CO-FOUNDER
A man of a few words. More to come…
CO-FOUNDER
Steven Gabardi, PharmD, BCPS, FAST, FCCP. Wow! That is a mouthful of letters behind that name. Steve is a local North Reading guy, having graduated from NRHS in 1993. Earning his doctorate degree in 1999, Steve has been the pharmacologist for the kidney transplant team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital over 20 years. Steve also currently serves as an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. OK, enough about the boring stuff, get to the beer: Steve started his love of craft beer late in life, as he did not truly enjoy beer until being introduced to Harpoon IPA. From there it was progressively hoppier and hoppier beers, even getting into those IBU bombs of the early 2010’s. It was the introduction of the New England style IPA that really accelerated his passion for the craft. However, the galvanizing experience in Steve’s love affair of everything craft beer was the beer community. People from all walks of life, races and religions, gathering at a local brewery and having a communal experience with conversation and revelry. He was hooked and knew he wanted to be able to bring this experience to his local community.
FOUNDING PARTNER
With over 40 years of restaurant experience and coming through the ranks of Legal Seafood and The Lyons Group; Jim Dietz is a seasoned leader in the food service industry. Jim purchased Joe Fish Seafood Restaurant in North Andover in 1999, quickly making it a destination stop for the North Shore. In 2004 he bought The Loft, modernizing an existing staple in the community. He has expanded his brand from there based on a passion for food and people. Jim is excited to create a place where people can indulge their passion of for craft beer and high quality food.
FOUNDING PARTNER, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, CHEF
Jim Jr. stood no chance of resisting a career in the restaurant industry. From an early age his passion for food was fueled by growing up in the industry. Countless nights spent doing homework and bussing tables after school engrained him into the restaurant lifestyle. Before owning his own stores, Jim worked as a Vice President for Phantom Gourmet, bringing him to thousands of different restaurants. Now he looks to create a place where great food can pair with some of the best brewed craft beer around.
FOUNDING BREWER & BREWMASTER
For almost 20 years prior to the opening of Hopothecary Ales, Kevin worked at Brigham and Women’s Hospital with co-founder, Steven Gabardi. A nurse by training, Kevin has worked as a clinical transplant coordinator for the last 12 years. Kevin’s first experience with craft beer came in the mid-1990’s, when he and his wife walked into Gritty McDuff’s in Freeport, ME. He remembers being surprised, and initially disappointed, he could only get a beer that was brewed on site. He was again surprised by how much better it was than the Rolling Rock he was initially looking for! Kevin has been thoroughly committed to craft beer ever since. Kevin’s had a passion for brewing since brewing his first batch of beer with Ted Forgit, another member of the ownership group, in 2011. Kevin made some decent beers with a pot on his stove but was really able to step up his game once the Hopothecary Ales pilot brewery opened in January 2019. During that time, Kevin has brewed nearly 100 batches of beer, perfecting his process and the recipes that are the core brands of Hopothecary Ales.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Vince, a long-time business owner, entrepreneur and investor, is yet another of our NRHS graduates. He was introduced to craft beer by his son and his friend’s brewing hobby. Vince, his daughter, and son-in-law are mug club members at the Moat Mountain Brewery in North Conway NH where they enjoy moat stout. His nephew, Michael, runs the front of the house at Kelsen Brewing Company in Derry, NH. Vince is intrigued with making beer to pair with food and atmosphere to share with others as a business and social scene.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Mike D, one of our NRHS alumni, is a current North Reading resident. He is a small business owner focused on detailing cars. When the opportunity to be involved with a start-up brewery in his home town with a few of his closest friends and others that he has the utmost respect for presented itself, he knew it was a complete no-brainer. Mike jumped at this opportunity and is honored to be a part of the Hopothecary Ales family. Mike fully admits that he was an outsider to the craft beer scene initially, but has been converted to closely following the various Hopothecary Ales samples he has tasted over the past year or so. Mike is very excited for what the future holds for our brewery.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Ted developed an appreciation first of Belgian beer, then of the ever-expanding craft beer landscape while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He began home brewing soon after, eventually brewing with Hopothecary Ales founding brewer, Kevin McComiskey. While these early efforts didn’t win any awards, they did further cultivate a love of craft beer as an art and science. Outside of the Hopothecary world, Ted works in the construction industry, and can be found enjoying the outdoors with his wife and two children.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Living about 1,400 miles south of the Brewery on the west coast of Florida, Doug has a new reason to look forward to traveling back to his hometown. He grew up in North Reading and has stayed in touch with many of the members of the “Hopothecary Team”. Doug was very excited at the first mention of opening a brewery and wanted to be involved, even if from a distance! Admittedly, Doug was a little late to the craft beer game, but it has grown on him immensely and he enjoys sampling all varieties and flavors. Doug feels fortunate to be a part of the Hopothecary Ales family and is looking forward to sharing in this adventure with the friends and family he grew up with!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
I guess this is what happens when you have the good fortune of moving into a neighborhood where one of the co-founders lives 7 houses away! Many late nights “up the street” spent tasting some of the best craft beers from around the world, listening to music and realizing quickly that Jimmy was a much bigger fan of craft beer than he ever thought he was! Being a graduate of NRHS (1995) and growing up with many members of the Hopothecary Team, Jimmy was thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to be part of this adventure. His biggest driver was to help bring a unique taproom and restaurant experience to the local area and ultimately, get the ability to spend more time with his friends! While he won’t have an active day-to-day role in the brewing process, he is there to help answer any insurance-related questions and design the best brewery-related hockey and baseball jerseys in the marketplace!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Rob has always been completely transparent that when he was initially approached about becoming a part of this spectacular venture, his first comment was that unless he loved the beer, he was out. One perfectly hand-crafted Hopothecary Ales IPA later, and he was 100% all-in. The opportunity to be involved in building a brewery in every aspect from the ground up and to have a place to spend time with family and friends creating memories for years to come was very intriguing to Rob. He is extremely proud to be a part of this brewery and loves the passion, creativity, commitment to excellence and dedication to craft beer that our entire group possesses. There is no doubt that Hopothecary Ales Brewery and Kitchen will offer a consumer experience which is unprecedented in our industry. Rob looks forward to raising a glass with all of you!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
When Josh is not enjoying his family or career, he feels there is nothing better than laughs and great beer. At neighborhood cookouts or while touring New England craft breweries, Josh has always loved trying new IPAs. Little did he know great beer and the Ales pilot brewery would pop up right next door, as he is neighbors with Steve, our co-founder. After trying some early recipes, it was obvious to Josh, that Hopothecary Ales was the real deal…and three sips of Elixir later, he knew he had to be a part of this team. Bringing great beer and a great atmosphere to his local community is something that Josh is proud to be a part of! Cheers!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Fede (as she is affectionately known by our team) was born and raised in Italy, where she started working in Information and Computer Technology, a career that led her to New England in 2013 with her family. She is currently an IT Solution Architect, mother of two and food & craft beer lover. In her spare time, she loves to paint; the only way to paint for her is with a beer glass as a companion. When she first tasted an American IPA a new world of flavors, colors and aromas caught her sensors: so different from her European experience! Fede’s curiosity about beer pushed her to the point to become a Certified Beer Server. She is currently working on the Cicerone road map; which we know will be a long and tough journey – but so rewarding! Fede first met co-founders, Steven and Mike, at one of the annual “Gabardi Oktoberfest” parties at Steven’s home where they all shared their thoughts and love for craft beers. Beer is for sure the symbol of friendship and happiness, but starting up a brewery goes way beyond imagination… What a chance! Hopothecary Ales is a dream come true.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Jimmy is an engineer by trade, loves data and inner working of all things. He fell in love with craft beers about 10 years ago mainly by the hunt of good beers around the country. Pairing with good food sealed the deal. Admittedly, he didn’t love the first sip of a heavy IPA (who did?) but they grew on him and being an engineer, he loves the concept of varying tastes and outcomes based on minor tweaks of ingredients and measurements. The one thing he loves the most is being able to try exclusive beers from all different breweries, the thrill of the hunt and the score more than anything and being able to share that with friends and family brings him much joy. Jimmy couldn’t resist when he was asked to be part of the Hopothecary Ales family. The idea of a place that we can share with friends, family and other enthusiasts made my involvement in this group a no-brainer.
CO-FOUNDER
A man of a few words. More to come…
CO-FOUNDER
Steven Gabardi, PharmD, BCPS, FAST, FCCP. Wow! That is a mouthful of letters behind that name. Steve is a local North Reading guy, having graduated from NRHS in 1993. Earning his doctorate degree in 1999, Steve has been the pharmacologist for the kidney transplant team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital over 20 years. Steve also currently serves as an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. OK, enough about the boring stuff, get to the beer: Steve started his love of craft beer late in life, as he did not truly enjoy beer until being introduced to Harpoon IPA. From there it was progressively hoppier and hoppier beers, even getting into those IBU bombs of the early 2010’s. It was the introduction of the New England style IPA that really accelerated his passion for the craft. However, the galvanizing experience in Steve’s love affair of everything craft beer was the beer community. People from all walks of life, races and religions, gathering at a local brewery and having a communal experience with conversation and revelry. He was hooked and knew he wanted to be able to bring this experience to his local community.
FOUNDING PARTNER
With over 40 years of restaurant experience and coming through the ranks of Legal Seafood and The Lyons Group; Jim Dietz is a seasoned leader in the food service industry. Jim purchased Joe Fish Seafood Restaurant in North Andover in 1999, quickly making it a destination stop for the North Shore. In 2004 he bought The Loft, modernizing an existing staple in the community. He has expanded his brand from there based on a passion for food and people. Jim is excited to create a place where people can indulge their passion of for craft beer and high quality food.
FOUNDING PARTNER, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, CHEF
Jim Jr. stood no chance of resisting a career in the restaurant industry. From an early age his passion for food was fueled by growing up in the industry. Countless nights spent doing homework and bussing tables after school engrained him into the restaurant lifestyle. Before owning his own stores, Jim worked as a Vice President for Phantom Gourmet, bringing him to thousands of different restaurants. Now he looks to create a place where great food can pair with some of the best brewed craft beer around.
FOUNDING BREWER & BREWMASTER
For almost 20 years prior to the opening of Hopothecary Ales, Kevin worked at Brigham and Women’s Hospital with co-founder, Steven Gabardi. A nurse by training, Kevin has worked as a clinical transplant coordinator for the last 12 years. Kevin’s first experience with craft beer came in the mid-1990’s, when he and his wife walked into Gritty McDuff’s in Freeport, ME. He remembers being surprised, and initially disappointed, he could only get a beer that was brewed on site. He was again surprised by how much better it was than the Rolling Rock he was initially looking for! Kevin has been thoroughly committed to craft beer ever since. Kevin’s had a passion for brewing since brewing his first batch of beer with Ted Forgit, another member of the ownership group, in 2011. Kevin made some decent beers with a pot on his stove but was really able to step up his game once the Hopothecary Ales pilot brewery opened in January 2019. During that time, Kevin has brewed nearly 100 batches of beer, perfecting his process and the recipes that are the core brands of Hopothecary Ales.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Vince, a long-time business owner, entrepreneur and investor, is yet another of our NRHS graduates. He was introduced to craft beer by his son and his friend’s brewing hobby. Vince, his daughter, and son-in-law are mug club members at the Moat Mountain Brewery in North Conway NH where they enjoy moat stout. His nephew, Michael, runs the front of the house at Kelsen Brewing Company in Derry, NH. Vince is intrigued with making beer to pair with food and atmosphere to share with others as a business and social scene.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Mike D, one of our NRHS alumni, is a current North Reading resident. He is a small business owner focused on detailing cars. When the opportunity to be involved with a start-up brewery in his home town with a few of his closest friends and others that he has the utmost respect for presented itself, he knew it was a complete no-brainer. Mike jumped at this opportunity and is honored to be a part of the Hopothecary Ales family. Mike fully admits that he was an outsider to the craft beer scene initially, but has been converted to closely following the various Hopothecary Ales samples he has tasted over the past year or so. Mike is very excited for what the future holds for our brewery.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Ted developed an appreciation first of Belgian beer, then of the ever-expanding craft beer landscape while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He began home brewing soon after, eventually brewing with Hopothecary Ales founding brewer, Kevin McComiskey. While these early efforts didn’t win any awards, they did further cultivate a love of craft beer as an art and science. Outside of the Hopothecary world, Ted works in the construction industry, and can be found enjoying the outdoors with his wife and two children.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Living about 1,400 miles south of the Brewery on the west coast of Florida, Doug has a new reason to look forward to traveling back to his hometown. He grew up in North Reading and has stayed in touch with many of the members of the “Hopothecary Team”. Doug was very excited at the first mention of opening a brewery and wanted to be involved, even if from a distance! Admittedly, Doug was a little late to the craft beer game, but it has grown on him immensely and he enjoys sampling all varieties and flavors. Doug feels fortunate to be a part of the Hopothecary Ales family and is looking forward to sharing in this adventure with the friends and family he grew up with!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
I guess this is what happens when you have the good fortune of moving into a neighborhood where one of the co-founders lives 7 houses away! Many late nights “up the street” spent tasting some of the best craft beers from around the world, listening to music and realizing quickly that Jimmy was a much bigger fan of craft beer than he ever thought he was! Being a graduate of NRHS (1995) and growing up with many members of the Hopothecary Team, Jimmy was thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to be part of this adventure. His biggest driver was to help bring a unique taproom and restaurant experience to the local area and ultimately, get the ability to spend more time with his friends! While he won’t have an active day-to-day role in the brewing process, he is there to help answer any insurance-related questions and design the best brewery-related hockey and baseball jerseys in the marketplace!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Rob has always been completely transparent that when he was initially approached about becoming a part of this spectacular venture, his first comment was that unless he loved the beer, he was out. One perfectly hand-crafted Hopothecary Ales IPA later, and he was 100% all-in. The opportunity to be involved in building a brewery in every aspect from the ground up and to have a place to spend time with family and friends creating memories for years to come was very intriguing to Rob. He is extremely proud to be a part of this brewery and loves the passion, creativity, commitment to excellence and dedication to craft beer that our entire group possesses. There is no doubt that Hopothecary Ales Brewery and Kitchen will offer a consumer experience which is unprecedented in our industry. Rob looks forward to raising a glass with all of you!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
When Josh is not enjoying his family or career, he feels there is nothing better than laughs and great beer. At neighborhood cookouts or while touring New England craft breweries, Josh has always loved trying new IPAs. Little did he know great beer and the Ales pilot brewery would pop up right next door, as he is neighbors with Steve, our co-founder. After trying some early recipes, it was obvious to Josh, that Hopothecary Ales was the real deal…and three sips of Elixir later, he knew he had to be a part of this team. Bringing great beer and a great atmosphere to his local community is something that Josh is proud to be a part of! Cheers!
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Fede (as she is affectionately known by our team) was born and raised in Italy, where she started working in Information and Computer Technology, a career that led her to New England in 2013 with her family. She is currently an IT Solution Architect, mother of two and food & craft beer lover. In her spare time, she loves to paint; the only way to paint for her is with a beer glass as a companion. When she first tasted an American IPA a new world of flavors, colors and aromas caught her sensors: so different from her European experience! Fede’s curiosity about beer pushed her to the point to become a Certified Beer Server. She is currently working on the Cicerone road map; which we know will be a long and tough journey – but so rewarding! Fede first met co-founders, Steven and Mike, at one of the annual “Gabardi Oktoberfest” parties at Steven’s home where they all shared their thoughts and love for craft beers. Beer is for sure the symbol of friendship and happiness, but starting up a brewery goes way beyond imagination… What a chance! Hopothecary Ales is a dream come true.
OWNERSHIP GROUP MEMBER
Jimmy is an engineer by trade, loves data and inner working of all things. He fell in love with craft beers about 10 years ago mainly by the hunt of good beers around the country. Pairing with good food sealed the deal. Admittedly, he didn’t love the first sip of a heavy IPA (who did?) but they grew on him and being an engineer, he loves the concept of varying tastes and outcomes based on minor tweaks of ingredients and measurements. The one thing he loves the most is being able to try exclusive beers from all different breweries, the thrill of the hunt and the score more than anything and being able to share that with friends and family brings him much joy. Jimmy couldn’t resist when he was asked to be part of the Hopothecary Ales family. The idea of a place that we can share with friends, family and other enthusiasts made my involvement in this group a no-brainer.