Karen Stangl

Director of QA
Two Roads Brewing Company
9 years in the industry

“Everybody’s favorite line seems to be, “You do beer QA? You must just get to sit around and drink beer all day!” Nope. Because, well, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it, as they say. We’re all very busy science-ing the heck out of every other aspect of beer: raw materials, yeast health, fermentation, filtration, all aspects of packaging, and any other little thing that comes up. But, if I’m lucky- Yes, I am! I love discerningly tasting alongside creative teams to develop new brands, or vetting a process or ingredient change, or participating in daily sensory panel. I am especially lucky to have the team at Two Roads to work alongside.

One could say I took the Road Less Traveled in this career. I never would have imagined I’d find my way from liberal arts/humanities to molecular biology and wet-bench chemistry; from bartending my way through over 100 craft beers to the science of beer and alternative beverages, but here we are.

For me, it’s the thrill of the what’s next and how do we improve this part that never gets old. I’m supremely grateful to the kind and collaborative craft beer community who paved the way before me. Without their wisdom, my colleagues and I could not continue to challenge boundaries in the industry. I raise a glass to them, and to the next generation of brewing QA leaders.”