Everything you need to know about Chicago’s first beer spa

There are plenty of bars and breweries where you can drink great beer throughout Chicago, but there’s only one spot where you can literally bathe in it. Piva Beer Spa in Noble Square has been submerging locals in steaming tubs of booze since it opened in 2018 while offering treatments derived from some of the same ingredients used to make your favorite ales and IPAs. You probably have a few questions before you take the plunge, so we tapped spa manager Dino Sarancic to learn more about Chicago's first beer spa.

How long have beer spas existed?

“Beer spas have been around in Europe for decades now,” says Sarancic. His father (and business partner) first learned of them while vacationing in Prague. According to Sarancic, the only other U.S. spa that offers full-body beer soaks is located in Oregon.

So people bathe in actual beer?

Yes! Wooden tubs are filled with hot water and what Sarancic describes as “a mixture of hops, barley and brewer’s wart extracts,” as well as—you guessed it—beer. Paying tribute to the European spas that inspired it, Piva uses a Czech pilsner in its treatments.

Will said treatments get you drunk?

Not unless you drink the water, which isn’t recommended. “With the amount of beer that we use in our baths, it is impossible to get drunk,” says Sarancic. That being said, hops are a natural sleep aid, thanks to their sedative qualities, so your eyelids may start feeling heavy.

Can you drink a beer while you soak?

Not yet, but Piva is working on snagging a liquor license and eventually would like to brew its own beer.

What are the benefits of bathing in beer?

“Beer exfoliates skin, softens it and can improve its elasticity,”says Sanacic. When it comes to your hair, he extolls the conditioning properties of beer and its ability to stimulate blood circulation, potentially promoting hair growth. “I always recommend that people dunk their head in.”

How much does it cost?

Piva’s spa packages begin at $155 for one person and $290 for couples. All treatments include a beer soak and time in the “relaxation room,” where guests are wrapped in a warm sheet, lie on a bed of hay and receive a beer facial.

To learn more about treatments and book an appointment, visit the Piva Beer Spa website.