Between crafting beer and game nights, Burn ‘Em Brewing strives to create a memorable experience for all of its customers. In order to ensure that message is felt, the brewery has assembled a group of employees that are passionate about brewing.
One team member who has admired Burn ‘Em Brewing long before joining the team is Kyle Nelson. As the assistant tap room manager and bar lead, Nelson looks forward to working everyday in an environment that brings him joy.
Nelson has been in the Region for more than 37 years. He went to Purdue University Calumet (now Purdue University Northwest) to study communications. He was a marketing person for a few companies before he sought out a position at a brewery.
Nelson started bartending eight years ago. He was with Misbeehavin' Meads for five years before he found his current position with Burn ‘Em Brewing.
“I first discovered Burn ‘Em Brewing about a decade ago at a beer festival that was taking place in Valparaiso,” Nelson said. “This was before they had opened up their tap room or had any physical location. I tried their beer at the festival and absolutely loved everything that I tried from them. I followed Burn ‘Em Brewing for a while on social media and regularly went to their old location when it opened up. Once I saw they were hiring a few years ago, I decided that I was going to apply. I wanted to work for my favorite brewery in the area.”
Nelson started working for Burn ‘Em Brewing in May 2023. Over the past two years, he has built strong relationships with the people who come into the taproom.
“Our old location had a set of regulars when I first came in,” Nelson said. “I got the chance to meet a lot of them; it became almost like a family. Most of them have followed us here to the new location that we opened last year, but we’ve drawn some new regulars as well. It’s a really tight knit community here.”
It didn’t take long for Nelson to develop a bond with his co-workers either. He’s grateful to be partnered with a team that he can always count on.
“If I ever need something, there’s always at least two or three people who I could call upon to help me out with whatever I need,” Nelson said. “The Burn ‘Em Brewing community in itself is outstanding. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of before. Our employees here are pretty much a second family.”
Outside of work, Nelson enjoys spending time with his wife and friends. They regularly come together for game nights or local events.
“We’ll all get together to play Dungeons & Dragons pretty often,” Nelson said. “I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to that stuff. We actually have a group of regular customers at Burn ‘Em Brewing who come in to play with us. Along with that, we also enjoy going to trivia nights at local bars. I host some of the game night activities that we have at work such as bingo nights and our own trivia games. It’s a lot of fun when I get a chance to do something with the people I’m closest to.”
For more information on Burn ‘Em Brewing, you can visit its website.
