Below you will find profiles on a few of our member brewers, more coming soon!
Erin Miller
Farm Road Brewing Bennington, Vermont
Where do you work and what’s your current position?
EM: I am the Taproom Manager/Assistant Brewer at Farm Road Brewing in Bennington, Vermont.
What are some of your day to day responsibilities?
EM: Day to day responsibilities largely involve managing the taproom, waiting on customers,, maintaining cleanliness of the taproom and bathrooms. Canning days I assist the brewer in the canning and labeling process prior to opening the taproom. On brew days I arrive early and assist the brewer in the brewing process beginning with gathering ingredients and grinding the grain through completion prior to opening the taproom.
What drew you to the beer industry/how did you get into the beer industry?
EM: I have long enjoyed craft beer and visiting breweries both locally and whenever traveling. When looking for a change in jobs I knew I wanted to be in an industry and environment that I found interesting, progressive and fun. I was delighted to find that Farm Road Brewing was opening in downtown Bennington and I reached out to the owner/brewer, Seth Barrows to see if he might be in need of part time help. After a few months of working in the taproom part-time, I left my previous employment and came on as the full time taproom manager. More recently, Seth has taken me on as assistant brewer and is teaching me so much about the whole process from creating recipes through canning. So far, it’s been great and I’m excited to continue to learn and have fun at work.
What did you do before you worked in beer?
EM: I was a paralegal and office manager for eight and a half years.
What’s something unexpected about your current role or past experiences?
EM: Just how physical brewing beer is – I wake up the day after a brew day surprisingly sore. But I feel myself getting stronger and I love that!
Where is your favorite place to drink a beer?
EM: Right now – at the base of the mountain after a day of skiing. In the summer months, often it’s while relaxing in a kayak, floating on a lake and soaking up the sun. But really, anywhere I’m with good company and the beer is fresh and cold.
What’s your go-to beer? from your brewery and not from your brewery
EM: So hard to choose! From our brewery, currently loving our Christmas Ale – a maple scotch ale brewed with local maple syrup. Not from our brewery – recently found Fiddlehead’s Ghost Hits Pale Ale and enjoy that whenever available.
What’s currently on your playlist?
EM: A little bit of everything but my SirusiXM radio is usually set to Outlaw Country, Jam On, or Phish Radio.
What style of beer would you like to see more of?
EM: Cream ale, Wee Heavy, Brown Ale, Pale Ale
What’s your favorite part of the Vermont beer industry?
EM: The people and the story behind their beer – why and where they started brewing.
What’s your favorite beer and food pairing?
EM: Cheese.
How do you spend your time when you’re not working?
EM: Skiing whenever possible with my husband, walking our dog, working on our home.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
EM: Skiing, kayaking, long walks.
What’s your favorite, or dream travel destination?
EM: Ireland and Germany.
Farm Road Brewing
400 Main Street
Bennington, VT 05201
(802) 440-5121
Veteran owned brewery in the heart of downtown Bennington, Vermont.
Rachel Martel
Harpoon Brewery Windsor, VT
Where do you work and what’s your current position?
RM: I am a QA/QC Lab Technician at Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, VT
What are some of your day to day responsibilities?
She shares these tasks with Brett Simmons (Brewer)
Qualify our packaging line for proper products + dates
Calculating IBUs and color of bottled beer and wort
Checking dissolved oxygen levels in bottled beer throughout packaging run
Grab samples from tanks/vessels throughout the brewery
Plating samples ranging from yeast to finished bottled beer to check for microbial contamination
PCR analysis to identify/confirm microbial contamination
Water quality + titrations
Sensory analysis tasting panels
Maintaining clean and organized workspace/equipment
Providing quality assurance even after our products are in market + our taprooms!
What drew you to the beer industry/how did you get into the beer industry?
RM: I was in college and needed a summer job. A friend put me in touch with the Taproom manager and I worked as a server in the restaurant for 4 years. In 2020 I assisted part-time in the lab and was hired full-time this summer! It was a smooth transition, and I am so excited to work with beer on a different level!
What did you do before you worked in beer?
RM: I received my bachelor’s degree in Biology and continued working in the Taproom. I had no idea that I could apply my studies to quality control in the beer industry, until an opportunity arose in the lab.
What’s something unexpected about your current role or past experiences?
RM: I didn’t realize how much math and science are involved throughout the beer making process.
Where is your favorite place to drink a beer?
RM: On a summer day, with friends, usually by a body of water ?
What’s your go-to beer? from your brewery and not from your brewery
RM: Any type of sour. I love them!
What’s currently on your playlist?
RM: Alternative rock, Indie, Pop, Jazz… depends on what I’m feeling that day!
What style of beer would you like to see more available?
RM: Sours!
What’s your favorite part of the Vermont beer industry?
RM: The vibe. I have never had a bad time at a brewery in VT. Everybody is engaging, welcoming, fun, and truly loves beer. It’s hard to describe because it’s a feeling!
What’s your favorite beer and food pairing?
RM: Oh my. Probably any type of dessert and a stout.
How do you spend your time when you’re not working?
RM: With friends, family, a good book and any outdoor adventures.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
RM: Paddle boarding, hiking, swimming.
What’s your favorite, or dream travel destination?
RM: I want to visit everywhere in the Mediterranean. And Antarctica.
Harpoon Brewery
336 Ruth Carney Drive
Windsor, VT 05089
(802) 674-5491