Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | September 17, 2018 | wbjournal.com Redemption Rock Brewing Co. looks to join the city's craft beer scene by December Worcester's fifth brewery BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer W orcester's fih brew- ery and second on Shrewsbury Street hopes to jump into the Central Massa- chusetts cra beer scene later this year. Redemption Rock Brewing Co. is currently building out its 6,000-square- foot space in the former Coca-Cola bottling plant on the street dubbed Restaurant Row. Co-owner and CEO Danielle Babineau and Head Brewer Greg Carlson said construction on the space in the 78-year-old building has commenced. e couple have been leas- ing the space since January and began demolition work shortly aer. Aside from a mural at what will be made into an indoor patio space, the space is empty. eir business plan is about six years in the making, which started when Babineau le her career as an architect to pursue an MBA at Babson College. She graduated in 2015 with plans to open a brewery with boyfriend Carlson, a longtime brewer currently with Framingham beermaker Jack's Abby Cra Lagers. Since then, the pair has been per- fecting recipes, securing a location and obtaining financing. Now, they look to join the city's small but lively cra beer scene. e brewery could be the second to open in Worcester in 2018, and the city's fih overall. Greater Good Impe- rial Brewing Co. opened on Millbrook St. in March. e three other breweries in Worcester are Wormtown Brewery on Shrewsbury Street, 3Cross Fermenta- tion Cooperative on Knowlton Avenue, and Flying Dreams Brewing Co. on Park Avenue. Providing drinkability e cra beer scene in Massachusetts is becoming competitive, with 166 cra breweries in the state, according to local beer blog Mass Brew Bros. Redemption Rock could be the 16th visitable cra brewery in the Central Mass. region. However, the couple behind Redemp- tion Rock feel the state's second-largest city has much more market capacity. "Worcester can definitely support a lot more breweries," Babineau said. According to Carlson, the brewery will make beer via a 10-barrel system ca- tering to every beer drinker, but slightly more toward the drinkability side. e American IPA trend will still be represented at Redemption Rock, but Carslon said he'll also begin with some seasonals, pilsners and a creamy ale for the summer. e space is being designed as a cafe or hangout spot of sorts with couches and colorful designs. As such, the beer won't be overly heavy in alcohol. To start, Redemption Rock will sport four to six beers on tap, but that will eventually expand given the 12 tap lines being installed. Thinking beyond financials Like most cra brewers, the company plans to source local ingredients, but its corporate structure makes it unique among other brewers in the state. Redemption Rock is a benefit corpo- ration, which per state law, is a company considering the social and environmen- tal impacts of its decision making. Breweries coming up in this new wave of local cra beer have taken on The couple behind Redemption Rock Brewing Co., Greg Carlson (left) and Danielle Babineau A rendering of the interior of Redemption Rock's proposed space inside its Shrewsbury Street facility. PHOTO/ZACHARY COMEAU Wormtown Brewery Location: Shrewsbury Street Executives: David Fields, managing partner; Ben Roesch, brewmaster & founder Signature beer: Be Hoppy IPA 3Cross Fermentation Cooperative Location: Knowlton Avenue Founder: Dave Howland Signature beer: Single-speed with Idaho 7 pale ale Flying Dreams Brewing Co. Location: Park Avenue Founder: Dave Richardson Signature beer: Dreaming of Summer, American saison Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. Location: Millbrook Street Founder: Paul Wengender Signature beer: Evana Russian imperial stout Redemption Rock Brewing Co.* Location: Shrewsbury Street Executives: Danielle Babineau, co- owner and CEO; Greg Carlson, head brewer Signature beer: TBA, but will lean toward drinkability Worcester's breweries *Coming in 2018 Sources: Individual brewery websites

• Cover