Daily Inspiration: Meet Kim Collins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Collins. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Kim Collins and Kate Bishop have always love Craft Beer Culture… the camaraderie, the friendships, the blend of travel and beer. We decided to open Guardian Brewing Company in 2015 after Kim had had a chance to work for five breweries in Colorado. Unable to find a property that worked for their business model in Colorado, Kate and Kim began to look elsewhere back home in the Midwest. The two quickly found many properties available and broke ground on the old Red Barn Theater property in 2018. Guardian opened in December of 2018 and began its journey with a team of over twenty servers and kitchen staff. Guardian decided to do something different than other breweries from the beginning… focusing on education and making the entire brewery a safe space for all to enjoy. Kim has taught Beer School at Guardian Brewing Company since the spring of 2019. The Guardian team also launched a Mug Club to begin building community in early 2019. These two moves combined with hiring kind and hard-working staff were the key to Guardian surviving the Pandemic Shutdown of 2020. Now, it’s 2022 and we have all new challenges before us as we build out a new kitchen and change our license so that we can distribute our beer for the first time. Kim, Kate, and their team of thirty staff very much look forward to the future and seeing what kind of fun they can plan for their customers. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road with the Pandemic happening so early in our business’ history. Now, we are challenged by how to run a business with minimal staff. Our biggest challenge in our area is attainable housing. If folks cannot afford to live in the area to work, then we have no workers, no businesses can open, then no tourists. It’s really scary. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Guardian is for everyone. We choose to run our business with the goal of inclusion. We make a wide variety of styles of beer and seltzer (as well as serving cider, cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic options) so that everyone feels like they can find something to enjoy. With 22 beers on tap all year round, we are sharing both traditional recipes (Irish Stout, Berliner Weisse, Mexican Lager, Dopplebock) and an exploration in flavor combinations, such as “Tigris” Pickle Beer or “Villainess” Imperial Milk Stout with Cookies and Cream. We always serve flights of beer so that you can try small samples of many things. Also, our staff know our brands well and can help you choose if you’re lost in our list! 

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Waterskiing around Powers Lake, WI, at sunset, with family and friends. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.guardianbrewingco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guardianbrewingco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuardianBrewingCompany
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/guardianbrewco

Image Credits
Kim Zahnow
Guardian Staff