New East Crossroads brewery opening for curbside-only service with IPAs, sour beers

Kevin Gittemeier wants to be known for his great beers, not for opening a brewery during a pandemic.

He’s been home brewing for 26 years and for a good portion of that time he’s dreamed of having his own brewery.

He found a Crossroads spot in the Brewers Alley area with such neighbors as Double Shift Brewing Co. and Border Brewing Co. He signed a lease in November, hoping to open Nimble Brewing there by March. Then came the shelter-in-place order.

“It’s a bad time to try to start a business. I’m still paying rent and utilities, but the silver lining is I didn’t have employees that I had to lay off,” he said.

Kevin, an accountant, and his wife, Jodie, who teaches fifth and sixth grades, plan to operate the brewery in the evenings and on weekends. It will offer New England-style IPAs, sour beers and fruity sour beers. It also will have a full bar.

They have six children — ages 10 to 20 — who also will help out in the brewery. Nimble will not have a food menu, so some of the younger Gittemeiers may run to pick up customers’ food orders at nearby restaurants. Friends also are pitching in.

Gittemeier has been riding his bike from the family’s Leawood home and plans to make Nimble, at 1735 Oak St., a bike-friendly spot with room for parking in the indoor beer garden.