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].

New Trail Brewing has been open in Williamsport a little over a year and has already been turning heads. They love the outdoors and bring that passion to their beer. As the brewery says “great beer makes life’s experiences taste even better. New Trail Brewing was started to make great beer for everyone to enjoy when you dare to explore new places, take new trails and have truly memorable adventures.”

Mike LaRosa began brewing with his father at the age of 17 after discovering a passion
for full, flavorful beer; however, while attending school at Albright College, he soon realized that not everyone enjoyed craft beer the way he did. While obtaining his degree in Environmental Studies, Business Administration, and Sociology, he made the first step in turning his brewing hobby into a career. After inquiring to every local brewery about possible internship opportunities, he got an offer from Rock Bottom, located in King of Prussia, PA.

Within months, Mike’s hard work and determination prompted his unpaid internship to transition into a paid Assistant Brewer position, under then Head Brewer Brian McConnell. Brian has since left to open Sterling Pig Brewery in Media, PA; however, during their tenure at Rock Bottom, Mike and Brian won a Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Fest for Baltic Style Porter. Mike left Rock Bottom following his graduation from college, and accepted the Head Brewer position for start-up Saucony Creek Craft Brewery. It was during his time there that Mike realized his other passion of building a brewery from the ground up, and the thrill of being a part of a company’s initial growth.

After operations were stabilized for Saucony Creek, Mike left to support a handful of breweries in start-up and expansion phases. First, with Manayunk Brewing Company in Manayunk, Pa., Mike worked as an interim Brewer, helping the company convert their brewing system and install new tanks for increased production capacity. Once installation was completed and a new Brewer was in place, Mike headed to Kane Brewing Company, in Ocean, NJ. There, he served as Head Brewer, helping the company develop and implement SOPs, while increasing production from roughly 2,000 barrels a year to over 4,500 barrels a year.

From there, Mike joined Tired Hands Brewing Co. in Ardmore, PA, as both Production and Operations Manager. Mike was the first brewer for Tired Hands’ Fermentaria location, and was an integral part in developing and expanding the brewery operations. During his time at all of these breweries he has accumulated a number of awards including RateBeer’s best brewer in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania for multiple years, other Gold Medals from both GABF and World Beer Cup, along with a James Beard Award nomination. In an effort to stay connected to his passions of making great beer and helping companies grow, Mike left Tired Hands and founded MJL Brewery Consulting. With this venture, he looks forward to helping breweries across the country with creative and innovative solutions, while making great beer. In Mike’s limited free time he enjoys spending time with his wife Melissa and their two dogs. They enjoy spending as much time as they can boating in Greenport, NY.

What was your introduction to craft beer?

My dad was a homebrewer in the late 80s and early 90s. I also grew up in Downingtown as Victory was getting started in the 90s. I remember spending time with my Dad playing pool and drinking their root beer back when they were in a much smaller space. Being that my parents were bar flys and I was comfortable being around alcohol, its not overly surprising I ended up brewing beer.  (Sorry Mom & Dad)

How did you get started as a brewer?

I brewed my first homebrew batch with my Dad when I was about 17 or 18. By the time I got to college I was looking for a career path and knew I wanted to work with my hands. My intended career at the time was something in Environmental Science. When I was in my Sophomore year I knew that I wanted to own a brewery. So I began looking for an internship and called every brewery within an hour and half from school begging to get in. I got lucky when Brian McConnell (Now at Sterling Pig) at Rock Bottom agreed to a 3 month internship. By the end of my second month I had convinced him to hire me on as his Assistant Brewer and I worked with him for about two years.

What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?

I’ve always felt most creative working with dark beers. I feel that the level of complexity that can be brought to the malt profile with a blend of different dark malts is exciting. Not to mention the “Pastry Movement”. They’re my favorite beers to brew because I feel instantly gratified with the wort, where as other beers wort isn’t nearly as delicious.

What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?

The first time I brewed alone on a brewhouse was a Baltic Porter called The Hammer. I begged and pleaded Brian to enter it into GABF and he appeased me. We won the Gold Medal in the style that year, I think that was 2012 or 2013.

Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?

The industry is in an interesting intersection. I think if you look at it as a whole the consumer isn’t one day going to choose to go back to the light fizzy stuff, however we as an industry have to continue to fight to convert drinkers. While we are still actively seeing large growth numbers in opening breweries. Ultimately I think that the consumer will choose quality liquids over local or marketing. But who the hell knows!

Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania

I’ve brewed primarily in the Philadelphia region and it certainly provides a lot of camaraderie. Stupid stuff like lending bags of malt and hops. Being a little further out in the state now has certainly provided some logistical challenges to last minute production hiccups. However the friendships are still there, its great to be able to walk into another brewery enjoy my friends work. PA has such a rich beer culture and educated consumer because of their access to such great beer both made in and out of the state.

What’s the inspiration behind your beer names?

Naming beers is always a struggle. With a brand like New Trail it sort of helps us focus on outdoor themed names. Every so often we get a little “off brand” but it’s always fun to be weird from time to time.

What really becomes a struggle is thinking of a name and a label concept. We’re fortunate to work with a great design team at Foxduck in Lancaster.

What’s your favorite beer to drink right now?

Right now? Pilsner. You could ask me that every day of the year and I’d say the same thing. I LOVE Braumeister Pils from Victory, Sunshine from Troegs, and Pikeland from Sly Fox. We have such a great amount of excellent Pilsner available in PA.

What’s something in the beer industry you never thought you would see?

The industry has gotten way more competitive than I remember it. It may just be because I was young and naive, but the distribution game has gotten serious in the last few years. As far as competition goes, it’s still primarily friendly but the game is getting way more real.

What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?

Work hard play hard. What’s the point if we’re not having fun and doing cool shit.

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Thank you to Mike LaRosa for talking with us! Make sure you visit New Trail Brewing for all the latest beers, news, information and special events!