Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Greene, Matt Elder and Kyle Hansen.
Kristin, Matt, and Kyle, please share your story with us.
All three of us had non-brewing careers before moving into the craft beer world. Matt and Kyle, who were both avid homebrewers, decided to follow their brewing passion and were hired by Georgetown Brewing in Seattle around the same time. They got to know each working similar shifts and Matt soon shared his plan to eventually move back East and open up a microbrewery in his hometown. Kyle was interested in the northeast as the next step in his brewing career and ultimately decided to join Matt in the move to Massachusetts in fall 2016. I, a longtime craft beer lover, also decided to take the leap from a Marketing role at Google and join Matt and Kyle as the third Untold partner.
Scituate was always our #1 location for the brewery, as Matt and Kristin grew up there and we wanted to give back to the town where we were raised. We were fortunate to connect with the owner of a commercial lot in town and built a 5,000 square foot facility from the ground up (which our landlord owns and of which we are tenants). The brewery footprint includes a production space with a 15-barrel brewing system, bar, patio, and a taproom seating area that was formerly a 19th century Scituate schoolhouse (and which still has the original schoolhouse chalkboard on the wall!).
We opened doors on Friday, October 13, 2017 and have been overwhelmed by the community’s response since that day, whether it’s through people visiting the taproom, requesting our beer on tap at area bars/restaurants, or posting social media love. We have such a passion for what we do and want to build a community in Scituate and the South Shore centered around our beer, and feel so fortunate to have been able to do that.
The Untold name comes from the Maya Angelou quote “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Building this brewery has felt like our collective untold stories being told – the three of us all had very different paths that led us to craft beer, and a desire to turn our love for craft into something we could share with others is what brought Untold to life. Our mantra “every beer has a story” plays off of Angelou’s quote, as the stories of our own lives and those around us continually inspire the beer we brew.
Has it been a smooth road?
We experience challenges every single day but that’s part of the fun of small business ownership. There’s no clear blueprint for a new business, so every day we are problem solving and adjusting our approach to make this the best brewery we can. If we were able to plan the layout of our production area and taproom again, for example, we’d likely change a number of things based on experience and living in our space for almost a year now. But at the end of the day navigating all of the challenges and learning from them is part of the enjoyment in what we do. We’ve also been very lucky to hire a fantastic, hard-wording crew in our taproom staff, who are able to change course with us and have taken on so much more than just pouring beer or assisting with production. They’re always willing to adjust on the fly and they do it all with a smile.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Untold Brewing story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a microbrewery with full taproom and patio seating located in Scituate, MA. We have 12 taps and our beers span the spectrum of craft styles. We always have a selection of flagships beers on tap including IPAs and pale ales, but also like to brew seasonal styles such as light, citrusy beers in the spring/summer and more complex malt-forward offerings in the fall/winter. We also have some barrel aged beer in the works and are always exploring new styles and new ways to approach beer. One example of this is a “Tap 12” series we have, in which we take an existing beer on tap and infuse it with new flavor profiles. Some Tap 12 releases include an Oatmeal Stout infused with cold brew coffee and a Pale Ale infused with orange zest, sweet orange peel, and whole Madagascar vanilla beans.
We offer full pours off our 12 tap lines which guests can enjoy in the renovated 19th century schoolhouse that acts as our taproom. We host different events in the taproom such as taproom yoga and live music, and partner with local chefs/restaurants to incorporate food offerings via food trucks, pop-ups, and beer dinners. If folks want to take our beer home with them we also have growlers, crowlers, and 4-packs of cans.
We’ve also expanded into the craft beer market outside of the taproom via self-distribution. Our beer is available on tap and in cans at a number of bars, restaurants, and liquor stores in the greater South Shore area, and we’re continually expanding that footprint.
We’re incredibly proud to have built a community in Scituate and beyond around our beer, and the response we’ve received from the public and the love they’ve shown has meant so much to us. We’re also proud to be able to partner with and support our fellow small business owners on the South Shore. In everything from brewing to merchandise to taproom food, we try to partner with local businesses whenever we can and have made connections with some amazing folks.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We can’t predict where the industry will go over the next 5-10 years and not knowing is part of what makes it great. Five years ago everyone was making enamel-ripping, bitter IPAs and now the trend is to make the least bitter IPA possible. The IPA style overall has solidified its place as the most popular for the foreseeable future but craft lagers, and Pilsners in particular, seem to be popping up all over the place. A good number of brewers seem to be turning to Pilsners as their personal beer of choice and that can often dictate what the next big style will be.
One trend we expect to continue is the consumer focus on hyperlocal craft beer in what they support and buy. Not only are people seeking out craft beer in growing numbers, they want that beer to be locally produced. Consumers are becoming very knowledgeable and educated craft beer drinkers, which we love to see. When they visit our taproom they ask us about the hops we use, the fermentation process, etc. This interest in the science of beer and the desire to support local breweries will ultimately help the hyperlocal craft beer movement continue to thrive.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6 Old Country Way
Scituate, MA 02066 - Website: untoldbrewing.com
- Phone: 781-378-0559
- Email: info@untoldbrewing.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/untoldbrewing
- Facebook: facebook.com/untoldbrewing
- Twitter: twitter.com/untoldbrewing
- Yelp: yelp.com/biz/untold-brewing-scituate
- Other: untappd.com/UntoldBrewing
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