Former K-State football player, brewery owner hopes to expand into his hometown of Wichita

Kansas State alumni who drink beer have a reason to be excited: A former K-State football player turned brewery co-owner, is hoping to expand his Manhattan-based business into his hometown of Wichita.

Jake Voegeli, who opened Manhattan Brewing Company with some partners in 2020, says that his goal is to add a tap room in Wichita. In the meantime, the brewery has been putting on pop-ups at Sky Lounge , an event venue inside the former Aero Plains Brewing space at 117 N. Handley in Delano. Though Aero Plains closed in 2020 , that building is now home to Slape & Howard law firm, whose owners decided to keep the bar and rent the front space out for events.

Voegeli’s brother, Jon, is da partner in Slape & Howard, and the brothers agreed that the Sky Lounge would be a good place for Manhattan Brewing Company to test out the Wichita market. The first popup was in May and another was staged in June. July’s popup was this past weekend, and the next one — where people will be able to order Manhattan Brewing Company’s beers and dine from food trucks — is set for Aug. 16 and 17.

But the brewery has more planned for Wichita.

“Wichita is definitely on the table for us to do some kind of a cool tap room, hopefully sooner rather than later,” Voegeli said. “We’re talking around and chatting with people.”

Though nothing is “set in stone” for Widchita just yet, the owners of the brewery definitely have expansion plans and would like to add tap rooms in places like Wichita and Kansas City.

Voegeli played football at Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School in the early 2000s then went on to play at K-State, where he snagged a Big 12 Championship ring in 2003.

A Kansas State University football player turned brewery owner who grew up in Wichita. After he graduated from college, he moved back to Wichita to take a job at Spirit, where he worked for five years. He then took a job in sales for Tallgrass Brewing, which was based in Manhattan until it closed in 2018. He also worked as national sales director at Tallgrass then moved on to Standard Beverage Corporation in Wichita.

Not long after, he was approached by his future Manhattan Brewing Company partners, brewers Adam Krebsbach and Garrett Paulman, asking if he wanted to join them in their new venture.

“I’d been wanting to open up a brewery ever since college,” Voegeli said.

The Manhattan Brewing Company popups in Delano have been popular, he said, so much so that the partners decided they’d also start selling four packs and bottles at the Old Town Farm & Art Market , which happens every Saturday morning. Last weekend was their first outing.

Pop-ups will have to stop for a bit after August, though. Once football season starts in Manhattan, everyone will be needed there, he said, but the popups may resume after football season is over.

But Voegeli said he’s excited about the potential of adding a more permanent location in his hometown.

“We love Wichita,” he said. “With me growing up here, it was kind of a natural fit to come back down. We love all the breweries here. Whenever we come down, we have a good time.”