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].

Aldus Brewing Company first opened in October of 2014 at 555 Centennial Avenue, in Hanover, PA. Aldus is named after Aldus Manutius, a printer that made literature accessible to the masses. The brewery is located in the original Snyder’s of Hanover Snack Foods Factory, and the building has been around since the 1920s. They brew on an 8 BBL brewhouse and are known for a variety of beers, especially their very popular pretzel wheat.

Mitch Zost is the head brewer at Aldus Brewing. Read more to find out his introduction to craft beer, where he sees the craft beer industry heading, and more!

What was your introduction to craft beer?

Sam Adams Boston Lager in college. While it was more expensive than the cheap swill everyone else drank, it tasted way better.

How did you get started as a brewer?

Homebrewing in my apartment after college, as a means to have easy access to craft beer in the styles that I enjoyed.

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

Pilsner, hands down. With the plethora of base malts available, myriad of hop varieties and vast yeast selection, the combinations are endless. While much more subtle that IPA in terms of hop character, I find it truly is the best style to let every single ingredient shine. While many drinkers may not quite appreciate what the brewers do with a beer style like this, I still believe this style can separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of a brewer’s abilities and attention to detail.

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

I brewed an ESB with extract and steeping grains on an electric stove in a 3-gallon pot. I didn’t follow the instructions well and didn’t have enough water initially, so essentially created a scorched syrup that I then put in my brew bucket and added water too straight from the faucet to achieve 5 gallons. It was far from good, but I still drank every drop. Thankfully, it didn’t stick around long enough to see if my unsanitized tap water AND equipment would cause any further issues.

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

I certainly see a trend towards more classic, straightforward styles. Beer for the sake of being beer. Palate fatigue of lactose-laden milkshake fruity tooty glitter cocoa marshmallow smoothie ice cream sludge is evident more and more. Those options are seemingly very Insta-worthy, but they are also extremely difficult to finish a whole pint. I see more and more people gravitating towards more traditional ales and lagers because it’s something that they can drink a few, and not get tired of. It’s refreshing to see that people are gravitating towards these beers again, and making repeat purchases, as opposed to the one-and-dones.

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

Being a brewer in PA is quite the opportunity to be at the forefront of creativity. Our drinkers are a diverse bunch that definitely let the brewers know what’s good, and what isn’t. I’m originally from Michigan, and every time I go back to visit family, it seems like whatever is trendy there, has already been happening in PA and the Mid-Atlantic area for years. From my Pennsylvania bubble, it seems like the west coast may have been the happening scene 15 years ago, but we brewers on the east side of the country appear to be the ones opening up new possibilities to what beer can and should be.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

That has changed over time. When we first opened, it was a lot of inside jokes, or just trying to be funny and clever. While some of that still plays a role, we are now trying to keep a focus on telling people what the beer actually is or playing towards the namesake of our brewery, Aldus Manutius. He was a printer that made literature accessible to the masses. With that in mind, themes of printing and accessibility/drinkability are key as we create new brands and reach a larger audience.

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

I am not particularly loyal to any one single brand, but I am very partial to dry-hopped pilsners at the moment. If not that, then definitely a well-made pale ale.

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

I think the beer industry kind of reflects life, in that as soon as you think you’ve seen everything or know everything, something happens to change your whole perspective on things, thus helping you grow as a person and a brewer. Most importantly, it is listening to your consumers, including those outlandish Untappd reviews. There’s always some value to their opinions. The key is figuring out what exactly that is.