Servaes Brewery, located in Shawnee, Kansas, opened its doors in April 2019 after its owner, Courtney Servaes, wanted to bring her love of interesting flavors and passion for brewing to the masses. Innovative and inventive flavors are her specialty, and she has been known to add surprising flavors such as pumpkin pie, red velvet cake or chocolate chip cookies to the brews. Without the presence of a mainstay or flagship beer, this brewery in a town of tough competition, sets itself apart by always evolving and never becoming stagnant.
It is no surprise when Courtney’s son, Aaron, wanted to become involved with his mom’s business he took on a similar creative process. Obviously too young to enjoy his mother’s formulations, he instead took on the pinnacle childhood treat he could enjoy, craft soda!
Working in tandem, Aaron and Courtney, began experimenting at home, exploring different flavor profiles and ingredients that would bring, (not surprisingly) an imaginative take on the drink. The experimenting led to Aaron offering his creations at the brewery, aptly named, Aaron’s Sodas. Servaes asserts their business is a family friendly environment where kids are encouraged to visit with their parents and are always welcome, so the addition of a child friendly beverage was a natural progression and resourceful way to be unique.
Being a kid helped Aaron to understand flavors that might be embraced by the youngest of customers, yet still appreciated by the adults who were purchasing, and most certainly stealing sips. He said, “I try to think of random ingredients that could possibly go together in a soda to make a unique flavor that is still drinkable.”
There have been triumphs and hardships along the way with his creations. While many successful flavors such as fruit punch (including flavors of orange, lemon, lime, grape, strawberry and pineapple) or lemon lime (a sweet yet sour version of Mountain Dew) have been a hit; there have also been a few duds along the way. “One of the sodas we did that needed improvement was a ghost pepper root beer. It was a little too much heat for younger kids, so I would definitely have changed the spice level to make it for approachable but still have some heat,” noted Aaron.
Today there’s always a fully stocked cooler of Aaron’s Sodas at Servaes. The cans, just like the flavors, are colorful and vibrant, reflecting the exciting flavors waiting to be tasted by the sweet tooth driven children and their obliging parents.
Soda isn’t the only interest Aaron pursues. Much like most kids his age, in his spare time he loves sports, playing guitar and video games and seeing friends.
Despite his family’s successful business and his own pulse for flavor, Aaron is unsure if he wants to continue under the umbrella of the brewery in the long run. The penchant for entrepreneurial ventures is still present, however, as he noted he would love to own his own architecture firm one day. His advice for fellow industrious kids looking to make an impact in business: “Go in aiming high and expecting low. In the beginning it is all about learning.”
It is hard not to appreciate Aaron’s drive and original way to appeal to a customer base who is always on the hunt for something tasty. Keep making this world a sweeter place!
Find Aaron’s sodas at Servaes Brewery, 10921 Johnson Drive in downtown Shawnee, Kansas. Follow the brewery them on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest news and watch for new flavors of Aaron’s Sodas!
This post is sponsored by Mazuma Credit Union. Mazuma Credit Union is a local, not for profit financial institution committed to serving the Kansas City metro area since 1948. Passionate about supporting and giving back to our community, we strive to serve our Members, local small businesses, and non profit organizations through our products and services provided in our 10 area branches and beyond.
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