Siren Rock hires award-winning industry veteran as new head brewer

Image courtesy of Siren Rock Brewing Co.

Siren Rock Brewing Co. of Rockwall has announced the hiring of a new head brewer, bringing in a long-time local industry veteran with more than 10 years experience working in breweries across Dallas-Fort Worth. 

Matt Pennington began his career as an intern at Armadillo Aleworks of Denton prior to joining Deep Ellum Brewing Co. of Dallas as a lead brewer in 2014. From there, he accepted the position of head brewer at Oak Highlands Brewery of Dallas in 2016, eventually transitioning to a similar role while helping to open Windmills of The Colony during 2020.

“Matt brings experience, passion for our brand, and innovative new ideas we think will make you love Siren Rock more," according to Cory Cannon, co-founder and president of Siren Rock. “Along with his continued thirst for knowledge and deep passion for great craft beer, we know he is a fantastic addition to our team."

While at Oak Highlands, Pennington was instrumental in developing recipes that won multiple national awards, including placements at the United States Beer Tasting Championship, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), and the U.S. Open Beer Championship. His most recent recognition came just last year while working at Windmills, when he won a gold medal for an amber lager at the 2022 GABF.

The competition results speak for themselves, but in addition to brewing exceptional craft beer, Pennington has spent his career improving production processes by creating and overhauling detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These elements of his skillset will be central to his work at Siren Rock going forward.

“Quality and consistency are my main priority in every aspect, and I am excited to continue to grow the great Siren Rock brand,” says Pennington. “I believe the growth Siren Rock has experienced is just the beginning, and I am looking forward to creating new beers, refining our internal processes to see even greater efficiencies, and seeing what else the future holds.”