Meet The Brewer: Alex Hoffman of Seven Sirens Brewing

Photo courtesy of Seven Sirens.

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Welcome to our “Meet The Brewer” series! Where we interview brewers in Pennsylvania, from breweries small to large. Email us here if you’d like your brewery to be featured, or have a suggestion on a brewer.

Seven Sirens Brewing first opened its doors in February of 2020 at 327 Broadway in Bethlehem, PA. The brewery expanded in 2022 with a second taproom at the Silk Mill in Easton, PA. Seven Sirens then once again expanded with a third location in April of 2025, when they opened The Riverwalk in Perryville, PA.

Alex Hoffman is the head brewer at Seven Sirens Brewing Company. Read more to find out his introduction to craft beer, where he sees the craft beer industry heading, and more!

What was your introduction to craft beer?

My introduction to craft beer was around 2011, after my service in the Marine Corps. Back in the day, I was going to the gym and working security, a friend had asked me to go for drinks at Liberty St. Tavern in Allentown. Met up with them, and the moment I walked in, I felt there was a world I had no idea about. The awesome staff recommended to me my first craft beer, Weyerbacher Merry Monk. I was so intrigued by the flavors. Tried another one, Wells Banana Bread. My mind couldn’t comprehend all these different flavors I was having in a liquid form. From there on, I began reading articles of how these flavors are coming from and I drifted into the idea of making certain flavors that I love, and would love to see in a beer form. Thus began homebrewing.

How did you get started as a brewer?

It began soon after a few bad batches in a garage, like most homebrewers, until I stumbled upon something intriguing. I was hesitant about bringing it into a competition because I thought it needed something more, being that I’m the worst critic in my own beers. I poured it in a competition and then came on top of it, winning Judges’ Choice at Clam Jam in Easton. Made me realize sometimes we overthink things. I brewed another style the next year and entered Weyerbacher’s Homebrew Competition and ended up winning at all of these. Got to brew my small batch on their pilot batch, named it Pecannot (Belgian Golden Strong Ale with Pumpkin/Pecans). I realized I was onto something, a calling per say.

What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?

There are so many styles out there to be creative; a lot has been invented/discovered over a short time period, but there are still styles out there that haven’t been figured out, in my opinion. But on a larger scale batch, it’s very risky. Not knowing where the market will go with it, if it even sells, or if it becomes a fan craze. As for my findings in a style that can be very creative, I’d still have to say a Hazy IPA. New hybrids of hops are harvested every year, and as a brewer, I always want to see what the new hop craze is. The flavor combinations you can obtain just from hops have unlimited possibilities.

What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?

My first beer I brewed was a Black Cherry Pale Ale. I was making this beer not because I like it, but to make something I don’t like, to appreciate it more. I’m not a Cherry person, or at the time enjoy a bitter-style beer. It turned out ok, I guess, most I dumped, or should I say, the bottles turned into a geyser in the basement.

Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?

I remember someone asking me this 5+ years ago, and reflecting on what I said then. It is not entirely what I thought it would do and go. I didn’t see a decline in businesses; then again, it’s flooded. Some people out there think they can produce a product without the education or science behind it and call themselves a business, and I give them credit for having that courage, but it’s not enough to stay alive in this industry. As for styles, I knew the Double/Triple IPAs would see a decrease, and the Hazy/New England style would still dominate. But I did not expect the Non-alcoholic variants to boom as they did. Maybe we all got tired of those 1000-calorie cans. But I do see traditional styles will increase in sales, and Hazy/NE still won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, with all of these hop variants in the market.

Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.

Still loving to be a brewer in PA, so much diversity and similarities we find within ourselves and our areas. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today without my influences in the industry. I also hope to share and pass on the knowledge to newcomers. I’ve worked at Stockertown Beverage, Weyerbacher, Downriver, and now Seven Sirens. Who knows where I’ll be or who I’ll meet in 5 years!

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

The inspiration for the beer names, I try to work with whatever company I work for. So let’s say, Seven Sirens. If you have ever visited our motherland in Southside Bethlehem, PA. We are nautical themed. So I try to make sure our beer names fit and things are uniform because it looks better as a business from a new customer’s standpoint, and we would love to see them return. Sometimes the names we also just bounce back and forth among myself and Josh, my boss, to see what sticks. Sometimes we gotta sleep on it cause we never stop thinking about work.

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

Well, I’ll be fully transparent about this question. My favorite beer when I’m home is Garage Beer – Lime Lager or Troegs Sunshine Salt + Lime Lager. Can you tell I like lime? I even grow my own limes/tropical fruits at my house! When I’m at work, my shift beers consist of either Ol’ Glory, which is our awesome American Amber Lager, or our two new Shandys. One beer style I really didn’t have the opportunity to push the limits on, and we knocked it out of the park, in my opinion. A Key Lime Shandy and a Grapefruit Shandy. Mowing Grass beer! And lastly, when I’m out at a bar, I drink Yuengling Flight or Stella Artois.

What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?

The most important lesson I have learned in this industry as a professional brewer is to always stay on top of new style trends, including new hops, yeast, and procedures. You will never know everything, so don’t ever get to a comfortable level of thinking that. Take constructive criticism; it will build your experience and knowledge. Just because you finished school doesn’t mean the learning stops!

Thank you to Alex for talking with us! Make sure you follow Seven Sirens Brewing Company on Facebook and Instagram to see all the latest beers and what they have going on!