How Kevin Lemp and 4Hands Brewing redefined what a St. Louis Brewery can be.

by Craig Kaminer / photography & video by John Lore

Few brands in St. Louis have embedded themselves into the emotional fabric of the city quite like 4Hands Brewing Co. For some, its City Wide IPA — a beer that has become shorthand for civic pride. For others, it’s the LaSalle Park taproom, where art, music, families and sports fans coexist without pretense. And for many, it’s the sense that 4Hands is not simply a brewery but a cultural platform — one built on experience, generosity and belonging.

At the center of it all is founder Kevin Lemp, whose path into craft brewing was anything but traditional. In fact, it began not in a brewhouse, but in sales routes, distributor warehouses and supplier meetings — learning the business from the inside out. While Lemp is a native St. Louisan, he is not from the legendary Lemp Brewery family who were the largest beer brewers in St. Louis from 1840 to 1919.

In fact, Lemp’s career in beverages began immediately after Columbia College, when he landed a role working with Gallo Winery inside the wholesaler network.

“I was fortunate enough to get into the industry right out of the gate,” he says. “I worked for Glazer’s as a Gallo sales rep, selling both the Gallo wine portfolio and the craft beer portfolio. And I really quickly realized it wasn’t just a job. It was a career. I really fell in love with the category.”

Watch this and other videos on the people who continue to shape St. Louis on Sophisticated TV-St. Louis.

Over the next several years, Lemp worked his way up — first as a sales rep, then as a division manager and eventually onto Gallo’s payroll as a field marketing manager. It was there, managing Illinois and later Missouri, that the entrepreneurial pieces began to click into place.

“I always had that spirit,” he says. “I had lemonade stands on golf courses. I cut lawns. I’m really bad at being bored. I always felt like I was going to do my own thing. I just thought it would be in the restaurant industry because I love hospitality and food.”

What changed everything was timing. As Lemp watched the explosion of small-batch breweries on the coasts, he noticed something important: the Midwest hadn’t yet caught up.

“I had a business plan written by the end of that stint,” he says. “I needed that supplier job because it let me look behind the curtain — programming, pricing, budgeting, what it really takes to launch a brand properly.”

That discipline would later define 4Hands.

By 2010-2011, Lemp Lemp knew it was time.

“It was harder to raise money back then,” he admits. “You couldn’t just walk into a bank with a business plan and ask for a million dollars. Finding strong financial partners took about a year.”

When he finally made the leap, he did it carefully — giving Gallo six months notice.

“In June of 2011 was my first day walking in here without any other job,” he says. “And honestly, it felt really reassuring. I felt like I had learned everything I needed to learn. I didn’t have an ambition to be the biggest. I just wanted to be very good at what we set out to do.”

4Hands officially opened its doors on 11.11.11. It ran out of beer in 30 minutes.

“We were very premature,” Lemp laughs. “It took us until early 2012 to really hit the market.”

Perhaps the most surprising revelation: Lemo has never brewed a batch of beer.

“Not my job,” he says matter-of-factly. “I understand what I’m good a and I stay in that lane. I want to be hyper-focused on what I can execute at a high level — and surround myself with people who are great at everything else.”

What Lemp does have is a finely trained palate.

“My palate became very sophisticated working with Gallo for a decade,” he explains. “We had lengthy classes on what you’re tasting, why you’re tasting it, where you’re tasting it. I just took that palate and moved it into beer.”

Innovation, he says, belongs to his team — particularly longtime collaborator Andy Burgio, whose fingerprints are on every new beer, cocktail and innovation.

“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the people who make 4Hands Brewing Company,” Lemp says simply.

From day one, 4Hands looked different. That was no accident.

“Super intentional,” Lemp says. “It’s written into our business plan. Number one, the liquid had to be delicious. Number two, the art had to speak to what was inside and get attention.”

Inspired by music culture, early labels were designed to feel like concert posters, bold and expressive. The goal was never just shelf appeal — it was emotional connection.

“We wanted to build our brand through experience,” he says. “We were the target customer. We still are. It’s easier when you’re building something you genuinely love.”

That philosophy extends to collaboration with artists, chefs, sports teams and institutions that shape the city.

One of the most thoughtful partnerships is with the Missouri Botanical Garden, where science and craft intersect.

“The Garden is a global leader in conservation,” Lemp says. “To collaborate with them is meaningful. We share values around stewardship and education.”

Together, they’ve created beers inspired by living collections and rare botanicals, paired with educational storytelling and events set among orchids and conservatories. As with City Wide, proceeds support the Garden’s mission — turning collaboration into conservation.

“The community is the business,” he says. “We are hyper-passionate about St. Louis. I walked into a hundred buildings before choosing this one. I wanted to be in the city.”

That commitment crystallized with City Wide IPA, now the top craft brand in St. Louis and the top pale ale in Missouri.

“It’s our philanthropic vehicle,” Lemp explains. “We’ve given back over $400,000 through City Wide alone. But it’s bigger than one brand. It’s about listening to the community and being part of it.”

As the number of U.S. breweries exploded from 1,400 to nearly 8,000, Lemp knew diversification was essential.

“That’s why we launched 1220 Spirits,” he says. “It was revenue-building, portfolio diversification and a whole new layer of creativity.”

Gin led the way, followed by aged spirits under Withered Oak and most recently 4Hands Cannabis, a functional beverage line years in the making.

“We decided to stay in our lane — beverages,” Lemp says. “Functional beverages let us do that thoughtfully.”

Each product is mood-driven, carefully formulated and designed with the same intentionality as beer — right down to texture, aroma and finish.

With nearly 100 employees, Lemp views leadership as service.

“I don’t think what I do is better than anyone else,” he says. “I just have a different job. Listening goes a long way. Trust goes a long way.”

He measures success not just in sales but in seeing employees buy homes, cars and build lives.

“That feels really good,” he says. “I’m passionate about making them happy.”

Despite industry headwinds, Lemp remains characteristically optimistic.

“I’m always glass half full,” he says. “Down cycles create opportunity. I feel really good about what the next five years could bring to St. Louis.”

As 4Hands moves into 2026, the focus is less on expansion and more on refinement — tightening systems, rebuilding foundations and launching the next generation of brands with the same care that was taken when launching City Wide.

“If we can continue to be part of St. Louis’ evolution,” Lemp says, “I’m unbelievably grateful.”

12 Core Beers (Year-Round)
A lineup built for variety and local passion, including:

● City Wide American Pale Ale – citrus, tropical fruit, part of a philanthropic mission ($1 per case supports STL nonprofits).

● City Wide Light Lager – easy-drinking everyday pour.

● City Wide Stout – smooth roast and chocolate notes.

● City Pilsner – crisp hop-driven pilsner.
(Plus additional year-round favorites spanning pale ales, IPAs, lagers and more.)

3 Non-Alcoholic Beers

● NA City Wide Hoppy Pale – hop character with <0.5% ABV.

● NA Incarnation – non-alcoholic IPA bursting with tropical and citrus notes.

20+ Seasonal Beers
Seasonal varieties rotate throughout the year — from fruity Berliner Weisse (Passion Fruit Prussia, etc.) to rich stouts and beyond.

3 Limited Releases
Rotating specialty releases such as Madagascar — an imperial milk stout aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla and rich coffee-chocolate notes.

Cannabis Drinks

Under the 4 Hands Cannabis Co. label, the brewery has ventured into hemp-derived THC sparkling drinks — all non-alcoholic, fruit-forward and infused with 5 mg delta-9 THC plus adaptogens for balanced effects. Initial flavors include:

● Zest (lemon + yuzu with cordyceps)

● Raz (raspberry + lime with goji berries)

● Trop (passionfruit + mango + guava with reishi)

Hard Seltzers & RTD Cocktails

Hard Seltzers: Year-round offerings like Tiger’s Blood (strawberry, watermelon, coconut) and Rainbow Snow Cone join beer on draft.

Ready-to-Drink Cocktails: A selection of canned cocktails rounds out the beverage lineup (specific flavors vary by season and release).

1220 Spirits (Craft Distillery)

Founded in 2018 by the 4 Hands team as a botanically inspired distillery, 1220 Spirits ventures far beyond beer into handcrafted spirits and canned cocktails.

Core Spirit Categories:

● Gin (e.g., Origin Gin, Blue Morpho Gin – lavender/citrus character).

● Vodka (Encrypted Vodka – six-times distilled corn spirit).

● Flora Aperitif – citrus/floral aperitif for spritzes.

● Amaro (Spettro Amaro – herbal, vanilla, bittersweet).

● Whiskey, Rye & Caribbean Rum Finished – complex blends like the Port & Caribbean Rum Finished Rye.

8 Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Cocktails by 1220:
A rotating lineup leveraging house spirits includes fruity, refreshing canned cocktails such as:

● Cherry Lime

● Lemonade & Lavender

● Moscow Mule

● Pineapple Punch

● Watermelon Smash

● Bramble

● Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew

● Transfusion

Crafting Community