Democracy Brewing Will Expand to East Boston in 2025
The worker-owned downtown brewpub will add winemaking at its new location.
A pint of Body Language Hazy IPA at Democracy Brewing’s original downtown location. / Photo by Gene Buonaccorsi
Democracy Brewing, a Best of Boston worker-owned brewpub in Downtown Crossing, is expanding to East Boston in early 2025—and getting into winemaking, too. Democracy Brewing Eastie, as the new spot will be known, is in the works at 154 Maverick St. in Maverick Square, founder and CEO James Razsa tells Boston. The intimate space will feature Democracy’s genre-hopping range of brews, wines made in-house, and a Latin American food menu inspired by the neighborhood and the heritages of several of Democracy’s worker-owners.
The first location opened, fittingly, on Independence Day back in 2018, a lively transformation of the decades-old Downtown Crossing home of the Windsor Button craft shop. “We have always intended to grow as a company,” says Razsa. “Democracy Brewing exists to create more worker ownership.” East Boston is a logical next step as much of the team already lives there, and the neighborhood has a dearth of places specializing in craft beer. “While [craft beer] is our bread and butter, it is not what we are most excited about,” says Razsa. “We are trying to bridge cultures and build community with our East Boston location.” To that end, the Democracy team is making a point of moving some of its bilingual owners and staff to the new location. “We want people to feel comfortable, and what makes you feel more at ease than knowing you can ask a question and be understood?”
Tacos and beer at Democracy Brewing. / Photo by Gene Buonaccorsi
The East Boston location comes with a financial boost from the City of Boston’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion via a SPACE Grant (Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises). The aim of the grant program is to revitalize the local economy by way of supporting small businesses, particularly in industries most affected by the pandemic, such as food service. “Filling a vacant commercial space in East Boston with a well-loved worker co-op is exactly the type of project that is a great fit for the SPACE Grant Program—and for the neighborhood,” said Alia Hamada Forrest, director of business strategy for the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, via press release.
While the original location takes many of its design cues from German beer halls and Irish pubs, Democracy Brewing Eastie will bring in even more global inspiration. “The idea is you will feel a little transported to the old country but a little unsure about which one,” says Razsa. “Italy? Spain? Mexico? Venezuela? It will feel like Eastie distilled.” Frida Kahlo-inspired floral wallpaper and dark woods will fill the 56-seat space, which will also include a snug (a small, traditional Irish-style room). Plus, a sizable outdoor space will seat 44.
Democracy Brewing head brewer Aaron Ceretti. / Photo by Gene Buonaccorsi
Democracy Brewing Eastie will host a bit of small-batch beer experimentation, Razsa says, “things a little too out there for our big system downtown or something that we want to get feedback before we go full-production.” But the bulk of the beer will be coming over from the original location, spanning numerous styles, from helles lagers to Irish-style red ales. Head brewer Aaron Ceretti, an alum of True North Ale Company in Ipswich and Aeronaut Brewing Company in Somerville, joined the team early this year and loves the immediate customer feedback that a brewpub setting provides. “I’m able to react to what’s selling or what people want and move my brewing schedule in that direction,” Ceretti said via press release. “Hoppy, fruity, hazy IPAs, lagers with lots of intentionality and complexity, British styles on nitro, and heavily fruited ales all have a spot on my tap list.”
New to Democracy Brewing for the East Boston location: winemaking. Starting from day one at the new spot, expect an assortment of traditional reds and crisp whites (and most likely sangria made from house wine). “We also want to bring some flavors that folks might not be too familiar with in the States, such as vermouth on the rocks,” says Razsa. “This is massively popular in Barcelona, but has not made the jump across the Atlantic—except in martinis—and we want to change that.”
Democracy Brewing’s executive chef Miguel Zambrano in the kitchen at Democracy’s original downtown location. / Photo by Gene Buonaccorsi
Executive chef Miguel Zambrano—a Democracy worker-owner who started his time at the company as a dishwasher—is building a menu that reflects the Latin American heritage of the neighborhood, himself (he immigrated from Venezuela), and a number of his colleagues at Democracy. Some of the most popular tacos from the original location will be on the new menu: The fan-favorite birria quesitacos, as well as carnitas and gobernador (shrimp quesitacos), served on scratch-made tortillas. Diners will also find dishes inspired by the cuisines of Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia, not to mention Peruvian-Japanese fusion.
“Creating a space that not only serves delicious food but also honors and celebrates the people who live there is something I’m really passionate about,” Zambrano said via press release. He and the team also hope to make the space into more than a restaurant but rather a gathering place for the community with pop-up events, local artist and musician collaborations, and other ways of engaging area residents, adding, “When a restaurant is deeply connected to its community, it becomes part of the story and culture of that place.”
Democracy Brewing’s worker-owners outside the future location of Democracy Brewing Eastie. / Photo by Gene Buonaccorsi
Democracy’s outward community-building focus feels like a natural extension of its own internal worker-owner structure, which creates strong bonds and low turnover among its team. There are currently eight worker-owners, with two more employees up for consideration in January (one must work a year before buying in). “One of our mottos is that those closest to the problem understand it best,” says Razsa. “This means we make smarter decisions because we involve the people who do the work in the decisions that affect the work. We also have a different level of commitment to service, food, and beverage because at every level of the process an owner has a hand in production.”
Take it from one longtime Democracy bartender and worker-owner Stef Brownstein: “It is a sense of pride for me to be able to say I’m an owner.”
Opening in early 2025. 154 Maverick St., East Boston, democracybrewing.com.
