Joseph “Mr. Joe” Mohrfeld Brewmaster
I am the Brewmaster here at Pinthouse. Our focus is on beers that are flavorful, complex, and innovative while also being very drinkable (i.e. our highly drinkable 10.5% Fully Adrift Double IPA or the 6.5% Electric Jellyfish IPA). It is through a respect for the craft – both an understanding of the science and the embracement of culture and art – that we construct our beers here at Pinthouse. We love to brew beer that we like to drink... we loosely adhere to traditional styles when it applies... but our main focus is always innovation, collaboration and the progression of American craft beer. Although our approach is typically hop forward, we brew beers across many different styles and have been recognized for beers across these many styles at various competitions. Cheers!
Jacob “Leisure Wolf” Passey Director of Brewing
Hello, I’m Jacob! I’m lucky to have been a part of Pinthouse since the opening of our original pub on Burnet Road. I think that the craft movement that has blossomed in the U.S. is a resurgence of American manufacturing, innovation, as well as promoting community and it’s something that we can all be proud of! Over the years I’ve seen a lot of things change and a tremendous amount of growth at Pinthouse. One thing that has not changed is our continued commitment to quality and innovation in the brewery. This growth has also afforded us the ability to hire some truly passionate and well experienced brewers that continuously push the evolution of our beers and maintain the high quality that we strive for. From beloved beers that have been put out to pasture to the fortunate mistakes that have led to some of most requested and unrepeatable recipes, I’ve genuinely enjoyed every beer that we have made (some more than others). I love good beer, and feel that promoting positive vibes and working with people that you truly enjoy spending time with is a very special thing. Whether you are a beer enthusiast or just coming in for some pizza, thank you for supporting us!
Trevor “Huggy Bear” Kelly Head Brewer, Pinthouse Pizza Round Rock
In 2003, I left the cultural hub that is northeast Kansas and moved to Arizona. It was there that I discovered craft beer and instantly loved Colorado, Oregon, and California IPAs. This love carried over into home brewing, where I started experimenting and making hoppy beer. Pinthouse Pizza opened its doors and I found what I had been longing for since moving to Austin in 2011: a brewpub that offered hop-forward beer focused on aroma and flavor. After two years of haunting Pinthouse… Joe, Jacob, and the Pinthouse crew gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and the chance to marry a passion with an occupation. My mission is to brew delicious, exciting, hoppy beer to share with the world.
Ethan Schulman Head Brewer, Pinthouse Pizza Burnet & Lamar
Growing up in Austin, my first passion was in the music scene. My father was an old school music industry professional, so I grew up at local shows. I ended up with a degree in music business and eventually started working around town as an audio engineer. I enjoyed my first locally brewed beer at one of these venues and quickly developed a love for craft beer.
A few years and more than a few beers went by and in 2015 I walked into the new brewpub that opened down the street from me looking for some part-time work while I worked audio at night. I started my Pinthouse journey in the front of house and quickly befriended the brew staff and grew my love of beer. A year went by, and I quickly jumped at the opportunity to move to a cellar position, and from there I became a full-time brewer at Pinthouse Pizza - South Lamar. Over the years I’ve expanded my knowledge of beer through reading, experience, and the great minds that make up our brew team. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunities that have come my way and will continue to strive for excellence in producing quality beer in this next chapter as Head Brewer at Pinthouse Pizza - Burnet. Prost!
Tom "Tomcat" Fischer Director of Quality & Innovation
Beer for me certainly straddles the line between occupation and obsession. Originally from Wisconsin, I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, in the mid-2000s where love my from craft beer really started to take shape. After a few years of pure hobbyist obsession it was decided to move to greener pastures in Portland, Oregon. I spent 7 years with Breakside Brewing, starting as a bartending and eventually growing into the role of Head R&D Brewer. After visiting Austin in 2016, I was immediately drawn into Pinthouse's commitment to quality, passion for the craft and energy I felt from every team member. In 2018, Pinthouse welcomed me into the family where I now hope to continue to build on the legacy of Pinthouse. After serving as the Head Brewer of Pinthouse Pizza Burnet, I'm very stoked to start the next chapter as the of Director of Innovation at our new Pinthouse Brewing facility.
Joey Panarese Head Brewer, Pinthouse Brewing
Born and raised in the land of pork roll and Bruce Springsteen I ventured down to Texas about 3 years ago. My interest in brewing started in college and intensified when I started homebrewing. After I graduated, I took the plunge and started as an Assistant Brewer at Victory Brewing in Pennsylvania. I decided to move closer to home after a few years and became a Brewer at Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg. My next stop was Two Roads Brewing in Connecticut. While I was at Two Roads I married my college sweetheart, Melissa. With this new chapter developing we decided to move to Austin and start our new life. While in Austin I have worked as a Brewer at Hi-Sign Brewing and then went over to Lazarus Brewing on East 6th where I rose to Head Brewer. I was ecstatic when I was able to join the Pinthouse team and start learning from some of the leaders in the brewing industry. I hope to keep driving quality, innovation and the fun atmosphere that Pinthouse is known for as the Head Brewer here at Ben White.
