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].
Acrospire Brewing Company opened in February 2020 in Glenshaw, PA. With over 25 years of brewing experience, the team at Acrospire Brewing brews on a small scale. This allows them to be nimble and brew a variety of styles and flavors. Gregory Long is the owner and head brewer at Acrospire Brewing Company. Read more to find out his introduction to beer, where he sees the craft beer industry heading, and more!
What was your introduction to craft beer?
I was introduced to craft beer as an undergraduate at Penn State. Older friends of mine frequented Zeno’s, a basement bar in the heart of downtown State College. I got my “Around the World in 80 Beers” passport and started collecting stamps – seasonals were always a great addition to your list!
How did you get started as a brewer?
After trying some of the different styles at Zeno’s, I realized that I couldn’t get – at least easily or at a reasonable price – all the beer styles that I wanted to drink regularly. So, I decided to take up home brewing.
What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?
I think that one can be creative with any style, and there are obviously styles that are open to interpretation, such as farmhouse ales, strong ales, or fruit beers. I’ve always enjoyed adding fruit to hefeweizen since it can complement the banana and clove flavors that the yeast already provides.
What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?
I first brewed some sort of extract IPA, and I learned that I could make a reasonably good beer just by following the instructions – similar to any recipe in cooking. As I became more advanced, I learned that I could screw up just about any great recipe by not following it!
Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?
We obviously see it continuing to grow, but I only wish that I knew what flavors and styles were going to be the next big things!
Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.
At this time of year, it’s pretty grey, cloudy, and cold – rather depressing, really… Wait, I see what you’re asking now… I imagine that it’s like brewing in any other place that loves beer! There are a lot of other brewers from which to draw inspiration and motivation, and that community continues to grow exponentially. I imagine that the Pittsburgh beer scene will be on more and more “beer tourists” list of places to visit in the future.
What is the inspiration behind your beer names?
Eric and I pull our beer names from just about every part of our lives. Eric really likes one-word names, and we’ve used that concept a few times. We actually met in church, and a couple of our names have been drawn from Martin Luther’s history – Mighty Fortress and Lord Katy. We like names that have local significance, too, such as Pine Creek Brown and Western Experiment. You’ll have to check out our new releases on our website to learn about that last one.
What is your favorite beer to drink right now?
Since it’s winter and colder, I really like heavier beers – richer flavors. Our Mighty Fortress double IPA is always a favorite. I’m excited to have our Dubbel Secret Probation Belgian Dubbel, too.
What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?
We haven’t been in the industry very long at all, so, I’m not sure that I have a good answer for that yet. Maybe at this point: “Just keep swimming”?
Thank you to Gregory for talking with us! Make sure you visit Acrospire Brewing Company for all the latest beers, news, information, and special events. And also follow Acrospire on Facebook and Instagram.
