Scott Brunelle has been a brewer most of his working life, and he knows what he likes: ales that are perfectly balanced, Pilsners that sparkle, American lagers that taste crisp and clean, stouts that are rich and complex.
“I prefer IPAs, but appreciate all the traditional beer types so long as they’re done correctly,” he says. “I’m a sucker for tradition so I like a lot of the classic styles.”
Scott is the brewmaster here at Moby Dick Brewing Co., which is New Bedford’s first full-scale production brewery in 40 years. Unlike at some brew pubs around the region, nothing comes from a kit here at Moby Dick Brewing. What we make comes from the finest specialty hops and malts, the freshest citrus and spices, and the magic in Scott’s own recipes.
Scott has 20 years experience and won numerous awards for his work in some of Massachusetts’ great breweries and brew pubs — Brew Moon in Boston, Rock Bottom in Boston and Braintree (where he was named the South Shore’s Best Brewmaster), and Harpoon Brewery in Boston.
He was an original board member of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild and is a member of the Master Brewers Association of America.
He grew up in Dartmouth, where he was a high school classmate of New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, and went to Boston University. That’s where he and his roommates took up home brewing at the beginning of what he calls the “craft beer revolution” back in the 1980s.
“We’d find something we liked and try to replicate it at home,” he remembers.
It launched a career that has seen him win some of the craft brewing industry’s top awards, including three medals at the Great American Beer Festival for a jalapeño lager and a Bohemian-styled Pilsner. His pale ales and stouts have won top honors at the Great Northeast International Brewer’s Festival.
And now he gets to run our brand new 10-barrel brewing system, which Moby Dick Brewing purchased from Specific Mechanical of Canada.
“I’m looking forward to creating recipes, brewing fine beers and talking to our customers. I can’t wait to make great beer right here in New Bedford’” he says.
And when you visit us at Moby Dick Brewing, you’ll most often get to watch Scott and our brewing team hard at work making the next fine lager, wheat ale or IPA in our brewhouse adjoining our restaurant.
Scott lives in Plymouth with his wife, a special education teacher, and their son, whom Scott coaches in youth league sports.