Metzger hopes to build on Wormtown’s brewery blueprint
Photo | Courtesy
Scott Metzger
Scott Metzger is leaving Texas to join the management team at Worcester’s Wormtown Brewery as general manager. In an interview, the founder of San Antonio-based Freetail Brewing Co. and economist, who used to work for oil-and-gas company Valero, spoke about the decision to join the beermaker.
How did you get in contact with Wormtown?
They were working with a recruiter who I knew through other means. We were chatting one day, and he asked me if I would be interested in an opportunity in Massachusetts. I said, “Yeah, absolutely.”
What did you like about Wormtown?
Well, I love the people thereI got to meet while meeting with the ownership group. It’s a really good group of people I could see myself working well with. That was the most important thing for me.
What appealed to you about the business?
If I was writing a text book on how to build a craft beer brand, I would write it the way they built their business. They have a strong flagship and are heavily focused on the on-premises part of their business. All of those things have built a really rock solid foundation. Even though it’s growing super fast, there’s still a ton more potential to be uncovered because of the solid foundation they’ve laid there.
Why did you leave Valero?
I left to start a brewery. It was kind of before it was considered a good idea to start a brewery. People looked at me like I was crazy. I had a great career at a great company, but beer was something I was passionate about. It was the right time for me to take that risk.
How does your economics background help in running a brewery?
From an academic perspective, maybe it doesn’t apply one-to-one. When I was teaching, I really focused on teaching students that economics was not the study of business or the economy, but the study of how to make choices. Bringing that perspective into any business setting provides a really good framework for any problems that may arise.
It’s just being able to properly analyze and evaluate problems and opportunities, prioritizing potential outcomes and actions we can take to achieve those outcomes.
How was it starting Freetail Brewing Co. before craft beer really took off in other areas of the country?
I probably remember it more fondly than I did at the time. When I look back now, it was exciting and tons of fun. I’m probably forgetting a ton of stress I dealt with, but it was really exciting to be part of a movement I really feel changed the face of beer in Texas.
How is the Texas brewery scene different from New England?
A lot has changed very rapidly in Texas. Even five years ago, it wasn’t very competitive, but today it is. It’s still a little Wild Westy so to speak. The culture among New England beer drinkers is a little more developed, and there’s more sophistication in the competitive aspects up there.
There is also a higher concentration of larger breweries in New England. I can rattle off five or six off the top of my head that would be the largest craft brewery in Texas.
What do you hope to bring to Wormtown?
More than anything else, I hope to be a pillar of support for what they’ve already built and the amazing culture and talent the already have assembled. My goal, role and ambition is not to change any of that. It’s really to be a cheerleader and supporter of where the company is going next. I feel very fortunate; this is an amazing opportunity, and the team is putting a lot of trust in me to help lead them. But it’s not a situation where they need a savior.
This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ Staff Writer Zachary Comeau.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments