In the category of unexpected news this week is word that Head Brewer Matt Cisz is not only departing from his position at Gathering Place Brewing, but from craft beer.
Cisz, who started as assistant brewer and was later promoted to brewer during his nearly five years at Third Space Brewing, joined Riverwest-based Gathering Place (with a Tosa taproom) in March 2023. Last December, the brewery also acquired Grafton’s Sahale Ale Works.
On Thursday, Gathering Place owner Joe Yeado posted the news of Cisz’s departure on social media, writing:
“Change can bring about many feelings, but today that feeling is gratitude. Matt Cisz, our Head Brewer, will be leaving at the end of the year to continue his career outside of the brewing industry.
“Matt is the second Head Brewer for Gathering Place and in his nearly three years with the company he has been instrumental in our growth. His creativity and brewing skill led to the development of new recipes and he elevated the overall quality of our products. He has been a tremendous teacher and mentor for Nick, our Assistant Brewer, helping to grow his knowledge and skills. He has been a thought partner in how the company has grown and developed over time, including the acquisition of Sahale Ale Works last year. Perhaps most of all, Matt is a good human who brought a sense of joy to his work.
“We wish Matt all the best on this next step. In the meantime, stop by over the next few weeks and share a pint with him!”
Cisz is taking a position outside of craft beer as facilities and standards manager at Feeding America.
“This is really a bittersweet moment for me,” he says. “Joe has been a wonderful person to work with and for. He has allowed me the freedom to be creative and explore things that interested me. I will always be thankful and appreciative to him for that.
“I believe I was able to instill a lot of positive change at Gathering Place and Sahale and I am excited to see where the next head brewer takes it. To be able to create beer for people has been an absolute thrill, but sometimes chapters close and new ones begin.”
Cisz will continue at Gathering Place through the end of the year and then begin in his new position in January.
“I think we all know the ‘Why’ is never a simple question to answer, because there are always lots of layers to unpeel, and people are complicated,” he says when I ask, well, “why?”
“I have learned over the years we don't always have all the answers in the moment, but you have to trust your gut if something feels right. The desire to help those in need and work for an incredible organization like Feeding America felt right.”
In the meantime, Yeado needs to find a new head brewer and you can find the job description at this link in case you’re interested, qualified, know someone who is interested and qualified.
As for Cisz, you never know, you just might find him back in the beer world someday.
“The focus has shifted to helping end hunger and food insecurities in our community, but never say never,” he says. “This is a question I have been getting from a lot of people over the last 24 hours and you just never know what the future holds.
“I will always love beer, and it will always be a part of my life, but it's time for a change. Maybe down the road I will start homebrewing again? Shh... don't tell my wife.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press. A fifth collects Urban Spelunking articles about breweries and maltsters.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has been heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
