Six years ago, life for two couples took a dramatic turn. Their internal compass told them it was time to find somewhere they could call home. Jason and Kimberly Hines grew up in Michigan, where they met in college. Mark Kraus, Kimberly Hines’s brother, was in the Marines and met his wife, Jessica Kraus. Jason Hines took a job in Holdrege, NE, and the Krauses would soon move there.
The couples enjoyed homebrewing and decided to take it to the next level. The former Sunglow Dairy building at 614 Third Avenue would become the home of Lost Way Brewery. During a soft opening in 2017, Mark Kraus said, “We were all lost, wandering the world before coming here. The compass (our logo) is broken now because we don’t plan on going anywhere. This is home.”
Since that opening, both couples have started families, had family members move to Holdrege, and have been active in the community. Jason Hines spent time on the city council, Kimberly Hines on the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Mark Kraus on the Veteran’s Memorial Board, and Jessica Kraus serves on the Phelps County Community Foundation and Grow Nebraska boards.
The brewery has been a focal community place where people come to enjoy craft beer and seltzers—along with each other’s company. Jessica Kraus stated, “We love that we can give back to the community through various charitable organizations. In addition, we have helped people meet others in the community through events and groups such as our Run Club.”
Lost Way Brewery has introduced Holdrege to many different craft beer styles over the years, including:
Tres Corazones – In Spanish, it means “three hearts,” a tribute to the Krauses’ first daughter. This west coast style IPA has citrus notes, finishes with piney notes, and comes in at 6.5% ABV.
Ye Olde Creamery – This milk stout is roasty with chocolate notes. It’s slightly sweet and smooth coming in at 5.5% ABV.
As the winter holidays approach, Lost Way has special release bombers such as Baliente, an imperial Mexican hot chocolate stout with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Make your way to Lost Way Brewery.
Cheers!
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