Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Resilience, Vision, and Cultural Momentum

2025 changed the craft beer landscape in ways none of us could ignore. National drinking trends hit a ninety-year low, guest counts softened across the country, and breweries everywhere had to rethink who they are and how they serve their communities. But for us at Vine Street Brewing, this year clarified what we’ve known since day one: when your foundation is culture, creativity, and real human connection, you don’t just survive the shifts — you find your strength in them.

Even with lighter overall traffic, people who visited our taproom were intentional. Average spending per guest stayed high. And perhaps most importantly, the majority of our customers were first-timers and tourists discovering Vine Street for the first time. That tells us something powerful about our potential. It shows that this corner of 18th & Vine continues to draw people in, and that once they experience what we’re building, they leave changed.

This year also proved we’re becoming a place people return to. We saw guests from out of town who visited a year ago come back and call Vine Street their Kansas City tradition. We saw locals discover us for the first time and then bring friends, coworkers, and family members. We saw Mayor Quinton Lucas stop by to meet a friend. And we saw groups like Underdog Sports bring a completely new energy to the taproom with their full-blown brewery takeover. These moments showed us that Vine Street is turning into something more than a brewery. It’s becoming a landmark.

Through it all, we stayed committed to quality. Every beer we brewed this year was thoughtful and rooted in our identity. And behind the scenes, Dez Jones completed her first full year leading brewing operations, pushing our production with precision and creativity. Her work showed up in every pint.

Our taproom continued to be the heartbeat of the brand. Office Hours with Marcus Lewis grew into one of the most unique weekly gatherings in Kansas City. Students, elders, touring musicians, and curious visitors all came together in a room that felt alive. It reminded us that 18th & Vine is still what it’s always been: a meeting place for makers and dreamers. And when we published my Musician’s Plea blog post, the ripple effect across the city demonstrated that Vine Street isn’t just part of the cultural conversation — we are helping spark it. That piece opened up new dialogue about how Kansas City supports its artists and what sustainable growth in the music scene should look like.

This year was also filled with events that showed how deeply music moves through everything we do. We hosted dozens of shows, invested tens of thousands of dollars into local musicians, and saw our taproom become a home for artists across genres and generations. Participating in GABF and Barrel & Flow allowed us to bring our story to national audiences, and being named one of USA Today’s Top Ten Breweries in America validated the work our entire team pours into every detail.

We also began building toward the next evolution of Vine Street. Lunch & Learn begins in January. Food is coming to the kitchen upstairs, and we’re excited to share more soon. We have been exploring how sports and recreation fit into our identity, not to become a sports bar but to create intentional gathering moments where people can enjoy craft beverages, meet up with a friend, catch a game, or share space in a way that still feels like Vine Street. As Kansas City prepares to host the World Cup, we are preparing too. This will be the biggest global gathering our city has ever seen, and we intend to meet the moment with the cultural depth and hospitality that defines us. In 2026, we’re setting our sites to being Kansas City's living room.

Our collaborations continued to push our creativity. Coolie Beer with Joey Cool brought together brewing and music culture. Our partnership with the KC Public Library kept One For the Books alive as a seasonal favorite. And the Black Is Beautiful Fonio Blonde Ale became our proudest release of the year, earning a spot on Bloomberg’s list of the Top 11 Beers of 2025 out of 855 tasted across the United States and Europe. That recognition affirmed what we already believed: our voice, our story, and our brewing approach have a place on the national stage.

Distribution taught us something important as well. Jazzman remains the backbone of our beer portfolio. The OG. The one that stays on tap when people want a beer that is both memorable and approachable. Bars and restaurants across Kansas City continued to champion us, even when our small-batch system meant menus had to flex around availability. We are grateful for their support and the belief they’ve shown in this operation.

Guests also asked for more ways to rep Vine Street, so we’re expanding our merch lineup. We started with groove bags, adding shirts this weekend, rolling out hoodies, and hats are coming soon. This isn’t just merchandise. It’s identity. The Vine Street name carries weight because 18th & Vine carries weight, and when that street is strong, Kansas City is strong. We’re honored that people want to wear that legacy.

Through the ups and downs of 2025, our mission grew clearer. We opened Missouri’s first Black-owned brewery to create a culturally grounded space where everyone feels welcome. This year, that mission wasn’t a tagline. It was visible in every conversation, every show, every collaboration, every guest who walked through our doors, and in the way our community showed up for us because despite our success and accolades, the truth is we needed you more than ever. Beer doesn’t solve everything, but it creates a space where people connect, learn, and grow. And that space matters.

To our Beer Stars: thank you for your patience, your adaptability, your energy, and your commitment to helping us refine our systems as we grow. To our collaborators, neighbors, and everyone who visited Vine Street this year: thank you for giving this place purpose. And to every single guest, especially the first-timers and travelers discovering us for the first time: thank you for choosing Vine Street and helping us see what this brewery can become.

If 2025 required resilience, 2026 will require vision and execution. It will bring a fully activated taproom experience with food, education, music, recreation, and deeper hospitality. It will bring new collaborations and expanded merch. It will bring storytelling that reflects the heart of this neighborhood. And it will bring the largest global audience Kansas City has ever had. Let's tell them about the dream.

Thank you for believing in the work.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
And thank you for supporting damn good beer.

Vine Street Brewing Co.
Kansas City’s living room.