Our Story

How we built an award-winning brewery in an abandoned building.

Our History in Words

Matt Tarlecki, Head Brewer / Owner

Matt Tarlecki, Head Brewer / Owner

Starting in March of 2013, Matt Tarlecki began transforming a 2,700 square foot space in the old mill building at 142 Pleasant Street, aptly named “The Brickyard”. The previous tenant was a plastic bag manufacturer who vacated the space and left it in shambles. Giant rolls of plastic, large pieces of equipment, and tons of odds-and-ends were stacked head-high throughout the space. Once the space was emptied of its contents, he transformed it into his vision of the brewery that stands today.

The majority of the brewery was designed, constructed, and finished entirely by Matt which included painting the 16 foot tall walls and ceiling, assembling the walk-in cooler, refinishing the original hard wood floors, and installing the 15 barrel brewhouse with two 30 barrel fermenters and one 30 barrel bright tank. He performed limited renovations in order to maintain the ambiance of the original mill building. He successfully navigated the permitting side of brewing and was granted a Federal Brewer’s Notice in October of 2013, only after enduring the federal government shutdown in October. The State level Farmer-Brewery License was awarded at the end of November that same year.

Meet The Team

 
Copy+of+IMG_8193.jpg

Matt Tarlecki

Head Brewer / Owner

Matt Tarlecki founded ABB in 2013 after years of home brewing, racking up 20+ awards in his hometown Philadelphia home brewing circuit. A civil engineer by trade, Matt worked on projects throughout the Northeast before diving into brewing full-time!

230B87A2-1885-4B3E-96AE-AFB47AE46090.jpg

Mike Thomas

Beertender/Online Store

When Mike is not working here at ABB, he's at home brewing, playing music, obstacle course racing, reading or running around with his family. He's also a podcaster and blogger in his free time. Look for his newest venture, From Grist to Glass: An Exploration of Beer, coming out in 2021.

IMG_20210422_171240.jpg

Braeden Dion

Sales Manager

Between retail and delivery Braeden has almost 20 years experience in the beer industry. He moved over to Abandoned Building Brewery a very short time ago but he loves it. In his spare time, Braeden loves spending time with his family, playing golf and going to estate sales.

Copy of IMG_8003.jpg

Heather Messer

Beertender / Office Manager

Heather has been a blessed member of the ABB team since April 2016, and is the proud owner of Lola, the locally renowned brewery dog! When Heather isn’t at the brewery, she’s putting her MSW to good use at Holyoke Medical Center, going for hikes with Lola, and embarking on solo traveling excursions.

Copy of IMG_7907.jpg

Jesse Morrisey

Beertender / Carpenter

Jesse has been moonlighting as a beertender for ABB for over 5 years. A sculptor by trade, this Easthampton resident runs a fine woodworking and handyman business, Acorn Studios and Handyman Services, when he isn't pouring fine craft beer for the good folk of the Valley.

IMG_8023.jpg

Molly Ankiewicz

Beertender

Molly has been lucky enough to work at ABB since May of 2017. She enjoys the lively scene of the craft beer community so much that you’ll find her smiling and laughing while serving up a delicious brew for you.

usedCopy of Twinsies.jpeg

Charlie Merrick

Beertender/Brewery Assistant

Charlie is an incredibly high energy and high passion individual who loves to ride bikes, be outside, and generally explore the landscapes around him and around the world. He is hopefully entering the world of ultra-distance bicycle racing this fall. He’s usually planning some sort of crazy endeavor and loves to tell stories of previous trips.