207: Honoring German Brewing Tradition in American Manufacturing with Steve Holle, Founder of KC Bier Co.

Manufacturing Happy Hour

What happens when you pair the rich culinary culture of Kansas City with the traditional brewing methods of German beer?

KC Bier Co. was founded by Steve Holle, whose love of German beer, his heritage, time spent in the country, and passion for craft brewing were the perfect recipe for starting a traditional German brewery in the heart of Kansas City. He joined this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour as part of our MADE HERE series, created in partnership with ISN, the Industrial Solutions Network, which features stories from the region’s most important industrial operations.

Steve takes us on a journey through the history of German brewing techniques and why he adopts the same traditions that have served German beer lovers for centuries. While Steve wasn’t always in the brewing business, he cultivated his passion for years before finally opening the doors to KC Bier Co. and explains why he decided to focus on the niche of German beer.

We swap beer stories, discuss the most underrated German beers, and talk about the impact breweries like KC Bier Co. are having on the bustling culinary scene in Kansas City. There are some great insights in this episode for manufacturers on the power of specializing rather than trying to be everything to everyone, plus much more.

In this episode, find out:

• Steve explains how he first fell in love with German beer due to his heritage and a semester spent in Germany
• Why KC Bier Co. follows “Reinheitsgebot” methods, the German beer purity law that meant beer could only be made with specific ingredients
• Steve explains what led up to his starting KC Bier Co. and how his plans to become a craft brewer started long ago
• The most underrated styles of German beer and how they compare to American lagers
• How Kansas City’s rich culinary scene ties perfectly into the growing brewery scene
• What the community interaction with competitor brewers and customers has been like for KC Bier Co.
• What Steve wished more people knew about KC’s food and drinks culture
• Steve shares his advice for starting a new venture later in life

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “Respect what you're doing and make sure you do it well rather than just thinking, ‘oh, that sounds like something fun I'd like to do.’”
• “I think craft brewing is not so much about being everything to everybody, but it's having a passion for something that you're doing and trying to be the best at that niche that you want to work in.”
• “Some people question why we don't make stouts and everything else. And I think by focusing on something so specific, we actually bring more variety to the beer drinkers in Kansas City because no one else really does what we do.”

Links & mentions:

• KC Bier Co., Brewer of German-style bier using only water, yeast, and all-imported German malt and hops with a Bavarian-style bierhalle and biergarten in Kansas City, MO

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.