On Boston’s North Shore, where maritime heritage meets modern craft, Gary Rogers has anchored a brewing legacy with True North Ale Company. Founded in 2017 with his son, Jake, the Ipswich brewery blends cutting-edge equipment, award-winning recipes, and a steadfast commitment to integrity. “True” reflects their values; “North” honors their home. From their flagship Northern Haze Juicy IPA to the gold medal–winning Vincianne Belgian Blonde Ale, True North Ales has earned national recognition while serving as a welcoming hub for locals, visitors, and community events. In this interview with Delivery Rank, Gary shares how staying true to quality and innovation has made their beers—and their story—worth raising a glass to.

Your brewing journey began over three decades ago in your own kitchen — what emotions or memories stand out when you reflect on that very first pale ale you brewed?

Jill and I bought our first home in 1984 and I finally had room to store brewing equipment and brew some beer. My good buddy Tom had begun home brewing out of his kitchen in Portland, Maine and offered to teach me what he knew. One of the very few brewing supply shops in New England was located on Commercial Street in Portland. I bought equipment, ingredients, and a brewing book and Tom and I got down to brewing a batch. In '84 craft beers were not readily available. Traditional American lagers and imported lagers dominated store shelves and bar taps. I knew there were more styles and better beers and set out to make some myself. I had had several of Tom's early batches, which were quite good, but had fairly low expectations for my first try. The brewing process was all new and interesting. Once fully fermented and bottled, I set the batch aside for the required aging time. But my anxiety took over and I opened a bottle after just a few weeks. Ugh! Not so great. I was disappointed and told my wife so. Ah well... Several weeks later, when the beer was supposed to be ready, I opened another bottle. Yes! It was good! Learned a number of lessons from that first batch, and being patient as a brewer was likely the most important one. 

True North Ale Company is clearly a multi-generational effort. How did your brewing relationship with Jake evolve from father-son hobbyists into full-fledged business partners?

I began home brewing in 1984 and Jake came along in '86. In the succeeding years, Jake "helped out" with the brewing --- as a toddler under foot and as a pre-schooler fetching ingredients. He definitely caught the brewing bug at an early age and decided to get into the industry while in college. I continued to home brew during early retirement from my first career and Jake went to work in brewery operations at a local craft brewery. He would tell me what was going on there, often saying what could be done differently and better. "You're a smart kid. Why don't you open your own brewery?" I asked, on more than one occasion. I foresaw him opening a small brewpub where I'd sit at the bar and drink great beer into my dotage. A year or so later he took the bait, calling me on the phone to tell me he was interested in opening a brewery. But there was one condition --- I had to do it with him. It took me about a nanosecond to say YES! Jake did most of the planning for the operation with our Head Brewer Seth Barnum. Since opening nearly eight years ago, Jake and I have become a solid team, where he is responsible for the brewery operation and I have responsibility for the business side. We discuss and concur on every major decision. It is so rewarding to work so closely with my son. And Jill, though she said she was not going to be a part of True North Ales, could not resist joining the fun and has been an integral part of the business since the early days. It is truly a family affair. 

Blind taste tests played a big role in your early days of brewing. How do you approach quality control and customer feedback now that you’re operating at a commercial scale?

Blind taste tests were important to me as a home brewer. I often put my pale ale up against Bass Ale (always kept bottles on hand) and won the test more often than not. I will admit that my stout never beat Guinness, but they did have a several hundred year head start... Today, blind taste tests are quite meaningful to us for many reasons. It is how judging is done at World Beer Cup and GABF. Some of the smaller competitions, such as North American Brewers Association and Best of Craft Beer, have very competent judges, too. We rely on feedback from these judges to tweak recipes and processes. Head Brewer Seth and the brewery staff gather often to sample beers and give personal feedback. In some cases we want to stay true to style. In other cases, creativity reigns supreme. Our lineup of beers includes several core offerings that are brewed year round and a number of seasonal IPAs and sours. These are sent into the broader market through distribution. We also brew a large number of small batches (more than 20 year-to-date) for our Taproom. The enormous range of styles is meant to keep it interesting at the Taproom, satisfying a broad range of tastes and opening the eyes of our guests to the many aspects of craft brewing. Flights are a key Taproom offering. Our staff is trained to know what they are selling and to ask for feedback whenever a new beer is released.   

As a founder, how do you strike a balance between staying true to your original brewing vision and adapting to changing consumer tastes?

Having lived in Europe for several years, I came to understand the diversity of beer. I strongly recommend your readers to tour Belgium for a taste of what I mean. American craft brewing has adopted all of what the world has to offer and added its own spin. It is amazing to see the number of different beers one can find in craft beer today. There is truly something for everyone. In recent years non-beer alternatives have gained popularity. Hard seltzers, hard teas, ready to drink cocktails, cannabis infused beverages. Many breweries have added one or more to their line-up. We just want to make great beer. It is more than a full time job working to make better beer with every batch. We do not believe we can do that and also brew beer alternatives. We work hard to provide our Taproom guests and our fans here in New England with a choice from many outstanding beer styles. We believe we can continue to succeed and grow our business with that approach.

True North started as a passion project. How do you envision its legacy—both as a family business and as part of New England’s brewing culture?

True North Ales will celebrate its 8th anniversary this fall. During that relatively short time, we have focused on making great beer. Head Brewer Seth Barnum is one of the most talented young brewers in the country and has earned recognition on the world stage. When it comes to World Beer Cup and GABF medals, True North Ales is the #1 brewery in Massachusetts and #2 in all of New England. Our legacy will be built on quality. We will always stay focused on making amazing beer.

To read more about True North Ale Company, please visit https://www.truenorthales.com/