Welcome to our “Meet The Brewer” series! Where we interview brewers in Pennsylvania, from breweries small to large. Let us know if you know anyone who should be featured, email us at [email protected].
Mount Gretna Craft Brewery opened in March 2017 in Palmyra, PA. The brewery opened in the original Leed’s General Store, dating back to the 1920s. Mount Gretna also took home an award from the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show Beer Competition.
Brad Kleinfelter is the co-owner and head brewer at Mount Gretna Craft Brewery. Read more to find out how he was introduced to craft beer, where he sees the craft beer industry heading, and more!
What was your introduction to craft beer?
I started brewing as a hobby right after my Lebanon Valley College days. When my wife, Allison, and I built our house in Mount Gretna we had room for me to upgrade my brewing equipment and I got the itch to turn my love of brewing into a brewery one day.
How did you get started as a brewer?
Once I got my Sabco system up and running in my home brewery, I was brewing a lot. We started doing tasting events for friends and families to get feedback and tweak recipes. Then I started helping on brew days at a few local breweries to start learning how to scale on bigger systems and the ins and outs of a larger production. After that- there was no turning back.
What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?
My favorite style of beers to make are Belgian beers. There is a complexity in the recipes that create wonderful layers of flavor to experience. Brew days are also more involved with Belgians as there are usually a few extra steps to take and unique ingredients than classic ales. For me, it’s the perfect combination of the science and art of brewing.
What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?
The first beer I ever brewed we called Blue Mountain Lager in 1995. It was a kit extract recipe, back when homebrew ingredients were poor quality. It turned out surprisingly well for bad ingredients and a couple amateur brewing buddies. It was easy to see that without proper care and attention to detail any beer can turn out bad, so having good processes and fresh ingredients were key to making good beer.
Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?
I think we are starting to see some flavor fatigue. While I think there will always be a place for unique flavors in beer and pushing the envelope of what beer can be, I believe we’ll start to see a shift back to more traditional beer styles. We’ve already heard from a lot of people in our area that are looking for good, solid beers that aren’t saturated with adjuncts.
Also, craft competition is pretty high right now, so it wouldn’t surprise me to start seeing some consolidation and contraction in the brewing industry. I think it will be important for smaller breweries, such as us, to be hyperfocused on our in-house sales and seek growth through a second or third location rather than compete for such limited tap and shelf space.
Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania offers such a great craft beer experience that it’s a wonderful time to be a beer lover. As a brewer its also a great time to be in Pennsylvania to be a part of the larger movement of craft beer. The consumers are well educated about craft beer and really appreciate the art of our craft. I really enjoy meeting and talking to people that come into our place and want to talk about beer, it makes it worthwhile.
What is the inspiration behind your beer names?
Most of our beer names are inspired by the outdoors, arts, and landmarks around Mount Gretna and the local area. Some examples – Governor Dick Pale Ale is named for the park and trail in Mount Gretna and Chiques Creek IPA for the creek that runs through the community. Sometimes we have our fans name a beer to get everyone in on the fun—like Last Mango in Paris for our Hazy Mango IPA.
What is your favorite beer to drink right now?
Right now, I’m really into lower ABV beers. I try not to concentrate on one particular style of beer. I prefer exploring the lagers, wheats, and pale ales that are under 5%. I can appreciate the difficulty in making a lighter beer yet still maintain good flavor and body. Anytime I’m out I’ll seek out the local low ABV beers to study the nuances of each.
What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?
Great friendships and long days!
Thank you to Brad for talking with us! Make sure you visit Mount Gretna Craft Brewery for all the latest beers, news, information, and special events. And also follow Mount Gretna on Facebook, and Instagram!
