Weymouth, MA – Barrel House Z -a collaborative, small-batch brewery dedicated to barrel-aged beer – announces that it has found a site just south of Boston in Weymouth, MA. The brewery will be capable of producing between 2,000 and 4,000 barrels of beer each year, with beer expected for sale by the second quarter of 2016. Brewery tours will begin in mid-2016 and a tasting room is being planned to open later that year. Founder, Russ Heissner notes, “We are thrilled to call Weymouth home.”
The 9,750 sq. ft., free-standing building is located just off Washington Street on Woodrock Road. According to Heissner, “We’ve been in planning-mode since last May and can’t wait to start brewing beer.” Construction of the brewery is set to begin in early 2016.
As a small-batch brewery, Barrel House Z will also be an incubator for new talent, creating a rotating line up of collaborative barrel-aged beers with up & coming brewers. Heissner adds, “I’m excited to work with talented people full of great ideas – next-generation brewers who craft beer lovers need to discover.”
Heissner, a pioneer in craft brewing, is a graduate of the U.C. Davis Fermentation Sciences department and veteran of Harpoon Brewery. He was the company’s first brewer in 1986. Heissner left Harpoon in 1992, but the relationship has always remained strong. He even contributed to Harpoon’s long-standing 100-Barrel Series while working at Verenium Corporation (acquired by BP Biofuels in 2010) as a technology manager developing cellulosic ethanol fuel.
In mid-2015, Heissner left corporate life after BP ended its run in the biofuel business. Given his early roots in brewing – and ongoing love of craft beer – a return to brewing had always been on his mind. Coming back to craft beer was a natural next step. Heissner notes, “I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.” And so, Barrel House Z began.
Harpoon Brewery and Boston-based Bully Boy Distillers are partners in Barrel House Z, both owning minority shares. In addition, Harpoon will supply wort from their 10-barrel pilot system. Bully Boy Distillers will provide the barrels needed for the aging process.
The first beers are scheduled for release in 2016 and will be the first in an ongoing series of barrel-aged collaborations with the brewing staff at Harpoon. The first incubator series of collaborations will be released later 2016.
About Barrel House Z
In 1986, Russ Heissner arrived in Boston with a degree from U.C. Davis in Fermentation Science and much enthusiasm. His mission? First brew master at Harpoon Brewery.
Now a new adventure begins: Barrel House Z, already dubbed BHZ Brewing by friends and family.
BHZ is dedicated to small batch, barrel-aged brewing, with beer created collaboratively by Russ and promising brewers. At BHZ, we are happy to report we have some partners with considerable know-how: Harpoon Brewery and Bully Boy Distillers.
The brewery, located in Weymouth, Massachusetts, will deliver an ever-innovating selection of beer to people passionate about craft brewing.