Twofer Brewfer Brewery Reviews: Gearhouse Brewing Co. and Liquid Art Brewing

Twofer Brewfer

The “Twofer Brewfer” is a new series of articles written by Paul R. Kan and Jacob Sailer. Two friends from Central PA who enjoy going out and trying breweries (both new and old). The premise is pretty straight forward, the two of them visit two breweries and give a brewery review of each. Breaking down its food, beer, atmosphere, service staff, etc.

Their tagline for the series is:

Celebrating the great brewing of the Central PA region, two local beer lovers visit two local breweries and pick a couple of their favorite beers.

Gearhouse Brewing Co.

Chambersburg is a town that’s almost three hundred years old, and towns with long histories always hold secrets. The two breweries we visited aren’t exactly secrets, but they are outside of the downtown area in a section of town where trains have historically been sent for repairs and storage. You can almost smell the coal in the air and hear echoes of rumbling locomotives from decades ago. Gearhouse Brewing Company and Liquid Art Brewing Company stand in the shadows of red brick trainyard warehouses erected generations ago. We kicked off at Gearhouse.

Atmosphere and Space

Walking into Gearhouse Brewing Company we immediately felt comfortable. The space has lots of natural light and the warmth of hardwood all around. The interior blends with the brewery’s location; old photos of the area and some cool antique furniture pieces are thoughtfully placed throughout the taproom. In the room near the brewery tanks, there is an old stand-up piano and a sign with some good advice. There is plenty of space throughout the building and a deck area to enjoy cold beer on warm days. 

Service and Hospitality

We hit the bar and the bartender came right over. He was engaging and explained the beer and food menus. He also filled us in a little about the history of the area, pointing out what remains Chambersburg’s massive railway roundhouse, situated directly by the brewery. It was Good Friday and he invited us to stay for the free Easter Egg Hunt with prizes. Jacob won a coupon for a free pint in his egg! Meanwhile, Paul got… two pieces of candy. 

Food

We both agreed that the appetizers we had were some of the best food we’ve eaten in our twofer brewfer visits. We shared the fried brussel sprouts and the Korean chicken bites. The sprouts were cooked perfectly, which crispy leaves and soft interior, balanced with a tangy sesame ginger dressing. Tossed with golden raisins, crisp garlic, and cashews for a wonderful textural experience and to give brussels just the right amount of sweetness. The Korean chicken had a delightfully airy coating which a satisfying crunch. Complimenting it all was the sauce which perfectly balanced sweet and spicy.

Best Beer

(A Belgian Dubbel and a flight from Gearhouse Brewing.)

It rarely happens, but we both ended up agreeing on the choice for our favorite beer: The Belgian Dubbel at 8.5% ABV. With notes of raisin, orange peel, cardamom and stone fruit, the beer was wonderful. Because the two of us agreed on the Dubbel, each of us decided to pick a runner-up. Paul chose the “Angelic Red”, an Irish red ale with nice caramel notes and hints of citrus. Jacob chose “These Sheep are Making Me Thirsty,” a heller bock at 6.3% ABV with a light, sweet finish.

Liquid Art Brewing

Next up for us was Liquid Art Brewing, which was previously Roy Pitz Brewing. It’s within walking distance of Gearhouse and made for a great second stop. On one side of the building is a massive mural of a phoenix, which is a great symbol for an area of town rising from its past as a rail yard.

Atmosphere and Space

(Interior pictures of Liquid Art Brewing Co.)

Our first impression as we walked in was how large the space is. There are quite a few rooms inside to sit and a couple of bars to sidle up to and grab a seat. Each room also has its own little vibe. We sat in the smaller bar area that felt like a pub.

Service and Hospitality

The bartender came to the table as soon as we sat down. She explained the menu and then gave us a few minutes to look over our options.  She was very friendly and more than willing to chat about the beers on tap.  We also talked about the tasting notes of each beer when we were drinking them.

Food

The menu is filled with pub-style favorites prepared with care. Paul had a good-sized serving of the fish and chips, beer battered with Liquid Art’s Best Blonde and served with their house made remolade. Jacob eagerly devoured Bavarian ham sandwich, pit smoked ham sliced thin and stacked high on a pretzel roll with their IPA mustard.

Best Beer

Paul’s favorite beer was the Irish Red! (are you sensing a pattern to his tastes?) With some light toffee notes and a clean, bitter finish, it was a standout. With a color that was a nice, dark ruby red, it fit right with the pub atmosphere. Jacob liked the Honeysucker IPA which had a light honey taste and clean, easy drinking body. A real surprising stand out was their craft root beer. After learning it was made in house Jacob couldn’t resist ordering it, drinking two full mugs by the end! For a non-alcoholic option, it was a real winner.

Wrap Up

If you’re looking to uncover some secrets of the past and do some beer drinking, head out to these two Chambersburg breweries!

Jacob Sailer Biography

Jacob Sailer is a jack of all trades for the hospitality industry. Having studied culinary arts at HACC, Jacob sees food and drink as a way to experience the cultures and history of the world, and to bridge divisions between people. Currently he resides in Carlisle Pennsylvania, after having fallen in love with the town’s rich history and vibrant craft beer scene.

Paul R. Kan Biography

Paul grew up in Hawai’i and knows its unique culture, traditions, and history. He is the author of Hawai’i Beer: A History of Brewing in Paradise, which the North American Guild of Beer Writers awarded second place for Best New Book of 2021. He currently lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

• Book Review: Beer and Society: How We Make Beer and Beer Makes Us (Eli Revelle Yano Wilson and Asa B. Stone)
• Book Review: A Woman’s Place is in the Brewhouse – A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs (Tara Nurin)
• From Central PA to the Pacific: A Beer Lover’s Hawaiian Journey An Interview with Alexander B. Gates
• Book Review: The Greatest Beer Run Ever (John Chick Donohue and J.T. Molloy)

Some Other Articles to Check Out

Looking for more articles to read? Check these out:

• The Battle of the Breweries (2023) Winner Is
• Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies in the United States (2023)
• Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies in the United States (2023)
• What is Craft Beer?
• I’ve Missed Drinking (A Look at Non Alcoholic Beers)
• The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beer: A Guide to the Best Non Alcoholic Brews
• Best Non-Alcoholic Beers For 2021
• Craft Beer 101: Your Guide to the World of Small – Batch Brewing
• How to Build Your Own Homebrew: A Comprehensive Guide for Craft Beer Enthusiasts
• Brewing a Traditional Lithuanian Farmhouse Beer – Keptinis
• Human Robot – Milko Pour – A Look at Milk Pours
• Hemp and Beer – Happy 4:20 Day
• Map of Maine Breweries
• Map of New Hampshire Breweries
• Map of Vermont Breweries
• Sipping on Tradition: A Guide to Craft Beer Flagship Beers
• Discovering the Best Independent Breweries with Beer Drop Craft Beer Subscription Service
• Breaking Down the Buzz: The Health Benefits of Craft Beer
• Craft Beer Styles: Exploring the Wide World of Flavor
• I’m Pretty Darn Lucky (Happy Mother’s Day)

Thank You For Reading

Ok, Ben jumping on here. I want to give a big thanks to Paul R. Kan and Jacob Sailer for the article. Paul messaged me and e – mailed me the article on Monday, but unfortunately we had a really busy day and I wasn’t home to get it up right away. Amy got her drain pulled Monday morning, and I had a job interview Monday evening, and then we had errands in the Carlisle area.

Yesterday, I had a few errands, and had to vote. I had a horrible head cold all day yesterday, I think from the Hummelstown Hunger Run 5K that was in the rain on Saturday. So with watching Scarlet and everything, I was pretty wiped out.

So I apologize for the lateness on getting this article up.

This was also gonna go up about an hour or so earlier today, but had a furnace guy at the house, so been a bit busy with that as well.

Anyway, moving on, once again, thanks to Paul and Jacob for the article. Hope you all enjoy. Cheers!

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