Meet Our Team

At Neuse River Brewing & Brasserie we pride ourselves in our passion for people, beer and food. The customer experience is always at the forefront, from the moment you walk into the Taproom and take your first sip to the behind the scenes that are meticulously cared for. All aspects of the brewery and brasserie have been carefully thought out to ensure your time with us is enjoyable and comfortable. NRBC&B has a spectacular staff who work very hard to make sure of it. Please take a moment to meet our team... 

Ryan Kolarov, President + Brewer + Founder

Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Ryan is a true North Carolinian at heart. Leaving the area in high school, Ryan has spent time living and working in Atlanta, GA, Silicon Valley and Sonoma County, CA, and the Virgin Islands where he met his wife Jennifer. While in California, Ryan worked for a chemical company where he learned the importance of water chemistry in wine making and brewing. In addition to working with breweries, Ryan also home brewed and so, when the time came to start a new chapter in his life, he called on all his life experiences and knowledge gained to build a brewery of his own.

Jennifer Kolarov, COO + Founder

Jennifer is a California native with a passion for food & beverage and hospitality. With over 20 years in the industry, customer service runs through her veins. Throughout her career she has worked in the Virgin Islands, Calistoga and Santa Rosa, CA and Palo Alto, CA. Honing her craft at 5-star restaurants, a 4-star hotel and 5-star resort, all things lead her to NC with husband Ryan to start their own business in the beer industry. She loves being in NC and seeing all the changes and advances in the food & beverage industry since she moved to Raleigh in 2013.

Mark “Woody” Woodard, Executive Chef

A graduate of East Carolina University (Go Pirates!), Mark studied anthropology. Although his path veered, Mark still is working with people, just feeding them instead of studying! Mark’s hero and inspiration is his mother, Nancy, but the reason he cooks is his Gramma. Her chicken tetrazzini is his favorite meal - don’t be surprised if you see it as a special on House-Made Pasta Night! Aside from cooking, Mark’s other true loves are the Grateful Dead, Red Sox and dogs.

Adrian Juncal, Assistant Brewer

Adrian was born in Uruguay and lived in Sicily, Italy before moving to the United States at the age of 15. In 2005 he moved to Raleigh and was immediately drawn into the world of beer. He started in draft tech and eventually found his way to NRBC&B, taking on the role of Cellarman in 2018 and Assistant Brewer in 2019. When not at work, Adrian loves playing football (not the American version) and spending time with his children.

Robert Page, Taproom Operations Manager

Robert was born and raised in Raleigh and is an NC State Graduate. He loves his hometown and all it has to offer, including the booming craft beer scene. Robert is a childhood friend of Ryan’s and has been with the brewery since day one. When he’s not at work you can find him travelling to the coast or heading the other direction to the mountains to enjoy all our great state has to offer.

Jake Smithson, Service Lead

Jake is a life-long Raleigh local, and a child of the brewery scene. He spent many of his teenage years tagging along with his parents to breweries all across Raleigh, and ended up falling particularly in love with NRBC and became known among staff for always ordering our burger. After a couple years of regular visits he joined the team in 2021 and has been working and growing ever since. Outside of work Jake spends entirely too much time playing bass guitar, obsessing over sci-fi films, and playing video games. He can usually be found at the bar after work, enjoying one of our sour beers and sharing the most recent photos of his beloved cat.