I was in Hutchinson recently for work, without Clem this time, and decided I couldn’t leave the community without visiting one of my favorite breweries in the state.
Sandhills is exactly what every small town would want. The atmosphere is inviting, it’s easy to communicate with folks you are with, the staff is super friendly, and the beers are interesting every time you go through the doors.
One of the best things about Sandhills is while they brew super interesting beers, like the Honey Lavender Saison or the Black Current Meadowlark Sour, they almost always have “Clem approved” malt-forward beers, as well. So, there is always a good mix of beers no matter what you are into at Sandhills, in my experience.
One of my favorite things about this little three-barrel brewery is the marketing. The design is clean and inspired by birds that frequent Kansas. Owner Pippen Williamson also implemented a “no tipping” atmosphere at his brewery, paying his staff a fair wage and putting any potential tips into a non-profit donation fund. They never pressure you to tip, and their staff really appears to appreciate not having to deal with them.
What makes Sandhills a hidden gem? Because while I enjoy Salt City Brewing Company (the other brewery in town that will get a review in short order), Sandhills doesn’t market itself much and is a super understated hang. It’s just chill in there, and you can tell by the folks who frequent the place.
Pippen has created a fun but simple place to enjoy exceptional craft beer, and I kinda think that was what he was going for when he built the place.
I started with the Black Current Meadowlark Sour. It was bright, fruity and more sweet than sour—even if it had a slight bite. This isn’t one of those “pucker so hard you can’t taste anything else” sours, though. It was pleasant and incredibly drinkable on this 100-plus-degree afternoon.
My next beer was what I kept hearing all the locals ordering.
The Honey Lavender Saison was fabulous and is so popular that Pippen might have to think about keeping it on tap more often. Everyone in the place ordered it at least once and talked about how much they love its slight sweetness and floral smell. Sometimes when breweries put lavender into beers, they taste like soap to me. This wasn’t one of those beers. It was used in a manner that added to the overall experience without making it the only star of the beer. I 100 percent would recommend it, as this was my favorite beer of the trip, and the person I was on the business trip with agreed wholeheartedly.
My last beer of the trip was this chai-tea-inspired California Common. I was engaged in conversation with several people by this point and forgot to write down the actual name but know that it was delicious, just like the other two. This was exactly what I hoped it would be when I ordered it—slight chai spices on a malty, lovely beer that wasn’t too heavy. I decided since Clem didn’t join me, that I needed to have something on the maltier side of things, and this certainly hit that spot. She would have loved this beer, and I think she would have liked the honey lavender saison, as well, so I decided to grab a four-pack of the saison to bring home while I was there.
Every beer I had was a hit. My person with me said he loved the saison but also couldn’t stop talking about one of the IPAs on the way back home. He said it was really well done and he wished he would have grabbed a four-pack of that, as well.
Overall, you can’t miss with a trip to Sandhills, in my estimation. I have never taken anyone there who was disappointed, and I take a lot of people to breweries.
Final Assessment
Normie Factor: Yes, there were several lighter options on the menu, and Sandhills has regionally made cider and wine for sale, as well.
Freak Flag: 7/10
Vibe Check: 9/10
Smashability: 9/10
Poor ’til Payday: $$
Munchies: They have LMNO Pizzas for sale (they won the ICT (Wichita) Pizza Challenge recently) and are delicious, even if I didn’t have one on this trip.
Other good info
Date Visited: June 29, 2023
Is there to-go beer? Lots of to-go cans available and squealers. Pippen mentioned he doesn’t like growlers, because often people only want to have one or two of something, and a growler is just too much. He thinks smaller serving sizes for to-go beers make for a better experience. Who am I to argue?
Website: https://sandhillsbrewing.com/
Address: 111 West 2nd Ave, Hutchinson, KS.
There is a Misson, KS, brewery location run by Pippen’s brother. I have never personally been to that location, but they share recipes and have some of the same beers on tap at either location, depending on when you go.
Parking and Public Transportation: There is tons of street parking just outside