Next Draft

CITY LIVING

TABLE HOPPIN’

Bobby Flay will give a virtual lesson April 8 for

Williams Sonoma. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO

Online food shopping options skyrocketing

Barbara M. Houle

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

News reports that online shopping skyrocketed last year came as no surprise to most of us who probably all were on the same websites clicking away.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced earlier this year that Americans spent $791.7 billion online last year, up 32.4% from 2019.

The pandemic and national lockdowns not only added growth opportunities for brands, but also new reasons for businesses to create fun, surprise mailorder food gifts and packages.

A quick look:

New England-based Pastene recently added the Pastene Campus Survival Kit to an assortment of gift boxes listed on its website (https://www.Pastene.com). The newest kit is perfect to send to students to make their own homecooked meal in their dorm or off-campus housing, especially during finals, or to anyone for that matter, said Sharyn Frankel of Tilson PR representing Pastene. Frankel said she often sends gift packages to her parents in Florida. “People like myself who grew up eating food made by companies like Pastene love being surprised with these packages,” she said.

THE NEXT DRAFT

Sam Adams-Wormtown collab showcases brewer’s local roots

Matthew Tota

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

But she would learn even more at her first brewery job. For new brewers cracking into the industry in the early 2000s, there was no better place to cut your

Sometimes, a certain kind of success in the craft teeth than Cambridge Brewing Co. Parisi joined CBC beer business can bring criticism. in 2004, working under brewmaster Will Meyers until

Brewers putting out millions of barrels of beer get 2011, otherwise known as a masterclass in how to accused of growing out of the so-called craft category. brew beer. For producing at such a massive scale, they are After CBC, Parisi moved to Washington, D.C., to lumped in with the big commercial serve as head brewer for Blue Jacket guys — accused of losing the inde- Brewery and help open its taproom pendence that propelled their and restaurant in the historic Navy achievements in the first place. Yard neighborhood.

I have often been such a critic, Parisi returned to New England perpetuating this narrative. But three years later, taking a job as head lately, I’ve found myself treating brewer for Wormtown Brewery. It some mega-craft brewers like Bos- would be a brief stay in Worcester, ton Beer Co. unfairly, forgetting that but an impactful one, as she oversaw behind the billions of dollars, teams Wormtown’s move from Park Aveof lawyers, corporate boardrooms nue to Shrewsbury Street. and massive mechanized Just a year later, Parisi joined Sam brewhouses exists a core group of Adams, helming its research and delocal people. velopment brewery in Boston. As

People like Megan Parisi, head much as she wanted to remain at brewer at Sam Adams Boston Tap- Wormtown — making a lifelong room on State Street. friend in co-founder Ben Roesch —

Parisi’s connection to Worcester Parisi said the opportunity at Sam was the inspiration for Sam Adams’ Adams was one she could not turn first collaboration with Wormtown Megan Parisi, head brewer at down. Brewery: a rye lager they call “Your Sam Adams Boston Taproom. “I wasn’t looking to leave WormBrewer’s Favorite,” available exclu- SUBMITTED PHOTO town,” she said. “My first thought sively at the Sam Adams taproom, was, ‘That’s too bad: I’ve got a job I 60 State St., starting Thursday. More on the beer later. like, with people I like.’ Then a couple people said you

First, I want to tell you about Parisi and her extraor- really have to check it (Sam Adams) out. You would dinary career in craft beer, one that has spanned more feel foolish for not checking it out. And Ben was like, than two decades and has seen her playing key roles ‘Of course you will.’ I was happy and excited, but sad in opening taprooms for three different breweries. to leave, because we had just opened up this pretty

Like so many brewers before her, Parisi took up amazing spot.” brewing initially as a hobby while pursuing another Boston Beer Co. boasts three gigantic breweries in career. She was a professional musician for about five Boston, Cincinnati and Lehigh, Pennsylvania, that toyears, playing in The United States Navy Band, in- gether produce more than 3 million barrels of beer a cluding performances for a president and heads of year. The research and development brewery where state. Parisi tinkered with new Sam Adams beers is infini-

“What I realized homebrewing for 10 years was I tesimal by comparison. She developed new recipes didn’t know anything about making a beer that some- that in some cases would never be released, along one will pay me money for,” Parisi said. with testing ingredients for Sam Adams’ regular

So she went back to school to learn the science of brews. brewing. Her brewing education would come via Lon- One of Parisi’s biggest projects involved creating don’s Institute of Brewing & Distilling, UC Davis, and the Siebel Institute of Technology. See DRAFT, Page 17D