Meet Brian Burke

Q: You’ve had a pretty unique path, from business professional to passionate home brewer to brewery founder, and now part of the team at Mighty Squirrel. What first sparked your interest in brewing?

A: When I get out of college in 1989, the craft beer world was in a very early stage of growth, and it piqued my interest. I enjoyed trying new and different styles. In 1991 a good friend of mine moved to the West Coast and he did not have room to take his homebrew kit with him. He asked if I wanted it and I figured why not. I'll give it a try. I brewed a couple batches, and really enjoyed the process. I quickly moved from simple extract brewing to full all-grain brewing. It would remain just a hobby for another 25 years or so, while I pursued a career in IT project management.

Q: At what point did home brewing go from “fun hobby” to “maybe I should actually do this for a living”?

A: Around 2012, I purchased a home in Watertown. With extra space in the basement, I started adding more and more brewing equipment. Professional level stuff at a home brewing scale. I built an Irish pub in my basement and I had 5 taps of my own beer flowing. 

At that time I was working as a IT project manager for a major bank and working from home. Somewhere along the way, it was far more interesting being in my basement brewing beer, than it was being upstairs at my desk. 

Around that time craft beer was really growing, and I started to see the possibility of making a career of it. So I sold my house and went to brew school in Chicago and Munich, Germany.

Q: Every brewery has a story. What was the vision behind the brewery you opened?

A:  I never aspired to have a large production brewery. My goal was to have a taproom in a local community where I could sell the majority of my product on-site. To be part of the community. I had a quote from W.B. Yeats on my wall, and on some of my merchandise. It read “There are no strangers here; only friends that you haven’t yet met”.  That sentiment informed how I and my staff treated everyone that walked through the door.

Over time, not only did we know all customers' names, but our customers knew each other as well. It was a special place.

Q: What were some of the most rewarding moments from running your own brewery? And what did you learn when the business didn’t succeed?

A: The two-year anniversary of my brewery fell on the first day of the Covid lockdown. We had just started finding our stride at that point, and to say this was a challenging twist would be an understatement. 

However, like many businesses, we were granted the ability to set up and operate outdoors. We put up a tent out in front of the strip mall we were located in, along the side of Route 3, with cars flying by us. 

What could’ve been a challenging Summer ended up being a special time. After a couple of months of being isolated, our community was eager to come back, even with restrictions. We made the most of it. The highlight of that year was our 2020 “Socially Distant Oktoberfest”.

Q: Looking back now, is there anything you’d do differently — or advice you’d give someone thinking about opening a brewery today?

A:  I probably wouldn’t change a whole lot. I ultimately launched and ran the brewery the way I wanted to, and I got the reception I wanted. I grew up on the South Shore, and although my time there was very special, I did really want to have my brewery in the Watertown area. The process of trying to do so drew out longer than I would’ve liked, which created problems. But I liked what we did there in our Hanover location. I wouldn’t change much there. 

Opening a brewery today is much different than it was when I did so 10 years ago. Cash flow is critical. Have more reserves than you think you will need. Focusing on the quality of the beer is a must, and find your community. Today it’s very important to have a broader array of non-beer products, and a food program of some sort has become an expectation. 

Q: How did you land at Mighty Squirrel, and what has that transition been like?

A: When my brewery closed, I really just needed to find some work. I was content to accept a summer gig at another local brewery running a beer garden for the Summer and re-group.

But the position at Mighty Squirrel opened up, and it was a great opportunity. I started there a week after I closed my brewery. While I probably could’ve used a little bit of a break, I was thrown right into a position in a fast growing brewery. Ultimately that ended up being a great thing. The pace of growth has been fast, and I had little time to think about a transition!

Q: I know you’ve got some big things happening at Mighty Squirrel just now – want to share them?

A; When I started at Mighty Squirrel 3 years ago this week, we had one location and were distributing in two states. We now have three brick and mortar locations, and a large beer garden, and are distributing in 7 states. We went from having food truck partners in our parking lot to having kitchens in our taprooms and our own food program. 

This summer, we will be running a beer garden at the historic Gore Place estates in Watertown. It’s been a very exciting place to be!

Q: What excites you most about the craft beer scene right now?

A: While craft beer has hit some headwinds in the last couple of years, craft brewers have always been highly resilient and adaptive. Focus on quality is critical, and innovation is important. In addition to classic craft beer styles, it is important to have an array of products, including non-beer beer options.  Non-alcohol beers have also become an important offering.

Q: So what originally brought you to Watertown, and what do you like most about the community?

A: Watertown is a perfect balance of suburban style living with close proximity to urban amenities. The Charles River is a treasure. I have run probably 1000 miles along its banks. I love that I can take public transportation and be in Harvard Square in 15 minutes. I love the investment the city has been making in its parks and public spaces.

Q: Do you still brew at home just for fun, or does working in brewing all day change that relationship?

I don’t currently brew in my role. When I closed my brewery, I had to make a choice between being a brewer or being part of business operations. I chose the latter. When I ran my brewery I brewed hundreds of batches commercially. I got my fill of it! And I no longer have time to brew at home. We do have a cool pilot brewing system at our Watertown location that someday I would like to get my hands on!