Brew Gentleman Hires Stone Senior Brewer Tom Ferguson

Brew Gentlemen in Braddock, Pennsylvania has announced the hiring of Tom Ferguson as head brewer, who formerly was Senior Brewer at Stone Brewing Co.

The full release from the brewery is below.

BRADDOCK, Pa. — Brew Gentlemen announces the hire of Tom Ferguson as Head Brewer in order to launch and scale a new expanded production facility as well as oversee all existing systems and production in the current brewhouse.

With seven years of experience in breweries of various sizes and levels of automation, Ferguson has proven experience in fermentation science, brewing processes, and sanitation. His belief in doing things correctly the first time, with a constant focus on safety, quality, and efficiency will optimally position Brew Gentlemen to capitalize on the success of the company’s current portfolio and further establish the Brew Gentlemen brand while scaling the brewhouse operation.

Brewing at Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, Ferguson was promoted to Senior Brewer and charged with launching a second East Coast production facility in Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Ferguson leaves Richmond to join the Brew Gentlemen team with the goal of returning to his hometown of Pittsburgh.

“Tom’s experience at the 9th largest craft brewery in the country will be invaluable as we scale Brew Gentlemen’s operations and production. We look forward to having him as part of our team and are proud to be able to provide a job opportunity for a Pittsburgher to return home,” states Matthew Katase, CEO of Brew Gentlemen.

As Senior Brewer at Stone Richmond, Tom oversaw an approximate annual production of 150,000 bbls. With a thorough knowledge of recipe development, he understands the nuances of portfolio management, data analytics related to use of raw materials, and quality assurance. Constantly engaged in process documentation and procedure creation for all areas of the brewery, Ferguson focused on continuous improvement and efficiency projects while managing procedures, procuring materials, coordinating brewing staff, and overseeing daily production on the floor.

Brewing at Stone’s Escondido facility, Tom participated in peak production periods of 80+ brews per week running 24/7 with a focus on monitoring fermentation and processing cellar work.

Tom was educated at the World Brewing Academy, a joint venture between Siebel Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL) and Doemens Academy (Munich, Germany). Tom holds a Master Brewer Certificate in Brewing Technology and Science. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

About Brew Gentlemen

Brew Gentlemen aims to create soft, balanced and elegant beers and meaningful experiences while helping revitalize the historic steel town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. The company was born out of the desire to carve our own path, build for the long term, while choosing to care in everything we take on. 

Brew Gentlemen announced its expansion at the start of 2019. Plans include the renovation of a 28,000 sq. foot property adjacent to the company’s current Mon Valley taproom and brewhouse to include a full-scale production facility, in which Brew Gentlemen beer will be produced and canned at a greatly increased capacity on a 20bbl American made Sprinkman Brewing System. Increased production will allow Brew Gentlemen to fill a market gap by distributing their flagship beer, General Braddock’s IPA, as a consistently available, quality choice. All operations in the existing taproom and brewery will continue in tandem in their current form. The purpose of the expansion is to provide more beer, for more people, in a more convenient way.

Through these developments, Brew Gentlemen is proud to be able to double down on investing in Braddock. We want to be good neighbors, build something special, and continue to reinvest in the historic town that’s become our company’s home.