Small Brewery Sunday

This Sunday – November 28th 2021 – is Small Brewery Sunday. Its the perfect day to give back to your favorite local small brewery and buy up all the beer you can! Obviously Thursday is Thanksgiving, followed by Black Friday, and Small Business Saturday, and then on Monday is Cyber Monday. So what better then making Sunday – Small Brewery Sunday!

As per Brewers Association:

Pop quiz: What sits between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and is three or four times better (at least!) than both of those holidays put together?

That’s right: Small Brewery Sunday!

Brewers Association: Small Brewery Sunday

Small Brewery Sunday was devised and created as a way to get small breweries business and to raise awareness of shopping through them for the Holiday Season. Instead of flooding Wal-Mart or Amazon for gifts this year, why not go to your local brewery, like Boneshire Brew Works, or Tattered Flag, or Rubber Soul, or Moo-Duck Brewery, or ZeroDay Brewing, or Ever Grain Brewing, or Wolf Brewing, or one of a billion other small local breweries?

Give Away

So with that in mind we are hosting a give-away!

We will be giving away one *FREE* four pack of ‘Fall Hippo’ by Boneshire Brew Works. It’s a 4pk of 16oz cans, brewed and canned at Boneshire Brew Works in Harrisburg (Rutherford) PA.

So, how can you get in on this sweet deal and action? Its pretty simple really!

Go to our Facebook page: Facebook – The Beer Thrillers. Then check out the post (it will be pinned) saying “SMALL BREWERY SUNDAY GIVEAWAY”. And follow the simple instructions which will be:

• 1) Be a United States Citizen (sorry, but its the easiest way to do this logically, and since we’re doing free S&H)
• 2) Like and Share the Post.
• 3) Tag one friend (or more!)
• 4) Like and follow our page – The Beer Thrillers
• 5) Comment on the post itself saying what your favorite local brewery is (and preferably why)

Its that simple! (Check disclaimer at the bottom of this post for ‘small print details’).

Fall Hippo

Be sure to check out our review of Fall Hippo here — Beer Review: Fall Hippo (Boneshire Brew Works).

Beer: Fall Hippo
Brewery: Boneshire Brew Works
Style: Fruit Beer
ABV: 4.5%
Untappd Description: Next up in our Hippo Series, Fall Hippo. Brewed with Cranberry, Pie Spices, and Lactose. Fall desert in a glass.

Small Print Disclaimer

Ok, let’s break down the small print disclaimer:

1. The winner will be announced on November 28th, roughly around 10:00PM (EST).
2. The winner will be selected by a random number generator.
3. This contest and giveaway is in no way associated with Brewers Association, Boneshire Brew Works, Facebook, or any one other than The Beer Thrillers themselves.
4. The cost of the 4pk is free and so is the Shipping and Handling.
5. All contestants must obey the rules above.
6. Must be 21+ (21 or older and be able to prove as such)
7. Must have a US Residence
8. No PO Boxes
9. Must respond to being contacted within 48Hours of the contest’s end and announcement.
10. The package will be sent out no later than Thursday the 2nd (if winner contacts within 48 Hours)
11. If the winner does not respond to messages within 48 Hours, we will re-draw and do another random number generator.
12. We will only repeat this up to 4 times. After that, we will find another way to give away the four pack.
13. Good luck and thanks for playing!

Shop Small Breweries

Remember everyone, please, this Sunday (and all days really) shop your local small breweries. They are a crucial part of our economies and our local communities. Patronize them in the ways you would your favorite local restaurants and other businesses! Be sure to use our Facebook group to promote how you are helping your local brewery and shopping your local breweries!

• Facebook Group: The Beer Thrillers

Additional links:

• Brewer’s Association: Small Brewery Sunday
• Brewer’s Association: Small Brewery Sunday (Assets)

Thanks for reading everyone! And cheers and good luck in the giveaway!

-B. Kline

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

(Edit (8:30AM 11.23.21) – edited to correct the name of the article. In a ditz moment, I titled it ‘Small Business Saturday Giveaway’ instead of ‘Small Brewery Sunday Giveaway’. Also added the year on to the end of it.)

(There is more restrictions / mandates, but that’s what is relevant to this blog.)

What I want to do here and now is to urge everyone to shop local. Don’t go to McDonalds for your food, or buy Coors Lite or Miller or In-Bev. Buy from your local restaurant, your local brewery, your local drinking hole, and tip, help those who will be hurting. This is a big time of the year for restaurants (up til New Years Day). They need all the support they can get right now.

Support local craft beer. Drink and help your local favorite brewery. We are all in this together, as cliche as that sounds, but we all need to do everything we can to help our local and small breweries survive these tough and troubling times.

Please mask up when you go in for your take out and to-go. Be respectful and kind to the service and staff and the help. Tip as much as you can. Buy as much as you can. Share their posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Review them highly if they deserve it and are doing the right procedures. Support as best and as much as you are able.

Support. Support. Support. Help. Help. Help. I can’t stress these things enough. Be kind to everyone. Be helpful to everyone. Lets get through this together!

Cheers all. And best wishes and hopes for all those in industry jobs. I know how it is working at a casino, that will be shutting down til January 4th as well. This is a scary and troubling time. Let’s all pitch in and help each other!

-B. Kline

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Cinderlands Beer Co. has announced that they will be opening their third location – this one in Wexford, Pennsylvania. They announced on their Facebook page earlier today:

This will be their third location. Wexford is roughly (depending on traffic) 23 – 27 minutes (depending on final location in Wexford; and according to Google Maps).

Cinderlands Beer Company already has two locations currently running in the greater Pittsburgh area. One location is the Cinderlands Warehouse. This opened in May 2019 in the Pittsburgh Strip District. The technically oldest of the two locations, is their Cinderlands Foederhouse in Lawrenceville. This was their original location, but was originally a tap room, and they re-did it, renovated it, and made it into their Foederhouse in December 2019.

This marks their third opening / changing / renovating / expansion in under two years time (though, the Wexford location won’t be opening until 2021). This is fantastic news for Cinderlands Beer Co and fans of their wonderful beers. I got to stop out at their Cinderlands Warehouse location in August 2019 with my daughters on a trip, and loved the beers I had.

According to Untappd – Cinderlands Beer Co has 203 unique beers, 72K+ ratings, and has a global average rating of 3.91 (as of 12.9.20). Their Untappd description reads: “A Craft Brewery & Scratch Kitchen located in Pittsburgh, PA”

For more information on Cinderlands Beer Co and their expansion, you can check out their following social media platforms:

• Website – Cinderlands
• Facebook – Cinderlands Beer Co
• Instagram – Cinderlands Beer
• Twitter – @Cinderlandsbeer
• Blog – Cinderlands Blog
• Untappd – Cinderlands Beer Co

As always everyone, thanks for reading. Speaking of Pittsburgh, be sure to check out the new article we wrote about the upcoming Pittsburgh museum on beer – BREW – The Museum of Beer. Or our new article on Hop Culture being bought out by Untappd / Next Glass. As always, be sure to get out and support your local breweries in restaurants, this year has been a year of uncertainty, but right now we are in even more uncertain times, (here in Pennsylvania especially) as there is constant talk from every corner on which day, when / if , what / if, etc, about new mandates, restrictions, lock downs, or quarantines. So while you can, support your local small breweries and restaurants so they’ll still be here after the pandemic.

Please follow us on our social media platforms below, and also make sure to check out other expansions, openings, and closings, and brewery news with the links below. Thank you all for reading. Cheers!

-B. Kline

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

• A Sneak Preview of Rubber Soul Brewing (Hummelstown)
• Midwest Coast Brewing Opens (Chicago)
• Rally Point – Cox Brewing Taproom Opens (Elizabethtown)
• Boneshire Brew Works to Open Second Taproom in Harrisburg (Harrisburg)
• Irv’s Pub Rebranded as Rotunda Brewing Pub (Hershey)
• Official BBQ (Pizza Boy Secondary Location) (Rutherford)
• The Grand Opening of Hemauer Brewing
• Pilger Ruh Brewing Needs Your Help (Pottsville)
• Highway Manor Brewing Co. (Camp Hill)
• Grand Opening: Rubber Soul Brewing Company (Hummelstown)
• Tap Room Opening: Howling Henry’s Brewery (Hummelstown)
• Little Fish Brewing Extending into Dayton
• Levity Brewing Expanding Taproom and Opening Second Location in Altoona
• BREW – The Museum of Beer
• Cinderlands Beer Co is Expanding Into Their Third Location

You can read about more brewery closures here:

• Stoudt’s Brewing Closing
• Crystal Ball Brewing Closes
• Voodoo Brewery Lancaster Closes
• Spigot Brewing Closes
• Full Pint Brewing Closes
• Night Shift Brewing Cancels Expansion
• Mikkeller Brewing NYC Closes Permanently

As with everything, if I can push the blame off me (yet still take credit when I can), I will… so let me be the first to say: I voted for Kodos (Kodos Johnson to be exact), so you can’t blame me.

In one of the funniest bits from The Simpsons as a whole, and from the various Treehouses of Horror, the Citizen Kang segment from Treehouse of Horror VII. For the uninitiated, Kang and Kodos are aliens (Rigellians) from the planet Rigel 7. They appear (sometimes as main segments, sometimes as just cameos) in every Treehouse of Horror episode of The Simpsons. The episodes; especially through the first years; are humorous parodies and looks at different horror movies, thrillers, or cultural cues. In later years they’ve begun to parody just about anything popular at the time.

Each Treehouse of Horror episode is broken down into three segments or acts. In Citizen Kang (which is the third act of Treehouse of Horror VII – season 8), Kang and Kodos abduct Bill Clinton and Bob Dole and basically steal their identity and ‘body snatch’ them and replace them with themselves. This ends up leaving people with no real chance of voting, because…. who can vote third party? (Sorry Ross Perot.)

Should you ever see two combatant politicians hold hands as they walk around town… you should immediately know something is up. Could you imagine Donald Trump and Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton holding hands? Or Bush Jr and Al Gore? Or anyone with Putin? Not likely. So always be leery and on the lookout for tell tale signs like this. Also – if your politician tells you that you need to always be twirling… twirling… twirling towards freedom…. most likely he’s an alien in disguise… or a former cheerleader and gymnast who got stuck at a podium and is crying out for help.

Having grown up on a steady diet of Simpsons and pop culture and now in my fast becoming late 30s (le sigh) once I heard of these two beers being released (I Voted for Kodos and I Voted for Kang) by Second Sin Brewing Company; I got all the feels and the nostalgia and member-berries and had to have them. Like all of the Star Wars beers I’ve reviewed, I had to also get ahold of these to review as well. Luckily, from the brewery itself, I was alerted to the fact that there’s a Facebook group for Second Sin Brewing called Disciples of Second Sin. Since it was unlikely I would make it to Bristol PA before they were sold out, I was trying to trade / buy from someone who lived in the area and could ship or bring closer, and luckily Steve Orbanek contacted me with the hookup. So big shout out to him and major props and huge thank you’s go to Steve Orbanek for the hookup and to Second Sin Brewing for alerting me to the group.

When I got home from my Indy trip, the package was on my doorstep which was all the cooler as a nice return gift. Steve even threw in a third beer for me (for free) for a future beer review, so I’ll keep you all in suspense and just say that you all will get a bonus beer review soon thanks to Steve.

Second Sin Brewing Company is a micro brewery from Bristol Pennsylvania. According to Untappd they have 138 unique beers and a global average rating of 4.07 (as of 11.26.20). Their Untappd description is blank.

Beer: I Voted for Kodos
Brewery: Second Sin Brewing Company
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: I Voted For Kang and I Voted For Kodos, conceptually, are like two peas in a pod. They both started with the same base of 2 row malt, Malted Oats, and light Crystal. Both are supported with Galaxy and Idaho 7 hops to round out their flavor profiles.

However, don’t let anyone tell you that these candidates are the same…oh, no. Kang is primarily hopped with the tropical and fruity Citra, while Kodos is loaded with dank and melony Mosaic.

Steve was kind of enough to trade me both I Voted for Kodos and I Voted for Kang; so be on the lookout soon for the second of these two reviews (as well as the bonus beer that Steve sent). I started with Kodos (primarily just for the “don’t blame me I voted for Kodos” line).

Appearance is a very golden New England IPA look, hazy, opaque, no sediment, bright golden brew. This looks like a slightly darker and heavier looking orange juice. It has a foamy, creamy, white head, with great carbonation, and varied and diverse bubbles; and left a beautiful lacing on the glass.

Aroma is a bouquet of hops, a buffet of hoppy smells, like diving your nose right into a bag of the good stuff. The galaxy, Idaho 7, and Mosaic hops create a wonderful hop aroma, heavy, dank, melon, some grapefruit, stone fruit, some citrus, and a whiff of pine. Some peach, some passionfruit rounds out the cornucopia of hop aromas and mouth watering smell.

Now lets get to the fun part of this… drinking this beauty. And hmmmmm is this tasty. It is a dank, juicy, New England IPA, with a lot going for it. It has an interesting mild ‘spice’ kick, subtle, but you get it as you drink, its an interesting note that adds to the beer. The primary flavors though come from the blend of hops used – Galaxy, Idaho 7, and Mosaic. Strong flavors of the stone and tropical fruits, a heavy dose of peach and passionfruit, light grapefruit notes (which could also provide a bit of the kick too), and the faintest lingering taste of sticky pine and a small dollop of earthy notes and tones (faint, ever so faint, but slightly discernible). This is a smooth drinking beer too. It has just the right mouthfeel and texture, and slick and smoothness to the drink. A four pack of this could easily be crushed sitting out, or mowing, or reading, or hanging out with friends, or even sitting around a campfire. At 6.7% its a good buzz inducing beer that won’t knock you right out either, so its perfect to sit around with friends or mowing. The hop blend is really wonderful here, the peach, to passionfruit, to citrus, to melon, and melon rinds, with the hint of grapefruit, pine, wee bit of kick at the finishing touches, leaves a great taste in your mouth, and makes this just a delicious brew all around. This was my first beer by Second Sin Brewing, and I am totally sold by them, and can see why they have a 4+ average rating. This is smooth, silky, nice mouthfeel, not watery, hoppy, dank, juicy, and with a blasting amount of flavors. This is just a well crafted beer through and through.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 4.19 (as of 11.26.20)

Thank you everyone for taking the time out on Turkey Day – Thanksgiving – to give this a read. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, either with friends, family, or with your own small(er) gathering this year. This is certainly a different Thanksgiving for most of us than we’ve been used to. It has been quite the challenge this year, but hopefully everyone can stay safe, healthy, and have a happy Thanksgiving, as we push towards the end of the year and the merrier time of the year.

Cheers everyone!

-B. Kline

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

For more info on Kodos:

• Kodos Johnson
• Citizen Kang – Treehouse of Horror VII

On Monday, as part of my drive out to Indianapolis (from Harrisburg – Hershey area) I was in the Pittsburgh area. I started in Indiana, having visited Levity Brewing the night before, and hiking The Thousand Steps trail, Monday morning I started with Rock Furnace Trail, Roaring Run Trail, and visiting Allusion Brewing Company in Vandergrift Pennsylvania.

Ahead of Monday, Bobby had reached out to me and invited me to stop in for a brewery tour and sampling. He knew I was going to be passing through the area, and he was going to be in the brewery kegging ‘The Four Horseman’ for their upcoming Black Friday event – BLACK AHT 2020. You can get the cans and tickets to the event here: Couch Brewery – BLACK AHT 2020. Technically, The Four Horseman isn’t a stout, but is a Wild Ale / Brown Ale. But its still a part of the event (and don’t worry, it is amazing!)

I met Bobby around 1-2PM or so on Monday at the brewery, and he brought me in through the loading dock and side area of the brewery (the actual brewhouse). He took me through their small brewery and brought me then to the bar. First, we stopped, and looked at the fermenters, and the various equipment, discussed their barrel size, what they’ve done is recent months, the beers they are most known for, changes, growth, etc.

I’ll admit I was unfamiliar with Couch Brewery; and had never been to the brewery before, or even had their beers before. They do not distribute out to Harrisburg, Hershey, Hummelstown area, (unfortunately!) and I’ve never had them in a trade or at a bottle / beer share. But I must say, from now, I will be on the look out for them wherever / whenever I can.

The above picture is their brewing system and set-up. If it looks small and home-brew-ish, its because it pretty much is. This takes nothing away from the beers, or how much they produce, or what they can do however. They still brew a large amount, and a wide variety of styles. So don’t let this set-up fool you. They are still pumping out some delicious brews.

Some of the best beers I’ve had have been brewed on the smallest of set-ups and systems; and some of the worst beers I’ve had have been on the biggest, largest scales, and the most expensive looking equipment. Its all in the skill of the brewer.

As you can see in the above picture, they have several fermenters that are constantly in use, so there are always lots of brews in the works here at Couch Brewery. They have 12 taps at the bar in the brewery, and they keep them full primarily because of how often they brew and fully utilizing all of their fermenters. Like a large revolving door, they are moving an empty keg for a new one, and emptying fermenters and refilling, and kegging, and keeping the kegs cooled and to the side waiting to be put on tap, etc. Like a constant dance, that keeps the beers flowing smoothly and the guests happy and the continuing flow of the suds, a perfect balance.

The beer that Bobby was kegging while I was there. Its a collaboration amongst buddies. Couch Brewery (Bobby represented as Arn Anderson), Fury Brewing represented as Tully Blanchard (I believe… I might be mixing him up with Ole Anderson here), Bash Brew which is represented by Ole Anderson, and Ric Flair of course rounding out the Four Horseman.

If you don’t know anything of The Four Horseman of wrestling, at least familiarize yourself with them. Probably the best stable ever in professional wrestling, of any generation or era. You can read more about them on wiki: The Four Horseman.

For more information on Black AHT 2020, you can read this quick article on Fueled by Hops: Couch Brewery hosting Black AHT 2020 Still.

For Black AHT 2020, there is 10 stouts for the event, and then as a special entry, The Four Horseman which is a Brown Ale / Wild Ale, and there is also a Rye Barrel Aged version on draft only at Couch Brewery.

One of the brewer’s for the collaboration’s wife did the artwork shown above, which will also be on the cans, and is drawn spectacularly.

Now, it was time to get to the bar, and actually drink some of the amazing beers Bobby has been brewing at Couch Brewery. I had the 11 beers they had on tap (out of the 12 taps), as well as the Four Horseman straight from the kegging.

• Recliner
• Morning Wood
• Hippie Blackberry Sour
• Sofa Quemando
• Fest Bump
• F1 Hazy IPA
• Thicc Ric
• Macho Man
• Atomic Clock
• Stardust – Mango Passion
• The Four Horseman (collaboration)

Beer: Recliner
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Stout – Oatmeal
ABV: 6%
IBU: 30
Untappd Description: A delicious yet unconventional oatmeal stout brewed with the wrong hops, or so you would think. It delivers a wonderful silky smooth mouthfeel with a refreshing hint of citrus, a little bit of chocolate and a touch of coffee.
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.67 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Morning Wood
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Stout – Coffee
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4.5
Global Untappd Rating: 3.87 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Hippie Blackberry Sour Ale
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.68 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Sofa Quemando
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Stout – Other
ABV: 7.1%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Mexican Stout.
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
Global Untappd Rating: 4 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Fest Bump
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Festbier
ABV: 5.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.7 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: F1 Hazy IPA
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.56 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Thicc Ric
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.53 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Macho Man
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Wheat Beer – Other
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Hibiscus Raspberry Lime Wheat
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
Global Untappd Rating: 3.82 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Atomic Clock
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Red Ale – American Amber / Red
ABV: 6.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.57 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Stardust – Mango Passion
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Hard Seltzer
ABV: 5%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 3.5
Global Untappd Rating: 3.52 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: The Four Horseman
Breweries: Couch Brewery
Collaborators: Fury Brewing Company, Bash Brew, X
Style: Brown Ale – Other
ABV: 8.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4.5
Global Untappd Rating: 4.22 (as of 11.28.20 [EDITED]

Beer: The Four Horseman
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Collaborators: Fury Brewing Company, Bash Brew, X
Style: Brown Ale – American
ABV: 8.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Rye barrel-aged version of Four Horsemen.
My Untappd Rating: 4.5
Global Untappd Rating: N/A (as of 11.28.20) [EDITED]

My favorite of the group was The Four Horseman, followed by (surprisingly to myself) Macho Man, Atomic Clock, and Morning Wood. I even discussed with Bobby about how I’m not a big fan of hibiscus in beer, and not a fan of Crimson Pistil by Troegs Brewing (an IPA that uses hibiscus) but absolutely loved Macho Man. (Look for a review of it coming soon.)

The bar and drinking area of the brewery has such an old-school lounge feeling. Like you are stuck in the 70s and Billy Joel could be in the corner playing Piano Man. An amazing atmosphere, I can’t wait to come visit sometime when they are open and get to actually sit and drink on the couches. The old school vibe is fantastic. Also, Bingo is a must when visiting Couch Brewery and an event to add to the calendar.

Bobby was an absolute blast to hang out with and talk to and we killed quite a bit of beer and quite a bit of time just discussing the craft beer industry, COVID-19, the mandates, the changes of the times, staying afloat, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, home brewing, brewing, Full Pint Brewing, professional wrestling, and pretty much everything and anything under the sun. If you ever get to have a drink with Bobby, make sure you do, he is fun, entertaining, and hilarious, and an all around great dude.

I have to say, I was reluctant to leave, but had to due to other trips and activities, and Bobby had to get back to work on finishing up his brewery duties for the day. But he did send me on my way with a four pack of Macho Man, Morning Wood, Atomic Clock, and Sofia Quemando. Which once back home, me and my buddy Drew killed the four pack together while streaming for his channel. He loved the Mexican stout.

For those in the Pittsburgh area, be on the lookout in 2021 for news on Full Pint Brewing. Big news. As many know, they closed up shop this year, which you can read about here: FULL PINT BREWING CLOSES. I don’t want to let too much out of the bag, but be on the lookout for news about them, and possibly…. dare I say it… a resurgence or resurrection? Who knows….. but like I said…. I won’t be the one to leave the cat out of the bag… Just be sure to stay tuned, and you’ll definitely hear about it here as soon as more is allowed to be said.

Again, in closing, I want to thank Bobby for a wonderful time, for opening his brewery to me, for inviting me out (on his own initiative), for the free samples, for the four pack, and for a wonderful time enjoying beers with a fellow beer enthusiast. He is a great dude, and I wish him the best with everything he does, a wonderful brewer, and a hell of a host. Thank you.

To everyone reading, be sure to check out the quality beers for the Black AHT 2020. You can read more, and get your tickets on Couch Brewery’s website, as well as through their social media pages.

Couch Brewing:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

As for me here at The Beer Thrillers, thanks for reading. I always love to hear from you all, so be sure to leave comments, thoughts, your reviews, suggestions, questions, whatever you want. Also, be sure to like, follow, subscribe, you can find our social media links at the top of each page, as well as below. Also be sure to check out all of the links below for more great stories, beer reviews, brewery reviews, brewery and beer news, travelogues, and much more.

Please stay safe, and hope everyone has a great upcoming Thanksgiving. Cheers all!
-B. Kline

The Trip to Indianapolis – Full Articles:

• Day One: Thousand Steps Trail, Juniata Brewing Company, Ghost Town Trail, Levity Brewing
• Day Two: Rock Furnace Trail, Allusion Brewing Company, Couch Brewery, Riverview Park, Hop Farm Brewing Company, The Meadows Casino
• Day Three:
• Day Four:
• Day Five:
• Day Six:
• Day Seven:

The Trip to Indianapolis – Recap Articles:

• The Trip to Indy
• The Trip to Indy – Day One Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Two Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Three Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Four Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Five Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Six Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Seven Recap
• Recap and Stats

August (2019) Road Trip Series:

• Going on the Road
• The Trip: Day 1 Recap
• The Trip: Day 2 Recap
• The Trip: Day 3 Recap

Rickett’s Glen (2020) Road Trip Series:

• A Road Trip to Rickett’s Glen
• The Trip to Rickett’s Glen

Monocacy Battlefield Road Trip:

• Impromptu Two-Day Trip to Frederick Maryland
• Road Trip to Monocacy Battlefield (June 19th – June 20th, 2020)

Visiting Reading Pennsylvania:

• A Visit to Reading
• The Birthday Trip to Reading Pennsylvania – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

A Road Trip to The PA Grand Canyon:

• Visiting Wellsboro PA and the Grand Canyon

Hiking Hawk Rock

• Hiking Hawk Rock and Visiting Liquid Noise Brewery

Hiking Pinnacle Trail and Pulpit Rock

• Hiking to Pinnacle Overlook, Pulpit Rock, Visiting 1787 Brewing and Schaylor Brewing

Hiking Around Ephrata Pennsylvania:

• Hiking Around Ephrata Pennsylvania – Pour Man’s Brewing, Black Forest Brewery

Hiking Sunset Rocks and Checking Out Maxie’s Brewhouse:

• Hiking Sunset Rocks and Checking Out Maxie’s Brewhouse in Shippensburg Pennsylvania

Other Brewery Hopping Articles:

• Brewery Touring York and Hanover PA
• Brewery Hopping – 12.27.19
• Breweries Around the Outskirts of Harrisburg – 9.6.19

My Article for Breweries in PA:

• Touring Breweries Around Harrisburg

My Podcast About Breweries in Central PA:

• Beers with Strangers – A Beer Thriller in Hershey

Some other brewery tour and road trip articles:

• A Sneak Peak at the New Rubber Soul Brewery in Hummelstown
• A Brewery Tour of Mellow Mink Brewery
• A Brewery Tour of Couch Brewery
• Brewery Review: Battlefield Brew Works
• Brewery Review: Cushwa Brewing
• A Trip to Gettysburg and Beer Review: This is Nut the Fluff You’re Looking For (Fourscore Beer Co)
• Beer Review: Road Trip Snacks (Panther Island Brewing)
• Brewery Review: The Ministry of Brewing
• Beer Review: Esmeralda (Ministry of Brewing)

Also, be sure to check out some of our other beer reviews in recent history:

• Beer Review: Dreams of Orgonon (Human Robot)
• Beer Review: Unicorns Stomping on Lanternflies (Saucony Creek Brewing Co)
• Beer Review: Griddle (Funk Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Blue Milk (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Up the Creek Extreme Ale (Thomas Creek Brewery)
• Beer Review: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (Yuengling Brewery)
• Beer Review: Dropout (Rubber Soul Brewing)
• Beer Review: Pigtoberfest (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: I Voted Today (Tired Hands)
• Beer Review: Super Villain (Urban Village Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Wookie Monster (Fourscore Beer Co)
• Beer Review: Shallow Grave (Nitro) (Heretic Brewing)
• Beer Review: The Growfather (Stickman Brews)
• Beer Review: The Pandalorian (Tattered Flag)

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Great news for the Athens Ohio brewery Little Fish Brewing Company, as they are expanding into Dayton Ohio. Early Wednesday the Athens based brewery announced that they signed a letter of intent with Windsor Companies to open a second location in Dayton at Webster Station, which is in downtown.

This won’t be immediate however, as the construction is due to begin in Spring 2021.

In a statement at the release of this announcement, the marketing director, Carli Dexter, for Windsor Companies said: “Downtown is really growing into an exciting hub for small and independent restaurants and bars, shopping, entertainment and living. We couldn’t be more excited that Little Fish is going to be a part of that.”

The location, 112 Webster Station, was the former site of Midwest Tools. Windsor Companies purchased the location in September of 2020. Little Fish Brewing Company will be the first tenant signed on to lease at the location.

I got to stop at Little Fish Brewing Company on my trip from Harrisburg Pennsylvania to Indianapolis Indiana and back. The brewery in Athens with its gorgeous outside venue, and wonderful building, was a fantastic little brewery, and the beer and food were excellent. You can see my trip article when I visited Little Fish here: Trip to Indy – Day Six.

I had an excellent, although sadly short, time there, and the bartenders were both very wonderful, talkative, and knew their beer. Great people working there that is for sure.

Their new location in Dayton will be focused primarily on sour beers, specifically wood barrel aged ones. Little Fish has made sure to let their customers know you will be able to enjoy all of their beers at both locations in the future; at both the Athens and the Dayton taprooms and beer gardens.

Little Fish Brewing Company is five years old, having started in 2015 by Sean White and Jimmy Stockwell, natives of Athens Ohio. But, they assure everyone they are no strangers to the Dayton area as well. As part of their release, Stockwell said: “Dayton is growing, and we very much look forward to being part of its future. We’re excited to become part of the vibrant restaurant and brewery scene and to bring a piece of the spirit of Athens to this strong community.”

Their Untappd description reads: “Our philosophy is to brew simple, rustic, and beautiful beers. While farmhouse ales and barrel-aged sours are close to our hearts, we equally love to brew and drink a meticulously crafted lager or a hop-forward pale ale. Nothing is off the table as long as it pairs well with friends and family! We strive to make our brewery a reflection of our beliefs. Our electricity is sourced from 100% renewable energy: solar & wind power. Almost every beer we make contains a majority of Ohio-grown ingredients by weight (starting with the base malt), and many of our beers are 100% Ohio-grown. Finally, we regularly support social justice and environmental causes that we believe in. Thanks for choosing our beer, and for appreciating the love & passion that goes into it!”

Read below for their official Facebook announcement, posted today – Wednesday, 11.18.20, with photos courtesy of their Facebook page:

“Athens brewery to find new home in downtown Dayton

Little Fish Brewing Company signs letter of intent to open taproom and brewery on Webster St.

ATHENS, OH – Athens, Ohio-based brewery Little Fish Brewing Company announced today that it has signed a letter of intent with the Windsor Companies to develop a second location in downtown Dayton. Construction is projected to begin in spring of 2021.The Windsor Companies acquired the buildings at 112 Webster Station, formerly known as Midwest Tools, along with a few surrounding properties in September 2020. The brewery is the first tenant to sign on to the project, which is within walking distance of downtown, Day Air Ballpark, the Riverscape and the Fire Blocks District.“Downtown is really growing into an exciting hub for small and independent restaurants and bars, shopping, entertainment and living,” said Carli Dexter of The Windsor Companies. “We couldn’t be more excited that Little Fish is going to be a part of that.”The future Little Fish location will be dedicated to the production of wood- and barrel-aged sour beers. Patrons will be able to enjoy these, as well as other Little Fish beers from the Athens location at the taproom and beer garden. Also featured will be a farm-to-table kitchen developed by Little Fish’s Executive Chef, Becky Clark.Stockwell and White are no strangers to the Dayton area. Little Fish distributes beer here to local craft beer centric bars, breweries, and bottle shops.

“Dayton is growing, and we very much look forward to being part of its future,” said Jimmy Stockwell, Co-Founder of Little Fish. “We’re excited to become part of the vibrant restaurant and brewery scene and to bring a piece of the spirit of Athens to this strong Community.”Little Fish Brewing Company was founded in 2015 by Athens natives Sean White and Jimmy Stockwell. While the brewery brews many styles of beers, it focuses on farmhouse and sour ales made with Ohio-grown and processed ingredients. Notable awards include the 2016 World Beer Cup Gold Award for Belgian- and French-Style Ale, 2018 World Beer Cup Bronze Award for Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, 2020 Great American Beer Festival Silver medal, wood & barrel-aged fruites sour beer.”

As I said earlier, I got to visit them for just a brief bit on my travels, but I came away very highly impressed with them. And have become big fans. I have been recommending them to all of my friends who are asking about travel and brewery recommendations in the area. If you are in Athens (or come 2021 – Dayton) make sure to stop by and give them a visit. You won’t be disappointed, I can guarantee that. The staff, the beers, the food, are all wonderful.

To read more about their announcement, you can see this article from Dayton.com: “Popular Athens Brewery Expands to Dayton.”

For more brewery news on my blog, you can follow the news below:

You can read about more brewery closures here:

• Stoudt’s Brewing Closing
• Crystal Ball Brewing Closes
• Voodoo Brewery Lancaster Closes
• Spigot Brewing Closes
• Full Pint Brewing Closes
• Night Shift Brewing Cancels Expansion
• Mikkeller Brewing NYC Closes Permanently

And in better, happier news, check out our articles on brewery openings:

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

• A Sneak Preview of Rubber Soul Brewing (Hummelstown)
• Midwest Coast Brewing Opens (Chicago)
• Rally Point – Cox Brewing Taproom Opens (Elizabethtown)
• Boneshire Brew Works to Open Second Taproom in Harrisburg (Harrisburg)
• Irv’s Pub Rebranded as Rotunda Brewing Pub (Hershey)
• Official BBQ (Pizza Boy Secondary Location) (Rutherford)
• Pilger Ruh Brewing Needs Your Help (Pottsville)
• Highway Manor Brewing Co. (Camp Hill)
• Grand Opening: Rubber Soul Brewing Company (Hummelstown)
• Tap Room Opening: Howling Henry’s Brewery (Hummelstown)
• Levity Brewing Expanding Taproom and Opening Second Location

Shipping News:

• Imprint Begins to Ship State Wide
• Tattered Flag Announces Supply Drop

To see all about my trip to and from Indianapolis, you can check out the following articles:

The Trip to Indianapolis:

• The Trip to Indy
• The Trip to Indy – Day One Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Two Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Three Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Four Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Five Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Six Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Seven Recap
• Recap and Stats

Also, be sure to check out some of our other beer reviews in recent history:

• Beer Review: Dreams of Orgonon (Human Robot)
• Beer Review: Unicorns Stomping on Lanternflies (Saucony Creek Brewing Co)
• Beer Review: Griddle (Funk Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Blue Milk (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Up the Creek Extreme Ale (Thomas Creek Brewery)
• Beer Review: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (Yuengling Brewery)
• Beer Review: Dropout (Rubber Soul Brewing)
• Beer Review: Pigtoberfest (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: I Voted Today (Tired Hands)
• Beer Review: Super Villain (Urban Village Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: The Growfather (Stickman Brews)

You can check out the tabs at the top of each page to visit our BEER REVIEWS, BEER EDUCATION, TRAVELOGUES, etc. Be sure to check out all the latest beer reviews, as we’re pumping a lot out in recent time.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Thanks for reading everyone, stay safe, be careful, and cheers!

-B. Kline

Quick, short answer is – yes. Yes they are. On October 16th, they posted on BrewBound a job posting looking for an experienced brewmaster. You can find their job posting here: BrewBound – JB Lovedraft’s.

Their posting reads:

“Seeking experienced Brew Master/ Head Brewer for upcoming Brewery location in Central PA area. Competitive Salary. Full input on brewery installation, direction, and styles. Location near major shopping areas along heavy traffic routes. Installing 10-15 bbl system, with canning line. 

Brewery is to be an extension of an existing area franchise with a focus on live music, the addition of a distillery, and a smoke house restaurant concept.

Projected launch date May 2021.”

Other information included on the posting lists:

• Posted date – October 16th, 2020
• Job Title – Head Brewer/Brewmaster
• Employment – Full Time
• Company – JB Lovedrafts Brewing Co
• Compensation / Salary – Not Specified
• Location – Harrisburg, 17050

On October 27th, they posted to their Facebook page “We’re growing” with a link to the above BrewBound job posting.

On the 28th, they posted the following (picture and text):

“Our tentacles are spreading #jb“

They haven’t outright specified where the location of the brewery will be, but it could be either their upcoming West Shore location, or it could be at their current location in Harrisburg. If I was a betting man, I would bet on it being the Mechanicsburg / West Shore location.

Their current location is at 225 N 2nd Street Harrisburg. Its a burger bar / music venue, and in recent history (pre-COVID but within the past year) they’ve ran into a few issues with the Harrisburg area on the loudness of their music. Their venue has been a wonderful music scene for the ‘misfits and outcasts’ for the ‘freaks and the geeks’ and for the ‘fringe aspects’. Their page lists their place as: “Beer, Burgers, Fries, Music, Nerds, Geeks, Freaks”.

They also have a portable food truck called the JB Lovedrafts Canteen.

Their Harrisburg location is all inclusive, celebrating people of all diverse backgrounds and cultures and ideas. It is one of the greater stops in Harrisburg and an area where everyone is welcomed. So it’s absolutely great to see them getting to expand and to even have their own brewery and brewing line. Will be something to keep your eye on and to look forward to. The job opening page says planned launch date May 2021. (Planned launch date and planned opening are two different things, and with most things, schedules can change, especially now with COVID and the pandemic and everything going on.)

So definitely put this on your calendars and keep an eye on their sites for more information.

• JB Lovedrafts Website
• JB Lovedrafts Micropub Facebook
• JB Lovedrafts Canteen Facebook
• JB Lovedrafts Instagram
• JB Lovedrafts Twitch
• JB Lovedrafts YouTube
• JB Lovedraft’s Brewing BrewBound Job Posting

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

• A Sneak Preview of Rubber Soul Brewing (Hummelstown)
• Midwest Coast Brewing Opens (Chicago)
• Rally Point – Cox Brewing Taproom Opens (Elizabethtown)
• Boneshire Brew Works to Open Second Taproom in Harrisburg (Harrisburg)
• Irv’s Pub Rebranded as Rotunda Brewing Pub (Hershey)
• Official BBQ (Pizza Boy Secondary Location) (Rutherford)
• Pilger Ruh Brewing Needs Your Help (Pottsville)
• Highway Manor Brewing Co. (Camp Hill)
• Grand Opening: Rubber Soul Brewing Company (Hummelstown)
• Tap Room Opening: Howling Henry’s Brewery (Hummelstown)
• Is JB Lovedrafts Opening a Brewery?

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Thanks for reading everyone. Have a Happy (and safe) and Spooky Halloween!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

Technically this should be “Dropout 2020” by Rubber Soul rather than just Dropout. Its the same, but not the same, as the original Dropout that the original Rubber Soul made (back from when they were in Salisbury Maryland with a different head brewer). For ease and brevity of the blog I have it listed as just DROPOUT, and don’t think I really need to include the 2020. I will be interested to see if going forward if Rubber Soul makes new entries on Untappd for “Dropout (2021)” and “Dropout (2022)” etc. They also did this with Garage Racer calling it Garage Racer (2020).

So, brief backstory on this, Rubber Soul was a brewery out of Salisbury Maryland with ties to the midstate area of Central Pennsylvania. So a lot of their beers were kegged and sent up to local bars in the area. They went bankrupt roughly two years ago, and a LLC bought them, and then subsequently bought the old borough building in Hummelstown and spent the majority of 2020 (and some of 2019) turning it into their new brewery. The LLC bought all of their old equipment and recipes, but did not retain the same brewer, instead getting a new brewer, and moving from Salisbury MD to Hummelstown PA.

You can read my two articles on their opening:

• A Sneak Peak at the Rubber Soul Brewery
• Grand Opening of Rubber Soul

This was their first ‘add-on’ from their original tap list, which not quite a week in, they already had kicked a keg (or two or however many they had to replace one of their beers) which is pretty impressive.

Last night after getting done at work at 7PM, driving home, I decided to head over to Rubber Soul for dinner and then a block up to Tony’s house to watch the Bills – Titans game. How often do you get to watch Tuesday night football? Especially with your buddy whose a Bills fan. So I decided why not!

Firstly, let me say, I had the stromboli with it, and that was one of the most delicious ‘boli’s I’ve ever had. I don’t normally order stromboli, but I picked the short rib poutine but unfortunately they were out of it (sold out during the day) so I decided on the stromboli. My dad had it the night we were there when I met him and my mom there for dinner, and he said it was delicious, so I figured why not.

Enough about food (who cares about food anyway right?), lets get to the beer:

Beer: Dropout (2020)
Brewery: Rubber Soul Brewing Co
Style: IPA – Imperial / Double
ABV: 8.2%
IBU: 70
Untappd Description: Double IPA. This hop forward double IPA has a big presence of grapefruit and flowery spice. A clean finish with a little bite. Hopped with citra mosaic and cascade.

The original Rubber Soul Dropout has the following statistics:
ABV: 8%
IBU: 100
Untappd Description: We’ve taken a classic Big IPA and modified it to epic, or rather, citric proportions. Thoroughly loaded with Citra hops and German specialty malts like Vienna and CaraFoam, the roasty middle of this otherwise pungent power pale will have you screaming “Dropout!” wherever you are.

I wish I could say I could give an honest comparison between the two, but its been four years (four years ago in June) since I last had the original Dropout. My Untappd notes for it say: “Bitter but very flavorful”.

That’s not the same case for the newest version of this. So, lets get into it, and break it down.

Appearance is a nice darker hued NE-IPA looking drink. A cross between a West Coast IPA and a New England IPA in appearance. Its somewhat hazy, not fully opaque, but far from translucent. It looks like an IPA, but just a bit darker / cloudier than a normal IPA, and there’s nothing wrong or bad about this. It has a very nice look and is a well done appearance for a new IPA and new brewery. It had a wonderful foamy head to it with nice bubbles.

Nose is a strong juicy hoppy IPA. The citra hops really sparkle here and take front and center stage. This has a wonderful IPA aroma to it, strong, scented, powerful, slight malt notes, but strong hop presence in the nose. Fun beer to smell before taking that first delicious sip.

First sip…. very good. Second sip…. very good…. third sip…. oh look, who are we kidding. The beer is good, from first to last sip, and its super quaffable making you wanna get a second drink before you know it. There is a bit of a large variety of hop notes to this new version of Dropout, and ‘bitterness’ is not one of them. This is very juicy, dank, and it is most importantly delicious. There is a citrus flavor to the hops, there’s a lot of grapefruit flavor as well. I got a little spice on this, but not much, very subtle, and almost as if you need to look for it. The hops leave this with a really nice floral, grapefruit, juicy, dank, citrusy, with a hint of earthy undertones, and then there’s the light subtle hint of the spice, and some malt backbone to this, that all really blends together into a very drinkable, delicious brew. I’m usually not a huge fan of grapefruit tastes but this doesn’t border on that ‘ugh grapefruit’ and more of a ‘oh, this is nice’ grapefruit, no bitterness, no pungent-ness, no over powering grapefruit or too bright grapefruit, this is blending, mellow, but tasteful. Sitting in the brewery, reading, and eating, this went down incredibly smooth and easy. The 70 IBU leaves a bit of a bite but not really noticeable, as the juiciness of the beer really smooths that out and overpowers the hop bite. So for those fans of New England IPAs, this will be more on their side than the traditional West Coast IPA side. As a Double IPA (DIPA) it is a bit higher ABV – 8.2%, but its not too noticeable, and even after two (with food) its not too strong to knock you on your ass, which is always a definite plus. A crowler of this would be just the right amount for a good night watching a football game…. even if it is on a Tuesday due to COVID.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 4.01 (as of 10.14.20)

After the two beers and ‘boli at the brewery, walked the block up to Tony’s and watched the Bills – Titans game. He certainly didn’t enjoy the game (as a Bills fan), and afterwards we got to watch the exciting final of the Braves – Dodgers game (Braves nearly blew that one!). I had a crowler of the Garage Racer (2020) while watching the game, and that’s another very fine and enjoyable beer from Rubber Soul.

I am certainly going to be enjoying having them in town, a mile walk to the brewery and back, is perfect. It’ll let me feel like I’m being productive and healthful with the walk, plus enjoy some great beer and food. Win. Win. Win.

Look for a new review from Josh tomorrow – and shocker everyone – it’s not Adroit Theory. Its great having him back reviewing again, you can check out his latest review here: Beer Review: The Octagonal Stairway (Adroit Theory and Pig Destroyer Collaboration).

You can see my latest beer reviews here:

• Beer Review: Dreams of Orgonon (Human Robot)
• Beer Review: Unicorns Stomping on Lanternflies (Saucony Creek Brewing Co)
• Beer Review: Griddle (Funk Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Blue Milk (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Up the Creek Extreme Ale (Thomas Creek Brewery)
• Beer Review: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (Yuengling Brewery)

Cheers everyone, and stay safe and healthy out there with all the rises in COVID cases. Remember to mask up, remember to wash hands, and most importantly: remember to drink some great craft beers!

-B. Kline

In more sad news, another brewery will be shuttering their doors and turning off their taps soon for good. This time its Spigot Brewing located in Ford City, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh).

Yesterday (10.5.20 at 7:17PM) they posted this on their Facebook page:

What we’re about to say brings us no pleasure and, quite frankly, sucks.For the past several months, the strict regulations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have proven to be quite a fiscal challenge to deal with. To be completely honest, we have been operating at a deficit for six months now…and yet we have done our best to try to adapt, push on, and hope for a break. However, the breaks simply haven’t come. Our biggest challenge is the size and layout of the taproom. Even as the various phases of occupancy restrictions lift, we cannot accommodate an increase of patrons due to the tangled web of rules that govern us. To bluntly summarize, at this point we have been financially damaged beyond repair and simply cannot continue to operate at a loss any longer.So, what’s next? For starters, we will continue to be open for growler fills for a few weeks. While we will not be brewing any additional product at this point, we just tapped a batch of Fest ‘20 & Ford Street Fog IPA, and have a new IPA kegged up that will get us through for a bit until the Spigots run dry. If we had to guess, that will probably happen near the end of October. Between now and then, all outstanding gift certificates should be cashed in as quickly as possible to prevent any forfeitures. Additionally, you can bring in any beer tokens that you have and use them toward purchases of growler fills or merchandise.Words cannot describe the gratitude that we have for those who graciously supported us over the past few years…especially those super-loyal patrons who stopped in for their weekly growler fills since the inception of the shutdown back in March. You are the sole reason that we were able to survive for as long as we have…a HUGE thanks goes out to you!Please know that we are deeply saddened by this decision, and are sure that you feel the same way. However, you must admit that we had a good run and had a lot of fun together along the way. And as we have said many times over the years, we hope to have a beer with you soon. Except for this one, we may simply be on the other side of the bar with you when it happens…and that’s ok too. Cheers! Doug & Cindy

Spigot Brewing Facebook Page

They follow in the footsteps of some other Pennsylvania breweries that closed their doors for the last time this year – Stoudt’s Brewing, Crystal Ball Brewing, and Voodoo Lancaster.

2020 has certainly been a challenging year for breweries, as well as people in general. From wildfires in Australia and California, from COVID-19 and the coronavirus pandemic and various laws and restrictions and issues therein, from murder hornets, aluminum shortages, coin shortages, Tiger King, spotted lanternflies, and a host of other things; it has been a trying time for all of us. Least of all small businesses. It is in times like this that we need to best support our small businesses and smaller breweries. Visit your local microbrewery, buy a growler, share it with a friend, rave about them, write Untappd and Beer Advocate reviews – or even submit a review to me, and get them some attention and publicity. Tip their servers well. Help out where and however you can.

Spigot Brewing was established in April 2018, in one of the many historic buildings in Ford City. They are technically being listed as the first PA Brewery to close due to COVID-19 / coronavirus.

They are selling the remainder of the beer they still have on tap and in their tanks through growler sales. So if you are in the Ford City area (a bit over three hours from Harrisburg, about forty five minutes from Pittsburgh), I would recommend stopping in and picking up a growler to at least try them before they close. Also, if you have any gift certificates, now is the time to use them.

You can follow Spigot Brewing and get the latest information on their Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and Untappd.

In other industry and brewery news, there has been a few openings lately. I have just gotten home from day two of Rubber Soul’s opening. I will have a review of the place, food, and beers up soon. You can check out my two articles on their opening here:

• A Sneak Peak of Rubber Soul Brewery (February)
• Rubber Soul Grand Opening (September / October)

I also was recently at Highway Manor’s opening. You can check out my articles on them here:

• Brewery Opening: Highway Manor
• Brewery Review: Highway Manor

And for more openings:

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

• A Sneak Preview of Rubber Soul Brewing (Hummelstown)
• Midwest Coast Brewing Opens (Chicago)
• Rally Point – Cox Brewing Taproom Opens (Elizabethtown)
• Boneshire Brew Works to Open Second Taproom in Harrisburg (Harrisburg)
• Irv’s Pub Rebranded as Rotunda Brewing Pub (Hershey)
• Official BBQ (Pizza Boy Secondary Location) (Rutherford)
• Pilger Ruh Brewing Needs Your Help (Pottsville)
• Highway Manor Brewing Co. (Camp Hill)

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

Amidst the chaos and craziness that was the Presidential Debate, Rubber Soul Brewing made their own waves, announcing last night around 8-9PM their grand opening date. In the town of Hummelstown as well as the Central PA area their announcement might have caused more chaos than was on stage at the Presidential Debate, and at least no one had to shout “OH SHUT UP MAN” or look like they were falling asleep either.

While out walking my dog despite the rain – and even walking past the Rubber Soul Brewery itself – on Facebook, Instagram, and their own website, Rubber Soul posted the official date for their grand opening.

Are you ready for it?

DRUM ROLL

The grand opening for Rubber Soul is set for 10.05.20. As per their Facebook post:

“10.5.20 [cheers emoji]”

Simple. Effective. And to the point. They did reply to some comments and elaborate, and posted their website to point out more information. As per their website, their hours will be as such:

• Monday: 6:30AM – 10:00PM
• Tuesday: 6:30AM – 10:00PM
• Wednesday: 6:30AM – 10:00PM
• Thursday: 6:30AM – 10:00PM
• Friday: 6:30AM – 11:00PM
• Saturday: 6:30AM – 11:00PM
• Sunday: 11:00AM – 9:00PM

They also posted their rules for entering the brewery and drinking and being there (due to COVID-19):

To keep our customers and sOul tribe safe and healthy, please read our general information below. We greatly appreciate your patience during this #COVIDTIME. 

• Masks are required unless you are seated at your table. 
• All orders are to be placed from your table by a Refueler (Rubber Soul Server).
• All onsite beer & alcohol orders require a food purchase.
• Please respect a 2 hour time limit during peak times.
• Seating is first come, first serve. 
• Do not move tables or seating as they are measured out for social distancing. 
• We are not filling growlers, only 32 oz. crowler cans at this time. 
• One hour before close we will go to pizzas only. 
• Children are welcome but must stay seated or in the accompaniment of an adult. 
• Please no pets. We love them but they make social distancing hard.
• Our water station is not available at this time. 
• *If you have experienced symptoms related to COVID-19 or have had exposure to COVID-19 in the past 14 days, please refrain from visiting.

You can check out their website for the latest on their food menu, their beers that will be on tap on their opening day, as well as some pictures. You can also read my article I did back in February detailing the brewery and its transition from former borough building / police station to brewery. A SNEAK PEAK AT THE NEW RUBBER SOUL BREWERY COMING TO HUMMELSTOWN, PA.

A few days ago, on the blog’s Facebook page I posted some pictures from a dog walk by the brewery, as well as their Untappd menu (screenshot). They have their brewery as a ‘verified venue’ on Untappd so you can keep track of their beer offerings, as well as use their website, which lists the following beers for their opening day:

• Soul Patch – Pilsner – Czech
• Fresh Dew – Pale Ale – American
• Humdinger – IPA – American
• Soul Searching #1 – IPA – American
• Garage Racer 2020 – IPA – American
• Awake My Soul – Porter – Coffee

If you have driven or walked by the Rubber Soul brewery the past week or so, you would see groups gathered inside, with the lights and televisions on. They were doing invite parties for different groups, preparing for their big opening, which will take place on Monday, October 5th, 2020.

From walking by it (quite often, as I love walking my dog through Hummelstown, and they are in between my parents and my house, as well as my friend Tony’s is only a few houses down from it through the back alley leading to Railroad Street), they did a tremendous and beautiful job on the building. I absolutely can’t wait to check it out inside, let alone drink the delicious beers.

Donovan Krebs, the brewer for the new Rubber Soul, has worked for some fine breweries in the past, including Levante Brewing, Neshaminy Brewing Co, and others.

His beers will be wonderful for the area and will be well sought after I am sure.

Be sure to check out the article to see the brewery inside and out and to read up on some of the things the brewery will offer: A Sneak Peak at Rubber Soul.

Be sure to check them out sometime Monday, October 5th, 2020. I will be there, thats for sure. I can’t wait to try out their delicious beers and wonderful food! Can’t wait to see you all there!

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

• A Sneak Preview of Rubber Soul Brewing (Hummelstown)
• Midwest Coast Brewing Opens (Chicago)
• Grand Opening of Hemauer Brewing
• Rally Point – Cox Brewing Taproom Opens (Elizabethtown)
• Boneshire Brew Works to Open Second Taproom in Harrisburg (Harrisburg)
• Irv’s Pub Rebranded as Rotunda Brewing Pub (Hershey)
• Official BBQ (Pizza Boy Secondary Location) (Rutherford)
• Pilger Ruh Brewing Needs Your Help (Pottsville)
• Highway Manor Brewing Co. (Camp Hill)
• Grand Opening: Rubber Soul Brewing Company (Hummelstown)
• Tap Room Opening: Howling Henry’s Brewery (Hummelstown)

And check out our beer review of the Tattered Soul collaboration beer between Tattered Flag and Rubber Soul Brewing:

• Beer Review: Tattered Soul

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Thanks for reading! Can’t wait to enjoy a beer together at Rubber Soul!

-B. Kline