BierHall Brewing will soon be one of the many breweries open in Pennsylvania. The Lancaster based brewery is planning to open Saturday, November 18th at 1703 New Holland Pike.
We recently spoke with brewery owner Jim Rommel, who along with his brother Chris, are the masterminds behind BierHall Brewing.
The history of the brewing company goes back to when Chris developed his passion in craft brewing over a decade ago by training in Germany and earning his master’s degree in Fermentation. Over the next 10+ years he would go on to work professionally in both the brewing and distilling industries working in Lancaster, Philadelphia and Richmond, VA.
The name of the brewery is intended to make it clear that there is a German lean with American flair. One moment that is powering this dream is when Chris and Jim took a trip to Germany shortly after Jim graduated college. The pair noticed that most of the small towns had local breweries with a beer hall that were a central part of the community. It was this trip that would inspire them to bring this concept to the local area.
As such guests can expect traditional beers in a German beer hall type setting. Inside the 2,000 square foot taproom will feature long tables with the ability to fit 150+ guests. Outside will be another 2,000 square foot space used as an outdoor beer garden.
Originally built in 1829, the building was home to the Eden Hotel and during the mid 1970’s it transitioned into a night club. The building has since undergone major renovations to get it to the German beer hall it eventually would become. Windows had to be cut in to allow for natural light and many sections of the space had to be ripped down to provide an open concept.
The beer will be brewed on a 10 barrel brew house that features four 10 barrel lagering tanks to provide a top notch lager experience. Keeping with the theme the brewery will offer traditional style beers such as lagers, Helles, Schwarzbiers, and Pilsners paired with more modern styles such as West Coast, Hazy’s, Brown Ales and more.
Beer will be offered from a 12 tap draft system, 10 of which will be dedicated to house made offerings and the remaining 2 for guest taps. In addition the plan is for the brewery to offer Pennsylvania made wine and spirits as well. While the brewery intends to focus on lager production, they do plan to offer a few more Ales than normal at opening while the lagers finish in the tanks. Crowlers to go will also be made available, with canning possibilities coming at a later date.
While Chris will focus on beer production Jim will assume the role of General Manager focused on the guest experience. The brewery will offer an onsite kitchen where the German and American mash up continues. The house made food will feature items such as bratwurst, schnitzel, potato salad, Bavarian pretzel, and other German fare. In addition they will also feature modern day items such as burgers, fries, wings, and more.
As of this writing the plan is for the brewery to open Saturday, November 18th. You can keep up with their growth by following them on Facebook and Instagram and visiting them at 1703 New Holland Pike.
