, branded merchandise and gift card e-commerce, an annual Mitten Clubhouse membership program, and private event dining bookings for groups of 20+.

Product overview

The Mitten Brewing Co. is a vintage baseball-themed microbrewery and restaurant operating as a multi-location hospitality business. The core offerings include handcrafted beers brewed on-site and award-winning gourmet pizzas, complemented by a membership program (Mitten Clubhouse), gift cards, and branded merchandise. The company also operates a charitable arm called Mitten Foundation. The business expanded from its original 2012 Grand Rapids location in historic Engine House No. 9 to include taprooms in Northport (2016) and Saugatuck (2018), plus an offsite brewing facility (2014) and a takeout pizza kitchen in Rockford (2022).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mitten Foundation: Charity arm of The Mitten Brewing Company that partners with local nonprofits to raise funds and awareness for community causes.

Products and services

• Craft Beers Handcrafted beers brewed on-site in classic styles at the Grand Rapids headquarters and Rockford offsite brewing facility. Sold for dine-in and takeout at all Michigan taproom locations.
• Gourmet Pizzas Wood-fired gourmet pizzas cooked on the company's single-deck pizza oven. Served for dine-in and takeout; named 'Best Pizza' seven times by Grand Rapids Magazine and Revue West Michigan. (Rockford has a dedicated pizza kitchen opened in 2022.)
• Mitten Clubhouse Membership Annual subscription membership (renewal $50, new $68) offering personalized 20oz mugs, $1 off pours daily, 50% off drafts on clubhouse nights, and 10% off food and merchandise. Available at Grand Rapids, Saugatuck, and Northport locations.
• Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards redeemable at Mitten Brewing taproom locations, starting at $15.
• Apparel and Merchandise Branded apparel and merchandise including t-shirts ($22–$32), hoodies ($60), and specialty tees sold online and at the company's Michigan taproom locations.
• Online Ordering for Takeout Online ordering system for takeout food and craft beer for the Grand Rapids location (with Saugatuck availability), powered by Heartland Restaurant POS.
• Private Event Bookings Private group event bookings (upstairs dining rooms at taproom locations) accommodating groups of 25+ (some locations accept 20+) with at least 2 weeks advance notice. Not available Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays.
• Wholesale Keg Sales Wholesale keg orders for The Mitten Brewing's craft beers, ordered directly from the company's Rockford offsite brewing facility via email.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than $500,000 raised for local nonprofits since 2012
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Feeding America West MichigancoreOthersMitten Foundation partnered with Feeding America West Michigan, presenting a $20,000 donation to support food security initiatives in the local community.
• The Big Hot Woody - North End EaterycoreOthersRestaurant partner providing wood-fired pizza at the Northport location, made-to-order on-site for Mitten Northport customers.
• Mitten FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit arm of Mitten Brewing Company established in 2017. Partners with local nonprofits to raise funds and awareness. Has raised over $500,000 for local organizations since 2012.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HopCat: Michigan-founded craft beer bar chain with a focus on curated tap lists and pub food. Comparable on-premise experience and Michigan footprint.
• Short's Brewing Company: Michigan craft brewery with on-site pub, handcrafted beers, and food offerings. Closely comparable regional craft brewery + restaurant hybrid.
• Founders Brewing Co. Michigan-based craft brewery headquartered in Grand Rapids, operating a taproom with food. Direct local peer with overlapping customer base and a similar on-premise + distribution model.
• Bell's Brewery: Iconic Michigan craft brewery (now part of Lion) with brewery taprooms, food service, and a multi-state distribution footprint — directly comparable craft model with similar product positioning.
• New Holland Brewing: Michigan craft brewery with taprooms and full kitchens, including spirits. Similar hybrid brewery-restaurant model in the same regional market.

Broad incumbents

• BrewDog: Large, multi-national craft brewery with taproom-style venues and food. Operates at far greater scale but represents the broader craft brewpub format Mitten aspires toward.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Established national craft brewery with taprooms and food. A relevant comparable for production scale, distribution model, and on-premise consumer experience.
• Stone Brewing: Major U.S. craft brewery with on-premise taproom gardens and food service. Comparable brewpub-style consumer experience and award-driven positioning.
• Dogfish Head Brewery: National craft brewer with brewery restaurants and broad distribution. Comparable product positioning (award-winning, handcrafted) at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Jupiter Skin & Brew: Smaller Michigan craft competitor with taproom and food. Less directly comparable but illustrates the crowded Michigan microbrewery landscape Mitten competes in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mittenbrewingco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mitten-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mitten Brewing