Brewing Beyond Boundaries with Henry Jager

How Henry Jager’s Passion for Science and Craft Beer Created a Community Hub at Pherm Brewery

Henry Jager's path to becoming a head brewer is a tale of curiosity, science, and a love for craft beer. It all began with a profound interest in the scientific method, an affinity for chemistry, and an appetite for good beer. Henry's journey took root during his college years at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he found himself immersed in environmental sciences and the vibrant beer culture of Colorado.

"When I was going to school out in Colorado, Boulder (CU Boulder, Go Buffs!) I was really taking to all the laboratory environmental sciences with a focus in chemistry so the science of things, but also the hands-on kind of approach to it, was always really appealing to me. That being said, it's college so we're drinking plenty of beer… plenty of shitty beer… not the fun ones," Henry recalls with a laugh. 

But it was in Boulder, surrounded by top-notch breweries, that his palate was introduced to something extraordinary. "There's two beers that I tried that really blew me away and made me think, ‘How do we make this? How do we do this?’ It was Avery IPA and Avery White Rascal, which I believe was a Belgian White that was extra spicy, but that could just be how I'm remembering it. In a good way. Those beers being out there and then trying them and thinking, ‘How do you make these flavors? What is or how are you making these colors? How do we change these things?’"

Henry's enthusiasm for brewing took him from homebrewing experiments to an internship at the Brewers Association, where he found himself immersed in the American Home Brewers Association. “They produced the magazine Zymurgy, and I'm reading all their articles, like Charlie Papazian’s, the Godfather of Homebrewing. The first day I’m there, they’re like ‘Let's go meet everyone’ and I asked if we could meet Charlie. I remember going in there, and he's like, ‘Henry, the homebrewer, great to meet you!’ I'm thinking, ‘Yes, this is awesome!’” His journey was punctuated with moments of trial and error, like the time he over-carbonated a homebrew, causing a messy but memorable debut at a beer social.

Today, as the head brewer at Pherm, Henry's challenges have evolved from learning the ropes of homebrewing to navigating the complexities of running a brewery. “There's always challenges from a production standpoint with everything that's happened in the last few years. We officially opened December 30th, 2020 and some major challenges have been the supply chain, shipping, and costs. We're at that 3.5-4 years in production mark now and have the kind of wear-and-tear where we really have to be on top of maintenance; those are the daily little gripes and grumbles, but you just got to do it. And that's how every brewery is,” he explains.

Yet, Henry finds solace and support in his team and his wife, Maurirose. “I'm fortunate enough that I can take a step back from the front of house and my wife, Maurirose, kicks butt up there. She handles all the event scheduling and our whole team is so positive and awesome. They’re really good people and each person has their own character and insight. I'm fortunate that I don't have to be as involved in the front, but there's also challenges in keeping it fresh and interesting,” he says.

Innovation and collaboration are at the heart of Pherm's success. “This year, we've been on the collab front of things, which is really cool. We try to keep it interesting and work with other businesses, local artists, and other breweries. With breweries, it’s really interesting how you always get a refreshing take on some things and also pushed out of your comfort zone. It's easy to get tunnel vision and stay in the back with your head down, and you don't want to have that overall from a creative standpoint. You want to be able to see what everyone else is doing, take it all in, and put your own touch on things,” Henry notes. His passion for experimentation is evident in the wide array of beers Pherm offers, from core beers like Forbin IPA and Sparkle Pilsner to unique creations like This Is Not The Haze You’re Looking For inspired by Star Wars, and Phorward Collab a blend of styles made in partnership with Max's in Baltimore.

Henry's approach to brewing is driven by curiosity and a desire to innovate. "I think there's a million great places to get inspiration from, especially in seeing what some other folks are doing. You can go to a restaurant, have something that blows your mind on the flavor side, and think, ‘How do those flavors transfer over? What's the transferable nature of it to something that we're brewing in here?’ Like, ‘Oh man, I just had this crazy blend of herbs. What if we put that in a Saison?’ Things like that are definitely interesting," he shares. This inventive spirit is balanced with a respect for tradition and an understanding of the technical challenges in brewing, such as transferring beer between kegs or dealing with tricky ingredients like fresh cherries for a barrel-aged saison.

Despite the hurdles, Henry's dedication to brewing is unwavering. "It's a labor of love," he says. "It can be a lot of prep. But I think the results always show, and it's always one of those things you laugh at."

Looking ahead, Henry is excited about upcoming projects like the Hazy Double IPA Dismal Fog and a Mexican lager called Forgotten Conversations. He's also thrilled about a collaborative Hazy IPA with the Anne Arundel County Library, set to release on June 8th, and an Anne Arundel County brewery collaboration for Pints for Paws on June 15th. "It's the first time that we've all grouped together officially, all in one room, so it’ll be pretty cool," he says enthusiastically.

For Henry and Maurirose, Pherm is more than just a brewery—it's a community hub. "We’re very proud of all the beer we offer, but also very proud of all the work that Maurirose does up front with coordinating events, hosting events, doing fundraisers for local schools, the Anne Arundel County Public Library, Pints for Paws, and BARCS Social. We love being able to work with so many different groups, organizations, and causes. Really being able to be community-driven is really great," Henry reflects.

Pherm's mission is to foster a sense of community while keeping things interesting and enjoyable for everyone. With a dedication to quality, innovation, and community, Henry Jager and his team at Pherm are brewing more than just beer—they're brewing connections and experiences that bring people together.

Interested in reading the full interview? Check it out here.