Dorchester Brewing

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By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet Our Team: Sarah Pott, QA/QC Manager

Meet Our Team: Sarah Pott, QA/QC Manager


Since we opened our doors in 2016, we have been proud to stand behind the quality control measures that we’ve put in place to produce the best end product that our customers enjoy drinking! We are happy to introduce a face behind the scenes who helps to create the fresh, clean flavors and taste of all of our partner and house craft beers, all which are made right here on-site in our Boston brewery. Thanks to her expertise and dedication, you get the benefit of enjoying all of the DBco beers that pass through our doors! So, today, let’s raise a glass to Sarah Pott, our QA/QC Manager at Dorchester Brewing Company.

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

I grew up right outside of Portland, Maine where there is a plethora of amazing beer (and food). Living in such a small community, it wasn’t difficult to connect with people within the brewing industry. Right out of college I basically just volunteered at whatever brewery would have me. That’s how I got my foot in the door before participating in ABG’s brewing school.

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

My job here at DBco involves a lot of quality oversight into many processes, including packaging, cellaring and brewing. Routinely, I am tracking and performing sensory analysis on all of the fermentations occurring in the tanks, and on a daily basis we can expect to have at least 18 different beers in the fermenters (no, I’m not drinking 18 beers everyday). I’m responsible for making sure we are producing beers that fall within our brewing partners standards, as well as our own. Along with that, the most important responsibility I have is tracking down any contaminants or beer spoilers that may be lurking in the brewery. By doing this, I plate the beer at multiple different stages of the process onto selective and differential growth media. I can then detect if we have any microbes that could spoil the beer, or if there is an issue in the process

What do you like best about the brewing industry?

THE PEOPLE! Most people in the brewing industry don’t just accidentally fall into it, they actively seek it out, which typically means these people are extremely passionate about what they do. They want to be here. I’ve met so many intelligent, creative and passionate people working in this industry, which makes it all worth it.

Favorite part of your job?

Contentedly walking into work everyday knowing I stuck with my passion and that I’m not sitting in an office somewhere.

Favorite beer style

Pilsners (everyone should make more pilsners)

Favorite DBco beer?

Clapp’s Cream Ale

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet Our Team: Colleen Rankin, Brewer

Meet Our Team: Colleen Rankin, Brewer

With International Women’s Day on the horizon, we are working to celebrate all women in the beer industry and females worldwide. Read more about our special collaboration beer release with proceeds supporting several institutions to empower women everywhere. With that in mind, we’d love to introduce you to an awesome member of our brewing staff, who works to bring you fresh, tasty beer weekly in the DBco Tap Room and beyond. Meet Colleen Rankin.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I grew up in Akron, Ohio, where I lived through college. Since then, I have had stints living in Russia, Columbus, Baltimore, Washington state, Oregon, and Cleveland. I moved to Boston in July to work for Dorchester Brewing. When I’m not brewing, you can usually find me doing something outside  — biking, climbing, skiing, hiking, etc. — or reading a book, listening to music, or wandering around town looking for good cocktails, coffee, or beer.

How did you get into craft beer and become a brewer?

My fascination with craft beer began in my early 20s, when I had become bored of drinking Rolling Rock and Newcastle Brown Ale. Not too long after discovering craft beer, I started dabbling in home brewing. Looking for a more fulfilling career choice and dissatisfied with working for the man, I woke up one day and decided to become a production brewer. I was lucky enough to find a terrific brewer in Eugene, Oregon that felt that I had the stuff necessary to succeed in brewing, so he gave me an Assistant Brewer position with no production experience, which is quite a lucky thing in this industry. After working at Sam Bond’s Brewing in Eugene, I put in a good stint as an R&D brewer at Platform Beer Co. in Cleveland, Ohio, and now I’m here brewing up fantastic brews at DBco. Working hard to gain knowledge and experience, I hope to eventually open my own brewery.

What’s so special about the brewing industry?

I like brewing because it is both hands on and intellectually driven. An average day’s work allows me to work hard doing manual labor, which is really satisfying, and use my brain in the course of operating mechanical systems, trouble-shooting problems, or writing recipes. I have had successful jobs behind a desk and other, equally great jobs, working outdoors and in customer service; I find that brewing really feeds all facets of me as a human. It brings me good balance that keeps me feeling good about going to work every day.

What’s the favorite part of your job?

Since I started brewing, my favorite thing to do is to hose out the whirlpool vessel. It is so satisfying to me to start with a massive mess of a hop pile and end with a shiny and clean tank. The process of transformation from mess to cleanliness is a really satisfying thing. It is so laughable, I know, but it is the little things in life. On a broader level, I love the process of creating a beer from start to finish — beginning with an idea, writing a recipe, brewing it, caring for it during the fermentation process, then pouring it into a glass that the masses (and I) get to enjoy. I think that is a really rad thing.

Favorite beers?

My favorite beer style generally changes with the seasons, but I love them all. Dark, light, Belgian, American, sour, IPA, or cask, I try not to get stuck in the rut of drinking one style more than the rest. Every style of beer has the prefect time and place for appreciation and enjoyment. To date, my favorite DBco. beer (that I wasn’t the mastermind behind) is Born to be Mild, an English Mild Ale that we released a batch of a while back. My favorite partner beer is probably Stupid Head by Stillwater Artisanal, a delicious double-dry hopped Hefeweizen style ale.
By in Brew Blog Comments Off on Find Dorchester Brewing Co. Beer in Boston and Beyond

Find Dorchester Brewing Co. Beer in Boston and Beyond

You asked. We answered!

We are so excited to announce our own Dorchester Brewing Co. beer available in cans for the very first time ever! We have 4-packs of our Clapp’s Cream Ale and V1 Double IPA available for purchase in the Tap Room  at 1250 Massachusetts Ave. in Boston for a limited time.

We’re also making these cans available to restaurants and retailers around the Boston area for a limited time. The full list of where you can find our beer can be found below.

224 Boston: 224 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125

Abby Park: 550 Adams St, Milton, MA 02186

Ashmont Grill: 555 Talbot Ave. Boston MA 02124

 American Provisions: 613 E Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

American Provisions Dorchester: 1971 Dorchester Ave. Boston MA 02124

Assembly: 425 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02171

Atlantic Market Liquors: 243 Atlantic St 247 Unit 1, Quincy, MA 02171

Bin Ends: 236 Wood Road,  Braintree, MA 021841310

Blend: Dorchester Ave, Dorchester MA, 02122

Boston Bowl: 820 William T Morrissey Blvd Boston, MA 02122 

Cape Verdean Liquors: 690 Columbia Rd, Dorchester, MA 02125

Craft and Cru: 25 Central Ave, Milton, MA 02186

Craft Beer Cellar – Fenway: 98 Van Ness Street, Boston, MA, 02215

Craft Beer Cellar – Fort Point: 34 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210

Craft Beer Cellar – Roslindale: 4228 Washington St. Roslindale, MA 02131

Dbar: 1236 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

Five Star Liquors: 197 Worcester St. North Grafton, Ma 01536

Fruit Center: 10 Bassett St, Milton, MA 02186

The Gallows Boston: 1395 Washington Street, Boston MA 02118

Gaslight Brasserie: 50 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02118

Harborpoint Liquors; 45 William T. Morrissey Blvd. Dorchester MA, 02125

Home.stead Bakery & Cafe: 1448 Dorchester Ave Boston, MA 02122

Liquor Land: 1033 Massachusetts Ave. Boston, MA 02118

Lower Mills Tavern: 2269 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02124

Marina Bay Market: 532 Victory Rd, Quincy, MA 02171

Merchant’s Liquor Mart: 88 High St. Danvers, MA 01923

Novara: 556 Adams St, Milton, MA 02186

Reunion Tap and Table: 198 Worcester Street, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536

Polish American Club: 82 Boston St.  Boston Ma, 02125

Savin Hill Wine & Spirits: 1051 Dorchester Ave Boston, MA 02151

Southside Tavern: 73 Liberty St Quincy, MA 02169

Tavolo: 1918 Dorchester Ave. Dorchester, Ma, 02124

The Adams Pub: 29 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02171

The Industry: 750 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02122

Victory Point, Bar & Grill: 332 Victory Rd, Quincy, MA 02171

 

To talk about getting our beer in your establishment, contact us today.

By in Meet Our Team Comments Off on Meet the Team: Joe Carani, Packaging Manager

Meet the Team: Joe Carani, Packaging Manager

You may know all about our folks up front that serve the beer in our Boston brewery..and a little bit about those folks that actually brew the beer. But, there are a bunch of other vital areas of the production process which helps to bring you the freshest craft beer to your bellies. For example, we could not do what we do everyday without our Packaging Team! They are the real heros that manage the process of taking the sweet nectar from product to package so you can drink it up. So, today, we’re excited to introduce you to Joe Carani, our Packaging Manager here at Dorchester Brewing Company.

So, how exactly did a finance guy with a college degree in Political Science/Religion working at a bank in Portland, Oregon trade in his suit for rubber boots in Boston? Joe bought a home brew kit on a whim and basically went crazy getting into it with a buddy of his and his side hobby snowballed from there. Still working in finance, he moved to Illinois and took a side gig as a bartender at a local brewery to continue being around beer as much as possible. He hopped in to help the brewery with some brewing needs and ended up with an actual job in the back of the brewery, working his way up from job to job. He’s done pretty much every position from Racker, Cellar Manager, Brewer, Packaging Manager, which led him to us at DBco!

So, what exactly does Joe do at DBco every day?

  • To start the morning every day, Joe prepares the canning line for production. That means sanitizing it and setting it up to run cans for the day.
  • Next, is actually running the cans. We can run anywhere from 15-20K cans per day with up to two different beers.
  • Some days also involve kegging and racking.
  • At the end of the day, we clean, sanitize, get some more cleaning in and then get prepped and ready for the next morning.
  • Set to repeat!

Where does Joe’s passion lie?

Joe initially thought he wanted to be a brewer when he first got into beer, but he actually found his passion elsewhere in the process…by looking at challenges and fixing problems that arise with his quick-thinking problem solving skills. For example, he’s always looking to create efficiencies to make processes better and faster. Which is a great fit as a Packaging Manager!

Lastly, and most importantly, what beer does Joe like to drink?

His favorites styles to sip on are Kolsch, ESB or Oktoberfest depending on the season of course, but his absolute favorite DBco made beer would have to be our German lager, Zwickelbier.

 

 

 

By in News Comments Off on Oktoberfest at Dorchester Brewing Company

Oktoberfest at Dorchester Brewing Company

Oktoberfest season is upon us!! Consider yourself invited. Saturday, September 23rd. ALL DAY.

We are once again throwing a HUGE bash in the Tap Room to celebrate as the Germans do! We’ll have traditional German food, live music and a very special beer release filled in traditional German liter steins. This festive celebration will make you feel like you’re in Munich! We’ve once again doubled our capacity, so that means we’re opening up the back part of the brewery and more outdoor space to fill everyone in who wants to enjoy fresh beer as the Germans do (without traveling so far).

The Mad Bavarian Brass Band is coming back again this year with their crazy crew to play from 2-5pm. To fill your bellies, Revelry Food Truck will be putting their German spin to their N’Awlins food (Think brat po-boy) and will be serving up their grub from 1-8pm. And, to top things off, DJ’s European Market & Bakery is cooking up some beer-filled pretzels and donuts to add to the mix!
Grab your lederhosen and come on down for lots of fun and a great time!

 

By in Brew Blog Comments Off on Happy Birthday To Us!

Happy Birthday To Us!

As we approach our one year anniversary, we can’t help but remain in awe about how much support and love we’ve gotten from our friends, customers, partners, family, neighbors and industry folks to help us get to this point. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough – you all are the reason why we are celebrating this milestone!!!!

It seems incredible that it was only one year ago when we were planning to open our doors for the very first time and getting all of the last minute details finalized in the tap room and prepping for our ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor. And today we are doing our final prep for our biggest party of the year on Saturday! It seriously went by in the blink of an eye. And, we are beyond thrilled for where we are today and even more invigorated at what’s to come for the future!

Here’s some of the bigger milestones we’ve hit throughout our very first year:

36: Number of Dorchester Brewing Co. Beer Styles Brewed

12: Total Number of Partner Breweries

33: Number of Partners Beer Styles Brewed

4,167: Total Barrels Brewed

33: Total Number of Employees

81: Total Number of Charitable Partners Donated Towards

34: Number of Food Trucks and Vendors Hosted at the Brewery

253: Instagram Pictures Posted

541: Number of Events and Parties Hosted

1,800: Current Barrels Brewing Per Month

LIMITLESS: Happy Customers Who Love Our Beer

Thank you again to everyone that made this last year the best one yet! Please join us in celebrating our birthday on Saturday. The city of Boston has given us a one day permit to double our capacity, so that means no long lines to get in – we’ve got double the space and double the fun. As part of our celebration, we’ve got a pig roast and food from the Bacon Truck, a very limited fresh beer release honoring our 1 year anniversary, live music and LOTS of giveaways, including our limited edition 1 year anniversary glassware, free cupcakes and pretzels and more. Here’s the full schedule:

ALL DAY: Pig Roast, Beer Release and 25% off all Merchandise

Captain Squib BEER RELEASE: To celebrate our one year anniversary, we brewed a classic East Coast IPA fermented with the Sac Trois yeast strain for pronounced pineapple character, accompanied by tropical fruit notes from Idaho 7 and Citra hops. 6.5% ABV

11:30am: Free Custom Limited Edition 1 Year Anniversary Glassware for the first 150 people in the door

12pm-2pm: FREE Soft Pretzels from the guys at Wicked Twisted

12:30-1:30: Special Surprise Musical Guest (may or may not be a large bear playing a keytar) 😉

1pm-8pm: The Bacon Truck (they are serving from their truck and the pig roast should be ready late afternoon around 3ish)

2-5pm: Live music from Summer Beard

6pm: Celebratory Cupcakes for ALL

7:30pm – Close: DJ Sprino Spinning 80’s Dance Party