Life & Work with Kim Collins

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

Guardian Brewing Company LLC began in Golden, Colorado, in 2015 as a brewery consulting business that would grow into a brewery once we found a spot to call home. Kim Collins is the sole owner and member of our LLC, and she is also the Head Brewer of Guardian Brewing Company. Her partner, co-founder, and COO, Dr. Catharine Bishop, moved from Golden to Saugatuck, MI, to open Guardian Brewing Company, the brewpub, in 2017. Kim and Kate built out an old barn theater from 1912 on 2.9 acres from 2017-2018 and opened the brewpub on December 21, 2018. They have been running the brewpub in Saugatuck, MI, for almost five years at this point. The brewpub consists of 20-30 employees (including 2 full-time employees), a 1600 sq. ft. restaurant and bar, and a 6000 sq. ft. building that houses our kitchen, brewhouse, offices, and storage. Guardian also owns 23 acres of commercial farmland across the street from our brewery. 

Guardian has 7 year-round taps and 15 seasonal, nitro, and barreled-aged taps, offering a wide variety of styles that range from classic to modern, such as our “Nessie” Imperial IPA with Blue Juniper Berries. Our draft list features 22 craft beers, 2 hard ciders, and 7 wines. We also make our own cocktails that vary from classic to “Fight Scurvy Thursday” Tiki drinks. Our kitchen’s menu focuses on fresh food sourced locally and regionally, and as the seasons change, so does our menu. We make most menu items in-house, bringing our tofu and pickling our jalapenos and onions. We pride ourselves on serving great meat, vegetarian, and vegan dishes at an affordable price. Our restaurant has seats for 92 people, including 13 around the horseshoe bar. Our space is light and airy, equally comfortable for a dinner with your family or a date night. In 2019, we installed a 3,500 ft.2 patio with an awning covering 50 additional seats and a six-foot gas fire pit. In 2020, we installed eight 6000-watt heaters under our awning for outdoor dining comfort. We feature weekly Trivia and Taco Thursdays and have a variety of events planned each month, including Maker’s Markets, yoga classes, and our famous monthly Beer School. Guardian serves as a third space for our community and a destination for out-of-town visitors, craft beer lovers, and foodies. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, the road has not been smooth. 

We’re a 100% Queer and Women-Owned brewery in a Midwestern state. It’s tough. Our Head Brewer, Kim, has been brewing since 2012 at six breweries and still struggles to help people comprehend that women can make excellent beer. Our biggest struggles are the shared struggles of the Pandemic shutdown, lack of staff, lack of customers year-round, and ongoing construction in the middle of summer in our town. I could go on, but they are many and constant. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As the owner of Guardian, I am known for creating a community within our brewery. It’s always been about more than beer for us. Everyone needs to feel welcome in the brewing community if the brewing industry is to thrive again in the future. 

As a brewer, I am known for developing beer recipes that are creative and have inspiration from culinary flavors – such as key lime pie and stroopwafels. I also love creating historically accurate, classic recipes, such as our lager line, Irish Stout, and more. 

Our consistent quality sets us apart from others. We have more brewing experience and education than the average brewing team, and we are not willing to compromise quality for money. If a batch of beer is not good, we will not serve it. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Saugatuck is laid back and casual, with a vibe that is only shared by towns on the water. It’s relaxing and beautiful with lots to do – hiking, cycling, swimming, brewery/winery/cidery trips, and more. 

As a business owner, I wish more of our town would be active year-round. Businesses close for the winter around October 1, and the town is quiet through May. We miss the visitors, and running a business in the winter here is hard. It would be more fun if our town was active more of the year! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.guardianbrewingco.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/Guardianbrewingco
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/GuardianBrewingCompany