USA, MA: River Styx Brewing preparing to open in Ashburnham later this year
Like many parents, Ashburnham residents Scott and Jackie Cullen had "empty-nester syndrome" when their daughter went to college a few years ago.
Unlike most parents, though, they filled their empty nest with yeast, malt, hops and brewing equipment, Sentinel & Enterprise reported on September 9.
The Cullens are now a professional husband-and-wife brewing team and owners of River Styx Brewing. Together, they've created nine beers, and recently leased space at 166 Boulder Drive, Ashburnham to open a brewery and taproom later this year.
Jackie said she handles most of the marketing, while Scott is head brewer, and "a genius when it comes to the recipes."
Most of the couple's beers are India Pale Ales (IPAs) or stouts, Scott said.
"That's what we like to drink, so that's what we make," he said.
They've loved craft beer for years, and about eight years ago started making home brews in their kitchen. They spent a lot of time traveling around the country to different breweries and were told by head brewers that if they were serious about opening a brewery, they needed to "repeat and refine" recipes rather than continuing to try new ones.
Using this advice, the Cullens perfected several beer recipes, and by the time their daughter headed to Salem State University, Jackie was building industrial-size brewing tanks in their basement.
They named their brewery after Riverstyx Road in Ashburnham, which intersects with the street on which they live. The road was named for the river leading to the Underworld, according to Greek mythology, so the Cullens figured they would run with that theme.
Local artist Tyler Hathaway, who grew up on Riverstyx Road, even designed an eerie logo for the brewery.
The beers are all named after Greek gods and goddesses, Jackie Cullen said. If she creates a recipe, it's named after a goddess, hence the House of Persephone IPA; and if Scott creates a recipe it's named after a god, thus the Kronos Lord of Time Stout.
Jackie has been marketing the brewery as "The Underworld in Fitchburg" since they finally settled on Boulder Drive as their location.
The decision came after months of work by Dan Curley and the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority, Economic Development Director Mary Jo Bohart, Community Development Director Larry Casassa and Mayor Stephen DiNatale.
"They really lured us here," Jackie said. "We had anticipated opening in some other cities, but it was clear they wanted the business here."
They'll begin brewing their beers in the Boulder Drive space within a few months, and hope to sell to-go beer by January. They hope a taproom will be open next summer.
Right now, the space is essentially an empty warehouse, but Jackie and Scott have "a vision.
They plan to install large windows, and seven 10-barrel brewing tanks up against the windows so they can be seen from the street.
They'll paint the ceilings black and hang lanterns from them, and have already talked with several local artists about helping with wall decor.
Customers will be able to play shuffleboard or board games, listen to music, or just sit around and drink beer in what Jackie promises will be comfortable chairs.
"Hip, industrial, but also homey and warm," Jackie said. "We're trying to hit all those marks."
She knows they have a long way to go, but they're excited about the space, because it offers them many options for the future, she said.
"I think we can help in the rebirth of this city, and bring people to Fitchburg that have never even heard of it," she said. "We plan to be in Fitchburg for the long run."
05 September, 2016
