Meet Our Crew

Our founders

Ben Schaendorf and his family are no strangers to hard work and dedication.  Working for the family’s dairy farm and custom harvest business since the age of ten, Ben is taking experiences from family businesses to help develop Schaendorf Brewing Company. Ben has worked in every facet of the company including Logistics Manager and Operations VP and is also a partner in the Schaendorf Cattle Company.  In 2018, the opportunity arose for the family to purchase a property in Allegan and open up a restaurant. With his wife Nicole and three kids by his side, Ben decided to make the move. Both born and raised in Allegan, they thought what better place to start this adventure. Schaendorf Brewing encompasses the family’s passion for food, from producing, marketing, consuming and now serving it to the community.

The Brewer

Kyle Heslip began his love for craft beer helping his dad grow hops beside their family home in Howell, Michigan and traveling to breweries throughout the state.  While attending Michigan State University for bachelors in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, he met his future wife Nicole, which brought him into the Schaendorf family fold.  During his doctoral research in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Michigan, Kyle started experimenting with homebrewing himself which ultimately led to him becoming the head brewer at Tapistry Brewing in Bridgman, Michigan.  Kyle loves the science of the brewing process and strives for clean, true-to-form beer, but also hopes to showcase mixed and wild fermented beers at Schaendorf Brewing. Kyle and Nicole have one daughter, Haley.