In yet another non-April Fools – April 1st news story – we have Liquid Hero Brewing and Gift Horse Brewing joining forces in Downtown York. A headline that seems perfect for April 1st; not too funny, not too edgy, not another “weird flavor concoction” brewery post; but no — this is no April Fools Joke. Liquid Hero and Gift Horse really are joining forces. Both breweries are located in downtown York, both breweries are trying to find their own way in the ever evolving scene of craft beer and craft brewing, with emerging new costs (like Trump’s Tariffs) and an in-general decline to the industry. Gift Horse Brewing is located at 117 N George St, York, PA 17401 and Liquid Hero Brewing is located at 251 N George St, York, PA 17401.

Liquid Hero Brewing and Gift Horse Brewing Teaming Up (courtesy of Trav Zak)

The Announcement

Earlier today on social media, Liquid Hero and Gift Horse both posted this message:

Liquid Hero and Gift Horse Join Forces

Liquid Hero Brewery, a production brewery with a restaurant location in York City, PA, and Gift Horse Brewing Company, a brew pub and beer garden also located in York City, PA have entered into a collaborative relationship to strengthen their respective brewing endeavors.

In May of 2024, Liquid Hero opened a restaurant location at 251 N George Street, just a few doors down from Gift Horse’s successful brewpub and beer garden location. Several months after opening the restaurant, Gift Horse tapped Liquid Hero to provide brewing and packaging services whereby Liquid Hero, out of their 50 E North Street brewery location, brews and packages several Gift Horse beer brands.

After several months of this collaborative relationship, both Liquid Hero and Gift Horse saw a mutually beneficial opportunity; to expand this relationship to allow Liquid Hero to focus on their new restaurant endeavor and to allow Gift Horse to continue to grow their brand. The resulting opportunity will transfer ownership of Liquid Hero’s brewing equipment only, over the next several years, to Gift Horse. This will bring all production and packaging of all Liquid Hero beer and all Gift Horse beer under one roof at 50 E North Street. Liquid Hero will continue to independently operate their restaurant at 251 N George St and their beer will continue to be produced by the same hands and on the same equipment at 50 E North Street.

Over the next few years, Gift Horse has plans to brew additional brands of beer at 50 E North Street and make the brewery a brewing production hub for both local and regional breweries. Offering contracting services of 7bbl, 10bbl, 15bbl & 30bbl batches and utilizing our canning/packaging systems to be able to provide support to breweries of all sizes. Meanwhile, Liquid Hero will continue to grow their restaurant and will also continue to produce and distribute their beer locally.

Liquid Hero Brewery started in October of 2011 at its original location at 50 E North Street. In May of 2024, they opened a second location as a restaurant at the corner of N George Street and E North Street. After opening the second location, Liquid Hero shut down the brewpub at 50 E North Street and used this location only as brewing operations as well as space for private events.

Gift Horse Brewing Company opened in August of 2018 at its current location at 117 N George Street. In 2019, Gift Horse expanded into the open lot next door and created a 6,000 sq ft outdoor beer garden complete with a 35-seat full service outdoor bar and enough space to accommodate over 150 people. Gift Horse has quickly become a community hub hosting numerous events and fundraisers while focusing on complimenting Downtown York’s vibrant Art’s and Entertainment scene.

Our joint commitment to Downtown York, York County and the region as a whole is to continue to produce quality products and help Central Pennsylvania remain at the forefront of the Craft Brewing Industry.

–Gift Horse Brewing Facebook Announcement

(I will also link the full text image they posted later in the article.)

As you can see in this map (Downtown York) – Liquid Hero Brewing and Gift Horse Brewing are just 0.2 miles apart, or 1 minute driving (according to Google; though getting in your car, in and out, traffic, parking, etc……). Gift Horse Brewing is located at 117 N George St, York, PA 17401 and Liquid Hero Brewing is located at 251 N George St, York, PA 17401. Via walking its listed as 4 minutes according to Google Maps.

Given the current environment of the craft brewing industry, and the sheer and steady decline of breweries not just across the state, but nationwide, this sounds like a very promising way to keep both businesses afloat. Just earlier today we announced Butler Brew Works will be closing “indefinitely”.  This also looks to be a boon for the smaller breweries in the region, with the capacity to lease their contracting services and the canning lines as well. So we’ll see how that plays out with distribution for other breweries. This can also be an end to help meet financial goals for both of these breweries as well. Sounds like a three-way win to us. (And who doesn’t like three way wins?)

We will keep everyone updated with future information.

Gift Horse and Liquid Hero Announcement

For More Information on Liquid Hero Brewing Company

The following comes via Untappd.

Liquid Hero Brewery is listed as a micro brewery from York, PA. They have 160 unique beers, and over 62,000 ratings with a global average rating of 3.63 (as of 4.1.25). Their Untappd description reads: “Micro Brewery and brewpub located in downtown York, PA. ”

You can find them at these social media platforms:

• Liquid Hero Brewing – Official Website
• Liquid Hero Brewing – Facebook
• Liquid Hero Brewing – Instagram
• Liquid Hero Brewing – Twitter
• Liquid Hero Brewing – Untappd

You can also read more about Liquid Hero Brewing here: Liquid Hero Brewery Opens New Spot.

For More Information on Gift Horse Brewing

The following comes via Untappd.

Gift Horse Brewing Company is listed as a micro brewery from York, PA. They have 86 unique beers and over 10,000 ratings with a global average rating of 3.61 (as of 4.1.25). Their Untappd description reads: “Gift Horse Brewing Company, located in the heart of downtown York City’s Market District, is within walking distance of an eclectic collection of restaurants, pubs, art galleries, venues and shopping options including the Historic Central Market House and four other awesome breweries. Downtown York boasts numerous options for enjoying the arts and entertainment including the Appell Center for the Performing Arts and People’s Bank Park (Home of the York Revolution Baseball Club). Our goal is to be a part of what makes our downtown area so wonderful and to help Downtown York City and South Central Pennsylvania become a craft beer destination. Treat yourself to a gift! ”

You can find them at these social media platforms:

• Gift Horse Brewing – Official Website
• Gift Horse Brewing – Facebook
• Gift Horse Brewing – Instagram
• Gift Horse Brewing – Twitter
• Gift Horse Brewing – Untappd

Liquid Hero Brewery Has Some News

Liquid Hero Brewery’s New Spot

Word has just dropped (just a bit ago), and its that York has a new downtown spot to hit up! Just a block up from their current location – Liquid Hero Brewery – will be making the corner of George St. and North Street a York downtown spot to visit. No word has been announced yet if they are moving the brewery or what they are doing exactly. (Stay tuned and we will keep you updated on that.)

Currently, Liquid Hero Brewery is located at 50 E. North St, York PA, 17401.

The new location will be the Codo 241 building: 241 N George St, York, PA 17401.

The Announcement

York City will soon have a new spot for good people, food, and brews. Targeting first week in June to open. Stay tuned!

Liquid Hero Brewery – Facebook Post

Liquid Hero Brewery’s new spot (photos courtesy of Liquid Hero Brewery)

More Information on Liquid Hero Brewery

The following comes via Untappd.

Liquid Hero Brewery is a micro brewery from York, PA. They have 157 unique beers and over 62,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.63 (as of 5.19.24). Their Untappd description reads: Micro Brewery and brewpub located in downtown York, PA. 

You can follow them on these social media platforms:

• Liquid Hero Brewery – Official Website
• Liquid Hero Brewery – Facebook
• Liquid Hero Brewery – Instagram
• Liquid Hero Brewery – Twitter
• Liquid Hero Brewery – Untappd

In a bit of a surprise, sad, and shocking news, Crystal Ball Brewing Co. out of York, PA has shut down. Completely. Both locations. Right off the heels of them doing a Friday night charity event, the news came Saturday in a surprise manner.

Kevin Keller made the first rumor mention on the Breweries in PA Facebook group, and the firestorm spread from there, and quickly reported in official means. The YDR (York Daily Record).

The brewery was around for seven years and the first in the new wave of breweries in York. Other breweries have since moved into York (Mudhook, Liquid Hero, and Collusion Tap Works). Crystal Ball Brewing had two locations – West York and a taproom in downtown York on Beaver Street.

Two years ago I had gotten to visit the taproom downtown. Around the time my great uncle was slowly dying to mesothelioma, my family came down to York to visit, afterwards we stopped there (and it turned out it was Bike Night in York as well, so my girls got to see a parade as well). The beers were all good to ok, nothing atrocious, nothing bad, nothing infected or wrong on a created side. The beers were made well, presented well. The staff was very friendly. They also had a group there doing advocacy for domestic abuse with a pair of bright red heels. For their Facebook page, they took photos of me wearing the heels and walking around in them, as well as my three daughters. They were doing an upcoming walk where men would walk a mile in red heels to fight domestic abuse.

The staff was all very friendly, talkative, and extremely generous with their time with myself and the girls. This can be usually said for most breweries I have visited with my girls, the staff is typically very accommodating with the girls and love having them, like Logyard, Troegs, Boneshire, etc, and this was no exception.

This is disappointing news to see, not just as a consumer, but as someone who recognizes that these were people with jobs, people who put their livelihood and stock into this company, and it sadly didn’t work out.

The brewery as a whole, has been open for seven years. They were always a staple at the Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope) brewfest, as well as a few others. They did canning on a small but distributive service, throughout much of Central PA.

There has been a lot of talk about craft beer, and breweries, and what the level of ‘saturation’ is for the market – especially here in Central PA. And while, it might not be a full “bubble bursting” type thing, there is definitely going to be some changes to the atmosphere, or geology, or geography of breweries in the area. Brewers, owners, and others have talked about this a bit recently, and there is some interesting insights out there. People like David A. Morrow, Christopher Harvey, etc, have elucidated the issue probably better than I can, and I’ve been vocal with similar thoughts and concerns.

Just having a brewery, just making beer, won’t be enough. One of the biggest things about breweries, is that everyone with the ‘hobby’ of beer making, thought they could take their hobby and make it a business and a profession. And sadly, that’s not how the market is (anymore). A hobby is not a business. You need to first, make good beer, have quality control, batch to batch should be the same high standard, you need to make a community around your brewery, events, activities, reasons for people to stop there and drink, and make a ‘third place’ out of it. Food, entertainment, events. Don’t push for secondary and tertiary locations. Don’t try and overextend yourself with canning and bottling lines. Make quality, consistent beers people can enjoy on your premises. Stay small until you have enough capital to expand larger, and always expand slowly, and below where you actually are. Overextending yourself will be the downfall of several breweries this year.

Sadly, it does look like we’ll have a few more breweries closing this year. But, on the good news front, we will also be having a few new ones opening to be really excited for. Liquid Noise in Marysville just opened (and I had gotten to stop in for their grand opening, and talked to head brewer Brad Moyer, so look for an upcoming article there). As well as Hemeaur and Wolf Brewing in Mechanicsburg. So, despite sad news like Crystal Ball Brewing closing, there is still some good news out there on the horizon.

Its a shame to see Crystal Ball Brewing go. They will be fondly remembered for their Coconut Porter and their All Seeing Eye IPA. They were a staple to the York scene and a great part of their community. If you go to Weiss or a Sheetz for the next few weeks or so, you might still be able to find a few of their beers on the shelves. Might not be a bad idea to buy one last 4pk or can for old time’s sake.

So let’s lift a pint to their honor tonight and toast the achievement, success, and happiness they did provide for a time. Lets hope their employees find work, and the owners can move on to new successful endeavors.

Sources:

• After a near 7 year run, Crystal Ball Brewing announces the last beer has been poured (York Daily Record)
• Crystal Ball Brewing (York) Has Closed All Locations (Breweries in PA)

Cheers to everyone! Be on the lookout for several new beer reviews upcoming, my remaining Tree House beer reviews, Scratch #400 from Troegs, and much more!

Also be on the lookout for write-ups on the Hummelstown Winter Fling, Liquid Noise, and much more.

-B. Kline