About River Saint Joe
River Saint Joe brews beer on Flatwater Farms, a certified organic farm near the St. Joseph River outside Buchanan. The farm grows the brewery's hops and rotates other crops through its river-bottom soil, and there is a kitchen garden, honey bees, a young orchard and a flock of sheep. The brewery takes its name from the river, which winds across southern Michigan and dips into Indiana, and the idea is simple: as much of what you eat and drink as possible comes from this farm or nearby.
The beers lean toward farmhouse ales, hop-forward styles, wild and mixed-culture projects and lower-alcohol options, and the drink list also includes elixirs, juices and other ferments, many of them alcohol-free. The chef plans the menu with the farmer, and what the farm doesn't grow comes from local and organic suppliers when possible.
The taproom looks out over the hop yard, and there is a fire pit outside. Kids are welcome to play and learn about the farm, and so are dogs. Guided tours walk through the brewhouse and hop yard in about 45 minutes and end with three 5-ounce samples; in 2025, public tours ran one Sunday a month from May through September at $20, and private group tours cost $30. Thursday nights bring trivia, and on October 24, 2026, the farm held its seventh annual dog Halloween costume contest for an animal welfare group.
Lavender Bliss Flower Farm in Bridgman is about 20 minutes northwest. Visit the lavender in June or July, then come here to watch the hops growing in the yard.
What to do
- Order a farm-to-table meal made with produce from the farm
- Taste farmhouse ales and mixed-culture beers brewed with hops grown on site
- Take a 45-minute brewery and hop yard tour with a three-beer flight
- Sit by the outdoor fire pit with a view of the hop yard
- Try a no-proof elixir or house juice
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Taproom open six days a week (closed Wednesdays); public brewery and hop yard tours ran May through September in 2025
- Hours
- Posted on their website (2026): Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 4–9 p.m., Friday–Saturday noon–9 p.m., Sunday noon–8 p.m.; closed Wednesday; kitchen closes 1 hour before the taproom
- Admission
- Free to visit; public tours $20, private group tours $30 per person (2025)
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Reservations
- Tours by advance booking; groups of 6–20 for private tours
Tips for your visit
- Coming from US-31, take exit 7 to Walton Road; if you cross the river, you have gone too far
- Order food at least an hour before closing
- Book tours ahead; public dates fill and a waitlist opens by email
- Plan a designated driver if you are visiting other Berrien County tasting rooms
Pair it with a lavender farm
Lavender Bliss Flower Farm · about 20 minutes away
Lavender Bliss Flower Farm in Bridgman is about 20 minutes northwest; cut lavender in the morning and have a farm-to-table lunch here.
Getting there
Questions
Are kids and dogs welcome at River Saint Joe?
Yes. The brewery says kids are welcome to play and learn on the farm, and dogs are welcome too.
Do they grow their own hops?
Yes. Flatwater Farms grows the brewery's hops along with vegetables, fruit, bees and sheep.
Can I tour the brewery?
Yes. Tours last about 45 minutes and include a three-beer flight; public tours were $20 in 2025.
What day is it closed?
Wednesday.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Berrien County, Michigan
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
