Once again, I’m in lockstep with Mother Teresa. Family is super important to me, and my wide circle includes close friends — even those who say I overuse “creamy mouthfeel.”
We recently visited a terrific brewery that exceeded expectations for location, brews and vibe. Its overarching theme was family, with friendship keeping everything centered.
Round Table Brewery took over the (huge) former Industrial Arts Brewing Co. space in Garnerville after Industrial Arts consolidated operations in Beacon.
Owner Ricardo Petroni, a founder of Equilibrium Brewery, says the Garnerville location let Round Table start with quality equipment, saving time and money. The nearly 200-year-old former textile mill made Union Army uniforms during the Civil War.
Today, the brewery is part of the Garner Arts Center complex, home to Building 35’s Main Gallery and the Creekside Sculpture Trail.
Round Table’s founders are Ricardo, Javier Laurini and Dr. Maria José Vasena.
“Javier is my best friend, we are like brothers," Ricardo said. "We met in high school more than 40 years ago!”
Their friendship grew around spontaneous Argentine Asados, traditional gatherings centered on open-fire cooking. Maria met Javier in medical school, and Ricardo met her through him. They’ve been married more than 30 years.
Though born in Newton, Mass., Ricardo grew up in Argentina, studied hydraulic and civil engineering and later returned to earn a master’s in environmental engineering at MIT.
In the 1990s, Boston brewpubs offered styles that opened drinkers’ eyes to craft beer. Ricardo says he discovered there was more to “cerveza” than he knew, and the variety captivated him. His MIT mates eventually gifted him his first brew kit.
During the pandemic, Ricardo and Javier brewed batches in Ricardo's basement and developed recipes for some of Round Table’s staple beers. They opened the brewery in 2023.
The name reflects a philosophy: nobody sits at the head of a round table; everyone is equal. It mirrors Ricardo's home, where friends and family gather.
Javier is a full-time pathologist at Montefiore who enjoys brewing, and Maria, a pediatrician, helps with hospitality. Daughter Valentina designs the creative beer labels, while son Vincent handles social media and myriad warehouse duties. Vincent hosted us and couldn’t have been nicer or more accommodating (I ask a lot of questions…).
One thing that struck me was Round Table’s multifaceted business model, designed to weather a changing craft beer industry. Ricardo believes a solid marketing/sales plan and demand are essential: the product must fulfill its promise, but a great product alone isn’t enough.
Round Table also offers contract brewing and private-label services, helping brands, bars, and entrepreneurs brew, can and label their recipes.
La Redonda Tavern, the large tasting room adjoining the brewery, features tall vaulted wood ceilings. Despite its size, our crew agreed it felt “homey + cozy,” with natural light and comfy hang-out areas. It felt like a large living room, albeit with an L-shaped polished wood bar and 13 beers on tap.
Events include live music, Bingo, Books & Brews author talks and beer pairings, plus the biggest TV screen I’ve ever seen showing NFL games.
Ricardo puts his environmental engineering expertise to work through water chemistry: reverse osmosis removes minerals, allowing the brewery to add those suited to each style and control mouthfeel and drinkability.
After all these years, you can trust me when I say all of the broad lineup of beers were great. What intrigued me was the beer name and labels often had associated stories.
Juntos German Pilsner: Juntos means “together,” and its label depicts Ricardo, Javier and Maria sharing food and drink around a table. Its crispness and light malt backbone were a Fan Fave with our crew.
Encuentro Argentine-Style Lager: Encuentro means “encounter/gathering,” reflecting the goal of making beer the flavor and backbone of social gatherings. The label features Argentine fútbol superstars Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. Corn lightens the body and crisps the mouthfeel.
Sun Kissed Cold IPA: The label shows Maria fishing while sunbathing in Córdoba, Argentina. Vincent describes this style as a bridge between a West Coast IPA and a lager. Fermented with lager yeast at a higher temperature, Sun Kissed delivers bold, crisp hops, slight lemon notes, and a clean, dry finish.
Alto Lindo Rustic Style Ale: Named for Maria's family farmhouse in Córdoba, where the family has spent plenty of time, Alto Lindo represents Round Table’s pride in its sour program for which they have won a Gold Medal at the NYS Craft Beer Competition.
I appreciate rustic, sour, wild and mixed fermentation ales for their complex, often-tart flavors. Not so much crewmember “Lights On” Mark, whose dramatic puckering after even a small sip is documented in reams of video from our various sojourns.
So why would Alto Lindo be any different? Vincent had a solid pitch: “Just try 3 sips.” Maybe there’s psychology behind the theory that it gets better the more you have?
Mark’s verdict: “It’s a mild one, notes of white wine.” That is progress! See what open-mindedness (and some peer pressure) can bring?
Notable: Round Table’s beers are OU Kosher certified, with 40 beers officially recognized under Orthodox Union supervision.
The Verdict: Glenn put Round Table in the Top 10 among the 80 breweries we’ve visited. I couldn’t agree more.
So here’s the plan: make a day of it. Stroll the Creekside Sculpture Trail, visit Building 35’s Main Gallery, then cap it off with craft beer, food and a family-friendly vibe at Round Table. A day well spent.
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