After years of honing her craft at home, Megan Parisi has emerged triumphant as the Brewmaster of Bluejacket, part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group of Washington D.C. Her success in the brewing world came as no surprise, having pulled in a whopping five medals at the Great American Beer Festival while at Cambridge Brewing Co. in Massachusetts. With a decade of homebrewing under her belt and her toes at the edge of the craft beer movement, Megan Parisi is set to make a splash with Bluejacket.
Megan Parisi is a true beer enthusiast who has dedicated her career to making the perfect brew. With 10 years experience in both homebrewing and commercial brewing, Megan has trained with some of the world’s best brewers in order to master the science and art of craft beer.
Megan Parisi’s successful journey several years ago, began after she decided to follow her lifelong passion for beer and enrolled in an intensive brewing program at UC Davis. After completing her studies, Megan quickly set out to fulfill her career ambition in the brewing industry by seeking out an internship with a fantastic brew master.
Parisi’s big break came at Cambridge Brewing Co. in Massachusetts, under the tutelage of legendary brew master Will Meyers. During her time with Meyers, Parisi won five Great American Beer Festival medals and two World Beer Cup awards for her work, solidifying her place in the beer community.
Megan’s accomplishments have not gone unnoticed, as she is currently helming Bluejacket, the newest venture from DC-based Neighborhood Restaurant Group. Bluejacket is a state-of-the-art brewery and gastropub with an ever-changing seasonal lineup that reflects Parisi’s commitment to creativity and balance in her beers.
Bluejacket is Megan’s craft beer masterpiece, featuring a 30-barrel brew house and six stories of bustling tap rooms and production cells that bring beer drinkers of all types together. The gastropub-style spot also features an ever-evolving list of seasonal beers, with innovative styles ranging from hop-forward IPAs to smoky rauchbiers.
In addition to creating unique beers, Megan also works to build connections throughout the beer community. Through both her work and her travels, Megan has been able to meet brewers, ingredients suppliers, and other beer industry professionals all over the world. She is consistently drawing inspiration from these connections and bringing new flavors to her brewery’s lineup.
This past year has been busy for Megan and Bluejacket, with the release of the first-ever cans of the brewery’s signature Flagships in June. The cans are the first of several new projects at the brewery, including the launch of Chronology, a series of limited-edition can releases that will debut this spring.
Parisi has also been hard at work on multiple collaborations to celebrate the many different styles of beer. From hoppy NEIPAs to dark, fruity stouts, Megan has successfully linked up with other fantastic breweries to create a variety of unique beers with an unmistakable passion for the craft.
Megan’s prowess in the brewing world has led to major recognition in 2018. The Brewers Association recognized Megan’s work, bestowing her with the Rising Star Brewer Award. She also won two prestigious awards—the Best Brewery in Washington, DC and the Best Brewery Taproom in the country—at the Great American Beer Festival.
Megan is inspired by the many facets of the brewing industry, from her appreciation for local ingredients to her travels around the world. This inspiration is evident in the wide range of beers that she produces at Bluejacket, from the experimental small batches to the signature flagships.
Megan also has an artful approach to her craft. She's said countless times that she approaches the brewing process like painting, showcasing the careful balance of sensation that her beers bring to the palate. In a world where many craft brewers are looking for more flavor complexity and boldness, Megan trusts her palate, creating beers that remain crisply balanced with ingredients that speak to her passion for the craft.
Megan Parisi is a remarkable brew master with an award-winning career, a journey shaped by her love of beer and dedication to her craft. Her work at Bluejacket showcases her technical skill, her varied influences, and her unrivaled passion for the art of brewing. She has proven herself a worthy competitor at the Great American Beer Festival and with the ever-evolving beer lineup at Bluejacket, it seems certain that she’ll continue to push the boundaries of craft beer for years to come.