Summer’s over. Days are shorter. Air is crisp. Flannels come out in abundance. But we’ve got something to cheer you up ... BEER! AND, the amazing people behind the beer (and craft hard seltzer too!)
If you’ve been following along with this blog series, you probably notice a trend: we hire some pretty great people. This next post takes you behind the bar to meet another one of our rock stars.
This is 5 Minutes With ... Kristen Donovan.
If you graduate with a degree in Fermentation Science, there’s a very good chance you are going to brew beer. For Russ Heissner, a 1985 graduate of U.C. Davis, beer making was always the plan. The year he graduated, Harpoon convinced him to come East and put his skills to work there. Fast forward 30+ years, and he’s at Barrel House Z. Now 5 Minutes With … Russ Heissner.
5 Minutes With ...Tim Morrison
How well do you you know BHZ? Sure, you can probably rattle off the year we started brewing and we’d even bet you can name a good number of beers. But you know what really WOWS? Knowing our people!
Keep following our 5 Minutes With … series, come into the taproom, and meet some of the great people that make BHZ happen, like Tim Morrison.
Great beer leads to great company—and at Barrel House Z, we’re spoiled with both!
To show our appreciation, we want to introduce you to someone who has a big impact on the Barrel House Z beers you love. In a year of social distancing, she LITERALLY has a hand (gloved, of course) in brewing all our beers.
Sit back, crack a cold one, and read along. Here’s 5 Minutes With ... Laurel Schenck!
Fun Fact: Brian’s chin hasn’t seen the sun since 2012. We done, sir!
At Barrel House Z, we love brewing. We love making beer and hard seltzer, sharing a pint with friends + neighbors, and providing a warm, welcoming taproom! In order to do what we love, we have a team of talented individuals who keep everything running smoothly. We wouldn’t be here without them.
“5 Minutes With …” will celebrate all the amazing people on Team BHZ. So, without further delay, we’re kicking off with Brian Quinlan.
What’s your position at Barrel House Z? I’m a server. I’ve also helped the brewers and worked the door.
How long have you worked at here? A little over 2 years.
What makes Barrel House Z such a great place to work? Staff and guests. Our staff is a wily, eclectic bunch whose professions and talents extend far + wide. The mix of different voices from the staff AND guests creates an ever-interesting environment.
Why should beer enthusiasts visit? The beer—and hard seltzer! We’re always producing interesting, complex pours. We’ve got our core beers, as well as some rare birds, which keep people coming back.
Favorite thing about working in the craft beer? Herman Melville once wrote, "There is all the difference in the world between paying and being paid.” I try to practice that philosophy with all my hobbies, especially when it comes to going to breweries and trying new beers.
Favorite beer … at BHZ and of all time? Right now, my favorite BHZ beer is Townie. It’s well balanced, which is what I look for in almost any beer. My all-time favorite would be BHZ’s Blonde Bomber. It was a complex, rich, coffee barrel-aged blonde, spiced with orange peel, and for 10% - 12% ABV, deceptively smooth.
If you could have a beer with anyone–dead or alive–who would it be and why? My mom, she passed when I was 21. I could going on and on about how amazing it would be to talk to authors and storytellers whose ideas inspire me. However, none of them holds a candle to my mom.
Favorite non-alcoholic beverage? Coffee. When done right, coffee, much like pizza and beer, is incredible.
Ocean or lake? Lake, but I go both ways.
What skill should everyone have? The ability to prepare a meal. You don’t have to be a five-star chef, but everyone should be able to make a meal.
Josh Sarnowitz | contributor
Josh is a communications professional and craft beer enthusiast. He’s a Massachusetts native who recently moved back the South Shore. (Welcome back, Josh!) When not visiting new breweries or playing sports, you can find him fishing – follow along on IG @ExploreTheShoreFishing
Four Years Strong
As most of you know, June is our 4th year anniversary month (woohoo!!) We’re proud and humbled by the journey we’ve been on since 2016. Even during challenging times, it’s important to take a moment to celebrate all that we’ve been accomplished and all that we’re looking forward to.
Truth told: we love hard seltzer.
This love isn’t unconditional though: we only love really good hard seltzer. Hard seltzer that’s brewed in small batches. That uses natural fruit for flavor. That pours with a beautiful haze. Our lemon hard seltzer just re-released and as always, it’s gloriously hazy and bursting with lemon. BHZ seltzer fans love every tart, crisp, refreshing, and low-ABV sip (only 4% ).
It’s also worth noting that our hard lemon seltzer possesses a wonderful, super-power as a mix-in. In fact, you can have a whole lot of quarantine fun playing mixologist. And if you need a few drink ideas to get you started on this fun, new side hustle, read on. We’ve got you covered.
