Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Lubing.
Hi Kate, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where my family’s interest in cooking and hospitality influenced my early career path.
I began working in restaurants at a young age — starting as a hostess — and quickly becoming fascinated with how restaurants operate. That sparked a lifelong passion for hospitality and food & beverage.
After graduating from Le’ Cordon Blue Culinary school, I worked throughout the Northwest, Rocky Mountain region, and Central Coast of California, gaining experience in various formats — from casual to fine dining, restaurants, wineries, and comprehensive hospitality operations.
In 2019 I met Hannah Hendrickson, who had been brewing kombucha as a passion project while studying public health at the University of Utah. The year prior, Hannah decided to go all in and create a brand, Han’s Kombucha. Han’s Kombucha started as a college student pastime with a friend’s SCOBY and quickly garnered local interest.
Hannah and I formalized our partnership and together founded HK Brewing Collective in early 2020, with Han’s Kombucha as our first brand.
HK Brewing Collective is a kombucha brewery, taproom, and bar in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark District,
Our vision blends kombucha craftsmanship with community building, inclusivity, hospitality excellence, and innovation in beverage culture.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In the early days at HKBC, we were scrappy and uncomfortable in all the ways most startups are—especially because we were doing something Utah hadn’t really seen before.
We had been brewing kombucha at a small scale, but scaling to commercial production is a totally different beast. Dialing in consistency, food safety, fermentation timelines, and packaging came with trial-and-error (and some stressful batches).
Wearing every hat…
Both of us were doing literally everything: brewing, sales, deliveries, marketing, admin, events, cleaning, customer education. Burnout was a real risk, and figuring out how to divide roles took substantial time.
Learning to navigate Utah’s licensing and regulations is an ongoing journey.
This was a big one. Kombucha lives in a gray area legally, especially around alcohol content. On top of that, we later pursued a full bar license, which meant layers of state and local regulations, delays, and compliance headaches.
Early on, a lot of people simply didn’t understand kombucha, or had only tried versions they didn’t like. Convincing bars, retailers, and customers that kombucha could be good, approachable, and social took constant sampling, storytelling, and patience.
But in making the decision to obtain a full bar license, HKBC Taproom & Bar was born. The taproom & bar is a beverage-forward community space that blends craft drinks with inclusivity and vibrant energy.
Overall, our early struggles were less about lack of vision and more about resource constraints, regulatory friction, and timing. What got us through was complementary skill sets—Hannah on product and public health, and myself on hospitality, operations, and sales—and a willingness to adapt fast without losing our core values.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about HK Brewing Collective?
HK Brewing Collective is a wildly unique, community-driven taproom and bar in SLC. Our goal was to creat something that brings together craft cocktails, thoughtfully curated mocktails, beer, wine, and our house-made kombucha under one roof. At its heart, HKBC Taproom & Bar exists to meet people where they’re at — in their beverage journey and in life.
We’re especially known for our kombucha program (Han’s Kombucha), which we brew in-house and serve on draft, but what truly sets us apart is the range and intentionality of our drink offerings. Whether someone is sober-curious, fully sober, a cocktail lover, a beer drinker, or somewhere in between, they can walk in and feel equally considered and celebrated. That inclusivity is baked into everything we do — from our zero-proof cocktails to our alcohol-inclusive menu design.
Beyond the drinks, HK is a space first and foremost. During the day and early evenings, it can feel cozy and connective. Board games on hand, friends gathering, conversations flowing. As the night goes on, the room transforms: disco balls spin, DJs take over, and the energy shifts into something new, vibrant, and that gives you not choice but to get up and dance. We love that duality — calm when you need it, electric when you want it.
Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is the sense of belonging HK creates. We are women founded, owned and partialy queer-owned, and deeply community-rooted. Our team is made up of some of Salt Lake City’s finest humans, and hospitality here isn’t transactional — it’s relational. Guests aren’t just customers; they’re part of the family. That feeling is intentional, protected, and something we work hard to maintain every single day.
What I want readers to know most is that HKBC isn’t just a bar or a taproom — it’s a gathering place. A place where people can celebrate, rest, connect, dance, sip something beautiful, or simply exist as they are. Whether you come for the kombucha, the cocktails, the music, or the community, our goal is that you leave feeling seen, welcomed, and a little more at home than when you arrived.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Over the next five years, I believe the hospitality and beverage industry is going to continue evolving toward greater inclusivity, intentional experiences, and diversified beverage programs. People aren’t just looking for drinks anymore — they’re seeking spaces where they feel welcome, connected, and understood.
One big trend I see growing is the continued rise of sober-curious and wellness-minded drinking. Consumers are more informed than ever about what they put in their bodies, and they want compelling alternatives to traditional alcohol. That means zero-proof cocktails, kombucha, botanical beverages, and thoughtful low-ABV options will keep moving from niche to mainstream. For a concept like our Taproom & Bar, which already centers house-made kombucha and a robust mocktail program, that positions us right at the forefront of where people are headed.
Another major shift is experience over transaction. Guests want environments where they can be — whether that’s relaxing over a board game mid-day, celebrating a big life moment with friends, or dancing under disco lights at night. The future isn’t just about what’s on the menu; it’s about how a space makes people feel. Concepts that offer adaptability — that can be cozy and reflective at one moment and spirited and social the next — are going to thrive.
Community and belonging will continue to be core. Hospitality has always been human-centered, but now guests are choosing spaces that reflect their values. Diversity, equity, and authentic inclusivity aren’t just good to have — they’re essential. We believe that businesses that build real community, support local partnerships, and create safe, welcoming spaces will be the ones people invest their time (and dollars) into. At least we hope.
Lastly, we’ll see more integration of local and craft makers. People want to know the stories behind what they’re drinking — who made it, where it came from, why it matters. That supports hyper-local collaboration and elevates the whole ecosystem. At HK, we embrace that through our kombucha, our rotating local partners, and our beverage program that highlights craft and creativity.
In short, I see the industry moving toward purposeful choice, elevated non-alcoholic beverages, immersive experiences, and community connection — all of which are already at the core of what we do at HK Brewing Collective. We’re not just keeping pace with trends; we’re living into them in a way that feels authentic and future-ready.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hkbrewing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hkbrewingco/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hk-brewing-salt-lake-city-4
- Other: https://share.google/iXRIlAxDGItmPJ6gG
