A husband and wife in Galesburg are the latest to enter the craft brew market, but they said it’s about more than the beers they pour.  The idea for Knox County Brewing Company started more than a year and a half ago as Matthew and Sarah Hansen were looking to launch something different and to help the community’s economy. They told Local Four News researching what works in rural cities led them to develop their own pints. “Motivated by the same social work that we did in Austin and so we did what we’ve always. We began to kind of study the demographics. What was actually doing well in Illinois? What was helping to produce local economies and rural communities,” said co-owner Matthew Hansen. Starting up this brewery has come to involve not just the Hansen family but the community. Co-owner Matthew Hansen said locals volunteered to get this space ready to open and the couple used local resources to help fill the place. He said it’s all about making sure this business can give back to the area. It wasn’t originally in the cards.

Hansen said, “I didn’t set out to be a brewer. I didn’t set out to own a brewery.”

But opening a taproom fits with what Matthew Hansen and his wife Sarah did before while living in Austin, Texas, but it’s a business of a different brew.

Hansen said, “Did a lot of startups and then spun them off, whether that was in the faith-based world, non-profit world or even internationally.”

A move to central Illinois was a fresh start. Hansen said, “Knox County Brewing Company is an extension of our family. We want them to feel like they kind of walked into our living room.”

When they came to Illinois to be closer to Sarah’s family, it was thought to be a temporary stop and starting a business was not the initial plan.

Taking their experience, they wanted to create something to help grow the local economy.

Hansen said, “I think this is the first time, though, we’ve had this much community buy-in.” They’re joining another community in the process becoming the newest tenant at the Sustainable Business Center. Hansen said, “We’re about entrepreneurship. We spent 16 years of our life doing that in Austin, and they’re about community development, and that’s what we’re about as well.” The SBC developed in 2010 to provide a place for businesses with innovative ideas and environmentally conscious practices to launch and grow. Special Projects Director Nancy Iscovitz  said, “I think it’s slowly gaining momentum.” The addition of the brewery is seen as a way to expand those efforts. Iscovitz said, “Talking to Matthew, he’s really trying to build something for the community and hopes to see this as a gathering place, and so, I’m really excited.” Matthew is also hoping Knox County Brewing Company will serve as an inspiration to others with a small business idea to work toward the process of opening their own doors. Hansen said, “Maybe more afraid of failure and we want to show them, hey, there’s enough community buy-in here that it can be done.”

Knox County Brewing Company held a ribbon cutting Friday, October 19.

It included an appearance by Governor Bruce Rauner

Matthew also told Local Four News, a percent of the beer sales here will go to support local charities. Right now it’s Habitat for Humanity. A grand opening will begin 2 p.m. October 20.