The corner of Argonne and Clay is changing, and that’s good news for Kirkwood and the entire St. Louis community. Kirkwood City Lifestyle magazine loves sharing a good origin story of a local business, and we are beyond excited to watch as this next chapter of 4 Hands Brewing Co. unfolds.
Kevin Lemp, the founder of 4 Hands Brewing Co., shares his story about venturing into the craft beer business, his family, his team, his newest location in Kirkwood - The Station, and his proudest project, City Wide, the brand that is more than beer.
The Epiphany
My first beer epiphany was in college when I tasted a New Belgium Fat Tire. I was shocked at the flavor that came out of that bottle. I didn't know beer could taste that way. I thought, "This is interesting." I quickly fell in love with the narrative around small-batch craft beer. It was more than the product being produced and the storytelling around the brand. Craft beer suppliers are engaged in philanthropy and community. I wanted to do that. I wanted to build a team, tell a story, and get involved in a community. After college, I spent a decade at E. &J. Gallo Winery. I used my extensive training in wine as a catalyst to better understand beer.
That Moment
Leaving Gallo and starting my own business was the hardest decision, even though I had been working so hard for that moment. It's hard at the beginning of a business. We had two kids: Rowan was three, and Fischer was a newborn. My wife, Maegan, supported me in taking that leap. It was brave of her to allow me to do that. It also showed she believed in me. It's made us strong, and that's really special to me.
The Logo
Hop is an essential ingredient in beer. If you turn the hop upside down, the leaves, called lupin, open up. Lupin provides the flavor, bitterness, and aroma of beer. We wanted our hands in that, so we integrated my family's hands into those leaves for the logo. The logo is everything that is important to me.
The Name
4 Hands is a brewery inspired by family. Although my last name is Lemp, I have no affiliation with Lemp Beer, and I had no interest in naming the company after me. I liked our story of Maegan, my two kids, and me coming together to build something. The name 4 Hands refers to our family. It's funny, I was picking my son Rowan up from school, and he said, "Dad, what should I major in to do what you do?" I have told both boys that if they become hyper-passionate about what I do, they need to go work for a much bigger company than us. They should learn everything they can and then come and make us better. But more importantly, I want them to find what makes them happy.
The Team
Our team is a family. We look out for each other, support each other, and push each other. We have done an excellent job surrounding ourselves with players with tremendous depth, real-life experience, and reputation. We do our best to carve the responsibilities around the talent, not the job description. It's important for us to stay innovative and creative. No one on the team is interested in doing the same thing today as they did yesterday. I'm proud of our employees and the partners we consider part of the team. Enterprise Bank & Trust has been unbelievably supportive. It's fun when you are in a banking relationship, and they see and understand your vision and cheer you on.
The Personality
We wanted to be unapologetic, and we wanted our personality to shine. We wanted everyone to know we were having a lot of fun. When we launched Chocolate Milk Stout, we bought one-gallon glass milk jars for the growler.
4 Hands beer bottles and cans offer food pairing suggestions on the labels, such as, "Hey, this is Single Speed. It's a blonde with Jasmine and pairs beautifully with Camembert cheese or poultry." We also wanted to tell a story on the label with the artwork.
As a kid, I wasn't great at drawing, but I loved being able to tell a story through art. I spent a lot of time creating stories in my mind. Growing up, I didn't watch much TV, but every Saturday morning in 1983, I never missed an episode of the cartoon "Voltron." I'm so excited to relive that piece of my childhood through a new cartoon 4 Hands is developing with NBC/Universal Studios. The cartoon will be a throwback to everything great about the eighties.
The Most Important Project
City Wide is the most important project we've ever done. We were five years into the business, and the foundation of the brewery was established. Nick Kanter, our On Premise Sales Director, and I were driving back from Chicago, discussing how to make a difference in our hometown. What could we do to give back to the community we call home? We wanted to help St. Louis to be the very best version of St. Louis it can be.
I went to De Smet Jesuit High School, and the one thing that really stuck was their motto: "Men, for and with others." We're only as strong as the community we surround ourselves with, and it is very important for us to be pillars of our community.
We donate a dollar from every case of City Wide. That equates to over $400,000. Eventually, that number will be over $1 million. I can't wait for that.
The Station – Kirkwood Expansion
We got really excited about the opportunity to come to Kirkwood because of what the location offered. It's such a cool building with a caboose on the end, which is so romantic. We are creating something unique for this property and for Kirkwood.
We will be super family-friendly, and the outdoor area will be completely transformed. We're planting new trees and a native prairie and building outdoor restrooms. Essentially, we're creating a park for kids to run around while their parents sit on our patio and have a direct line of sight to their child. We've added a huge three-season room with collapsible glass doors for guests to enjoy an open-air experience.
Peat "Eyez" Wollaeger, a local artist, is creating a stencil on one wall. Jason Spencer's art will be on display in the dining room. David Stein, a local woodworker, is creating the furniture. Mwanzi, a local woodworker, is creating the bar stools. I got in the weeds on this project, but our food partner, Kevin Nashan - the owner of Peacemaker Lobster and Crab, and I felt we owed it to Kirkwood to build The Station right. I'm not interested in just putting a business on the curb. We want to be a part of the community.
The Lessons Learned
We never wanted to be big. We just wanted to be innovative and creative. I'm happy, and I feel my team is happy. So, we will keep doing things that make a difference, which was always important to me. At the end of the day, we have our integrity.
I've been reflecting on parenting and the lessons learned, and one of the things I read recently is that your job as a parent is to give your children memories and experiences. Maegan and I have done a good job of giving them a foundation they can build on. Hopefully, our boys will allow us to experience those memories with them as they age and have their own families. My company is not my legacy. Our legacy is our kids.
City Wide branded beers will outlive me; I'm passionate about making that happen. City Wide is so important because we've always been about more than beer.
City Wide is our philanthropic project. We're not interested in raising money and then only writing a check. Our goal is to engage and build a long lasting relationship with City Wide nonprofits. We do book drives, build bookshelves, help create new parks, and support local startups. We highlight the nonprofits we support, hoping that our 60,000 Instagram followers might be interested in getting involved. That has nothing to do with beer and a lot to do with humanity.