Dorchester Brewing

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By in News Comments Off on Craft Brewers: D.O. Testing & Seam Checks

Craft Brewers: D.O. Testing & Seam Checks

Free D.O. Testing & Digital Seam Checking

It’s just one hit after another – pandemic, aluminum and then wheat prices, and now CO2 shortages.

With the recent availability issues with CO2 from suppliers across New England, we know that a lot of breweries have moved or are in the process of transitioning as much as possible from CO2 to nitrogen for brewery operations. Since it’s a new fix for a lot of us, there are still questions on how to effectively make the switch without impacting the quality of the beer – especially with respect to oxygen pick-up and DOs in the final product.

To help breweries in New England during this [potential] transition, we would like to support, by using our dedicated QA/QC lab, team, and facilities to test your DOs and can seams for free. Our experienced team will take care of testing DOs, doing digital seam checks, and sending you a QA report.

Why are we doing this? Because we love great beer, and we believe it’s important to be a part of the solution for high-quality execution for our friends and community in New England craft beer. We’ve also done some recent interviews and podcasts about the transition to nitrogen, in the hopes of being a resource to other breweries:

Craft Beer & Brewing Industry Guide: As the CO2 Shortage Drags On, Is Nitrogen an Option for Your Brewery?

Brewer Magazine: Quick Steps Dorchester Says Can Help Lower Your CO2 Usage

Brewbound Podcast: The Latest on the CO2 Issues (feat. James Haugh of Dorchester Brewing & Amy George of Earthly Labs)


To learn more about the DO and seam checking offer, email info@dorchesterbrewing.com or complete the form on our website (https://www.dorchesterbrewing.com/contact-us/) to get the process going. It’s our way of helping the New England craft community ensure quality, regardless of brewery size.



Cheers,
The Dorchester Brewing Team

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Drew Shalian, Sales Manager

Meet the Team: Drew Shalian, Sales Manager

You may have noticed we’ve been stepping up our wholesale game with more and more DBco cans and taps popping up around the state of Massachusetts in restuarants, bars, retail and liquor stores. Along with our new look we rolled out with brand spankin’ new labels, we are so happy to also share the face behind our sales game – Drew Shalian, our new Sales Manager here at Dorchester Brewing Company. Along with our distributor, Craft Collective, Drew is committed to making sure our freshly brewed craft beer is sent out into the world to enjoy!

Meet Drew!

I grew up in Boston and southern Florida and have lived in Dorchester for the past eight years. I’m committed to my community and I like to support local organizations and businesses which is what drew me to DBCo first as a loyal customer and now as my professional home. I look forward to weekend adventures with my family and you can usually find us at Castle Island, hiking in the Blue Hills, or relaxing at one of Dorchester’s parks or beaches. 


How did you get into the craft beer industry and sales?

I have always worked in the service industry and have appreciated craft beer for a long time. About 10 years ago I walked into my local liquor store and ended up helping a customer pick out different beers. The owner overheard and offered me a part-time position that evolved into a full-time role as the beer and spirits buyer. After a while I got to know all of my sales reps and learn about their jobs and knew a role in sales would be really exciting for me. I moved on to sales positions for a few local companies and eventually made the switch to a distributor. When I saw that my neighborhood brewery was looking to bring on a sales rep, I knew that I wanted to be a part of the team. 


A day in the life of Drew!

I start the day early and drop my son off at school here in Dorchester then usually grab a coffee from Reign Drink Lab or home.stead Cafe. When I visit accounts in and around Dorchester, I can make my way to the brewery for meetings and banter then I’m on my way out to visit new and old friends of DBCo! Sometimes I’ll grab a sandwich at The Daily or banh mi at Banh Mi Ba Lė for lunch. Other days I’ll head outside of the city to continue to expand the DBCo footprint or to meet with our distributor, Craft Collective. Every day is different, but the goal is always to strengthen relationships and get our beer into the hands of new fans. 


What do you like best about the industry?

The people and the camaraderie. I really like being able to connect with and learn from new people. 
Favorite part of the job-It has been great to share the story of our brewery and see people enjoy the hard work of our production team. 


Favorite beer style?

It’s impossible to pick just one but I gravitate toward Sours, Saisons, and Pilsners. 


Favorite DBCo beer?

This is like asking me to pick my favorite child!  I love Neponset Gold as my everyday beer, but lately I have been digging Sad Boi Szn, a Brown Ale that we‘ve been pouring at the tap room. 


Favorite M&M BBQ item?

Everything from M&M is amazing, but a favorite is the Honey Hot Chicken Sandwich with dumpster fries. My five year old loves the Dot platter with Mac & Cheese.

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Kimi Nelson, Tap Room Manager

Meet the Team: Kimi Nelson, Tap Room Manager

The face behind the mask! As we continue to serve our customers in the Tap Room, we want to share our stories with you! Our team in the front of the Tap Room are amazing at helping you find the perfect beer (or other drink of choice) and providing the best hospitality to our visitors! We are so lucky to have a great group of employees and we’re excited to share another one with you today. Meet Kimi Nelson, who has been on our team for a while and recently promoted to Tap Room Manager!

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I grew up in central MA where I first started working in hospitality. After the brutal 2014-15 winter season, I decided to move to California where I started working in my first brewery. I instantly fell in love with the craft beer industry and the people that surrounded it. If I wasn’t at work, I was out searching for the closest beer festival I could find. After 6 years in California, I decided it was time to come back home to Boston. Now when I’m not at work, you’ll either find me on long treks with my dog, at a concert, or visiting more local breweries. 

How did you get into bartending?

I started bartending in college when I lived in the Fenway area and I loved the atmosphere of serving Red Sox fans on game days. The rush of people from all over kept me moving and on my toes which always added a variety of spice to my day. That’s the best part about bartending – every day is different! As for craft beer, I found an incredible passion in the industry, where I first started in the Bay Area of California – there is definitely no shortage of breweries out there! It’s incredible to see the variety of products Brewers are able to make from the same main four ingredients!

What do you like best about the industry?

The people. Whether it be the folks I work alongside or the guests that walk through the front door, everybody has a different story and a different background. We work in an environment that gives us the opportunity to discover a lot about other people and that has always been the most intriguing part of my job. 

Favorite part of your job?

My coworkers, and the beer! Can’t go wrong with good conversation and delicious libations at your fingertips. 

Favorite beer style?

It’s hard to choose! I’d say my top three are Ambers, Saisons, and Sours.

Favorite DBco beer?

My current favorite is the Winter Brewberry and I’ve loved the previous variations we’ve done of it as well.

Favorite M&M BBQ item?

Can’t go wrong with a Newmarket Sandwich!

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Chris Geany, QA/QC Manager

Meet the Team: Chris Geany, QA/QC Manager

The DBco brewery team is filled with many different facets of the brewing process from initial recipe development all of the way to packaging. As much as brewing is an art, there is also a lot of science behind it and that’s where Chris comes in! As QA/QC Manager, Chris oversees the quality of the beer we brew everyday through microbiology. Thanks to his expertise and experience, our customers get the benefit of a clean, fresh, delicious-tasting product every time. Learn more about Chris in our blog today:

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I was born and raised on the South Shore. I always had an affinity for the outdoors and moved to Colorado for college chasing snow and mountains. I came back to the East Coast several years later with a taste for craft beer and a Biology degree. You’ll find me most weekends either out in nature somewhere or catching some live music with good company.


How did you get into craft beer and the brewing industry? 

After moving back here I began brewing my own beer at home. I was also working a Quality Control job for consumer products, which didn’t particularly interest me. I found a QC job in the cider world, and spent several years working quality in cider before making the jump to beer. 


How long have you been at DBco and what do you do day to day at DBco

I’ve been with DBco for a few months now. My responsibilities range from microbiology on both fermentations and finished products, to training our operations team to recognize and diagnose potential off flavors. Everything I do here is to ensure the beer we create is consistent from batch to batch, safe and most importantly tastes the best it possibly can be!


What do you like best about the industry? 

A lot of people are drawn to this industry because they want to make something they’re proud of, or they’re just done with corporate work. Either way you wind up with a group of people who genuinely enjoy what they do for work, which is quite rare these days.

Favorite part of your job

One benefit of a contract brewery is you don’t really get stuck in a specialty. We brew everything from Lagers to Hazy IPAs, to Stouts, to Sours. We’re always making something new and there is always something new to learn.


Favorite beer style

If it’s nice out, I’ll go with a Saison. If it’s chilly, it’s Stout season.


Favorite DBco beer

The new and improved Forever OFD as far as year round offerings. 

Favorite M&M BBQ item?

I know it’s called M&M BBQ but don’t sleep on the fried chicken sandwiches!

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Director of Operations, James Haugh

Meet the Team: Director of Operations, James Haugh

As DBco approaches it’s fifth year birthday, our growing brewery’s needs spurred us to hire a high level Director of Operations to oversee the entire business. We were so lucky to meet James at the right time and bring him on board to support the brewing operations and our staff to pump out the best craft beer imaginable. And we’re excited to be cranking out even more amazing beer as we head into the summer months as things return to normalcy.

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I grew up on the South Shore and was taught from a very early age to not to travel north of the city if I didn’t need to! I left at 18 years old to join the U.S. Navy as a combat aircrewman, which meant I never spent a day on a ship. I was also fortunate to see A LOT of places (good and bad) on 6 out of the 7 continents! Fast forward 10 years and I have a wonderful wife, a 125 lb Greater Swiss Mountain Dog named Hattie, and our new baby boy Abel. 
How did you get into craft beer and the brewing industry? 
I wanted to find a hobby that I could do while not deployed and it seemed like the perfect blend of science and art. My first couple beers took 4 hours to heat on an electric stove eye which tested my patience, but I figured it out…

Tell us a little bit about what you do day to day at DBco.

My role at DBCo is the Director of Operations. I have the unique task of leading all of the rockstars that plan, brew, care for, package, and ship the beer that DBCo and our partners need to keep customer’s glasses full!

What do you like best about the industry?

The smells… no the people and product. I also love that you can tangibly see the fruits of your labor at the end of an honest day.  

Favorite part of your job.

I love developing people and teams, poking holes in current processes, and getting people home the same way as they came!

Favorite beer style.

German or Czech Pilsner

Favorite DBco beer.

Parish Pilsner

Favorite M&M BBQ item.

I told Candice and Geo that I would get through their entire menu before I can give my honest feedback. EVERYTHING I have tried is ridiculously good though!

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Tap Room Manager, Steph Berman

Meet the Team: Tap Room Manager, Steph Berman

As we move into to-go and delivery orders only, the team at DBco is working just as hard and we are so lucky to have an amazing team at the Brewery, both the front Tap Room and back of the brewery! If you’ve visited the Tap Room recently or stopped by for a beer pickup, you may have run into Steph Berman, a Tap Room Manager, who came on board last year! Read on to learn more about her journey to joining our team:

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I was born and raised in New England and have been here all of my life.  I love all of the changes in the seasons, with summer being my favorite!  I enjoy going to the beach, BBQ’s, beers, and all done with good company.  In my free time, I can be found hanging out with my son, daughter, wife and our new dog, Sawyer. My guilty pleasure is watching reality TV, particularly (and shamefully), I have watched every season of The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I also love tattoos and am working on a passion project about them and promoting body positivity (I have 17 tattoos so far).     

How did you end up in the hospitality industry?

I started as a hostess and server when I was a teenager but then took a long hiatus from it. After I graduated college, I worked for my family business for 15 years, which specialized in the distribution and marketing of women’s medical devices. During my time there, I also started my own business where I created and launched a new product. One fun fact about the product I invented is that I was awarded a US patent for it (which makes me feel like Laurie Greiner on Shark Tank). After leaving the family business, I got back into hospitality and haven’t left since!  

What do you like best about the beer and hospitality industry?

I love the unpredictability of each day.  Things can change by the minute, so you always have to think and move quickly. I also love getting to meet such a wide variety of people. If you take the time to engage with guests, you can really learn so much about them and create an experience that makes them want to keep coming back. I strive to have every guest that walks into this place feel that way.  

Favorite part of your job?

We have such a wonderful staff and crew here. We all spend a lot of time with each other, so we really become like a second family to one another. It’s also so refreshing to work for a company that promotes diversity and welcomes everyone. I love having an open and comfortable platform to share my ideas and be myself!       

Favorite beer style?

I love fruit beers. One of my all time favorites is Forbidden Fruit in VT. I also love everything from Burlington Beer Company. In the fall/winter season, I am partial to a nice red ale.  

Favorite DBco beer?

The Warp Rider quickly became my favorite, as it’s a perfect red ale.  Otherwise, my go to would be the DOT’s Buzzwig Cider. It’s awesome that DBco has so much variety in their offerings. It makes it hard to pick a favorite!  

Favorite M&M BBQ item?

Dumpster fries are my favorite indulgence. However, when I don’t have the luxury of taking a nap after eating them lol, I am partial to both of their salads with the smoked chicken on top. The cornbread croutons are my favorite! I could eat them alone as a snack!