Way down on the south end of the Susquehanna Stretch section of the DiscoverNEPA Brewer’s Loop, we found ourselves at Berwick Brewing Company.

At this point in the season (early January) winter had been a bit mild for our liking. We’d hardly seen a snowflake in over a month. Sure, some can take it or leave it. But even a little snow helps to filter winter’s mood. Luckily, here in NEPA, there are at least two surefire pick-me-ups to smooth out that long, gray march of winter – those daily and damn gorgeous, rubellite sunsets and beer. And even on a cloudy day, we’ve still got pints and pints of locally brewed craft beer.

It was the latter, in fact, or the thought of discovering a few new ones that stiffened our backs on this blue, sunny morning. Always suckers for the scenic jaunt, we planted rubber on trusty Route 11. We saddled up the old Susquehanna River and ye-hawed our way south. And as we snaked out of the Shickshinny hills, the river rolled almost still into the low-lying, rural flats of Columbia County. You’re not long on this road before the shingled spires and hard angles of civilization breach the horizon.

Suddenly, the Borough of Berwick emerges, belted to the south by the Susquehanna. Route 11 forks into the town’s two main throughways – Front and 2nd streets. Just like that, rolling fields give way to a tight Philadelphian grid of numbered streets and storied neighborhoods. Stately riverfront homes loom like broad-shouldered ghosts of industrial era opulence. This is a small manufacturing town and its people – a generously blue-collar brood descended from that salt of the earth diaspora that, one day walked off a boat and by the very next began building cities. It’s classically NEPA – a nearly 200-year-old ethnic stew with rural roots and a heart of steel.

It’s a town famous for potato chips and Stuart Tanks and for packing Division 1-sized crowds into a high school stadium on Friday night. You kinda’ have to measure up here. And down Oak Street where road becomes river bank, in the old, red brick beauty that once housed beloved Vaughn’s Bakery, Berwick Brewing Company is doing just that.

Let’s go knock a few down, shall we?

The Brewery

Paging Dr. Frankenstein.

Describing a brewhouse, on occasion, proves an exercise in poetic license. These are the grimy halls of labor, the hidden spaces, the unseen kitchens of industry. Beer is a messy business. It requires ugly tools and often uglier solutions.

The backstage scene at Berwick Brewing Company is no exception. It’s a cavernous mazework of ancient concrete. Old conduit races alongside shiny, new pipework. Layers of paint – each a generation’s tale of new utility – expose the solid, old building’s long gaze. She’s a model of modern adaptability, a Frankenstein’s wretch of repurposed craft and a proper scion of the Berwickian archetype.

Secrets are held here. Quiet, camera-shy brewers, charged to knight over them, sneak suspicious glances in the reflective sheen of steaming brew kettles and bright tanks. Buzzing fluorescent bulbs soften the long trail from grist mill to bottling line. Along that journey, screwdrivers and wrenches rest where previously employed. Parts of often untraceable origin patiently wait their turn. Everywhere, pieces of the old bakery find new life. And really, what is beer if not basically some form of liquid bread?

In fact, let’s go see if we can’t find some of that liquid bread in the taproom.

The Taproom

Plenty of room to roam.

Taking inspiration from the voluminous brewhouse, Berwick Brewing’s taproom carries into several spaces throughout the footprint. First, though, is the main bar. This colorful room serves as the entry point to the brewery. The sturdy, relatively short bar with 8-10 solid wood high backs is the nerve center of the entire building. It’s also one place you might be lucky enough to meet the mastermind behind the joint, but you’d have to ask.

There’s an East Village pub vibe dripping from the walls. Stickers, mostly from visiting brewers or just craft beer travelers litter an entire wall on the back bar. A colorful slate on the opposite side reveals Berwick’s long lineup of brewery-fresh drafts. At your back, a massive mural depicting scenes of the rural Susquehanna River valley juxtaposes an entire nook devoted to classic vinyl sleeves.

If you can’t steal a coveted spot at the bar, don’t worry. There’s plenty of seating and cool places to hang throughout the expanded taproom. Follow the low glow of Edison bulbs into one of a few indoor gathering spaces. Aligned with the brewery’s penchant for lagers, long, wooden picnic tables scream beer hall vibes. The communal feel, an impressive collection of breweriana and space for live music, round out the indoor experience at Berwick Brewing. But that’s only just the beginning.

When the weather warms up enough, the good times head outside to the expansive biergarten. The covered seating area behind the brewery offers a “million dollar” panoramic view of the Susquehanna River and the rolling southern mountains beyond. The outdoor patio also features its own, full-service bar, cornhole, a live music stage and plenty more of those convenient, communal tables.

The outdoor biergarten is also home to Berwick Brewing’s popular annual, 2-weekend-long Oktoberfest celebration, held every September.

The Beer

Simple, real beer (minus gym socks and Royal Pine car freshener)

All things considered, it’s less about the beer at Berwick Brewing Company than it is about the process. They’ve been in the local craft beer game for over 15 years. In many cases, that’s at least a decade longer than most. The brewers here have seen every gimmick come and go. In fact, they may have even reached the point where they can see the next silly adjunct on the horizon. And, instead of jumping out in front, they dutifully and humbly, in the name of all that is good about beer, let it pass. Ahh. There’s just something refreshing about the collective grumpy, cynical approach of Berwick’s brew team.

Anyone who’s that serious about beer has got to be serious about lager. They are. And it’s the most natural place to start. Berwick Brewing regularly produces 8 lagers – quite ambitious and yet in line with the brewery’s general punk attitude. From the standard Berwick Lager to the Irish Red to the Hondo Keller Bier, the lager line up stays well below 6% ABV.

Notably, the Zwickle Pilsner delivered that familiar crisp and clean feel, but it reached a place that a lot of pilsners don’t – balance. The subtle, underlying malt background leads effortlessly into a distinct snap of hops. And at 5%, it’s almost too easy to cruise on. Next up, Berwick Lager. This brewery staple attracts even the staunchest supporter of “PA’s oldest brewery,” and ultimately, we suspect, leads to quite a bit of converts. It’s easy, golden and 100% German – like a lager should be.

Of course, it’s not all about lagers and pilsners at Berwick Brewing. They’ve also put together quite an impressive stable of classic, European and uniquely American ales. From wheats, creams and tripels to stouts, porters and IPAs, the approach is all about keeping it traditional and forgoing any and all fads.

The best test of this methodology is the Berwick IPA. It hits that IPA sweet spot at 7%, and lays out a consistent resinous punch over a beautifully subtle malty, toasty sweetness. Finally, we moved on to what is becoming one of the more popular styles on the rise – cream ale. Berwick’s Vaughn’s Cream Ale, named after the bakery that formerly occupied the building, strikes that coveted balance between ale and lager. This easy drinker weighs in at 4.9% and delivers a finely-tuned ratio of sweet and malty to bitter and hoppy.

Alongside the incredible beers at Berwick Brewing, you’ll also find PA-made wines, spirits and Big Ben’s Sodas, produced locally at Catawissa Bottling Co.

The Food

It’s pizza. It’s simple. And it’s like no pizza you’ve ever tasted.

Ok, so you’ve got amazing beer, an amazing setting (which used to be a bakery), you’re going all in on that beer hall vibe, there’s gotta’ be some food. Enter what has become the most beloved pizza in town (and beyond).

The food menu at Berwick Brewing largely consists of pizza. Their signature hand-tossed thin crust pies nail that pizza sweet spot between crispy and soft. They come in a variety of styles including classic plain, pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, white and tomato pie. Beyond that, you can opt for one of their specialty pies like the Steve-O Inferno with jalapenos and hot sauce or Melissa’s Ultimate Veggie – a vegan favorite. Of course, if you’re drinking German beers, you have to give the Curd & Jager a try. This pie consists of fresh cheese curds and landjager, a dry-cured German sausage.

The brewery also offers a variety of bar snacks like soft pretzels, cookies and Wise Chips. And don’t forget to stop by for Cheesesteak Tuesdays or Burger Night Wednesdays.

We popped into Berwick Brewing Company on a sunny, blue-sky Monday in early January. We took the uncharacteristically temperate nature of the day as a sign to expect something special. And the good folks at Berwick Brewing handled the rest. Their wonderful stories and their delicious beer poured in equal measure freely and generously. And don’t repeat this, but in a town known for its stoic, blue-collar toughness, we just happened to find a handful of sweethearts at the old bakery on Front Street. If you haven’t already, please do your best to check this place out.

Must Try:

Zwickle Pilsner – German Pilsner – Clean, crisp and perfectly balanced – 4.9% ABV

Berwick Lager – Classic Lager – Perfectly golden with slightly fruity bready finish – 4.5% ABV

Berwick IPA – American IPA – Generously hoppy with subtle sweet backbone – 7% ABV