LINCOLN, NE – Zipline Brewing Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Brendan McGinn as its Director of Brewing Operations. Brendan takes over with a lifetime of brewing expertise gained through working in nearly every facet of the brewing industry.
Brendan started homebrewing in 2004 with a Mr. Beer kit. He translated that early love of homebrewing into a position at Aksarben Brewing Co., an early Omaha, Nebraska brew-on-premise outlet, where he was the Manager-Brewer. His first big commercial brewing opportunity came at Lincoln, Nebraska craft beer pioneer Empyrean Brewing Co., where he spent seven years from 2007-2014. There he learned the brewery business from the ground up working in the warehouse, on the packaging line and ultimately the brewhouse where he worked as a Brewer-Cellarman.
In 2014, Brendan was invited to join startup Ploughshare Brewing Co. in Lincoln. There, he helped oversee the installation and commissioning of the new brewery. Highly skilled at recipe formulation, Brendan displayed a deep understanding of raw ingredients and their contributions to great beer. He designed many outstanding beers during his tenure there, including a 2016 World Beer Cup Silver Medal winner in the Maibock/Hellesbock category.
Brendan joined the brewing team at Zipline in March 2017. Flashing his highly specialized grasp on mash mechanics, yeast management, beer design, and mitigation of contaminants, Brendan’s hold on both the art and science of brewing led to being named Zipline’s Head Brewer just one year later. He has since served tirelessly in that role overseeing the brewing staff, ensuring the quality of Zipline beers, and improving processes where needed. As Zipline’s Director of Brewing Operations, he now oversees all facets of beer design, innovation, production, and quality, all the while supervising a team of 3 other brewers, to produce nearly 10,000 bbls of beer annually.
Beyond his obvious expertise, Brendan brings to the job a host of intangibles that make him one of the most beloved members of the Zipline team. He works hard to ensure that he and his brew team are operating in a safe and efficient manner and is relentlessly positive and supportive of his staff, his peers and brewing culture in general.
From his earliest days, Brendan has dedicated his life to creating, and helping others create, world class beer. Zipline fans can be assured that many more are on the way.
For More Information:
https://ziplinebrewing.com/