Head Brewer – Ground Floor / Founding Role

Head Brewer – Ground Floor Opportunity

Curiosity Brewing Company

Somerville, MA

Full-Time

Curiosity Brewing Company is a taproom-first brewery currently in development in the heart of Somerville, MA, slated to open in Q4 2026. We are building a 10 BBL urban taproom brewery with a strong focus on hazy and hop-forward beers, complemented by styles desired by our community: sours, lagers, and innovative low-abv beers. We will serve our taproom first, with limited local distribution, aiming to produce approximately 600 BBL in year one, with a planned ramp to 1,000 BBL by year three.

We are seeking a Head Brewer to join us at the ground floor and play a central role in shaping our brewing operations, beer identity, and long-term standards. This is a hands-on leadership position with meaningful influence, growth potential, and equity opportunity for the right candidate.

The Role

The Head Brewer will be responsible for the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of all brewing operations, from raw materials through finished beer, while defining the brewery’s process standards and quality philosophy from day one.

This is a founding, hands-on role. The Head Brewer will initially operate the brewery independently, owning day-to-day brewing, cellaring, and production decisions, while building the systems, workflows, and standards that will support the brewery as it scales.

The Head Brewer will partner directly with the CEO/ownership as part of the core leadership team, collaborating on the long-term vision, beer direction, and operational roadmap of the brewery. As the business grows, this role will evolve into leading, hiring, and developing a production team.

This role blends deep technical brewing expertise with leadership, collaboration, and a strong process mindset. The ideal candidate is deeply committed to quality, obsessed with process improvement, and excited to build a brewery intentionally and sustainably from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities

Brewing, Quality & Process

Own all aspects of beer production from raw materials through finished beer, setting the foundational standards for quality, consistency, and execution.

• Independently operate a 10 BBL brewhouse and cellar, including milling, mashing, lautering, boiling, fermentation, dry hopping, conditioning, and packaging
• Lead yeast management, fermentation monitoring, and sensory evaluation
• Establish and maintain best-in-class brewing processes, with particular attention to oxygen management and process control in hop-forward beers
• Develop, refine, and document the brewery’s foundational brewing SOPs and quality standards to ensure consistency, repeatability, and quality as the brewery scales
• Systematically troubleshoot process, equipment, and quality issues

Operations, Planning & Systems

Own the operational planning and systems required to run the brewery day to day, while building workflows that will support Curiosity’s growth over time.

• Lead production scheduling and execution aligned with taproom demand
• Manage ingredient sourcing, ordering, inventory, and supplier relationships
• Establish and track production data systems, and continuously identify opportunities for process improvement, efficiency, and waste reduction
• Oversee cleaning, sanitation, and preventative maintenance of brewing and cellar equipment
• Maintain a safe, organized, clean, and well-run brewhouse environment in compliance with all applicable safety, health, and regulatory requirements

Leadership & Growth

Partner closely with ownership on the long-term vision, beer identity, and production planning that define the brewery.

• Serve as the technical and operational leader of the brewery from day one
• Establish a brewing culture centered on quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Hire, train, and mentor production staff as the brewery grows
• Support taproom staff education and occasional public-facing brewery activities as needed

Ideal Candidate

• Deeply process-driven with a relentless focus on quality and consistency
• Excited to brew hazy and hop-forward beers, with strong technical discipline
• Curious, thoughtful, and motivated to improve systems over time
• Strong communicator who enjoys collaboration and shared problem-solving
• Comfortable leading independently while working closely with ownership
• Interested in building and growing a team as the brewery expands
• Excited to make decisions and set standards in an early-stage brewery environment.

Qualifications

• Head Brewer or Lead Brewer experience, with demonstrated ability to independently run a commercial brewing operation
• Proven experience stepping into an existing brewhouse and operating it confidently from day one
• Strong understanding of brewing science, fermentation, yeast management, and hop-forward beer production
• Experience with recipe development, production planning, and quality control
• 5+ years of commercial brewing experience overall
• Mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot brewery equipment
• Formal brewing education a plus, but not required

Physical Requirements

• Ability to regularly lift up to 55 lbs, maneuver up to 160 lbs, and perform physically demanding work in a wet, hot brewery environment, including standing, bending, climbing, and safely operating equipment for extended periods.

Compensation & Growth

• $75k-85k base salary
• Performance bonus
• Equity opportunity
• Leadership growth as the brewery scales
• Opportunity to help shape brewhouse design and participate in pre-opening planning and operations

How to Apply

Please send a resume and brief note of interest to: nick [at] curiosity.beer

We’re additionally happy to answer questions prior to any application, or share more information about the brewery, vision, and current project status.

All inquiries will be kept confidential.