When Westfield resident Tim Grant bought a beer-making kit for his dad for Father’s Day in 2014, times were tough – he had an energetic 1-year-old son and a stressful job as the vice president of technical facilities for Major League Baseball (MLB) Advanced Media.

However, creating some beer with his dad seemed to awaken something in Grant, said his wife, Corinne Grant.

“As soon as he did that kit, he was hooked and he just dove in headfirst and immersed himself in that world,” she said. “It gave him back that spark and passion that he had lost in his job.”

Tim Grant continued homebrewing through 2016, when his father was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away only five months later. Seeing how quickly life could be taken away, he knew it was time to take action.

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“His dad would always say, ‘Life is short,’ ” said Corinne Grant. “I always thought we would start a brewery later in life, since now we have two young kids, but there’s never a good time.”

One year later, Tim Grant left his secure job with MLB Advanced Media and became a consultant so he could begin working on his new dream to open a brewery. Then, another year after that, the barrels were in motion when the Grants signed a lease for their brewery space at 517-519 South Avenue West in Westfield.

Lions Roar Brewing, named for the Grants’ now 5-year-old son Jackson who they have dubbed their “little lion man” due to his roaring cries as a baby, is now preparing to open before the end of 2019.

The Grants plan to offer a wide array of beers based on community feedback, although the couple tends to drink European-style beers themselves. All of Lions Roar Brewing’s beers will only be available at the brewery.

“Our focus is just building that community vibe around good beer,” said Corinne Grant. “We’re focused on being the neighborhood brewer and if you want us, you’re going to have to come to Westfield.”

The 750-square-foot tasting room will feature industrial chic decor with a welcoming vibe, described Corinne Grant. Since the building is from the 1920s, the couple has been repurposing as much as they can, including wood, flooring and pallets that were upcycled into couches.

“Being that we are in a downtown and not a warehouse district, it needs to have a warm feeling,” Corinne Grant said. “I want you to walk in and want to spend more than an hour there.”

Behind the 38-seat tasting room, which also includes additional standing space, and the 750-square foot brewing space will be an 800-square-foot outdoor beer garden which will include several gazebos.

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“We want you to feel like you’re not in Westfield here,” said Corinne Grant. “We want this to feel like an escape from work, parenting and the craziness of life.”

The Grants moved from Bayonne, where they spent much of their time in Hoboken and Jersey City, to Westfield in 2013, where they often missed the “stronger sense of community” that they enjoyed before, said Corinne Grant.

“There are a ton of restaurants in Westfield, but we saw the void of a low-key community-based drinking destination,” said Corinne Grant. “There was no place where you could come and meet your neighbor and have a few drinks in town.”

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Since news of the brewery-to-come spread, Corinne Grant said the response from the community has been “totally overwhelming and unexpected.”

“When word got out that we got our approval, it just went crazy,” she said. “We just keep hearing such great feedback and everyone is so excited.”

If you go

Lions Roar Brewing

Where: 517-519 South Avenue West, Westfield

When: To open by the end of 2019

Website: lionsroarbrewing.com

Jenna Intersimone has been covering food, drink and fun in the Garden State for the USA Today Network New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. Born and raised throughout every corner of NJ, she’s a tried-and-true Jersey girl. Contact her at Jintersimone@Gannett.com or follow her @JIntersimone.