Meet The Brewer: Nate Olewine of Workhorse Brewing Company

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].

Workhorse Brewing Company opened in September of 2018, a brewery that was three years in the making. The brewery opened in a 70,000 former toy factory with a 30 bbl brewhouse and 24 tap lines. Nate is the head brewer at Workhorse Brewing, 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 certainly started trying as many different styles of beers that I could during my early days, but Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale was the game changer for me. It was the first time I had ever experienced a beer with the type of traditional hop character that American beers are now known for. Certainly my Eureka moment!

How did you get started as a brewer?

I was a Food Science major from Virginia Tech, so it was the perfect base to build on for a brewing career. I attended The Master Brewers Program at UC-Davis after a short stint as a microbiologist, and those educational experiences really put me on the path of brewing. Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown was my start, way back in 2007.

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

I think with the sheer amount of ingredients available to today’s brewers, you can certainly get creative with just about any beer style. My long-term hope is that we can develop a barrel-aging program here at Workhorse to produce naturally soured beers. I’d also like to even begin utilizing some different organisms that wouldn’t even be considered for use in beer. I’m a fermentation geek at heart.

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

I’ll guarantee it was a Hop Devil at Victory. It’s always been a great privilege of mine to have learned from an experienced brewmaster like Ron Barchet. Not only did it give you a glimpse into how to approach recipe development, but the real wisdom was gained from his willingness to mentor a young brewer like myself. It’s those little nuggets gained over a pint that you can’t really put a price on. However, at some point, you start to develop your own method to the madness. I tend to take a reverse synthesis approach and work backward by picturing the final product and figuring out a path to achieve that goal.

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

I believe you’ll continue seeing more and more brewpubs pop up, both in metropolitan areas as well as more rural settings. This regional aspect reminds me of Germany to a certain extent, but I believe this will force every brewer to bring their A-game on a more consistent basis due to the sheer volume of options. From a beer perspective, I believe you’ll continue to see more and more experimentation with ingredients, methods, hybridizations of styles, etc.

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

Pennsylvania certainly has a rich brewing tradition, and we try the best we can at Workhorse to honor that tradition with a healthy portfolio of lagers. Much like the rest of the industry, there’s still a healthy camaraderie amongst craft brewers in PA that’s pretty unique. We’ve only been in business for a little over a year, so it’s great to get some help when you might need it.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

We like to keep it simple here at Workhorse, so our names are specifically chosen for the style of beer we are aiming for. We prefer it when our customers come in and know exactly what they’re getting. However, we like to get a bit more creative when working on a collaborative level with other breweries or industry partners, so the genius that is Dan Hershberg usually flexes his muscle here. He’s our resident wordsmith. If you’re keeping track at home, he didn’t write this…

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

The older I get the more appreciative I am when it comes to simple and clean lagers. There aren’t a lot of ingredients to hide behind with these beers, so they need to be well crafted with a “less is more” approach. This slow and measured approach is somewhat anathema to where the industry and our society is heading, but I like the idea that sometimes you have to wait. The juice we make here is certainly worth the squeeze. It’s tough to beat a Pilsner on most days.

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

Early on in my career, a colleague told me that if you ask ten brewers a question you’ll get fifteen different answers (or something to that effect.) That adage stuck with me from the very beginning, and I believe it’s imperative that each brewery really marches to its own drumbeat. You have to remain true to yourself, trust your gut, and brew styles of beer that speak to you and your fans. There’s nothing better than hearing how much your hard work and dedication is appreciated by our customers. The craft industry itself evolved because people wanted a variety instead of a few options. I’d hate to see us return to those days.

Thank you to Nate for talking with us! Make sure you visit Workhorse Brewing Company for all the latest beers, news, information and special events. And also follow Workhorse on FacebookInstagramand Twitter!

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