Shores Life & Style Fall 2021

ONE BARREL
B R E W I N G
Building Strong Roots
Written By: Emily Beier
Photography By: Brandi Krause
Jennifer said there's a lot to love
about Door County and they knew
it would be the perfect spot for
their family to settle in and
embrace the culture and immerse
themselves into the community and
that includes volunteering.
Door County is a real treasure in Wisconsin.
Each season is perfectly highlighted from
fresh greenery and delicious cherries in the
spring and summer to the warm hues of fall
and the coziness of fresh snow in the winter.
One thing Door County isn't lacking is
beauty and for one local business owner she
says she sees it in the people everyday.
Peter and Jennifer Gentry are a husband and
wife entrepreneur duo that got their start
after a gift sparked what would turn into a
beautiful opportunity.
"Peter had gotten his father a home brewing
kit for Father's Day one year. It was
something they could do together and he
just found that he really enjoyed it and he
was good at it," said Jennifer. "He started
entering his home brews in competitions
and he was winning and so he decided to
take the leap and do something that he is so
passionate about."
In 2012, they opened the doors of One Barrel
Brewing in Madison, one of the first nano
breweries in the area. They brewed one
barrel at a time, hence their name. They
have since grown and are now the 13th
largest craft brewery in the state of
Wisconsin. Jennifer adds that they still brew
a lot of one barrel batches in both locations.
Jennifer said it was a lot of hard work and
teamwork from family. Her father-in-law
even helped build the bar. That big leap of
faith would pay off and would open another
door for Jennifer to leave a successful career
in healthcare if she wanted.
"About five years ago we started talking
about the next project. We were getting
ready to start another round of IVF and we
were pretty serious about starting a family. I
worked for a consulting company and I had
at the time about 250 employees that
reported to me from all over the country. I
was traveling every week and I was burnt
out and I knew I couldn't be a mom and do
this too," said Jennifer.
Jennifer's family is originally from the Green
Bay area and has fond memories of visiting
Door County in the summer.
"My grandparents had a place up in Door
County and I knew I loved it up here. It
would be a great change of pace for us and
an opportunity for us to really start a family
in a beautiful, tight-knit community," said
Jennifer.
They would find the perfect space in Egg
Harbor in 2019, which now neighbors Wild
Tomato Pizza. She said the Door County
location has a different atmosphere than
their Madison site. If you're making a day
trip to Door County with family or friends,
One Barrel Brewing is the perfect place to
stop. It's very relaxed and more familycentric
with plenty of tables and space
outside to spread out and enjoy some free
live music every Friday. They have several
delicious beers available, the most popular
being its Trolley Red, and serve wine at this
location. They also offer drinks for kids like
root beet and cherry soda and guests can, of
course, order a pizza during their visit.
"It's amazing how people step up to
help one another. Businesses help
each other and you really find that
sense of belonging and happiness
here. It's like being on vacation
every day," said Jennifer. Jennifer is
on several boards in the community
and volunteers a lot of her time
with the Boys and Girls Club of
Door County. She added that with
her time volunteering she learned
that about 60 percent of the
children in the community are
under the poverty line.
"I really felt the need to spend any
time and energy I had to make sure
the community we're living in is
strong and that I could try to make
a difference, even just a little bit,"
explained Jennifer. "I really want my
son to see how giving back and
spending time in the community
and knowing your community will
help tenfold for you."
Being passionate for the
community and wanting to give
back has worked hand and hand for
the business to be a draw for
fundraising events.