This story popped up in my newsfeed this morning: https://www.pennlive.com/food/2019/...y-delayed-as-brewer-files-for-bankruptcy.html I always wondered why this venue chose a brewery from out of state when there are so many new upcoming breweries in Central PA. Seemed like an odd pairing. What’s not clear to me is if the whole brewing operation is affected or just this business venture since they filed in PA but are located in MD.
I wondered the same things. I also wonder why the developer is insistent on having a brewery as a key component. As can already be seen, if it dies the project is in jeopardy. You’re relying on a small outside brewery for your success to a greater degree than comfortable. It can be lousy beer or mismanaged and you’re at their mercy. I’d consider a craft taproom focusing on rarer PA beers or collab with Troegs or better established brand or something less risky.
I couldn’t agree more. Especially with the recent addition of Iron Hill right around the corner. Having a decent selection of high quality PA taps would fill a niche in that area.
Wasn't really fired up about Rubber Soul's beers, but still a bummer to hear about their situation. As far as the building, I'm sure it will be a nice place on a nice property....but it screams of a place that I'd avoid for the most part because it would be packed with tourists and the like. Not really sure why a place like Troegs would even bother with a project like this. They seem to be in a place where they need no assistance or strategic partnerships. Even if they brew there themselves, what is stopping them from also offering PA beers? Nothing, as far as I can tell.
I tossed out Troegs name not because they need assistance or a strategic partnership but, because they don’t. And, because they are part of the Hershey community and may want to see such a project succeed. I don’t know if that’s their kind of thing or not. It could be anyone but I think making a small craft brewer a focal point or important element of a project can be unnecessarily risky. I don’t know this development specifically but have heard of others where the developer envisions big shiny tanks in the window and a Biergarten but has no knowledge or interest in the actual making and marketing of beer.
The guy on the restaurant side of this project is the current/former (not certain which) owner of McGrath's on 2nd Street, right? If I'm following you, you're saying that Troegs not needing assistance or a partnership is a reason why they might be interested? If that is the case, I disagree. If I'm somehow this dense so close to lunch, I can't offer an explanation on that. Sorry. Regarding the insistence on a brewery, maybe it is as simple as having already plunked down a sizable amount of cash for their system/tanks/etc? Not really sure. I'd imagine that there is a pretty significant chunk of money behind this operation, given all that I know about it. Hiring a brewer who knows what he/she is doing and has a proven track record wouldn't be the most far fetched idea. Or maybe it really is just a bunch of people with too much money and pie in the sky ideas, who knows? Hopefully not.
Never figured out why they were here in Maryland and always seemed to focus on PA. I understood the brewer was from PA and had contacts there so maybe it was easier. Also heard the local Salisbury distributors would only buy the minimum so there wasn't a lot of local beer out there. The tap room wasn't open for long after they first opened and popped back up last fall. Local market seems saturated to me anyway but I hate to see anyone go down.
