Born in Belgium and raised in Texas, Wim Bens was bound to end up having beer an integral part of his life. Having lived in North Texas since the age of 7, he eventually graduated from SMU and worked in the advertising industry for a decade. Then he found his true calling. With a love for quality craft beers, he searched for the types of ales and lagers he remembered from Belgium. Not one to sit around and wait for beer to come to him, he decided to make his own. Thus his small garage in the quaint, historic neighborhood of Lakewood is where the origins of LBC began. He brewed out of this garage for the next five years, honing recipes and ideas, and eventually decided to take his studies to the American Brewer's Guild. Upon graduation, a business plan was formed, he quit his day job, and Lakewood Brewing Company was born.