Worcester Business Journal

14 Worcester Business Journal | September 30, 2019 | wbjournal.com F O C U S F O O D & D R I N K I S S U E Untapped potential Worcester's beer scene is growing, but there's room for many more beer companies BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer I n less than a decade, Worcester went from having no cra brew- eries to five in 2019, and by 2022, at least eight brand names will produce beer within city limits. Despite the rapid increase of Worcester breweries, industry leaders say the city has room for several more before it is ele- vated to the status of popular beer towns like Portland, Maine and Asheville, N.C. In a June study by Illinois online mar- ketplace Bid-on-Equipment, Worcester ranked as the 26th best U.S. city in which to open a brewery. ose cities were ranked on criteria including state excise tax, population aged over 21, licensing fees and breweries per capita. "ere is a ton of space for breweries in Worcester," said Dani Babineau, CEO of Redemption Rock Brewing in Worces- ter."It should be higher on that list." With five breweries Worcester has 1.3 breweries per 50,000 people, which was tied for the lowest on the Bid-on-Equip- ment list out of 30 cities. Burlington, Vt. and Portland, Maine are famous beer towns attracting visitors from far and wide, with 11 and 20 brew- eries boasting some of the biggest names in cra beer like Magic Hat Brewery and Allagash Brewing Co. but with popula- tions of 42,200 and 66,900, respectively. at comes out to 13 and 17 breweries per 50,000 people, respectively. Worcester's rising brewery potential Wormtown Brewery was the first to open in 2010, followed by 3Cross Fermentation Cooperative in 2013 and Flying Dreams Brewing Co. in 2015. Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. opened on Millbrook Street in March 2018 and Redemption Rock opened on Shrewsbury Street in January. Over the next two years, three more breweries will open facilities in Worces- ter. Wachusett Brewing Co., already a well-established New England brewer based in Westminster, will open a brew- ery and taproom on Kelley Square this fall. Bay State Brewing Co. will open in the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center in late 2019 or early 2020. By 2021's end, Greater Good plans to move sister brand Soul Purpose to a standalone spot in Union Station's parking garage. For Bart Watson, chief economist for national trade group Brewers Associa- tion, a city becomes a beer town when the industry fuels local tourism. at's the case in Portland, Burlington, Ashe- ville, and West Coast cities like Denver and Seattle, but so far, not Worcester. "It's where the brand of being a brew- ery from a certain city helps you out in the world," Watson said. "If you're a brewery from Portland, it's a sign that you've made it." However, Worcester's stock as a beer Wormtown Brewery is the oldest of the city's breweries, manufactures the most barrels of beer and attracts crowds to its Shrewsbury Street taproom. Redemption Rock CEO Dani Babineau (right), with head of marketing Dan Carlson, believes with the proper support, Worcester can become a well-known beer town. PHOTO/ALLAN JUNG

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