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].
Bonn Place Brewing Company (Bethlehem, PA) opened in July 2016 with a 7 barrel brewhouse. Since opening, they have won multiple Great American Beer Festival awards including a bronze for “Nemo” an English-Style Mild Ale and silver for “Mooey” a Special Bitter. Bonn place makes a wide variety of beers, keeps 8+ beers on tap at any given time, and also always has a few on cask and nitro.
Sam Masotto is the head brewer and Owner of Bonn Place along with his wife Gina. He was an actor for years (you may have seen some of this creativity shine through on the breweries social media videos) and brings an amazing vibe to his brewery. Learn more about Sam, how he got started as a brewer, the inspiration behind his beer names, and more!
What was your introduction to craft beer?
My introduction to Craft Beer? Well, there were a slew of Genessee Cream Ales, Pete’s Wicked Strawberry Wheats, Yuengling Black and Tans, and Samuel Adams Boston Lagers but it really wasn’t until I had a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout somewhere around the Colorado/Utah border in July of 2002 that I really had the paradigm shift and felt like I was introduced to something totally new. I’m not really sure what My definition of “Craft Beer” is…like, why isn’t Goose Island “Craft Beer” any longer? Because A/B bought them? Get the fuck out of here. So it’s tough to say, but I definitely remember that Oatmeal Stout and redefining My thought process on how flavours are perceived. That
stands out.
How did you get started as a brewer?
I got started as a Brewer like many of Us. I was hanging at Brew Pubs, working as a bartender, and always had an interest in Home Brewing…began to actually do so, and pretty quickly afterwards landed an internship at Chelsea Brewing Co. I felt that if I wanted to be in this industry, I had to do it right and cut My teeth, pay My dues, and actually work in the industry on the production side. That’s all I knew…Wort is Work and Wort is Bonn.
What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?
I don’t know that any styles really restrict creativity. Let’s face it, Brewing is very technical…I don’t know why that can’t be considered “creative”. I think I know what You’re asking, and that’s what styles allow Me to do “My thing” uninhibited? Well shit, Religion and Science…same God Damn thing. They’re one in the same. Even the most boring ass engineer type is creative as hell. Just because someone throws a bunch more shit in a kettle or fermenter doesn’t make them any more creative…either way You’re creating. If I buy thick frame glasses and start wearing Doc Martens boots don’t make Me any more or less creative…so, I dunno…did that even answer the question?
To Create We must Destroy. Deconstruct the end product and Create Life. Any Beer that needs Wort to become Beer allows Me to be creative….and that’s all Beer. Yeast does all of the stuff-stuff anyway. We Brewers are just servants to Our Yeast. I don’t know that putting a bunch of crap in a Cask and calling it Art is creative….feel?
What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?
The first Beer I ever Brewed at Home was something in a “Mr. Beer” kit that actually came out half good….maybe even three-quarters! I learned how to make Wort with an extract kit. The first Beer I ever Brewed professionally was a Blonde Ale at Chelsea Brewing Co. From that I learned that I was simply one day going to be a steward to the beautiful, almighty Yeast! OH! I remember learning the hard way that a little bit of colour/pygment in Your Malt can make a big difference… woops! Blonde turns Red real easy!
Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?
I think the “Craft Beer Industry” is headed downward. I mean, a lot of Us are going to be fine, but there’s some stuff going on now that I think is turning away an entire generation of Beer drinkers, now You wanna get snooty and call them “Craft” Beer drinkers? Who the fuck cares?! It’s becoming so saturated, boring, expensive, and out of hand. Beer is sexy as fuck…but it’s blue collar and, supposed to be accessible. I’m not fully convinced that people even enjoy Beer? Everything has so much adjunct, sweetener, and bullshit that We’re just killing people with diabetes juice. No Thanks. Give Me some of the good stuff! The Beer Flavoured Beer. It will happen again…and We’re already seeing it! In that way? Super excited…because, believe it or not, I actually really LOVE BEER! Let’s see more of that! So, I feel like personally, things are looking up! For the industry…major shakedown. I’ll be playing My fiddle.
Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.
Oh Fuck. Being a Brewer in Pennsylvania is AWESOME! For the most part. Statewide, the camaraderie is there BIG TIME! I’ve made some of My Best Friends in this industry. There is a lot more ugliness these days than ever before, and that’s going to come with increased competition…especially from those that have never been in this industry before. They talk some shit and blah blah blah but can’t even read in ºs Plato. They speak a different language. That’s as a whole though…not just in PA…but I gotta say the PA Brewing industry is making some of the best BEER IN THE WORLD right now…and You got some MEGALITHS involved which is super rad. To be Friends with some of these People and sit amongst them as a Peer? Fuck Yeah.
What’s the inspiration behind your beer names?
Our Beer names are sometimes fun, sometimes in honour or memory, something absolutely DaDa inspired pondering, Reefer inspired, Sexually driven? I dunno…these things name themselves sometimes. I mean, You can “Sweep The Rail” which is a reference to cleaning off Your upper lip (Beer foam of course!!!!), or “Opus” named after Our former neighbor’s dead Dog. You know? It’s funny…so many “punny” names are taken, and there’s those too. You kinda have to be unique with that stuff. We’ve named Beers after guests in the Taproom, deceased relatives, childhood memories, ingredients used, or, again Marijuana lexicon…like “THAT LOUD”.
What’s your favorite beer to drink right now?
My Favourite Beer to drink right now? Well dang, We have a killer Helles Lager on right now, and of course Our English-Style session Beers, like Our Bitter and Mild…but those are accessible to Me, and I really enjoy Our Beer. Outside of that? Evan up at Plan Bee is making some really fun, and exciting stuff…to Me. I geek hard on that shit. I really enjoy Plan Bee!
What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?
Dang…the most important lesson I’ve learned is to never take Yourself too seriously. That’s no fun. Although, I don’t know that the Brewing Industry taught Me that. Maybe, take risks? Work hard. People are gonna talk shit, and come up with ridiculous stories about You. Might as well live up to it. Hype Yourself up and hey, at least at the end of the day? There’s a Beer waiting for You! Family and Friends….Craic, Gemütlichkeit…there’s no real word for it in America. We Love that $$$ too much and forget to focus on why We got into this mess to begin with.
Thank you to Sam Masotto for talking with us! Make sure you visit Bonn Place Brewing for all the latest beers, news, information and special events. And also follow Bonn on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
