Our Team | Inland Island Yeast Laboratory

John Giarratano

CEO, Founder, Lead Engineer

John Giarratano founded Inland Island back in 2014 and continues to lead the company in customer service and innovation. John’s previous career in pharmaceutical GMP manufacturing and bio fuels introduced him to the world of yeast propagation, and he saw the need for a local yeast lab in Colorado. What started as selling vials of yeast to homebrewing shops quickly blossomed into an industry leading yeast laboratory supplying breweries large and small from coast to coast and beyond. Many breweries are too small to have their own labs, so John’s team provides them with the quality control and care that they would not have access to otherwise. John’s proud of the niche he and his team have carved in the industry and believes that yeast is the single most important ingredient in beer! In his spare time John volunteers his time with the Master Brewers Association of the Americas and strives to educate the brewing community and public alike on yeast management and brewing practices. John also enjoys snowboarding, gardening, and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Danielle Wheeler

Operations Manager

Danielle Wheeler joined Inland Island in 2021 after spending many years working in the brewing scene as a beertender and even moonlighting as a donut baker; it was only natural that she transitioned from working with yeast in a bakery, to yeast for brewers. After earning a degree in Forensic Science from George Mason University where she was a police cadet on campus, she decided to make the move out to Denver and hasn’t looked back since. With her wide skillset, she keeps things at Inland Island running smoothly and efficiently. As Operations Manager she strives to cultivate a company culture that is fun and enjoyable while still maintaining Inland Island’s high standards of quality and customer service. When Danielle’s not at work labeling, laminating or organizing something, you can usually find her hanging out with her staffie/boxer mix, Burton (Inland Islands official mascot), or in her backyard working on a DIY furniture project.