Congratulations to Bespoke Brewing which becomes the latest brewery in Pennsylvania to announce expansion plans. The Lancaster County brewery recently shared plans to open in a new space just walking distance from their current operation that, as you will see below, will allow them to almost triple in size while also increasing beer production as well.
To understand the expansion a bit more we spoke with brewery owner Ryan Dagen who, along with co-owners Janae Dagen and Jon Sager (Master Brewer), run the Bespoke Brewing operations.
As of this writing, Bespoke operates out of a 1,300 square foot location in Ronks, PA. This houses all of the brewing production, kitchen, and retail space. The plan is for Bespoke to move all retail operations into the new location, which is roughly just 100 feet away from the current space. This will allow them to use the existing location for 100% beer production.
Dagen shared that due to the limited space currently, they are only operating at 60% of brewing capacity. The tight quarters mean not much brewing can take place during retail hours which cuts out on how much time during the week can be dedicated to beer production. By opening up the entire facility to brewing Bespoke will be able to focus its entire efforts on beer making without having to be limited by sharing a retail side. As a part of that growth, the brewery will expand tap lines in the new location by offering 14 options as compared to the 10 they offer now.
The additional brewing space will also allow them to introduce a more robust barrel aging program. And while the original space will no longer offer retail dining, Dagen did share that they may open the location for private events from time to time.
Beer production will not be the only increase the brewing company will see. The physical space and menu will also expand. Currently Bespoke operates out of 1,300 square feet with a capacity for 25 seats. This new location will nearly triple its size at 3,000 square feet and allow up to 100 guests.
As mentioned above the move will also allow Bespoke to expand on their menu. Currently the brewery offers a menu that is primarily made up of smoked BBQ. While Dagen shared that he spent time working in the Midwest and has an appreciation for this type of food, the main reason for this is due to the lack of kitchen space. An outdoor smoker allows them to cook hot food without taking up indoor space. With the move, Bespoke will be able to operate out of a large kitchen which will give them the ability to increase what the menu looks like.
Guests can still expect the same BBQ they have come to grow fond of, but rather than this making up the entire menu it will become a part of it. Dagen’s background is originally in the restaurant/ hospitality space so having access to a full kitchen will allow him and his team to produce a robust culinary experience. The menu is still being finalized, but is expected to be “much larger and more diverse.”
The growth doesn’t stop there. Dagen went on to say about the space that “we’re most excited about the opportunity to open an outdoor beer garden.” The plan is for Bespoke to open an outdoor space full of picnic tables, outdoor music, lawn games and more.
As of this writing the new taproom is expected to open sometime during the middle of the Summer/ Fall timeframe. You can keep up with the expansion by following Bespoke on Facebook and Instagram.
