Inside HK Brewing Collective: Salt Lake City's Woman-Owned Kombucha Brewery Breaking All the Rules

Walk into HK Brewing Collective on a Tuesday afternoon and you'll find something you didn't know Salt Lake City was missing. A woman nursing a laptop at a handmade wooden table, her kombucha flight catching afternoon light through the arched mirror behind the bar. A couple on a date, sharing the Glitter Bombed cocktail (yes, it actually sparkles). The shop dog making rounds. String lights and dried florals and a disco ball that somehow doesn't feel ridiculous. This isn't your typical craft beer taproom in Salt Lake City—it's something entirely different, and that's exactly the point.

Hannah Hendrickson and Kate Lubing have built Utah's first and only kombucha bar, and they've done it with zero interest in what everyone else thinks kombucha should taste like. One customer put it perfectly: "This female owned local company really turned me on to the booch!" It's a sentiment you hear a lot at HK Brewing, because Hannah and Kate aren't just selling fermented tea—they're reshaping the entire conversation around what a craft brewery can be.

From College Closet to Woman-Owned Brewery: The Han's Kombucha Origin Story

Hannah Hendrickson started brewing kombucha in 2015 in the most unlikely place imaginable: her dorm room closet at the University of Utah. She was studying public health, fascinated by the probiotic beverage's potential health benefits, and a friend had given her a SCOBY to experiment with. What began as a personal stash quickly became the campus's worst-kept secret. Friends kept showing up asking for bottles. Then friends of friends. Eventually Hannah realized she wasn't just making kombucha anymore—she was building something that could actually impact her community in a meaningful way.

In November 2018, she sold her first batch to Creek Tea, a local tea shop. That single account turned into twenty. The dorm closet became a commercial space. Han's Kombucha was officially born, and Salt Lake City's kombucha scene would never be the same.

Enter Kate Lubing, a hospitality industry veteran with over 20 years of experience rooted in her upbringing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Kate had graduated from Le Cordon Bleu's Western Culinary Institute and spent over a decade as a consultant, holding every possible position in the food and beverage world. When she met Hannah at a tasting for Emigration Brewing Co. in 2019, the connection was immediate. Kate fell in love with Han's Kombucha—and recognized Hannah's potential. "I wanted to empower a young woman just starting a business," Kate explained. "I'd had my challenges and wanted to save her some of those same heartaches."

The two went all-in in 2020. By 2023, they'd transformed an old auto repair shop in Salt Lake City's Ballpark neighborhood into HK Brewing Collective, a 5,300-square-foot brewery and taproom that's as much community gathering space as it is kombucha bar. The name? Simple. H for Hannah, K for Kate. And the mission? To break every preconceived notion about what kombucha is and should taste like.

The HK Brewing Collective Experience: Where Kombucha Meets Craft Cocktails in Salt Lake City

The space itself stops you in your tracks. Modern southwestern desert decor with tall ceilings and an open layout that feels simultaneously intimate and expansive. There's Western flair from Kate's Wyoming roots—a cow skull on the wall, wispy dried florals—balanced by Hannah's "all the plants and desert vibe," as Kate describes it. The design tells you everything you need to know: this woman-owned brewery does things differently.

At the heart of it all is a literal window into the fermentation room, where you can watch the magic happen. Kate loves explaining that kombucha requires an open ferment—tanks covered with permeable tops to allow interaction between airborne yeasts and the brew itself. The transparency is intentional. You can see the jars with the "mother" SCOBY, the natural herbs and flavorings, proof of the small-batch craft that goes into every pour.

What sets Han's Kombucha apart is how it tastes. One customer raved, "I am in love with the Grapefruit Rosemary and the Ginger Hibiscus," and there's a reason for that enthusiasm. Hannah and Kate brew what they call a "session-style booch"—lighter on fermentation than most national brands, which means significantly less vinegar punch and considerably less sugar. It's kombucha for people who think they don't like kombucha.

The draft kombucha selection rotates regularly, but fan favorites like Grapefruit Rosemary, Ginger Hibiscus, Cherry Pie, and White Peach Champagne are staples. Order a kombucha flight for $10 and you'll understand why Han's has been voted Utah's Best Kombucha three years running ('22, '23, '24). These aren't the aggressively tart, vinegar-forward kombucha you're used to—they're balanced, approachable, and genuinely delicious.

But HK Brewing Collective isn't just about the non-alcoholic offerings. In March 2023, after months of waiting, they secured one of Utah's coveted bar licenses—a rare win in a state where such permits are notoriously scarce. That license unlocked a whole new world: kombucha cocktails. The HK Mule ($10) combines local gin, ginger, lime, and Ginger Hibiscus kombucha with mint for something that hits like a traditional Moscow Mule but with probiotic benefits. The Glitter Bombed ($13) is exactly what it sounds like—local vodka, Aperol, pomegranate, peach, lemon, and White Peach Champagne kombucha, literally sparkling in your glass.

For the sober-curious or anyone in recovery, the zero-proof cocktails deliver just as much creativity. The High Noon Hibiscus Mule ($11) uses zero-proof gin but maintains all the complexity of its alcoholic counterpart. As one reviewer noted, "Space is plenty and the owners have created a unique and inclusive space that isn't only for eating and drinking but a place to build community."

The food program focuses on locally curated small bites from vendors like Laziz (muhammara red pepper spread, hummus) and Heber Valley Farmstead (garlic & cheese spread), plus a charcuterie board that customers consistently call "hearty" and satisfying. Tuesday nights bring $5 pint specials—a steal in Salt Lake City's craft beer scene.

Building Community in the Ballpark: Why This Asian-Inspired Beer Space Matters

Location matters. HK Brewing Collective sits at 370 W. Aspen Avenue in Salt Lake City's Ballpark/Granary neighborhood, just off the 300 West bike path with plenty of bike parking (thanks to Bike Utah). Bus Route 9 runs along 300 West, and all three TRAX lines are a ten-minute walk away. The accessibility is intentional—this is a neighborhood brewery designed for neighbors.

But it's the vibe that keeps people coming back. One Yelp reviewer captured it perfectly: "I adore HK Brewing. Absolute stan for them!! The owners are so intentional in creating the space, drinks, events, etc. that come through HK, and I am here for it!" Another echoed, "They had me feeling like a family by the time I left."

That family feeling extends to how Hannah and Kate run the business. HK Brewing hosts everything from speed dating nights and book club meetings to pop markets supporting local artists. Ten percent of vendor sales at their Fireweed Market events benefit local nonprofits like Dirt2Table and Og-Woi People's Orchard and Garden, organizations focused on sustainable urban agriculture and food accessibility. Kate says success means "if I see my staff coming in and hanging out outside of their shifts, eating and drinking at the place they usually work, that's a slam dunk."

The space welcomes everyone—knitting clubs, board game groups, remote workers, people who just want to sit in the corner and ponder life. Dogs are welcome on the outdoor patio (with up-to-date rabies tags and city licenses, per Salt Lake City law). It's inclusive in the truest sense, proudly women-founded, led, and queer-owned.

Hannah's public health degree continues to inform everything they do. "Kombucha isn't just a 'good for you' beverage," she says. "It can be a substitute for an alcoholic beverage or for people in recovery. I believe it can tie the human race and different communities together."

Salt Lake City's Craft Beer Evolution: Where HK Brewing Fits In

Utah's craft brewery scene has exploded over the past decade, but most taprooms follow a familiar pattern—IPAs, stouts, pale ales, maybe a sour if you're lucky. HK Brewing Collective represents something entirely new: a woman-owned brewery that leads with kombucha, incorporates Asian-inspired flavors (though subtly—this isn't fusion for fusion's sake), and centers community over quantity.

They're part of a broader movement reshaping Utah's beverage culture. The state's unique alcohol laws—including the 5% ABV draft beer restrictions—have historically made Utah seem unfriendly to craft beverage innovation. But breweries like HK Brewing prove that limitations can inspire creativity. When you can't compete on alcohol content alone, you focus on flavor, experience, and story.

HK Brewing has also become a player in Salt Lake City's growing events scene, participating in Pie & Beer Day celebrations at Smith's Ballpark alongside established names like Epic Brewing Co., Fisher Brewing Co., and Level Crossing Brewing Co. They're regulars at community gatherings, and as their distribution expands into California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawaii, Han's Kombucha is becoming an ambassador for Utah's independent brewery culture.

Planning Your Visit to HK Brewing Collective Taproom & Bar

Address: 370 W. Aspen Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 (Ballpark neighborhood)

Hours:
Tuesday–Thursday: 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday–Saturday: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Closed Sunday & Monday
(Check Instagram @hkbrewingco for holiday hours or special closures)

What to Order:

• Kombucha Flight ($10) – The best introduction to Han's range
• Grapefruit Rosemary kombucha – The crowd favorite
• The HK Mule ($10) – If you want the full kombucha cocktail experience
• Charcuterie board – Perfect for sharing, hearty enough to be a meal
• Zero-proof options – Just as creative as the alcoholic cocktails

Getting There:
Bike parking available right out front. Bus Route 9 on 300 West. All three TRAX lines within walking distance. Street parking in the neighborhood.

Good to Know:
This is a 21+ bar due to the liquor license, even though they serve plenty of non-alcoholic options. Dog-friendly outdoor patio (rabies tag and city license required). Tuesday nights are $5 pint specials. Follow them on Instagram for events—they host everything from Astronomy on Tap to live music nights to pop-up markets.

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Salt Lake City didn't know it needed a woman-owned kombucha brewery until Hannah Hendrickson started brewing in her college dorm closet and Kate Lubing helped her see what was possible. Now HK Brewing Collective stands as proof that Utah's craft beer taproom scene has room for something entirely different—something lighter, more inclusive, and more intentional about building actual community instead of just pouring drinks. As one customer put it, reviewing the experience, "Not only does Han's have delicious kombucha but they work to give back to the community in so many ways." That's the difference between a bar and a gathering place. HK Brewing Collective is decidedly the latter.