Michael Gretz Jr is a 5th generation beer brewer hailing from Philadelphia, PA. His Great-Great Grandfather, William Gretz, was born in Germany in 1862 and after immigrating to the United States, partnered with Leonhardt Rieger in 1881 and founded the Rieger & Gretz, Tivoli Brewery. The brewery emerged from the Prohibition Era in 1933 with a mission to quench the thirst of Philadelphia, along with a new name: William Gretz Brewing Company. Production steadily increased from 25,000bbls in 1934 to almost 250,000bbls in 1945. As the beer industry evolved, Robert Gretz Sr. decided to take a leap of faith and left the family brewery to establish a beer wholesaler in 1954 with a notable St. Louis brewery, Anheuser-Busch, thus preserving his family's legacy within the beer industry. 

Michael Gretz Jr. came to find a love for craft beer and brewing in the mid-2000's, and began a long road of study, culminating in the Master Brewer Certification in 2017 from the World Brewing Academy in Munich, Germany. While at the helm of the brewhouse at Industry Ales, he plans to brew a wide array of styles from various brewing traditions. "I want fun, sessionable, flavorful beers that lend themselves to creative food pairings. I'm excited to continue the family brewing tradition in a historic space in downtown Chicago.