Small Business Spotlight: Arlington Brewing Company
Credit: Arlington Brewing Company
Photographer: Kristin Chalmers
Arlington Brewing Company is redefining what it means to be a local brewery. With a strong focus on community, creativity, and connection, this growing business has quickly become a beloved part of the town’s social fabric, even before opening a permanent taproom.
From their fan-favorite Spy-P-A to their “Spread Joy” mission, Arlington Brewing Company is as much about people as it is about great beer. I had the chance to learn more about their story, courtesy of their CEO and head brewer Tom Allen and marketing and events manager Izzy Scopetski.
Life in Mass (LIM): For readers discovering Arlington Brewing Company for the first time, how would you describe what makes your brewery special?
Arlington Brewing Company (ABC): We take great pride in brewing a wide variety of styles from all over the world. We also have an incredible, hazy New England IPA, called Spy-P-A which is a local favorite and the first beer we ever canned and sold on store shelves. This beer got its name from a local vote– local community members entered a beer naming contest and Spy-P-A won for its charming nod to Arlington’s Spy Pond. We enjoy representing what’s popular locally through our beer, as well as providing a product that people really love and connect with.
But beyond the beer, our focus is hospitality. We go to great lengths to ensure that when people visit us, they aren't just getting great value for their dollar—they’re getting a positive impact on their day. Our mission is to Spread Joy. Because we started without a taproom, we had to be creative, proactively engaging with the community where they already were. That "outward-facing" approach really defines how we interact with our neighbors.
LIM: Can you share the story behind how ABC got started and what inspired you to take the leap?
ABC: Our founder, Tom Allen, wrote the initial business plan about 13 years ago, but life and a growing family put that dream on the shelf. Fast forward through a global pandemic: Tom was working as an engineer and realized he wasn't enjoying the corporate path. That old business plan was still calling his name.
Credit: Arlington Brewing Company
Photographer: Kristin Chalmers
He left his job, refined the plan with a partner, and spent two years teaching himself to brew at a professional, commercial scale. In 2023, we finally got the chance to sell beer at the Arlington Reservoir on Friday night concerts. We licensed the basement of Tom’s house just in time for our June launch at a beer garden at the Arlington Reservoir. That day, we anticipated 500 people, but over 3,000 showed up! The line stretched into Lexington. We had to learn on the fly—modifying equipment to pour faster and grow the team—and the crowd kept coming back every Friday all summer long. This initial success– the truly overwhelming positive response from people in town– inspired us to continue brewing and expanding our business, bringing us all the way to 2026 where we are now: in the process of building out a local taproom and continuing to improve our outdoor beer gardens from all angles.
LIM: What does being a local brewery in Arlington mean to you? What’s the vibe?
ABC: Arlington is incredibly community-oriented. There are 50,000 people packed into five square miles, yet it feels like a tight-knit village. It’s a mix of multi-generational families and recent transplants who moved here for that "family feel." We’re also super close to Boston, with easy access to the MBTA, which positions us as a suburb with an urban flair. We’ve been graciously welcomed here in Arlington, and I think that’s because we focus on being a valued member of the community rather than just another business.
LIM: How did your team come together, and what strengths does each person bring?
Credit: Arlington Brewing Company
Photographer: Kristin Chalmers
We started with Tom and his original business partner, Matt, but quickly grew into a crew of excited volunteers and friends. Our Director of Finance, Peter Caradonna, actually reached out via our website before we had even sold a single beer! He’s a local with a deep finance and beer enthusiast background who has been with us since day one.
ABC: When we needed to grow our wholesale presence, we found Brendan via LinkedIn. With his pedigree in the industry (including time as VP of Sales at Lord Hobo), we couldn't believe he wanted to join us, but he was a perfect fit. Then there’s Izzy, who started out pouring beer and now handles our marketing. She brings a creative, artistic vision coupled with an analytical approach that has been a total game-changer for us.
LIM: Your backgrounds include engineering, sales, and finance. How does that influence your approach to brewing?
ABC: Given my engineering background, I'd say I have a strong technical understanding of the components that go into beer and the process to manipulate them into the desired final product, plus the technical skills to build the parts of the business that aren't directly beer (equipment, spreadsheets, team management etc.).
Regarding the beer, it means nothing goes into the glass without a specific purpose. We build every recipe from scratch, manipulating each component to achieve a precise result. Our beers have a very clear, unique identity; we don't want any two styles to taste too similar.
LIM: What role does creativity play in developing new beers?
Credit: Arlington Brewing Company
Photographer: Kristin Chalmers
In a crowded market, I use creativity to identify "gaps"—areas people haven't fully explored. For example, our Spy-P-A was born from my desire to create a New England IPA without the bitterness. I felt the heavy bitterness often interfered with the "juicy" character. My goal was to capture 100% of that juiciness while leaving the bitterness behind. It took some trial and error, but we landed in a really great place.
LIM: How would you describe your brewing philosophy?
ABC: Each beer needs to know exactly who it is. With so much diversity in the beer world, there’s no reason for a brew to lack a clear identity. For instance, I’ll never dry-hop our Pale Ale, because I feel that makes the style too similar to an IPA. We respect the boundaries of each style while making them the best versions they can be.
LIM: Do you have a flagship or fan-favorite beer?
ABC: Our flagship is Spy-P-A, a New England IPA with very low bitterness. However, our second most popular is Bike Path Pale Ale. It’s a clean, classic "beer-flavored beer." Its popularity shows that people still crave traditional styles, and it proves we can execute those classics just as well as the trendy ones.
LIM: What is the process of taking a beer from idea to final pour?
ABC: It starts with the desired flavor and experience rather than the style. We break down the characteristics we want and assign ingredients to match. We obsess over details like mash temperatures, hop timing, and water profiles and lots of other things to accentuate maltiness, or bitterness, or whatever other characteristic we’re going for, and arrive at the desired profile.
Most recipes go through our one-barrel pilot system. It can take two or three iterations to nail it. Once finished, we do a sensory panel to see if we hit our original goal. The best part is the release—our customers have developed a lot of confidence in us, and they’re often willing to try something new simply because they trust our quality.
LIM: How do you bring people together without a traditional taproom?
ABC: Actually, not having a taproom was a blessing in disguise. We had to go out and meet the community where they already were. It’s a much more active way of being a business. It shaped us into an asset for the town because we had to be physically present and engaged to grow, instead of waiting for customers to come to us.
LIM: What has the support from the Arlington community meant to you?
ABC: It’s been fulfilling and encouraging! We knew there was an opportunity here because people are always looking for things to do in town, but we never expected this amazing level of support. It gives us a great sense of responsibility to live up to those expectations and continue providing a space where people can enjoy each other’s company.
LIM: How do local events and pop-ups play into your identity?
ABC: They are our best marketing. For someone to experience our product, our team, and our hospitality all at once is incredibly powerful. When people leave our events, they feel great. You can’t replicate that feeling just by selling a can on a store shelf.
LIM: What are you most excited about with your upcoming taproom?
ABC: Selfishly? Not having to set up and tear down a mobile bar every time we want to sell a beer! But truly, it’s the opportunity to offer that community vibe on a predictable schedule. We won't be subject to rainouts anymore; we’ll have a permanent home where people can visit us whenever they like. We are also incredibly excited to have our own restaurant housed within our taproom. Our chef, Rob Chalmers, is an Arlington native, who has over 30 years of professional culinary experience. He has worked at renowned restaurants, including Oleana with chef and mentor Ana Sortun, and Lucques in Los Angeles, where he became chef de cuisine under James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin. Eventually he returned to the East Coast, where he has spent 18 years as private chef for the owner of the Boston Red Sox. Rob’s culinary expertise paired with our craft beer makes us stand out not only as a brewery, but as an elevated dining experience and community-oriented space. We can’t wait to pack it!
LIM: What kind of atmosphere are you creating in your new home?
ABC: We’re staying true to the building’s roots—it’s an old warehouse, so the decor is simple and industrial rather than fancy. We want the character of the space to be driven by the people in it. When a room is full of people having fun and spending quality time together, that energy becomes infectious.
LIM: What’s your vision for ABC over the next few years?
ABC: The immediate goal is to execute the taproom launch perfectly and cement ourselves as a beloved brick-and-mortar fixture in Arlington. We want to deliver on our promise to spread joy and remain involved members of this community we call home. Beyond that, the sky is the limit. We aren't trying to take over the world; we just want a bright future where we continue to serve our community with great beer, exceptional food, and even better hospitality.
As Arlington Brewing Company prepares to open its doors to a brand-new taproom, one thing is clear: their commitment to community isn’t changing anytime soon. Whether you’ve already caught them at a local event or you’re planning your first visit, ABC offers more than just a great pour—it’s an experience rooted in connection, creativity, and genuine hospitality. In a state known for its rich local culture, this is one spot that truly captures the spirit of Massachusetts living.