Dorchester Brewing

Year: 2021

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Mandi Paine, Brewer

Meet the Team: Mandi Paine, Brewer

We’ve got lots of new faces to share and so excited about introducing you to everyone on our team! Mandi Paine, is a member of our brewing team and another recent promotion who has worked her way up over the past few years here at Dorchester Brewing Company. Meet Mandi!

More about Mandi!

I grew up in a small town on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire where I spent a lot of summers out on the water with my family and friends. When I wasn’t hanging out on the lake I was probably playing ice hockey at a rink somewhere in New England– beer isn’t the only thing that has my heart! I then went on to Trinity College where I played both ice hockey and softball, majoring in International studies and Arabic. When I’m not at DBCo, I enjoy cruising around in my jeep, checking out other breweries and biking around the city to find some of Boston’s best food spots.


How did you get into craft beer?

In college I was always going out to find new craft brews and dabble in various beer styles to find what I liked. After I graduated in 2018, I moved to Boston and got a (what I thought would be an intermediary) job as a bartender at Harpoon. Working at the brewery, I was able to learn more about beer production as a whole, and I knew right away that that was what I wanted to pursue as my career.


What’s your role at DBco?

I have been at DBCo for almost 2 and half years now, where I’ve worked in almost every department under the sun. Currently I am a part of the brewing squad where I spend time brewing both DBCo and partner beers on our 30 bbl system, as well as brewing and cellaring small batches that we create on our pilot system.


What do you like best about the industry?

The people definitely make the beer industry so special. It’s filled with incredibly intelligent and passionate people who thrive in a collaborative environment. Not to mention, the art of crafting beer encompasses such a diverse set of skills so I am constantly challenged when I come into work each day. The learning never stops.


Favorite part of your job?

I’d have to say my favorite part of my job has to be working on the pilot system– being able to see a product start to finish, from milling in the grain to kegging, is extremely rewarding. We are also able to develop trial recipes from time to time on beer styles we’re currently psyched about. Tasting the beer with my coworkers is a great perk of the job as well!


Favorite beer style?

Helles or really any type of easy-drinking lager


Favorite DBco beer?

Fest Bier!


Favorite M&M BBQ food?

Definitely the Newmarket sandwich!

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Head Brewer, Andy Johnson

Meet the Team: Head Brewer, Andy Johnson

At DBco, we love supporting our team in their career growth and are so happy to announce a recent promotion on our team. Since he started on our team over 3 years ago as Shift Brewer, Andy Johnson has moved into the Head Brewer role here at Dorchester Brewing, which means that he oversees the entire brewing process from start to finish here at DBco. Thanks to Andy’s passion for brewing the best beer possible, you get to enjoy the highest quality beer!

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I grew up in Connecticut and moved up here to Boston three years ago to work here at DBCo. I like to go to metal shows and hang out with my cats (Brie and Hermione) on the weekend.

How did you get into craft beer?


When I was younger, I found a homebrew store called Maltose Express near where I lived in CT. I became obsessed with homebrewing and went brewery to brewery trying to volunteer to work. Eventually I got in, started working and learned the ropes all about brewing!

What is your role at DBco?


Currently I have been at DBCo for just over three years, most of that time as a Shift Brewer. Now as Head Brewer, my job consists of making DBCo recipes, helping contract partners scale their recipes, sourcing and ordering ingredients, and focusing on quality, consistency, and long term goals. 

What do you like best about the industry?


What I love about the brewing industry is the constant evolution of trying to make the best product you can and also the people in the industry!

What’s your favorite beer to brew? What about to drink?


I love brewing Neponset Gold because its simple and I have a lot of pride for that being our main flagship. Recently I have been drinking a lot of Forever O.F.D.

Do you have any advice for brewers just starting out?


Honestly it’s just go with the flow and hard work. The best way to get experience is to move up internally with breweries that want to invest in reliable people who care.

Favorite part of your job?


My favorite part of my job is being able to have a say in our quality and the direction of the business. I think DBCo is going to have a really cool future with the team and goals we have in place today. I’m really excited and looking forward to the future!

Favorite DBco beer?


It’s very hard to commit to just one style but it would definitely be something German. The DBCo Dunkel is one of my favorite beers ever. 

Favorite M&M BBQ menu item?


The Newmarket Square is my favorite but recently I’ve been ordering fries and drowning them in hot sauce.

What’s coming up next for DBco beers?

We have a cool all MA ingredient lager coming out soon. We have a crazy peppermint mocha stout planned for December that will be fun.

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!