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Pennsylvania Breweries
Update
Page
Here's what so many of you have been asking for: an
online update for my book. Any breweries that are new, or have undergone
major changes -- name changes, moved, etc. -- are noted in italics;
those that have CLOSED are so noted, and may God have mercy on
their souls.
|
|
Brewery Name |
Section |
Status |
Comments |
| Abbey Wright Brewing/Valley Inn
-- NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/15/06:
Visited the Valley Inn today. Details to come; for now? Good
beer, worth a stop. Bart's an experienced homebrewer and
ready-to-rock jack of all trades, working on the old system out of
Red Bell's fabled Manayunk brewpub. I tried all four beers
and a porter from the tank; all were plenty drinkable, the Irish
red was pretty damned good.
6/20/06: Got an e-mail from a faithful reader today (thanks,
Scott!) that led me to call the Valley Inn in Duboistown (just
across the river from Williamsport), and sure enough, they started
brewing in April, served their first beer on May 3rd, and
currently have an IPA, a saison, and the second batch of Mosquito
Wheat on tap; a porter and red ale will be on soon
(they also have multiple taps of other beers). The owners are Jim
and Ellen Wright,
the brewer is Bart Rieppel -- I know nothing about him yet
-- brewing system is an unknown as well. I hope to find out more
soon: they're at 204 Valley St. (570/326-3383) if you want
to swing by yourself. PA continues to pop! |
| Allentown Brew Works --
OPEN |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Open
a little over a year and going strong. 812 W. Hamilton Ave.,
Allentown, 610-433-7777. |
| Animal Farm Brew Pub -- FIZZLE |
Capital/Central |
NOT OPENING |
All plans for this York, PA brewpub
have fallen through: there will not be a brewpub here. York
continues under the brewery curse. |
|
Appalachian BC |
Capital/Central |
OPEN |
2/05 update: Appalachian has ripped the sports bar out of the
second floor and replaced it with a Belgian-type bistro with taps
and bottles of Belgian imports. Guess they saw Bethlehem's
Steelgaarden and realized they probably had better margins than a
sports bar. (Thanks to good old Jack
Curtin for this tip.) |
Appalachian BC
Camp Hill -- NEW |
Capital/Central |
OPEN |
8/30/06: Camp Hill is open.
7/06 update: Appalachian expects to open a third brewpub in
Camp Hill (3721 Market St., 717-920-2739) in August, by latest reports.
Their website confirms that like the Gettysburg pub, most of the
beer will be brewed at the mothership in Harrisburg, with
small-batch specialties being brewed at Camp Hill. |
|
Appalachian BC
Gettysburg |
Capital/Central |
OPEN |
5/05 update: Appalachian
is brewing; the big Belgians (St. Obby) are coming from here. |
|
Barley Creek BC |
Upstate |
OPEN |
|
|
Bavarian Barbarian BC -- NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Mike Hiller is making three beers right
now at this new production brewery in Williamsport (429 W. 3rd
St., Williamsport, 570-322-5050, web) |
|
Bethlehem Brew Works |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
5/17/05:
Rich Fegley tells me they are very close to completing a deal for
a new BBW in Allentown at 8th and Hamilton. Big place, with room
for a bottling line. |
|
Black Rock BC --
CLOSED |
Upstate |
CLOSED |
380 Coal St., Wilkes-Barre 570/270_ROCK (7625)
FINAL
UPDATE: Black Rock's brewhouse is going in the new Iron Hill
Phoenixville, so I reckon that pretty much writes the end of this
story. Pity. |
| Blue Canoe -- OPEN |
Upstate |
RE-OPENED |
August, 2008: Blue Canoe has opened
(re-opened?) at the site of the old Four Sons in
Titusville, with big Matt Allyn influence. Sounds good,
hope to get there, Matt's beers are always worth a visit.
7/08 updates. -- Four Sons in Titusville is in the
process of making a comeback under new ownership: see the
available details here.
|
| Boston Beer Co. -- OPEN |
Old Guard |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Call them Boston Beer, Sam Adams, or
Jim Koch: they bought the big brewery outside of Allentown and
Samuel Adams beer is being made there. A Good Thing. |
| BrewErie at Union Station -- NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
1/12/07:
From Chris Sirianni: "Yes, it's true, we are FINALLY brewing!
Thus far we've made an Amber Ale, an IPA, a Porter, a Blonde
Ale, and a Nut Brown Ale. We currently have a Hefe Weizen
fermenting and just finished brewing a Chocolate Cherry Stout
yesterday."
10/12/06: The Brewerie is open, with two beers brewed for them
at Erie Brewing, and Gary and Chris hope to be brewing
by the end of the year. (123 W. 14th St., 814-454-2200).
7/06: Opening date has slipped a bit, but owner Chris Sirianni
and brewer Gary Burleigh told me that they're ready for a soft
opening, as soon as they get paperwork approved...which
could happen any time between now and September 1. The
brewery has arrived.
4/06: a new brewpub is finally planned for Union Station in
Erie, home to the former Hopper's, which became Erie
Brewing after moving out. Opening date is set for July 1. Former
Erie Brewing brewer Gary "As A Matter Of Fact, I Am
A Biker" Burleigh will be making the beer; they are
currently looking for a brewing system. |
|
Bube’s Brewery |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Bube's is brewing, just had some
beers -- good, too -- in May. |
|
Bullfrog BC |
Upstate |
OPEN |
|
|
Church Brew Works |
Pittsburgh area |
OPEN |
Church continues to win medals and has added more
live music to their schedule. They have 12 oz.
bottled beer and 5-liter mini-kegs available in the Pittsburgh market. |
|
Copper Kettle Brewery -- NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. --
Brand new tiny production brewery in Millmont, PA (339 Fairground
Rd., 270-342-1638, web),
currently making three beers with limited distribution. |
|
Crabby Larry’s |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
8/17/06:
New brewer -- John Stecker from Keystone
Homebrew in Montgomeryville is now brewing at Crabby
Larry's. Cross your fingers and hope for the best; I'll try to
drop in sometime soon. |
| Destiny
BC -- NEW, NOW CLOSED |
Philly Suburbs |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- Some odd stuff went down here. And one
day, they were closed.
8/27/05: I got to Destiny.
Things look comfortable and plain, which is not a bad combination
for a beer drinker. The beers were all clean, and good in
a way I'd describe as "Pacific Northwest without the
hops." Look, almost everyone around here is trying
to brew beer like Victory or Dogfish Head: Emerson is not. I
celebrate that. Visit, drink.
Emerson and Patti Haines are gathering
investors to open this brewpub in Phoenixville, which will make
three brewpubs in this relatively small suburban town. 119 S. Main
St., Phoenixville. (Thanks to Jack
Curtin for the tip-off.) 2/5/05: Get the latest in this interview
with Emerson Haines.
|
| Dock Street Brewpub -- CLOSED |
Philadelphia |
CLOSED |
Sold in 2001, new owners ran it into
the ground within 6 months. Pathetic end to 12 years of PA brewpub
history. |
| Dock Street Brewpub II -- NEW |
Philadelphia |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Dock Street is open, fun, beer's good,
pizza's excellent, vibe is vital. 701 S. 50th St., Philadephia,
215-726-2337
6/6/07:
Talked to some people over the weekend: Dock Street has a
brewhouse -- the beautiful 10 bbl. JVNW out of Sunnybrook. Dock
Street has a brewer...not quite ready to say who that is, I've
been asked not to. But I can tell you that the brewer has the
glycol lines plumbed, and "I should be brewing
within two and a half weeks." Folks, I know you're
going to be pleased when you find out who this is.
3/10/07: I went to a "start of construction" celebration
recently: see that here.
12/4/06: The Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment has
approved Dock Street's license, despite protests from a local
church; supporters of the brewpub outnumbered protestors
by better than 3:1. (This from a very even-handed piece
in The Philadelphia Tribune, Philly's African-American
community newspaper.)
10/8/06: Dock Street to rise from the ashes? Rosemarie Certo,
wife of former Dock Street owner Jeff Ware, regained control of
the Dock Street brand in 2002. Now a new Dock Street
brewpub (doesn't that just make you tingle?) is planned
in a former firehouse at 50th & Baltimore, near the
UPenn campus. Certo has the building, has a brewhouse, has
a plan for a wood-fired pizza menu...but has no brewer
yet. It's just a matter of time. Philly: get ready to
get your Dock Street groove back. |
| Earth
Bread + Brewery -- PLANNED |
Philadelphia |
OPENING SOON |
7/11/08 -- Tom Baker and his
wife Peggy, formerly owners of Heavyweight Brewing in New Jersey,
have moved to Philly to open a pizza/flatbread brewpub in Mt. Airy
(7136 Germantown Ave.). They're going as green as possible, they
will be serving other craft beers as well as their own, and
"world-class" wines as well. Every beer enthusiast in
the area is eagerly awaiting the opening, which should be soon. |
| East
End BC -- NEW |
Pittsburgh |
OPEN |
3/10/07:
Scott's been very busy. East End has new tanks,
"exploding" growler sales (stop by and check: 5-6 beers
on tap, and the most popular is Scott's Session Ale Series, a
changing parade of sub-5% ales, God bless him), draft sales in
across the Pittsburgh area. Biggest seller is still Big Hop
IPA, "which I find interesting when comparing it to
Growler [sales]," Scott said.
A new brewery in Pittsburgh, a
one-man operation: Scott Smith is brewing a Wit, an IPA,
and a Stout. The beer will be launched at Kelly's
Bar & Lounge on Dec. 13th. 6923 Susquehanna Street,
Pittsburgh, (412) 537-2337. Check out this
Ale Street News piece I wrote on East End.
|
| Elk Creek Cafe & Aleworks --
NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Great-looking
little place in Millheim (100 W. Main St., 814-349-8850, web)
with a top-notch brewer.
10/8/06:
More news from Tim Bowser: the 10 hectoliter brewing system
has been delivered (from Brewsters Brewing in Calgary) with
the help of Matt "Everywhere Man" Allyn.
Tim's still looking for "an experienced brewer,
ready to hit the ground hard with great ale." Millheim is
real upstate, but it's a neat little town in a gorgeous
setting and only 1/2 hour from State College, an hour from
Williamsport, and under four hours from Philly or New York. Contact
me if you're interested.
4/27/06: News of another rural brewpub in PA: sustainable
agriculture supporter and coffeeshop proprietor Tim Bowser is
looking for a brewhouse to add to a coffeeshop in Millheim,
PA. This sounds like my dream brewpub project:
rural, locally-grown menu, coffee, small. News as I get it,
I suspect an opening is at least 9 months off.
|
|
Erie BC |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- The re-organization appears to be
working for Erie.
9/1/05 update: Erie Brewing
has declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the investment group
that was in the background has moved into the foreground. No
closure, but perhaps the place will finally have the business
savvy and capital it's always needed. Hey, it worked for
Lancaster.
|
| Four Sons Brewery Restaurant --
NEW, NOW CLOSED, SOON RE-NAMED? |
Upstate |
CLOSED, RE-OPENING SOON |
7/08 updates. -- Matt Allyn reports (and the Erie
newspapers back him up) that Four Sons will re-open soon as
"Blue Canoe," see above under that name.
8/6/04 update: beer continues excellent,
crowds are good, sales are ahead of projections for 2004.
|
| G.G. Brewers -- NEW |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
10/30/06:
If you heard GG was closed...well, they were. I missed that,
sorry. But it's okay, because they're open again. Best of luck
second time 'round, Gerry!
4/15/06: GG is open. I paid a visit, just in for a pint and out,
and left with mixed feelings. The place is wonderfully small
-- I love small brewpubs -- and quirky-looking, nice beer
decor. Service was just fine. Prices were reasonable. The
beer, on the other hand: I had a porter, which was muddled --
a little roasty, a little chocolatey, a little bitter, but all
jumbled together, not well-rounded. Still, it's early.
I'll be back, and I want to meet the brewer.
1/6/06: Gerry Martin is about to open a VERY small brewpub
across the street from the Keswick Theater in Glenside. I hope to
visit this afternoon; more then (not much to report: the place is
small, and definitely not open. It remains not open today, 1/25). 282
North Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215/887-0809.
|
|
General Lafayette Inn |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
Chris Leonard is brewing great beer, GABF silver
for his altbier in 2000. New B&B behind pub. |
|
Gettysbrew Pub
-- CLOSED |
Capital/Central |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- It's safe to go back to Gettysburg.
June '05: Gettysbrew was advertised for sale in the paper.
|
| Hanover BC -- PLANNED |
Capital/Central |
PLANNED |
7/08 updates. -- Planned for years, tanks and equipment
is finally showing up. 600 W. Elm Ave., Hanover.
2/6/06: Talked
to Jim over the weekend. He hit a hurdle in the financials, but
found another way around it. He's currently raising money to meet
requirements for a USDA Rural Development loan; no timeline for
now.
9/11/05: I got an e-mail from a guy named Jim Markle today.
He's raising money to start Hanover Brewing Co.
(Folks...can't we do something a bit more imaginative than
"XYZ Brewing Company"? Work on this) in Hanover,
PA. He's got a beauty of a big old brick building, and a
honey of a plan. Markle's more than just a homebrewer with
a gleam in his eye; he's planning on a BrauKon brewhouse
making lagers with a pro brewer in a brewpub. Sounds
frighteningly similar to Franconia's plan (absent the
brewpub part), and there's the York Brewing Curse, but I
think this guy's got it all lined up. More when I get it.
|
| Hereford
& Hops -- NEW, NOW CLOSED |
Pittsburgh |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- H&H got open, had some decent beers
and some real good ones...and then closed, bankrupt.
7/15/06:
Stopped in, sampled all taps: all very clean, well-made,
Kulmbacher was outstanding. No big beers, no over-the-top beers,
no problem. Brewer Jim Lieb is quiet, self-assured, clearly knows
what he's doing.
3/6/06: Hereford & Hops is open, as of Feb. 28. No word yet on
how it is, but I'm thinking about heading out soon, with two other
places set to open soon in western PA.
1/31/05 -- If you're familiar
with the small Hereford & Hops chain of brewpubs, you're probably
as confused as I am -- they're in Michigan and Wisconsin. But
brewer Kevin Eichelberger contacted me and let me know that
Hereford & Hops is putting one of their
"grill-you-own" steakhouse brewpubs in Cranberry
Township. Construction is about to start at 1740 Rte. 228,
Cranberry Township, PA, 16066, they're hoping for a Fall 2005
opening.
4/22/05: Brewhouse has been purchased, and installation is
proceeding.
|
| Hofbrauhaus -- PLANNED |
Pittsburgh |
PLANNED |
7/08 updates. -- Still "planned," but there is
activity on the site as of last month.
6/6/07:
Don't hold your breath: construction has not yet started, the site
is still being prepared. This is going to be great...but not this
year. Again.
1/25/06: Hey, I forgot: when I was in Germany last
month, I spoke to Dr. Michael Möller, managing director of
the Staatliches Hofbrähaus München
, and asked him, "When is the Hofbräuhaus in Pittsburgh going
to open?" His response: "Roughly, 12 to 14 months.
It is all new construction." So, Spring 2007,
not 2006. He went on to say that it will seat 800 inside
and have an outdoor biergarten. Yowza!
3/7/05: Plans have been announced for a third U.S. outpost of
the Hofbräuhaus, complete with brewery, at the
Southside Works complex, to open in Spring 2006. Let's
see...there's already a very successful lager brewpub on the North
Side, and an apparently successful Rock Bottom just up the river.
Someone's got some refreshing confidence in Pittsburgh's
thirst for real beer!
|
| Independence
Brewpub -- CLOSED |
Philadelphia |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- Closed suddenly, now JAFSB (JA is "just
another" and "SB" is sports bar...). |
|
Iron Hill West Chester |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
|
| Iron Hill Lancaster |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Opened, and huge, and doing a
land-office business. 781 Harrisburg Pike, 717-291-9800 |
|
Iron Hill Media |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
|
|
Iron Hill
North Wales |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
|
| Iron
Hill Phoenixville -- NEW |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
10/30/06:
Stopped in: beer -- excellent. Service -- excellent. Food --
excellent. What the heck did you expect? It's Iron Hill.
10/3/06: Iron Hill Phoenixville is OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
7/20/06: opening has been set for September 18, brewer will be
Tim Stumpf, former assistant brewer at IH WC.
1/25/06: Well, they obviously missed that late '05 opening.
Heard from Jack Curtin
last night that the opening will be more like early summer.
12/5/04: An uncharacteristically
small Iron Hill is being built in Phoenixville, built around the
small brewhouse out of the now-closed Black Rock brewpub. Iron
Hill hopes to open in late '05. 130-138 Bridge St., Phoenixville,
610-983-9333.
|
|
Jack’s Mountain
-- NAME CHANGE |
Upstate |
NO LONGER BREWING |
7/08 updates. -- Re-opened as Cowboy
Jack's after a couple years closed, supposedly looking into
brewing again.
9/2/06: FOR
SALE. On eBay. Wow, you can buy a brewpub on eBay!
3/6/06 update: Jack's Mountain is closed, but there may or may
not be a buyer looking to re-open it. The brewing equipment is
still on-site for now.
8/6/04 update: No brewing going on, and it
doesn't really sound like it's going to any time soon. Appalachian
beers on tap. |
|
John Harvard's Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh area |
OPEN |
|
|
John Harvard's Springfield
-- CLOSED |
Philly Suburbs |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- Brian McConnell landed at RB KoP (lucky
them), and this JHBH closed in the continuing death spiral of this
once-vital brewpub empire.
Brian McConnell is juggling head brewer
jobs at this JHBH and the one in Wilmington: busy man, but
he still manages to win RAF medals!
|
|
John Harvard's Radnor
-- CLOSED |
Philly Suburbs |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- Only Pittsburgh's JHBH now remains
open.
4/22/05: Believe it or not: Brian McConnell's brewing here,
too.
|
| Johnstown BC
-- CLOSED |
Upstate |
CLOSED |
7/08 updates. -- Problems with road closures and poor
lunch trade recently shut this brewpub. |
|
Kutztown Tavern - Golden Avalanche |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
|
|
Lancaster
BC |
PA Dutch |
OPEN, RENAMED |
8/7/05 update:
Brewer Joe McMonagle moves on to take up residence at Johansson's
in Westminster, MD,
and is replaced by a very
experienced, very familiar old brewing hand: Bill Moore is
the new brewer at Lancaster. Bill has won GABF medals
at three breweries in the past: Stoudt's, Independence, and
Ortlieb's; good call, Lancaster. |
|
Latrobe Brewing
-- SOLD, RENAMED |
Old Guard |
OPEN, RENAMED |
7/08 updates. -- Sold by InBev as A-B buys the Rock
brand and now makes it in Newark, NJ. City Brewing of Wisconsin
bought the brewery and is keeping much of the old workforce
employed. |
| Legacy
Brewing |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
|
| Legendary Craft Brewery --
PLANNED |
Philly Suburbs |
PLANNED |
7/08 updates. -- Two guys in Valley Forge, looking to
open soon; looks like a small production brewery. |
|
Lion Brewery |
Old Guard |
OPEN |
5/1/05: Happy 100th
Birthday! The Lion celebrates 100 years in business this
year. Congratulations to all!
8/1/04 update: Leo sent
me samples of an Oktoberfest he's contract-brewing for Christian
Moerlein: it's excellent, and you should keep an eye out for
it! 1/1/05: Brandon Greenwood has joined the brewing staff
a The Lion as brewmaster.
|
|
Manayunk BC |
Philadelphia |
OPEN |
8/17/05 update: Chris Firey reportedly scooped up
the brewhouse from Valley Forge, planning to do some
contract brewing and canning! Get the whole story from the Beer
Yard website. |
|
Market Cross Brewing |
Capital/Central |
OPEN |
|
| Marzoni's Brick Oven &
Brewery |
Upstate |
OPEN |
Scratch
that... The Marzoni's in Allison Park has closed. There is a
rumor that they are looking for another Altoona-area location.
Hoss's
will be converting their Allison Park, PA restaurant into a
Marzoni's, but the beer will be shipped from Duncansville. Still,
nice menu, good (often great) beer: what's not to like?
|
|
McKenzie Brewhouse |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Scott Morrison was fired, beer remains
good, but not as exciting. |
|
McKenzie Brewhouse
-- Glen Mills -- NEW |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
4/6/06:
the new McKenzie Brewhouse opens today. 240 Lancaster Avenue,
Malvern, PA, 610-296-2222. I visited shortly after: looks and
feels a lot like the first one, beer's excellent.
10/10/05: Construction has begun again on the second McKenzie
Brewhouse in Frazer, PA; the brewhouse will come from the
defunct Brü in Rochester, NY. Tentative opening date of
February 1. |
| Murdering Town BC -- PLANNED |
Pittsburgh |
PLANNED |
5/21/07:
The Harmony Inn, a beer bar in historic Harmony, PA, tried to add
a brewpub back in 2004, but got washed out by Hurricane Ivan.
They're back on track, and just secured approval from the
historical board. Now they need money, and a bit more time. The
name, Murdering Town Brewing, commemorates a Delaware
Indian village near the site of Harmony. Brewing may begin
"perhaps as early as fall," but don't hold your breath. |
| Nodding
Head |
Philadelphia |
OPEN |
1/1/05: Brandon Greenwood has left the building.
Brandon's now at The Lion, leaving the brewery in the capable
hands of Gordon Grubb. |
| North
Country Brewing Co. |
Upstate |
OPEN |
2/22/05: Been there, drank that.
North Country is ready to roll on 2/23: beer's good, food's good,
place is just fantastic. |
| Old Forge BC -- PLANNED |
Upstate |
PLANNED |
7/14/08 -- Damien Malfara is
working on a new brewery in Danville (282 Mill St.);
according to the fella in the next entry below, he's got a lease,
his equipment is ordered, and paperwork is filed. Danville's about
halfway between Bloomsburg and Sunbury on Rt. 11, which makes this
yet another bubble in the roiling ferment that is taking place in
the triangle roughly formed by State College, Berwick, and
Williamsport. Might have to head up there this fall to...um...take
in the foliage, yeah, that's it. |
| One Guy BC -- NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Yes, he's open.
5/2/07:
Guy's getting close. The brewery's in, and I'm going up to
help paint sometime in the next two weeks. It's really a matter of
paperwork at this point, and as Guy says, that's got two speeds: slow,
and glacial.
Guy Hagner (see Pennsylvania Breweries, 2nd ed., under
"Franconia Brewing") is planning a brewpub/small
production brewery at 328 W. Front St., in Berwick. There will be
a small pub with minimal food, growlers, 22 oz. bottles, and a
two-tiered beer menu: fairly light stuff for the local crowd to
get used to the idea, and "anything I want" for Guy and
the geeks off the Interstate. Opening is at least three months
off. |
| Otto's
Pub & Brewery |
Upstate |
OPEN |
|
|
Pabst BC |
Old Guard |
BOUGHT |
7/08 updates. -- See Boston Brewing!
No longer Pabst (as nothing is: Pabst is all
contract-brewed now), this big plant was bought by an arm of
Guinness to brew malternatives like Smirnoff Ice. It won’t be in
the 3rd edition, either. |
|
Pennsylvania BC |
Pittsburgh area |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Tom Pastorius is retiring. |
|
Philadelphia BC -- NEW...kind of |
Philadelphia |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Yards Brewing split up. Bill and Nancy Barton got the
brewery in Kensington, Tom Kehoe got the name and the brands. So
Bill and Nancy formed Philadelphia Brewing, and have had a very
successful start-up. |
|
Pittsburgh BC,
now Iron City BC |
Old Guard |
OPEN, RENAMED |
7/08 updates. -- Finally renamed "Iron City
Brewing." Still in financial straits.
Pittsburgh Brewing is still fighting
with the city over long back-due water bills. They are now
contract-brewing for the sadly defunct Jones. 8/24/04:
Pittsburgh announces a new aluminum bottle for Iron City that
keeps the beer cold longer. Huh? Sure looks cool, though.
|
| Porterhouse BC |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
8/17/06:
Major change at Porterhouse. Dean "Mr. Clean" Browne of
Yards Brewing has taken over brewing duties at
Porterhouse. Let the big bald guy tell you himself: "To start
with I have brewed a dark lager, a Kolsch style ale, an amber
ale with Belgian yeast, and a Baltic Porter (with assistance
from Mr. Tom "Formerly Heavyweight" Baker). We
will be cutting over to the new house brews and Yards kegs on
August 30." There will be four Yards taps as
well. This is a great way for Yards to get brewpub experience;
can't wait to have Dean brewing in my backyard, either!
Was Buckingham
Mountain. New owners, three area restaurant people, did a
thorough renovation. Brewing
of four house beers (including a dry stout and a very tasty triple!) is done on-site by River Horse BC of
Lambertville, NJ; four other River Horse beers are brewed at their
brewery and kegged for the Pub.
|
|
Red Bell BC
-- CLOSED |
Philadelphia |
CLOSED |
8/17/06: Got an e-mail today: the last Red Bell
brewery (at the Wachovia Center) is no longer brewing
and the brewing equipment ( a 10 bbl. Newlands system) is up for
sale. Wow. End of the line for Red Bell.
More bizarreness. The big brewery at 31st and
Jefferson is closed, the brewpub at the FU
Wachovia Center is working, a
Manayunk "brewpub" has opened but is not yet brewing, and... CEO Jim Bell quit.
1/13 update: Chris Rafferty
Bob Davis (formerly at Weyerbacher) is the new head
brewer, and he tells me they should be brewing in
Manayunk within weeks days. 3/25/04: Bob
brewed two batches, one was served for a week, and then the
Manayunk brewpub closed. The Wachovia Center brewpub is still
in operation. |
|
Red Star Brewery & Grill |
Pittsburgh area |
OPEN |
|
|
Rivertowne Pourhouse -- NEW |
Pittsburgh |
OPEN |
6/11/07:
The Pourhouse opens today. Congratulations!
3/10/07: Andrew Maxwell (out of John Harvard's) and the folks
from the Rivertowne Inn (Verona
and North Huntington) are getting together to open a brewpub in
Monroeville, just off the Turnpike interchange (312 Center Rd.).
He's got a 15 bbl. JVNW brewhouse ("Gas-fired," Andrew
said, "It’s the nicest system I’ve ever touched.")
and tanks already in Pittsburgh, and there's a sales agreement on
the building (paperwork should be final in two weeks or so). Get
this: "Our goal is to carry between 13 and 18 beers at any
one time," Andrew says. "I’ve never been given the
opportunity to do something like this." Those of you lucky
enough to know him from JHBH Monroeville should be excited; and so
should the rest of you. This is going to be a very easy
stop off the PA TP...and a must-stop.
Thanks to a reader who clued me in on this one! |
| Rock Bottom: King of Prussia |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
Brewer
change: Brian McConnell is now the brewer here. GOOD brewer,
formerly at John Harvard's Wilmington (now closed). 3/2/07: Finally
got in and tried Brian's beers. No surprise: excellent. Be
sure to try Prussia's Pride, one of the biggest hop noses
I've ever smelled on a beer, without tongue-curling bitterness. |
| Rock Bottom: Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh area |
OPEN |
1/1/07:
Colin Peterman (formerly at the Rock Bottom in Arlington, VA)
will be taking over the brewing duties. (His replacement in VA is Chris
Rafferty, who you may know from his time at Kutztown Tavern
and John Harvard's Radnor.) |
| Roy Pitz BC -- NEW |
Capital/Central |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- New
production brewery in Chambersburg (140 N. 3rd St., 717-496-8753, web),
making a seasonally varying line-up. |
|
Selin's Grove BC |
Upstate |
OPEN |
UPDATE, 10/6/05: No expansion into the first floor as
originally planned. That's been cancelled, and I'm not sure that's
all bad. Steve didn't like the idea, it made him nervous, and I'd
have hated to have the place lose a step on atmosphere.
UPDATE, 8/6/04: Don't expect to see Selin's Grove beers in outside
accounts: too much paperwork. The new brewery IS up and
running as of 8/5, and the brewpub will be expanding into the
first floor of the mansion: 40 seats, casual dining, sometime in
the next 12 months. |
Sly
Fox -- Phoenixville |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
|
| Sly Fox
Royersford |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
1/1/07: Well, yeah...the cans and
the big bottles arrived.
10/6/05: Expect 750 ml bottles of Belgian specialties soon,
followed by cans! (Thanks to Jack
Curtin for the info.) |
| Sprague Farm & Brew Works --
NEW |
Upstate |
OPEN |
3/10/07:
Four regular beers now: Ale Mary Wheat, Hellbender Porter,
Rustbelt Amber, and the new Scotchtober Fest Ale. Brian
expects to brew another batch of Kick Bock soon as well.
They have draft accounts scattered across northwest PA (including
Oscar's, Marketplace Grille, and BrewErie in Erie), and are
working on cracking western NY and Pittsburgh. Sounds like things
are going well in Venango.
7/15/06: I made the opening. The place is phenomenal,
the beer has definite promise. The Ale Mary Wheat, a wit-like
offering with coriander, orange peel, peppercorns and juniper, is pretty
damned good now. But don't hold your breath on
"farmhouse-style" ales in the classic sense:
they've had a rush of sense and realized that they'll have to sell
to their local market first. Porter is going to be exotic for
a while.
6/3/06: Beer is in kegs: Sprague's first beer, Hellbender
Porter, has been kegged. Hellbender and the next beer, Rustbelt
Amber, will be available at the brewery beginning June 17.
A low-key opening is planned on July 14 (Brian's birthday and
Bastille Day). The brewery is located at 22019 US Highway
6, Venango, PA; phone is 814/398-2885.
4/28/06: Brian e-mailed this morning. Brewery name: Sprague
Farm & Brew Works, not French Creek ("the reasons we
did not use this name are peculiar, at best" he said).
Matt Allyn is helping with the first few brews, and they
hope to have beer in June. Definitely not a brewpub, but it
sounds visit-friendly. Brian's a chainsaw carver of some note,
and will have wood sculptures on display and do occasional live
demos. "We plan to ease into the farmhouse ale
idea," Brian said, "as we must create a beer
that will be accepted in the immediate area. Believe me, it
will have flavor and character."
3/14/05: Just talked to Brian Sprague, who bought Weyerbacher's
old brewhouse. His plans, which are still in the very early
stages, are to open a farmhouse brewery in a barn on a working
farm outside Venango. The working name is "French
Creek;" that may or may not be the eventual name. I
like it, myself. He's talking about a production brewery, not
a pub, but he figures to sell growlers and draft. If I
were him...I'd think seriously about big bottles, too.
|
| Spring House BC -- NEW |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- I visited Spring House last summer --
definitely in a barn, and there is a "spring house,"
though it's not a separate structure; Matthew has an open spring
well in his house! -- and they've started production. I had the
pale ale at The Pressroom in Lancaster (nice
place, if a bit yuppified), and it was quite nice.
11/29/06: E-mail
from Matthew: "We have decided to go self-brewed, just
less complicated... I am guessing early spring for our first
product.
10/30/06: Matthew sent pix: he has a brewing system, a 12 bbl.
JVNW system and four fermenters. I hope to talk to him soon, and
to find out what's up.
6/30/06: Contract brewing will be done at The Lion, not
Yards, a single label at a time (either one year-round or one
seasonal every three months or so), starting in late September,
on-site brewing to start once brewhouse is in place...which will
be later. Much more here,
where I talk to partner/brewer Matthew Keasey.
6/27/06: An article in the local paper announced plans for a
small brewery at 2519 Main St. in Conestoga, PA, with
bottled beer being brewed at Yards. Startup is planned for November,
2006. No name is set at this point, and finances are still
under negotiation. More when I get it.
|
|
Stoudt's BC |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
8/7/05 update: Marc
Worona is leaving Stoudt's to become director of craft-brewing
sales (western region) for Yakima Chief, the hops brokers. Congratulations
to Marc! |
|
Straub Brewery |
Old Guard |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Biggest news out of Straub in years: Straub
Dark. And it's pretty nice stuff!
4/4/05 update:
Got an e-mail from Chris Staub today (son of brewmaster Tom
Straub): Straub is now converted to Sankey kegs, one of the last
non-microbrewers to do so. Modern times in St. Marys.
|
| Swashbuckler
Pub and Eaterie |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- New brewer, expanded system, very nice
beers, and attractive serving wenches. Arrgh! |
| Sunnybrook -- CLOSED |
PA Dutch |
CLOSED |
7/20/04:
Henry Ortlieb died on July 4th, while on vacation in Costa Rica. My
sympathies to his wife and son. Henry tried hard to breathe life
into his family's old brewery, and when it failed, he took another
swing and re-opened the grand old Sunnybrook. He was born a
brewer, he died a brewer. Bill Moore told me today that the
brewery will close until mid-September; the future is uncertain.
8/24 update: Jack Curtin
has posted news at the Beer Yard
website that Ortlieb's is definitively closed. |
| Tavern
on the Village Square -- CLOSED FOR NOW... |
Upstate |
CLOSED |
5/17/07:
Unfortunately...the latest attempt at a ballot initiative,
this past Tuesday, also failed. Not sure where these guys go from
here.
8/17/06: Boy, I missed this one. Tavern on the
Village Square (as reported by Bob Batz in the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette) opened in the farming town of New
Wilmington...the dry farming town. The dry law was supposed
to change and they added a brewery...and gave the beer away for
six months. Wow. The law didn't change, and they closed
in July (they're still doing catering). They're hoping a ballot
initiative will take the town wet in November, at which time they
intend to re-open. |
| Triumph
New Hope |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
Opened
in early May, 2003. Union Square Center in New Hope (about time
decent beer came to New Hope!), looks a lot like the original
Princeton, NJ, location. 8/25/04 update: stopped in to meet
the new brewer here, Patrick Jones (out of Gordon-Biersch
Miami). Good man, excellent beers. He and Jay Misson are planning
to lager-ize Triumph New Hope, including a Keller pils,
O-fest, and the Vernon Valley-recipe Blonde Doublebock.
They're also aging some Snakebite (an apple-heavy braggot) in a Laird's
Applejack barrel, and it's mind-blowing. Good stuff! |
| Triumph Center City -- OPEN |
Philadelphia |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Open, and excellent, and it's a damned
shame Jay Misson's not there to see it.
3/8/07: Missed that one, too. Talked to Jay Misson
myself today. Opening will be around the end of March. Grand
opening April 30. More details here.
11/16/06: Jack
Curtin's reporting on the Beer Yard site that Triumph is aimed
at a January '07 opening that seems pretty firm; tanks
are going in today. Triumph New Hope brewer Patrick Jones will
move into Philly, replaced by Brendan Anderson. 15 bbl.
brewhouse, six fermenters. Yes sir. (117-21 Chestnut St.,
Philadelphia)
4/28/06 update: Latest on Triumph is that opening has been pushed
back to September '06, at the earliest. No surprise, really; opening
a brewpub on schedule is iffy at best, and opening a brewpub
in Old City? Come on!
Just saw on the Beer Yard
site that Triumph is planning to open a "large" brewpub
on Chestnut St. in Philadelphia (rumored to be in the Old City
area) next year. It's about time someone did this!
|
|
Tröegs Brewing |
Capital/Central |
OPEN |
'05 update: Tröegs
undertook a major expansion early this year, overhauling
their brewhouse to add capacity, automation, and what John
Trogner feels is a softer way to brew beer. The beer
tastes great...but then, it always has. |
| Turnpike Brewing -- PLANNED,
became BrewErie |
Upstate |
COMING |
4/27/06:
see Brewerie at Union Station; the same people who were looking at
Turnpike...this building has been abandoned.
11/18/05: Just heard from a reader that the building was
hit and badly damaged by a truck; insurance wrangling has
ensued. They are still planning on opening, but not until late
summer 2006. Hang in there, Erie.
Turnpike Brewing is a planned brewpub at 1402 Turnpike Rd.
in Erie (14th St. between Peach and State Sts.). Hoping to be open
by the end of 2004 with former Erie brewer Gary "Yes, I am a
biker" Burleigh.
|
| Union Barrel Works -- NEW |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- UBW just celebrated their first
anniversary: beers are solid and tasty, smoked trout chowder is
worth the trip on its own.
3/8/07:
Final inspections are taking place. Tom has six beers to
open, and should be open by the end of the month. Could be
earlier. 6 N. Reamstown Rd., Reamstown, 717-336-SUDS.
1/12/07: Reports are that Tom has beer in the tanks. It's
lager (of course), so look for an opening in February.
8/30/06: Tom Rupp may be behind this opening in Reamstown, PA.
"Advertised" November opening; more when I get it.
|
|
Valley Forge BC
-- CLOSED |
Philly Suburbs |
CLOSED |
FINAL UPDATE? 5/31/05: Valley
Forge has apparently closed as of 5/26. Jack
Curtin just called and told me the news, which he got from a former
VFBC brewer. What will become of this big, kind of
ugly space? God only knows, but the brewery is gone. |
|
Victory BC |
Philly Suburbs |
OPEN |
|
|
Voodoo Brewery |
Upstate |
OPEN |
7/08 updates. -- Voodoo's open and rolling, beer has
reached Philly.
6/6/07:
Voodoo's license has been approved and issued, and Matt says beer
should be in distribution by mid-June. Congratulations!
3/10/07: Nothing ever goes as quickly as planned...Matt's
brewing, but still waiting on ATTTB paperwork approval...long
story. But he's got -- oh, let him tell it: "I’ve got two
batches of Black Magick (bourbon imperial stout) in the
bourbon barrels, Wynona’s Big Brown Ale, the Spring
release of the Four Seasons IPA (each season we'll have a different
style of IPA), and a batch of Pilzilla (big kellerbier).
We’ll brew more Pilzilla and the witbier (White Magick of the
Sun) next week. The witbier’s going to be similar to
Sprague’s, 12 different kinds of peppercorns, but different. Big
Black Voodoo Daddy (imperial stout) should go in the
tanks soon." Don't look for draft, except in the brewery,
he's doing bigger bottles, either 22s or 750s. So...when?
"I hope we’re about a month out. Hoping." Me
too.
7/19/06: Matt's loan was approved the day after I visited; expect
much faster progress now, possible opening in October.
Congratulations, Matt!
7/15/06: Delays...no real surprise. That's common with small
breweries. The building renovation is about to begin, just waiting
on loan approval. Brewhouse and tanks are in, Matt's got great
plans, and the space has great promise.
5/2/06: I saw on the website today that Matt intends to
have the brewery up by "early summer." Long list
of big beers: get ready, western, PA!
11/18/05: Matt Allyn and Jeremy Potocki will start renovating
a furniture store (217 Arch St., 814/440-2594) in Meadville next
month to turn it into Voodoo Brewery. The plan is to open
as a production brewery, and add a pub (tentatively named the
Zipper City Brewery & Grill) in late 2006. An article in
today's Erie Times-News described the planned production as
"artisan-style, aged beers." Should be interesting; the
western PA beat goes on. |
|
Weyerbacher BC |
PA Dutch |
OPEN |
|
|
Yards BC |
Philadelphia |
OPEN SOON |
7/08 updates. -- Yards is in new digs (901 N. Delaware
Ave., Philadelphia, 215-634-2600, web)
after splitting from the old ones in a partnership split that gave
the city two brewers instead of one. So far, this is working out
well for beer drinkers. The new building site has been a problem,
but equipment is in, and brewing should start very soon. |
|
Yuengling Brewery |
Old Guard |
OPEN, ADD'L FACILITY |
New St. Clair brewery is up and
running. |
|
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