Jeff Goulet, from Loophole Brewery, served himself a drink at the 87th Mighty Oktoberfest on Fort Street in Springfield on the evening of Friday, October 7, 2022.

In the Spanish-speaking world, Bruce Springsteen is referred to as “El Jefe” (“The Boss”).

However, in the beer circles of Western Massachusetts, the title of “The Boss” is owned by Jeff Goulet.

No one perhaps is more fitting of the title than Goulet, not only a co-founder of the fresh Loophole Brewing in Downtown Springfield, but also a pivotal figure in establishing the Worthy Craft Beer Showcase. This annual beer festival is set to take place from noon to 4 p.m. on June 15 this year on Worthington Street.

With Loophole now fully operational following its phased launch in April and with Worthy Fest fast approaching, it seemed like an ideal moment to interview El Jefe (a nickname based on his actual name).

The first thing you should know is that Goulet entered the brewing industry later than many—his journey began out of a sheer annoyance with beer.

“When I was in college, I really hated beer,” he admitted. “I drank gin and tonics and wine. I think what bothered me was the mass-produced quality of the beer. I experimented a bit with some friends who were homebrewing beer and cider, as well as mead and cyser. That experience really captivated me.”

Years later, Goulet was driven by his ongoing dissatisfaction with the norm to start a beer festival of his own.

“So a good friend of mine and I were pretty frustrated with brewfests. Nothing worse than spending tons of time waiting in line to get in, then waiting in another line for an ounce of beer, which you drink while in line for the next,” he said. “We wanted something to showcase the beers, not just consumption. We wanted something staffed by brewery owners, brewers, and brand ambassadors, not brewfest volunteers that likely know little to nothing about your beer.”

One of the ales available at Loophole Brewing is named after Duryea Way in Springfield. (George Lenker photo)

Goulet & Co. also interviewed the other side – the breweries themselves – to see what they liked and disliked about beer fests.

“Many brewfests later, many miles, and even a couple countries, we had a plan set to launch The Worthy.”

The Worthy distinguishes itself with a unique setup of 60 brewers, split evenly between 30 professionals and 30 amateurs, each presenting their finest brews. The vigor and dedication of the participants are what inspire Goulet to orchestrate the event annually.

“It’s the fervor and skill of the home brewers that captivate me. It’s particularly rewarding to watch individuals transition from the amateur tent to the professional brewers’ tent,” Goulet shares about his most cherished aspect of the festival.

By a happy coincidence, Loophole Brewing is located just around the corner from The Worthy’s venue. This year, the festival will expand to include the nearby Duryea Way, a move that Goulet believes is serendipitous.

“We are excited about enlarging The Worthy’s presence this year,” Goulet remarks. “The festival initially began with just closing off Worthington Street, then it expanded into Stearns Square, and now includes Duryea Way.”

While that all seems like a beautifully executed plan, fate definitely seems to have had a hand in the result. Goulet said Loophoole had already had several other potential sites fall through.

“Finding a home for Loophole, believe it or not, has been pretty difficult,” he said. “Finding a place that makes sense for a brewery is a much harder task. Over the past five years, there have been three other locations we were set on opening, but for all different reasons, that never happened.”

The brewery itself is large and spacious, with two floors, a beer garden, a rooftop space overlooking the garden, and an upstairs room with a stage for performers. The capacity is 525 – 325 on the first floor and 200 on the second floor. There are 10 taps. John Geraci (formerly of Amherst Brewery) serves as head brewer, and Goulet has two other partners: Todd Snopkowski, and Aaron Saunders.

Goulet also said that the brewery has no specific targets as far as styles or market segment.

“No particular goals, no specific market segment. We consciously focus on being a well-rounded brewery, offering a variety of styles. We also offer nonalcoholic beer, wine, prosecco, and liquor. Something for everyone,” he said.

What has surprised Goulet the most about his new venture?

“How many people can’t find the building and don’t know we are open. We are at 51-59 Taylor St. in Springfield,” he said. “It’s a giant 15,000-square foot building. Pretty hard to miss.”

Last but not least, which Loophole beer would he recommend to someone visiting the brewery for the first time?

“Easiest question so far – First Encounter. It’s our flagship, our first contracted beer, our first canned beer, etc. It was originally made for the 100th anniversary of Western New England University, back in 2019.”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.