Roundhead Brewing Company, the first Latino-owned brewery in Massachusetts, is making its mark in the local craft beer scene. Founded in 2022 by Luis Espinoza and co-owner Craig Panzer, the brewery offers a Latin twist on beer and promotes a sense of community.
“We wanted to have a relationship that was with people in the door,” Panzer said on Boston Public Radio on Friday. “Our mission is cerveza que reúine — beer that brings people together. … A beer is a starting place to sit at the table and enjoy time together.”
Espinoza and Panzer met at the sidelines of their kids soccer games in Jamaica Plain. Their friendship turned into making a dream come true.
“I shared a couple of beers with [Craig] and was like 'Yeah, let’s do it,'” Espinoza said.
Roundhead recently hosted a Latino Beer Festival with live music, food and beer from their own brewery as well as other Latino brewers.
“We were surprised when we did a couple events outside of Hyde Park — we went to East Boston and all these different parks around Boston. We find a lot of people ... identify with the brewery, and they come back,” Espinoza said.
One of Roundhead’s distinct offerings is Contigo, a Peruvian lager inspired by Espinoza’s heritage.
“We call [the beer] Peruvian lager because we bring in the water profile from the Andes,” Espinoza explained.
They analyzed the minerals in that Andes-sourced water, and then mimic that water profile in their brewing process to ensure that it reflects the taste of his home country, enhancing the authenticity of the beer.
For those who aren’t a fan of beer but would still like to visit the brewery, Panzer recommends trying Quantum Reggae, which he said is “like a rosé.” It’s a sour beer made from prickly pear they ferment for 72 hours with reggae music in the background.
“I find out reading the articles, in California that playing music to the grapes [make them] grow more healthy,” Espinoza said. “How about I plug some speakers next to the fermenter and see what happens?”
To his surprise, the fermentation process did go faster.
“So I wanted to like to investigate a little more,” he continued. He tried three different genres of music, and all three batches had a “slightly different flavor.”
Espinoza and Panzer are dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of the brewery enhances the customer experience.
“All things matter. The smell, the look, what glass it’s in. You know, these are the senses. And we’re trying to show hospitality and have it appeal to all the above,” Panzer said.
