Brewer · Builder · Fermentation Nerd

Bryan
Hermannsson

Biomedical engineer, brewer, builder. From bone biomechanics research at Harvard and UCSF to co-founding two San Francisco breweries to working in AI and technology.

LinkedIn
Bryan Hermannsson smiling in front of misty mountains
Fermentation, science, and mountain-weather curiosity.
Career

How I got here

2001 -- 06

Boston University

BS Biomedical Engineering

~2007

Roadtrip Nation / PBS

Season 5 cast. Melbourne to Cairns.

2007 -- 10

Harvard / UCSF

Bone biomechanics research. Two publications.

2011 -- 17

Pacific Brewing Lab

Co-founder. First Kiva Zip loan. SF nano brewery.

2015 -- 26

Black Hammer Brewing

Co-owner. CA Brewery of the Year. 22 medals.

2017 -- 18

Pubinno

Chief Beer Officer. IoT smart taps.

2018 -- 20

Parexel

Scientist. Clinical trials & biotech.

Now

Technology & AI

SketchUp MCP server. AI projects.

TV & Video

On screen

Roadtrip Nation Season 5
PBS / Roadtrip Nation · ~2007

Roadtrip Nation -- Season 5

Cast member "Brynn." Melbourne to Cairns across Australia. National PBS broadcast.

BBC World Service - Pubinno
BBC World Service

BBC World Service -- Technology

Video feature on smart beer tap technology.

Brew Dogs - Pacific Brewing Laboratory
Brew Dogs · 2013

Pacific Brewing Laboratory -- Top 5 Craft Breweries in San Francisco

Featured on Brew Dogs as one of SF's top craft breweries.

Bryan Hermannsson StarChefs
StarChefs

Bryan Hermannsson, Pacific Brewing Lab, San Francisco

Rising Star Brewer nominee feature video.

Whiskey Train
YouTube

Whiskey Train: Making Whiskey From Beer

Octopalooza Beer Night
YouTube

Octopalooza Beer Night, After Hours at Aquarium of the Bay

Yeast Meets West
YouTube

Yeast Meets West: Yeast Cultivation

Startup Brewery Challenge
Vimeo · Brewbound 2013

Startup Brewery Challenge: Pacific Brewing Laboratory -- Brewbound Session Winter 2013

Pac Brew Lab
Vimeo

Meet the Makers: Pac Brew Lab

The first profile of the Meet the Makers series.

Coverage

In the press

Pacific Brewing Laboratory
Laughing Squid

Pacific Brewing Laboratory, San Francisco Microbrewery That Specializes in Unusual Beers

Pacific Brewing Lab
Brewbound

Pacific Brewing Laboratories Partners With Devil's Canyon

Black Hammer Brewing
Hoodline · 2015

Black Hammer Brewing To Open In SoMa This Month

Liquid Bread
Magazine
Liquid Bread Magazine

Burning Man-Inspired Black Hammer Brewery Opens in SoMa

Black Hammer Brewing
NY Weekly

Brewing Liberation: Black Hammer's Gluten-Removed Triumph Goes Nationwide

Black Hammer Brewing
San Francisco Post

Black Hammer Brewing Co: Crafting Flavorful Experiences

Black Hammer Brewing expansion
Yahoo Finance

San Francisco's Black Hammer Brewing Announces Major Expansion

Black Hammer Brewing
Inc. Magazine

Beloved San Francisco Brewery Shuts Its Doors After Crowdfunding Effort

Hoodline
Hoodline · 2026

Beloved SoMa Beer Hub Black Hammer Brewing Taps Out

Black Hammer Brewing
Broke-Ass Stuart

Beloved Black Hammer Brewing is Saying Goodbye

Tricia and Bryan wedding
Modern Luxury

Magical Marin Wedding of Tricia Sweeney & Bryan Hermannsson

Pubinno smart taps
DesignBoom

Pubinno: Internet of Beer -- AI-Powered Smart Taps

Bryan on Kiva
Kiva

Pacific Brewing Laboratory -- Kiva Loan Page

The first-ever Kiva Zip loan: $2,000 on November 28, 2011.

Black Hammer Brewing - SFGate
SFGate · 2015

Laid-back Black Hammer Brewery Pounds Out Seriously Geeky Brews

Toke Back Mountain - SFGate
SFGate · 2017

Introducing Toke Back Mountain, Black Hammer Brewing's CBD-Infused IPA

KQED
KQED

Homebrewers

KQED coverage of the craft beer boom and homebrewing scene in California.

Clara Street Brewing Collective
Thrillist · 2010

An Underground Home-Brew Operation Opens to the Public, in SoMa

Black Hammer Brewing closure
SFGate

SF Brewery Shutters Less Than 2 Years After Raising Over $160K

Weird beers
Bon Appetit

We Tried the Weirdest New Beers Out There -- and We Mean Weird

Squid ink beer
LA Weekly · 2013

Meet the Squid Ink Beer: A Black IPA From San Francisco

Eater SF
Eater SF · Oct 2012

Beerwire

Eater SF
Eater SF · Mar 2012

Oh Boy, Pop-Ups

Eater SF
Eater SF · Feb 2011

What's This? Kegs at Conservatory of Flowers

Eater SF
Eater SF · Jun 2014

Pizzaiolo's Anniversary Bash; Seven Stills Tasting at Fauna

Eater SF
Eater SF · Jul 2012

Pizza in South Park, Japanese in Jackson Square

7x7 local breweries
7x7 Bay Area

What Are Our Local Breweries Up to These Days?

7x7 Whole Foods bar
7x7 Bay Area · Apr 2012

A New Bar Opens in a Local Whole Foods

7x7 Magazine April 2012 - Buzzed column featuring Pacific Brewing Laboratory
7x7 Magazine · Apr 2012

Buzzed: Pacific Brewing Laboratory's Spring Blossom

The "Buzzed" column features PBL's Nautilus Hibiscus Saison — a Belgian saison brewed with hibiscus flowers.

The Bold
Italic
The Bold Italic

San Francisco's Beer Scene Is Off-the-Charts Amazing Right Now

Black Hammer Brewing SFist
SFist · Aug 2015

This Week in SF Food: Black Hammer Brewing

BeerAdvocate
BeerAdvocate

Class of 2011: 22 of the Best New Breweries in the US

BeerAdvocate
BeerAdvocate

Where to Drink in San Francisco, California

Flower power brewing
CraftBeer.com · Jun 2013

Flower Power: Brewing With Summer's Blossoms

Band of Gypsies SF Beer Week
CraftBeer.com · Jan 2013

Bay Area Gypsy Brewers Band Together for SF Beer Week 2013

Pacific Brewing Lab / Black Hammer
The City Lane · Sep 2017

Pacific Brewing Laboratory / Black Hammer Brewing, SOMA

InsideHook
InsideHook · Jan 2014

The Whiskey Train

Black Hammer Brewing UrbanDaddy
UrbanDaddy · Aug 2015

Black Hammer Brewing: A SoMa Taproom Built for Hanging Out Forever

SF Bay
Guardian
SF Bay Guardian · Sep 2011

Rogue Pairings

Brewpublic
Brewpublic

Three Craft Spots in San Francisco You May Not Know But Should

American
Craft Beer
American Craft Beer · Feb 2013

A Look From the Inside: San Francisco Beer Week

Bier-
Traveller
Bier-Traveller

Pacific Brewing Laboratory / Black Hammer Brewing -- San Francisco

Tablehopper
Tablehopper · Sep 2012

Nombe Has a New Chef: Brandon Armstrong

Stanford
Court
Stanford Court · May 2017

The Local Brews You Need to Try in SF

Research

Publications

Journal of Biomechanics · Jan 2009

Effects of tissue preservation on murine bone mechanical properties

Nazarian A, Hermannsson BJ, Muller J, Zurakowski D, Snyder BD

Beth Israel Deaconess / Harvard Medical School

PMID: 19081098
Bone · Sep 2009

Accuracy of volumetric bone mineral density measurement in HR-pQCT

Sekhon K, Kazakia GJ, Burghardt AJ, Hermannsson B, Majumdar S

UCSF Musculoskeletal Quantitative Imaging Research

PMID: 19501201
ResearchGate

HR-pQCT Paper -- Full Text & Citations

Full paper, supplementary materials, and citation data.
Bryan Hermannsson in lab, BU Engineer magazine
BU Engineer · Boston University

Engineer

Bryan Hermannsson

Boston University College of Engineering
Recognition

Awards

22 competition medals

Black Hammer Brewing, 2016--2023. US Open, Denver International, California State, Best of Craft Beer.

Cuddle PuddleGold, 2023 US Open
Bock PartyGold, 2022 Best of Craft Beer
Sparkle PonyGold, 2016 Denver Int'l
Multiple beersSilver
Multiple beersBronze
Craft

Brewing legacy

Pacific Brewing Laboratory

2011 -- 2017 / Co-Founder & President

Garage nano brewery in SOMA, co-founded with Patrick Horn. Known for unusual experimental beers. First-ever Kiva Zip loan recipient. Best Nano Brewery in San Francisco.

  • Specialized in unusual, experimental beers
  • StarChefs Rising Star Brewer nominee
  • First-ever Kiva Zip microloan recipient
  • Partnered with Devil's Canyon for expanded production

Black Hammer Brewing

2015 -- 2026 / Co-Owner

Built the brewery and tasting room from scratch in SOMA. Burning Man-inspired. California Brewery of the Year 2016. Pioneer in gluten-removed craft beer. 22 competition medals.

  • California Brewery of the Year 2016
  • 22 medals: Gold, Silver, Bronze (2016--2023)
  • Gluten-removed craft beer, nationwide distribution
  • Featured in Yahoo Finance, Inc., Hoodline, NY Weekly
  • Beloved SOMA community hub for over a decade