Amid nationwide decline, see how 2 hobbyists’ brewery thrives in Lee’s Summit

A 30-year friendship and a love of making beer prompted longtime Lee’s Summit friends Brad Boehm and Brian Bixby to launch Grains and Taps Brewery and Home Brew Supply Store in 2013. Now, 13 years later, the business say it’s thriving despite an industry dip.

The business initially opened as a supply store, then added a taproom and eventually a restaurant.

Boehm and Bixby became friends as second-graders at Richardson Elementary School. Both graduated from Lee’s Summit North High School.

Boehm began home brewing around 2008, inspired by several co-workers. He encouraged his longtime friend to join him in the hobby. Both Lee’s Summit residents quickly saw the need for a local supply store.

“When I first started brewing, you were driving 45 minutes to Shawnee (Kansas) to get supplies,” Boehm said.

The business also provided hobbyists with a place to talk about home brewing and meet other people with the same interest.

Over the years, Grains and Taps has expanded from selling local and worldwide beer selections to offering their own brews, opened a second location at Pine Tree Plaza and added a restaurant.

Last spring, the owners closed their downtown location and consolidated at 310 SW Blue Parkway in the Pine Tree Plaza, mainly due to the timing of the downtown lease as well as industry trends, Boehm said.

“We’re very happy to be in one space,” he said, adding that the consolidation allows Grains and Taps to focus more energy and resources on creating an even better experience at a single location.

Following approximately two decades of rapid expansion, breweries nationwide have lost momentum. For the first time in 20 years, more breweries closed than opened in the United States, Matt Gacioch of the Brewers Association told The Star in the fall. Openings were down 1%.

To meet this challenge, Grains and Taps is focusing on the community through its events and activities designed to bring people together.

“That’s bigger than any product that we’re ever selling. Almost every night we’ve got some type of event,” Boehm said, such as music bingo, regular bingo and trivia nights.

The local brewery sponsored last fall’s Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest Home Brew Competition, and the top team was invited to Grains and Taps to brew a large batch of their most popular beer. The winning brew featured candied macadamia nuts, maple syrup, brown sugar and cocoa in a stout.

“It’s fermenting right now and will have a mid-January release,” Boehm added.

Grains and Taps also offers home brew classes and hosts beer-making demonstrations. Also popular are small-batch brews with members of a home brew club or another small group bringing their own recipe, brewing it on site and participating in a tapping event to showcase their creation.

Having the brewery, taproom and supply store under one roof is a unique aspect of the business.

“The combination of two sides of the business, I don’t think really exists in many other places in the country where you take the craft and art side of what is being done with the beer — but you also have a place to enjoy the beer,” Boehm said.

Brett Wooderson, a longtime customer, agreed that the appreciation for beer and brewing as a hobby stands out.

“Being able to grab a beer at the bar and then go shopping for ingredients is what I love most about shopping at Grains and Taps,” he said.

Homebrewer Chris Bowers also appreciates being able to purchase ingredients, have one of the beers on tap and visit with the taproom’s staff.

“Their commitment to the brewing community goes even further by collaborating with home brewers and serving as a resource for anyone interested in learning the craft,” he added.

In addition to its beer offerings, the local taproom sells pizza, salads, apps and wine while also offering a full cocktail menu.

Throughout the years, Grains and Taps has seen a number of changes but has always placed its emphasis on brewing variety and making connections.

“We currently have 20 beers on tap, and we try to have something for everybody,” Boehm said. “Really the art and the process of making the beer is bigger to us than sticking to any one style.”

Keeping popular brews — such as Neon Kittens, a citrus IPA, or its Haus Bier German pilsner — on tap is important, along with revising the draft menu with the seasons. Recently, various staff members designed their own flavored stouts, such as a honey, sage and chocolate combination, for the winter. An example of a standard in summer is a sherbert series featuring lactose and vanilla. An unusual IPA that has remained popular is the Mango Habanero Milkshake IPA.

The brewery and supply store clients include a number of regulars who’ve found a community.

“You can see over the years the friendships that have been made by people who maybe wouldn’t have met each other,” Boehm said. “People who have different enough backgrounds that they might not have run into each other except for they sat by each other here one day a few years ago and now they come in and meet each other all the time. The most special thing to me is just seeing the relationships that have been built through this place.”

This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 5:00 AM.