Threes Brewing recently named Josh Penney as its new Head Brewer at the Gowanus brewpub. Penney, formerly Head Brewer at Highland Park Brewery in Los Angeles, brings a stellar track record, including four gold medals at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival and a “Brewery of the Year” title.
A graduate of the UC Davis Master Brewer’s Program, Penney will lead beer production, develop new brands, and reimagine recipes at Threes’ innovation center. Penney shared with Brewer in this Q&A how he looks forward to merging his West Coast experience with Threes’ vision to elevate its beers to new heights.
BREWER: What key lessons from your tenure at Highland Park, Golden Road & Beachwood will you apply to your new role at Threes? How do you plan to integrate those experiences into a different market and brewing culture?
PENNEY: “One Team One Dream” was one of the first things I heard at Golden Road and a focus on teamwork has always been at the center of my approach. I learned a lot over the years at the breweries I’ve been at and the most important thing was that your team is everything. Above all, Highland Park Brewery really set me up for success and the knowledge I gained from working with Bob, Tiff, and the rest of the crew is ultimately why I’m here today. I know this is all sounding very vague but I honestly think without a structure in place to communicate across departments and involve your team, you’re going to miss out on a lot of opportunities and ideas that could further propel both you and the brewery you’re at.
BREWER: What first drew you to the industry, and what keeps you passionate about being part of it today?
PENNEY: I’ve always loved knowing how things work and how you could take (what seemed like) four simple ingredients and never make the same thing twice. What keeps me passionate today is never being content. Even if you achieve what you perceive as perfect, there’s always something to improve upon. The breadth of knowledge within this industry is gargantuan and other brewers are always down to share ideas and trade experiences. On top of that, the relationships I’ve built over the years with hop farmers/suppliers, yeast companies, malt houses, specialty ingredient purveyors… the list goes on and on, have made me so happy to be part of this industry. Human connection is what drives all of us and when you make those connections, people want to help and give you the best thing they’ve got. Ingredient selection is by far one of the most important aspects of making world class beer and when you forge those relationships, you’re going to have a lot of great stuff coming your way.
BREWER: Your West Coast brewing experience brings a unique perspective for Threes. How do you plan to adapt those influences to suit the preferences of the East Coast market? Are there specific styles or techniques that you believe will resonate with Threes’ audience?
PENNEY: I think in general, consumers have gotten more knowledgeable about what they are consuming. There seems to be less and less gimmick involved these days and people are more tuned in to what different breweries are doing. Nuance is now king and I am all about that. Threes was a natural fit because aside from hoppy beer, I love making Lagers. I’ve known about them for years because of their Lager program, so I’m excited to dive further into what makes these recipes what they are and to incorporate what I’ve learned into them. The point is for these beers to be synergistic, and I want to collaborate on what Threes does well, what I know how to do well and continue to push the brewery even further.
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BREWER: What are you sippin’ on right now from your new brewery that you really enjoy?
PENNEY: Yes And. It’s a Foudre-fermented Italian Pilsner collaboration between Threes, Oxbow and DeCiccos & Sons. What is really special about this beer is the use of one of my favorite American grown hops, Zuper Saazer. I’m very familiar with these Michigan-grown Saaz hops, but this was the first time I ever used them in whole cone form and they were beautiful. They’re lemony, herbal and super complex. They were used as a dryhop and they really shine in that beer.
BREWER: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new managers stepping into a role similar to yours?
PENNEY: This is my first lateral move in this industry and I realize how fortunate I am to have landed in a Head Brewer role here at Threes. It’s rare to be able to find the job you were looking for in the place you were looking for it. I think the best thing you can do is to be open and willing to listen and observe. Figure out what it is that you are looking to pursue, and continue on that pursuit keeping in mind that you have a team for a reason. You should rely on them as much as they rely on you.
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