Jason Goldstein
Founder & Operations Manager
Jason has been brewing professionally since he was 19 years old. While studying Food Science at the Ohio State University, he interned at a local brewery and soon discovered his true passion. After college, he furthered his studies in England through Brewlab at the University of Sunderland, earning advanced certifications in Cask Ale and British Brewing Technology.
Jason started Icarus Brewing in 2017 and finds it challenging to pick his favorite Icarus beer, but offer him a slow pour lager and you’ll see him immediately light up. He’s responsible for most of the cherished recipes that define our brand, and his commitment to quality and innovation continues to propel the entire Brew Crew ever upward!
Dave Menges
Head Brewer
You might recognize Dave for his standout Brewers Series creations like Hoppy Little Accidents, Little Grey One, and the award-winning King Arthur’s Steed, but around here, he’s affectionately known as Big Dave. From overseeing mashing operations to managing our sustainable spent grain donations, Dave is a cornerstone of our Brew Crew.
Dave’s journey began long before his Big Dave days, as he honed his brewing skills and refined his craft as a dedicated homebrewer. His wealth of experience and commitment to excellence drive our production forward, ensuring we maintain our standards for quality and innovation. While he appreciates a well-crafted mixed fermentation beer, his heart belongs to Let’s Be Franc!
Nick Palazzo
Lead Brewer
Dr. Nick’s journey with us began in 2017 in our taproom, where his passion for homebrewing quickly earned him a place on the Brew Crew. Known affectionately as The Seltz Czar, Nick leads our innovative hard seltzers program, and is responsible for recipes behind several beloved brews including Das Beste, Raspberry Rickie, and Hey! Take it Easy.
While Nick has a soft spot for a cold crispy boi, his heart belongs to two standout Icarus brews: Let’s Be Franc and the Icarus classic, Not A Schooner.
Shane Gertner
Director of Sales & Marketing
Shane has been with us since the early days when taproom was the only place you could get an Icarus brew. His journey with us has seen him take on various roles, and now he oversees all sales operations.
As an almost OG Icarus team member, Shane’s favorite beer is a deep cut – Yukon Cornelius Coffee Porter. Ask him about it sometime; the story is worth hearing firsthand. Outside of work, Shane’s passions extends to flea markets, estate sales, and thrift stores, where he enjoys transforming hidden finds into treasures!
Steve Norkus
Brand Rep
With over 8 years of experience in craft beer sales, Steve excels at expanding our reach in his territory of South and Central Jersey to get our fresh brews to your local bars, restaurants, and liquor stores! He never turns down a great local beer, but has a particular love for hazy IPAs. To date, Steve’s favorite Icarus brew is Drinking Crayons.
Brian Greco
Brand Rep
Brian started with us as a Driver and showed incredible dedication and product knowledge, so we moved him into sales. He is responsible for all our North Jersey accounts and is an absolute workhorse. There’s nothing he loves more than kicking back with a cold I Life and suffering through yet another disappointing Jets game.
Emily Rappisi
Marketing Manager
Emily’s marketing journey kicked off at various agencies, where she honed her skills and soaked up experience. But her true passion? Craft beer! Thanks to her dad, who introduced her to the vibrant world of breweries, Emily developed a lifelong love for all things craft beer. Now, she brings her social media and marketing magic to Icarus, where she’s on a mission to elevate the brand and connect with the ever-enthusiastic craft beer community!
Matt Barnish
Taproom Manager
Matt runs the day-to-day operations of our Taproom including our dynamic team of Beertenders and organizing special events. He has been managing teams for over 12 years and ensures that our customer experience is always top-notch. He also has 20 years of experience drinking beer, so he knows our products very well.
Matt’s favorite Icarus beer has been extinct, but he dreams of the days he’ll be able to drink a Fruited and Flying: Kiwi Pie again! Matt is a movie aficionado and has a soft-spot for the extinct because he’s watched Jurassic Park over 100 times… the ending never changes.
Kevin Curtis
Packaging Manager
Kevin’s passion for crafting unique barrel-aged beers blossomed both at home and within our brewery. In 2020, he transitioned into his current role as Packaging Manager, where he oversees the journey of Icarus beers from fermentation to the perfect pour in cans and bottles.
As our Barrel Aging Master, Kevin’s expertise shines through in every batch, constantly innovating with new adjuncts and blend combinations – one of his personal favorites being Shadows Forming: Vanilla. In his spare time, he loves to collect bottles for his cellar, which reached about 1,400 last time he counted!
Mike Jesse
Distribution Manager
You want Icarus beers but you can’t make it to the Taproom? Mike Jesse is your guy! Mike manages our deliveries and ensures those Icarus brews get to your favorite bar, restaurant or liquor stores on time and ice cold!
Mike knows all the ins and outs of our distro network, and his favorite Icarus beer is a staple lager in our portfolio – Ichi for the Michi. While he loves being the best forklift operator on this side of the globe, what Mike really loves is music. He has tons of stories about his favorite concerts and is always ready to give you an incredible music suggestion that you’ve never heard before.