When Chip Jarry and Shawn Rich first opened Bay State Brewery and Taproom in Worcester in 2020, it was to establish a “home base” to both serve and showcase the homemade brews made by Jarry.
Five years later, the two friends are still showcasing their works to both longtime and new customers.
“Its a fantastic asset to this area in the city,” said Tom LaRoche, a first-time customer at the bar. “It’s great.”
Bay State Brewery and Taproom at 112 Harding St. first opened its doors on Feb. 29, 2020. While there is no leap day in 2025, the company is still celebrating five years of serving brews and food to its patrons.
The brewery sells lagers, IPAs, and other beers, all made in-house by Jarry. Jarry said he had always had an interest in making beer, something his grandfather had done during the prohibition era. When he’s not cleaning up the bar, Rich sometimes helps Jarry with his brewing.
“My father said his beer was awful,” Jarry said about his grandfather’s beer.
The brewery consists of a downstairs and upstairs section. The downstairs area is filled with antique signs, the bar, pictures of classic rock artists such as Jerry Garcia, rows of wooden tables and metal chairs and two antique telephone booths — one of them housing the bar’s point-of-sale system.
“It still lights up,” Rich said of the other empty phone booth.
The upstairs features another bar and tables, surrounded by TV screens showing sports.
On one side of the room is a collection of classic arcade games such as Frogger and Donkey Kong. On the other side of the room is a window overlooking the parking lot of the bar.
There is also another window in the upstairs room overlooking the hockey rink of the Worcester Ice Center. Here, customers can see games being played in real-time while they enjoy their food and drinks.
Bay State Brewery and Tap Room in Worcester Massachusetts.Adam Bass
A love of beer and hockey
The conception of Bay State Brewery and Taproom was born of two things Jarry and Rich cherish dearly — hockey and beer. The two first met in the locker room when they were playing in the Worcester Men’s Senior League in 2009. Hockey has been and continues to be an important part of Jarry and Rich’s lives, beginning from when they were children. Both of them learned how to play hockey from their parents and their children play, as well.
When they first met, Jarry had been brewing beer out of his garage and would bring some of his brews for the hockey team. Rich, who was running the Boston Beer Summits at that time, invited Jarry to show off his brews at the showcase. The two found that they shared not only a love for hockey but also a love for beer, namely German lagers.
“Both of us have an affinity for that,” Jarry said.
In 2012, the two partnered together and established Bay State Brewing Company — a beer brewing and distribution business. Following eight successful years of distribution, the two friends decided that it was time to have a “home base,” a place where they could showcase and serve the beer Jarry was brewing.
“That was a natural progression for us,” Jarry said.
In 2020, the two opened the Bay State Brewery and Taproom at the Worcester Ice Center. Not only would customers have a place to go for food and drinks, but the bar’s upstairs room included a view of the hockey rink, giving patrons a chance to share the founders’ dual passions.
Bay State Brewery and Tap Room in Worcester Massachusetts.Adam Bass
Tackling COVID
During the first weeks of its opening, Jarry and Rich said Bay State Brewery and Taproom was filled with customers and that business was going well. Like most business owners in 2020, however, the two were faced with a new obstacle — the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, Bay State Brewing Company and Taproom had to close its doors to the public. After sitting down and having a beer, the two figured out how to keep the business running — take-out service.
“We wanted to be able to support our chef and our manager at the time,” Jarry said.
After two months of being closed, Jarry and Rich said the bar opened up again — following COVID mandates that were put into place by then-Gov. Charlie Baker, such as social distancing. Despite opening right before the pandemic hit, the taproom still managed to pay its bills, according to the two friends.
“Some people were still afraid,” Rich said about people coming back to the bar. “Some people were going to go out no matter what and some people would just pick up their take-out food.”
Bay State Brewery and Tap Room in Worcester Massachusetts.Adam Bass
Support from old customers and new
As Bay State Brewery and Taproom turns five years old, customers tell MassLive that the brewery has been a great addition to the Heart of the Commonwealth. LaRoche, who was with his wife in the taproom, said he enjoyed the dark ale he bought along with onion rings he ate for lunch.
“It’s fantastic,” LaRoche said, smiling.
TJ and Jinnay Brank of Rutland told MassLive they have been longtime customers of the brewery and have a connection with the place as their kids play hockey.
“It’s one of our favorites,” Brank said.
As for what’s next for the brewery, Rich and Jarry are still brewing and distributing beers and plan to do so for more years to come. The two are even thinking of expanding but no set location has been settled yet.
“We’re going to focus on our outside business,” Jarry said.
Bay State Brewery and Tap Room in Worcester Massachusetts.Adam Bass
