Meet Emmaline and Kevin Kozak, the owners of Burgaw’s very first brewpub. 

Kevin grew up in a small coal mining town in Pennsylvania. Both of his grandfathers worked in the mines, and he was raised with an appreciation for hard work. It was a summer job in a DC area brewpub during college that sparked his initial interest in craft beer.  

After working his way up to assistant brewer, he moved to Wilmington in 2006 to become the head brewer at Wilmington’s first brewpub, Front Street Brewery. During his time there he attended the American Brewers Guild in Middlebury, Vermont to further his brewing education and was on the board of the NC Craft Brewers Guild for many years. 

Emmaline hails from a military family that relocated often throughout her childhood. 

“Growing up, I never really felt at home anywhere,” says Emmaline. “Once I moved to Burgaw I instantly felt like I was home, the community here really is like family.”

The sense of community they found in Burgaw, combined with their years of experience in the hospitality industry and Kevin’s love of brewing, set them on the path to creating a brewpub of their own.

“When your husband is an award-winning brewer and you love food, it just makes sense,” says Emmaline. “We love Burgaw and being the first brewery here is an honor and a gift that we do not take lightly.”