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].

Bullfrog Brewery first opened its doors in August 1996 at 229 West 4th Street in Williamsport, making this year (2021) their 25th year in business! The brewery is known for its sours and ale, and always has about 20 offerings for beer fans. But that’s not all, their robust food menu keeps customers coming back time and time again as well. PJ Williams is the head brewer of Bullfrog Brewery. Read more to find out how he got started as a brewer, the most important lesson he’s learned so far, and more!

What was your introduction to craft beer?

Before craft beer blew up, we had Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. That beer really opened a lot of people’s minds up to what beer could (and should) be. As far as craft breweries, I’m sorta proud to say it was where I’m currently head brewer. That was 1996… so it didn’t happen overnight.

How did you get started as a brewer?

It’s not what people expect, and it’s not a really exciting story. The former head brewer and I had been close friends for 25 years and spent a lot of time hanging out, drinking the Belgian style and wild sours he had brewed here, and talking about work stuff. The way he described it amazed me, I sort of learned or at least understood the process through those conversations.

When the barrel-aged sour beer program he had been building really took off, and the brewery was expanding, he asked me every few days to come on board based on my maintenance, machine operator, and production background. I was working as a front-end loader operator, and although my financial needs were met and had some great co-workers, I felt out of place and without too many details not really proud of the culture that I was a part of.

I came on soon after the expansion included a production facility a few blocks away from brewpub as maintenance and brewery assistant. After filling in for a few steps and under his guidance and specifications, I had learned the process well enough to take on the role of production brewing.

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

For me, it’s a tie: Stouts and traditional sours. Stouts are dark AF and can cover some pretty awesome tasting things that aren’t so aesthetically pleasing. I’ve recently become obsessed with fruiting stouts, that chocolate and or coffee tone with fruit on the back has really turned around how I feel about stouts.

Traditional sours because of the variables. A simple wheat-based wort with so much potential, a simple change at any stage in its sometimes 4-year life can impart really noticeable changes you’ll never have the chance to see in a kettle sour or clean beer style. The temp, yeast blend, barrel type, barrel care, fruiting, even the carb method….it’s a very exciting style for me and the most rewarding for sure.

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

A wheat base for a Belgian gueuze/lambic-inspired beer. Then about 15 more in a row. We had just gotten more cooperage as part of the brewery expansion. What I learned was that actual brewing is the smallest part of running a beer program.

Brewing can become painfully repetitive as far as mashing in. but the ways you can manipulate the beer and point it in the right direction with aging, fruiting, and conditioning, make it feel more personal.

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

I’m watching it happen while I type this. The people that felt excluded, because they weren’t invited to play in someone else’s sandbox, got in it and it sucked. Those folks are creating their own spaces and we are gonna see breweries that are run by people that maybe weren’t largely represented in the industry. More people are going to feel comfortable in the brewery setting and I’m really stoked to be here to see it.

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

Being a brewer in PA right now is pretty exciting, seeing another boom with so many new places popping up left and right. We are in such a beautiful place with so much to do and so much to be inspired by. The craft beer community here is pretty loyal to the scene, for better or worse LOL.

After going through that pandemic bullshit, having events and beer shows canceled really sucked the life out of most of us. Getting opened back up and doing outdoor events again reminds me of how lucky we really are to be doing this where we are doing it.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

There isn’t really a method or plan to that madness. We are pretty into our local history, so local landmarks and positive historical figures get used. Sometimes it’s some dumb shit I said on the brew day. Music is def a lot of our names…odd…strange references.

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

I’m not paid to do endorsements so Ill just say Pilsners all fuckin day. I’m really into dry-hopped pils right now, it’s not a full-on IPA, but I get my hop fix.

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

Think every move through to the end and always have a plan B to deal with unexpected variables. Professionally, socially, and romantically. Also just have fun out there.

Thank you to PJ for talking with us! Make sure you visit Bullfrog Brewery’s website to see all the latest beers, and what they have going on! And also follow Bullfrog Brewery on Facebook and Instagram.