Written By Breweries In PA Contributor Gary Cook (@12VoltBeers on Instagram)
Wallenpaupack Brewing Co seemingly went up overnight. The first time I had tried anything from them was last fall at the Rhythm and Blues festival near Scranton. I had no idea who they were or where they came from but I remember being blown away by the first year that I tried. It was a hazy style IPA called Indian Summer and the quality was top notch. Based on some other experiences I’ve had with other new breweries, it might take a little while to get their legs before the beers start tasting that good. This was not the case with Wallenpaupack.
Fast forward to spring of 2018. I’m able to meet with Becky Ryman, owner of Wallenpaupack Brewing and get a tour of their Hawley, PA location. Becky had gotten the idea to start a brewery after a visit to a relative in Florida who had just started his very own. She then spent some time dabbling in homebrewing, traveling to other breweries and hired a brewmaster who previously worked at some other breweries (Troegs in Hershey PA being one of them). The result ended in the largest brewery between Wallenpaupack and Wilkes Barre. The location is impressive, and considering they just opened last fall was completed in a fairly short amount of time. It also boasts a full restaurant with outdoor seating.
See the entire tap room for yourself:
[URIS id=22297]
As for the beers… there’s an array of styles that range from lagers to ales brewed on a 20 barrel system. Along with this Wallenpaupack also ages their beers in oak foeders and barrels. For hop lovers, they pump out a decent amount of hoppy pale ales, IPAs and hazy IPAs. There’s also a selection of Saisons, sour and dark beers. I was able to try their Contact High Pale Ale which is a hazy IPA made with Simcoe, Nugget, Amarillo and Mosaic hops. It’s a sessionable 5.7% beer and is perfect for the hot spring and summer days. Read our review of their Largemouth IPA.
Becky also told me that Wallenpaupack had just hosted a collaboration big brew of Brotherly Suds by Victory. It’s a lightly hopped Pilsner using Huell Melon Hops and the historic Schmidt’s lager yeast strain. The breweries attending were: Weyerbacher Brewing, Lost Tavern Brewing, Two Rivers Brewing, Yergey Brewing and Funk Brewing. All of the brewers will release the same beer at their locations when it’s finished.
Check out the 20 barrel brewery/ barreling program where all the flavor comes from at Wallenpaupack:
[URIS id=22298]
If you happen to be heading to Lake Wallenpaupack this summer, be sure to make a stop at their brewery on Welwood Ave and check out what they have to offer. It’s a fun atmosphere that’s got something for every type of beer lover.
Also make sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see all the fun for yourself!
