From grain to glass: the Gentile Brewing philosophy

If you've spent any time exploring Beverly, Massachusetts, you've probably noticed something happening here.

New restaurants. A thriving arts scene. A downtown that feels less like a pass-through and more like a destination. And tucked into a 132-year-old building on Park Street, one of the anchors of that energy: Gentile Brewing Company.

Ever since we opened our doors to the public on March 4, 2016, we have been refining the experience our customers have when they walk through our doors. The warm, familiar feeling you get is a product of our core beliefs: family and dog friendly, a sense of community, and beer that isn’t too fussy.

A big, huge thank you to the Gordon College seniors who were interested in making a video for us as part of their final project for their marketing class. Luke Pollack, Nick Cannella, Suzy Williams and Luke Glenn, thank you so very much. You were professional, accommodating and uncompromising in your desire to create a perfect finished product. And also, a big thank you to our customers who agreed to be featured.

Our "grain to glass" approach

Craft brewers love their phrases, but this one earns it.

Every beer we make starts with raw ingredients (grain and hops) and gets transformed through the art and science of brewing into something worth pouring into a glass. No shortcuts. No mystery ingredients. Just a process Paul has spent years refining, first at Ipswich Ale Brewery and then here on Park Street at our very own brewery (which was also Beverly's first craft taproom #humblebrag).

Our approach focuses on tradition without being stuck in it.

Of course we offer the classic year-round lineup from a blonde ale and an IPA, to a porter and a stout. But we allow ourselves room to play, too. Seasonal releases, small-batch experiments, and our Di·ver·gent IPA series give us a chance to push boundaries without abandoning what makes our beer approachable in the first place.

The philosophy is simple: good beer should be enjoyed, not fussed over. You don't need to know the difference between a crystal malt and a base malt to have a great time here. That's kind of the point, right??

Why our taproom matters

A lot of breweries make good beer. Fewer of them make you feel like you actually belong there.

We've always designed the taproom as a community gathering space. And not in a vague, marketing-speak kind of way. If you can't bring the whole community into one space, you can't really call it a community space.

In practice, that means we welcome young parents with newborns, regulars who've been coming since opening weekend, grandparents, dogs, people who've never tried a craft beer in their life, and people who could talk your ear off about hop varieties for an hour. Everyone gets a barstool. Everyone gets a pour. The beer is the starting point — the conversation is the whole thing.

Gentile means family. It always has.

Worth the trip to Beverly

If you're looking for something to do on the North Shore, we'd love to be your answer. We're a short drive from Salem, Danvers, and beyond — and once you're in Beverly, you're already close to great restaurants, the waterfront, and a downtown that rewards a little wandering.

Stop in on a Friday or Saturday, try a flight, and talk to us. Chances are Paul is behind the bar. He'll tell you exactly what's in your glass and why he brewed it that way.

That's grain to glass. And that's Gentile Brewing.