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].
Brewery ARS opened in December of 2016, in Philadelphia, PA. The brewery opened in an old auto body shop with 49 seats. Sean Arsenault is the head brewer/co-owner of Brewery ARS. Read on to see how he got introduced to craft beer, where he sees the industry heading, and more!
What was your introduction to craft beer?
Home brewing. We brewed for a solid 10 years before we made the decision to start a commercial brewery.
How did you get started as a brewer?
Andy moved to California to get his brewing certificate from UC Davis. While Andy was in California drinking his face off, I (Sean) was living in France and ended up visiting over 100 breweries all over Europe. Andy visited several times and we ended up befriending ‘T Gaverhopke in Belgium which led to us brewing a beer together with them. If you’ve never tried their Extra it’s an absolute gem. We wish everyone would drink more Belgian beer. Andy also spent two years with Victory Brewing in Downingtown. Shout out to Braumeister Pils.
What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?
Saison. All day everyday. We would drink Saison Dupont for the rest of our lives if we could. It’s THE absolute perfect beer.
What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone during our homebrew days. Nothing went right during our first homebrew extravaganza. What did we learn? That it takes a lot of shitty homebrew to make a great batch of beer. We never gave up. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is still the best. We love that beer and that brewery.
Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?
Probably more consolidation and what not. We wish there was more transparency with respect to who owns who. Brewery ARS is owned by Sean & Andy Arsenault.
Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.
We can’t really speak of Pennsylvania as a whole, but the Philly beer scene is amazing. If we’re ever in a pinch someone always helps us out. We’re looking at you Yards.
What is the inspiration behind your beer names?
Music is a huge inspiration of ours so we name our beers as if we’re starting an old school hardcore band.
What is your favorite beer to drink right now?
Our Zwillinger Keller Pils. After that, any pilsner ever. Keep it clean…keep is crushable.
What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?
Don’t pay attention to Untappd.
Thank you to Sean for talking with us! Make sure you visit Brewery ARS for all the latest beers, news, information and special events. And also follow Brewery ARS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
