Josh Jancewicz

Josh Jancewicz is the owner and CEO of Donna's Pickle Beer, a craft brewery that mixes fresh pickle brine with light lager. The West Hollywood-based brand has grown from a pandemic-era concept to distribution across 16 states.

Before founding Donna's Pickle Beer, Jancewicz spent years running cocktail bars across the United States. When the pandemic halted in-person service in 2020, he worked as a mailman in West Hollywood, using delivery routes to brainstorm business ideas. The concept came to him during a day off at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, where he was drinking beer and eating pickles with friends. He sketched the retro can design and pitched it to Scott Baird, who became his co-founder.

Jancewicz and Baird officially founded Donna's Pickle Beer in November 2022. The brand is named after Jancewicz's mother, Donna, whose love of deli-style pickles inspired the recipe. After about 20 breweries rejected the idea, they partnered with Pilot Project in Chicago and Milwaukee to begin production. The beer launched in early 2023 starting with 400 cases and has since grown to 7000-10000 cases monthly.

The company sells primarily on-premise (about 90%) to bars and restaurants, with retail presence in Whole Foods, Albertsons, Total Wine, BevMo, and Trader Joe's. Jancewicz is leading a crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder to fuel growth. The brand uses real fresh pickle brine instead of artificial flavorings—a decision he defends as essential to its authenticity.