It Happens Here: Franklin Cousins Changing Beer Industry With 67 Degrees Microbrewery
FRANKLIN (CBS) – In Franklin, change is brewing in the beer industry and it's a group of cousins leading the charge.
Olivier Edouard and four of cousins, to be more specific, have started 67 Degrees, a microbrewery on Grove Street in the small city of Franklin.
And they've come a long ways. They all grew up together in Haiti with some of them living in the same house.
"It feels like we're back to being children again, except with less bossiness," laughs Laury Lucien, one of the founders.
They came to the U.S. as teenagers for school and work, and Olivier, in adulthood, developed an obsession with microbrews. His father-in-law got him into it, so much so that a few years ago, Olivier and his cousins (Laury, Patrick Edouard, Arnold Cazeau and Robins Edouard) decided to make their own. Soon, they became one of only a few Black-owned breweries in the state.
"I think if our parents had our choice, they'd all want us to be doctors and engineers and lawyers," Olivier told, WBZ-TV.
They hired a longtime beer-maker, Tim Morse, as their head brewer and quickly built an impressive array of beer offerings. There's something for everyone.
"I really like a saison," Laury says. "It's got a lot of flavor, a lot of body. Kind of feels like me."
We sampled four of those offerings - a tropical ale, a heavy Scottish ale, a red ale; and 67 Degrees' "Arctic" beer – with hints of peppermint. They were all distinct and delicious.
But these cousins says it's about much more than the beer. They want to make a difference in the craft beer community.
"Community, family and friends." That's what Olivier lists as their priorities. "That's something we've been trying to do ever since we opened," he said.
For more information, visit their website.
