Taproom Question for PA Folks (NEPA)

Not sure of how the craft scene in your area is, but a local craft bar to me has a nice compromise. Taps are all craft but they do offer bud light in bottles, though as far as I can tell it's not advertised anywhere on their boards/menus. Decent way to bring in the craft crowd but not alienate those who drink macro, especially if they come out with craft-savvy friends.

 

Just curious, how much has Hazleton changed since 98? I was there for my freshman/sophmore years of Penn State and have not been back since. At that time I only remember one place to get decent beer, everything was mostly macros and most people I encountered drank macros (not just other college students). I have found in PA if you have Yuengling people that don't drink craft will be happy.

 

Visit Tamaqua occasionally for work and don't know of any place nearer than Allentown to get consistent craft beer, so a taproom in Hazelton should be welcomed. Agree with the previous comment that stocking macro bottles is a good way to ensure you don't irritate those who want BMC products.

While I drink good/craft beer, I won't actively avoid a place just because they serve macros (that's silly). Know of a few places that do not serve any macro; that's nice branding or even a point of pride for them, but not offering macro in any form might just be steering customers from you--you'll get zero customers who only drink macros. Plus, $3.50-4.00 for a Miller Lite bottle is a tidy profit, so you can concentrate on craft more.

 

Depends on the density of flavorful beer drinkers in that area. I do know places in SEPA that survive quite well with no macros on offer. But...

While, I live in SEPA, but my experiences in visiting places in NEPA suggests that for your soft start if you have Yeungling Lager on tap and something like Bud light in bottles as suggested by @ninjembro you should be in the right ball park for the start. I'd then guess that a couple of months will be required to see what changes in your tap line up is needed.

This assumes that all your taps other than the Yuengling would be rotating. A lot of folks seem to be interested in trying a range of flavorful beers rather than always seeking out the same thing and sticking with it.

 

I grew up in the area but moved away in 2012. The craft scene there is pretty weak. I think at the very minimum, you'll need to have Yuengling and Goldencold Lager on hand for the craft-resistant crowd (yes, I know Goldencold is craft but it's easy drinking enough that a BMC drinker will enjoy it). If you want to keep it 100% craft, that's your best option.

Side tangent but related, I was out with my parents a year or so ago at Banko's in West Nanticoke. I went to the bar, saw all poor tap handles, and asked what sort of beers they had in bottles. After the list I heard, I asked if they had anything hoppy. I was met with "you're in the wrong part of town for that" and settled for a SABL. I think, on the whole, that's the demographic in the entire area. Although Susquehanna is doing some nice things for the craft transition.

 

your biggest issue might be dealing with the distributor's as most in the area are stuck in the 1970's, which is why the craft scene is still so dead in NEPA. most distributors don't know proper beer handling procedures or don't care either.

seems like there is a market for it in Hazelton, but the estimated per capita income is really low because it's a depressed region. so you might want to deal with more localized craft options that would maintain a lower price point (Sesquhana, Victory, Sole, Troeg's, Weyerbacher)

 

I honestly do not know why you would not serve a very large percentage of possible customers in that area. Be a great craft beer taproom, but give the people what they want. At the very least a lot of craft drinkers have friends that drink BMC. Even those craft drinkers will go elsewhere so they can have their friends go with them. Put a macro or two on and make some cash. I promise you won't feel the burn of hell fire every time you pour a macro.

 

I think you can have the focus on craft beers, while still having the macros available to help pay the bills. There's no reason to turn paying customers away just because they haven't found craft yet. But keeping the focus on crafts will be the big draw for craft people.

 

I have plenty of Bud Light/Miller Lite drinking buddies and I can tell you that on occasions we all go out together we probably wouldn't go there if they didn't offer that (much to my chagrin). Just offer bottles of some macros. And maybe a tap of Yuengling or something.

 

I'd at least offer Yuengling. Maybe one or two macros. It depends on how many taps/bottles you plan to have. The more taps you have, the more likely it is that you can get away with a BMC product on tap. It will at least help to get non-craft drinkers through the door, at which point they might decide to try something new.

It'll help to expand your customer base. Some people genuinely have no desire to try craft beer, but they might have friends that drink it.