Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania. We are already seeing the trends toward local breweries and taverns and moving away from the Sports Bars and Corporate Restaurants. Additionally, in the early day’s Taverns used to be the town center for most communities, and I think that is where the industry is getting back to. More and more people are searching for local products, for the care of supporting local businesses, and also a perceived health benefit in consuming local products.

Similarly to the food industry, I see a comeback from the corporate chains back into a localized approach to the consumption of alcohol. Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years? The Amber Ale was our first all-grain batch which helped us begin to understand how the color and body are derived from the various grains in relation to other characteristics.

What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it? I do rely heavily on my bar manager Eric and my son Reese to keep me in touch with the latest industry standards and expectations. Many of our customers rave about the “True Tavern Ales” approach. We develop recipes based on the season using the industry-standard beer style guidelines that are a refreshing diversion from the industry today. As a result, we do not use any flavorings or adjuncts to produce our beer but rely solely on the grain mix, hops & yeast to produce beer that is consistent with the style.

We always laugh that if the show “Breaking Bad” would have been popular back when we started in our garage, some of our neighbors may have raised an eyebrow or two at all the cobbled-together equipment, steam, and unfamiliar odors emanating from our garage! What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?īlack Forest Brewery is one of the few breweries that stays true to tradition and the German Purity Laws (Reinheitsgebot). Beer” kit my father gave me and started with extract and then moved quickly to all-grain. We had the most humble of beginnings with the “Mr. My son Ryan and I started on a whim as a way to spend a bit more time together on a hobby. While traveling for business in my previous “Corporate America” life I began trying various craft beers throughout the country and found I really enjoyed the wide variety of flavors and styles.

Black forest brewery