Jamaica Plain, MA A new brewery and taproom opened December 15th on the ground floor at 3200 Washington St., an urban apartment project developed by Berkeley Investments. Located in the Egleston Sq. neighborhood, at the corner of Montebello Rd. with 2,500 s/f of space, the brewery is owned and operated by Liz Nicol who resides nearby. Initially the brewery will open on the weekends with plans to expand hours in the future.
Drawdown Brewing Company will be a locally focused, malt forward brewery with core beers in proven styles and creative small batch brews. The taproom will provide bar and table seating throughout the space for approximately 36 guests, (total occupancy is 100), with some seasonal outdoor seating as well. Designed by RODE Architects and constructed by J.J. Welch Co., Drawdown will be a brewery that fits in with the neighborhood and other taprooms in the vicinity with its exposed brewing systems and industrial.
Nicol further explains that Drawdown will provide a niche in the market. “A recent study from the Brewer’s Association found that less than 3% of breweries in this country are solely owned by women. And LGBTQ+ ownership data is even harder to come by. I believe we will be the only brewery that will be 100% woman and 100% LGBTQ+ owned in the city of Boston, and I couldn’t be more proud of that.”
As head brewer, Nicol will initially produce four classic styles offered year-round. Initial offerings are anticipated to be similar to a New England IPA, Cream Ale, Alt Bier, and a Porter. There will be seasonal and specialty brews produced in smaller quantities as well; in total there will eventually be eight to ten beverages on tap. Small bites will be offered since Nicol intends to partner with nearby restaurants or food trucks.
Kevin Longo, Berkeley Investments’ asset manager for 3200 Washington St. said, “Drawdown Brewing Company is exactly the type of retail tenant we imagined for this project, neighborhood, and our residents. We were thrilled to provide Liz, a member of the JP community, with the space to showcase her diverse background and brewing talents.”
Nicol, a civil engineer for more than 17 years, is excited to offer the community a taproom that she says will be a warm and welcoming environment where guests will spend time with neighbors, friends and family while enjoying quality beers. It will be a gathering spot with access to great craft beer and will become a new local hangout for neighbors who can easily walk to the brewery. She also wants the taproom to be an integral part of the community, and is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in staffing and the taproom’s customer base. Nicol, a member of the LGBTQ+ community said, “Drawdown will be a welcoming space for all. We’re excited to be part of this vibrant neighborhood which has a reputation for celebrating diversity, uniquely independent businesses and a thriving socially-minded community.”
Nicol said, “We want to become one of the best breweries in the city. Boston, and New England in general, have some truly amazing breweries and it’s a high standard to achieve. We want to show that people who don’t normally fit into beer’s stereotype have just as much claim to space in this industry as those who do.”