The vision of Wyndridge Farm started in the fall of 2013 with a 100-year old estate in Dallastown and a big vision. The Groff’s purchased the 77-acre farm, known as Wyndridge Farm, and soon obtained a winery license and began making hard cider. They then renovated the barn, added a restaurant and event venue, a craft brewery, and a team of experts to bring Wydridge Farm to where it is today.
In the beginning, craft beers and ciders were made under the Wyndridge Farm Brewing umbrella. These products moved from self-distribution to wholesalers in 2015. Fast forward to 2020 when its craft beer line was rebranded and launched as Winding Path Brewing Company. Irena Wise became the Head Brewer, and Winding Path Brewing Company was born.
A Certified Master Brewer, Irena has been brewing beer professionally for 10 years. She learned how to brew at Lampoc Brewing in Oregon and worked her way up to an on-shift manager at Victory Brewing Company in Pennsylvania. She then earned her Brewmaster Certificate from VLB in Berlin, Germany. Irena was chosen by experienced women beer professionals to receive the Pink Boots Society scholarship, whose mission is to assist, inspire, and encourage women beer professionals through education.
Irena uses her talents at the Brewery at Wyndridge Farm, which is a 30-barrel automated brewhouse with a 30,000 barrel per year fermentation capacity. Winding Path’s year-round IPA, Hazeway, was developed by Irena to appeal to dedicated craft beer enthusiasts as well as guests of Wyndridge Farm who were not familiar with different styles of beer.
Says Irena, “It’s high in ABV, but not to an extreme. It’s hop-forward but has an interesting malt profile to support the hop flavor and aroma. I drew from a few different experiences to compile the list of ingredients for Hazeway. I used golden oats to add some mouthfeel and granola-like sweetness. I used flaked wheat to add body and haze. That’s just the base. The focal point, of course, would be the hops.” The blend of Azacca, Mosaic, and Centennial hops gives Hazeway a consistent new world classic IPA flavor with notes of ripe tropical, stone fruit, and pear. Together, the hops and malt create a juicy, complex, approachable beer that appeals to both casual drinkers and fans of hazy IPA’s.
Other year-round Winding Path craft beers include Slightbend IPA, a 5.5% ABV IPA, full of tangerine and grapefruit notes, and the 885 Porter, a 6.1% ABV porter with notes of toffee and chocolate. The portfolio also includes seasonals and a Silo Series.
Seasonals
• Peaches N Cream IPA – 6.5% ABV creamy IPA with citrusy hops, peaches, and vanilla
• Raspberry Sour Ale – a 6.5% ABV kettle-soured beer with raspberries
Silo Series
• Pomegranate Grapefruit IPA – a 6.4% ABV citrus ale fermented with grapefruit and
pomegranate juice with aromas of grapefruit zest and earthy berry.
• Passion Fruit Lemongrass IPA – a 6.6% ABV IPA that is hazy and sweet with notes of melon and apple with a tropical infusion of passion fruit
Join Wyndridge Farm for the Beverage Release Party on Thursday night, August 27th, to try the remaining Winding Path 2020 craft beer releases. Boreal Spruce, a bright, dank, piney 7.2% IPA with northwest hops will be available as well as our first hazy double IPA, El Dorado Haze DIPA. Both will be available to taste and to purchase. Look for some different packaging options coming in 2021 for Winding Path Brewing Company as well as more innovative brews.
