CHARLOTTE, N.C.— Resident Culture Brewing has named industry veteran Erin Jordan head brewer of the wildly popular Charlotte brewery. Jordan, who recently celebrated her two-year anniversary with the award-winning brewery, takes over the position of head brewer from co-founder Chris Tropeano, who was in the role until last year when his title changed to Director of Brewing Operations to better reflect the extent of his responsibilities.
“We decided to wait to fill that position out of a desire to make sure we had the right person for such an important role. This meant someone who was not only a great brewer and leader, but also embodied our core values,” says Resident Culture CEO and co-founder Amanda McLamb. “Erin checks all of those boxes and then some.”
Jordan, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., grew up in Asheville and played soccer at UNC Chapel Hill. After setting her sights on medical school, her path took a few twists and turns, and she found herself homebrewing and handling food fermentation and juice programs at Medea’s Real Food Cafe in Asheville in 2015. When the business suddenly closed, she was introduced to the owners of Archetype Brewing in Asheville. She was named head brewer at Archetype in 2020.
The head brewer position is a natural progression for Jordan at Resident Culture.
“This is the role she has been working towards since joining our team in 2021,” Tropeano says. “It will allow her to grow professionally and personally and challenge herself in new ways. Most importantly, it will also allow her to have more creative control in the recipe creation and brand development processes. I know she will always be a steward to the incredible brand we have created at Resident Culture and will maintain the top-notch quality we expect for the beloved brands we have developed over the years.”
The Resident Culture brewhouse is better for Jordan’s leadership, McLamb says, as she has made improvements to processes and standard operating procedures.
“Our brewhouse is the most cohesive and efficient it has ever been, we are getting the best yields we have ever gotten, our ingredient costs are the lowest they have ever been, and, in my opinion, the quality is as high as it has ever been. Erin has also already created a number of great recipes on her own, including my personal favorite, Legends Never Die West Coast IPA.”
Jordan is the second head brewer — and first woman — in the history of the brewery. She’s among a handful of female head brewers in the country. Only 7.5 percent of breweries in the United States employ even one woman in the role of brewer, according to a 2021 study by the Brewers Association trade group.
“I’m honored to be named head brewer of an organization that embodies values I believe in and honors creativity and diversity,” Jordan says. “As a woman in brewing, I see this as a wonderful opportunity to push women as a whole forward, giving us a greater voice and a larger platform, something I hope will be more prevalent in the industry. We bring something unique to the table, from our experiences to our palates, and I’m proud to be involved with an organization that recognizes that and continues to push for our right to be in the room. I’m excited to continue to make great beer with this amazing team and expand boundaries with Resident Culture.”
About Resident Culture
Founded in 2017, Resident Culture Brewing Co. has a genuine appreciation for assertive, hop-forward styles and strives to accentuate the character and quality of a farmer’s harvest. The Charlotte, NC, brewery celebrates the concepts of subtlety and nuance, particularly with regards to lager beer, mixed culture and spontaneous offerings. Resident Culture was named a Top 10 new brewery by RateBeer. Additionally, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine named Resident Culture’s Static God one of it’s top 20 beers of 2021, and the brewery’s Sympathetic won best Wild Beer Mixed Culture and Best of Show at the 2021 Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Bears (FoBAB). Resident Culture: Where your weird is welcome.
For More Information:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mj3vmnvan8agguxuiqre2/RC_ERIN_HEAD_BREWER_0823.pdf?rlkey=gf4rdnx2bt3n1zwwqj0mfi19p&dl=0