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 info@breweriesinpa.com.
Raney Cellars Brewing opened in September of 2019 in Lancaster, PA. They offer a revolving, fresh tap list with 10 taps, an evolving barrel-aging program as well. Sean Raney is the co-owner and head brewer at Raney Cellars Brewing. Read more to find out his introduction to beer, important lessons he has learned so far, and more!
What was your introduction to craft beer?
My Brother got me into homebrewing right out of college while I was living in Frederick, Maryland. He was making a lot of Belgians and IPAs which were very interesting and had a ton more flavor than the “light beer” I was used to.
How did you get started as a brewer?
I moved to Austin Texas in 2011 and homebrewed often with my roommates. I was working as a chef at the time so the combinations of flavors I used in the kitchen transferred over to stuff I was brewing at home which was super cool. It did not take me very long to know that is what I wanted to do for a career. So I packed up my car with everything I owned and drove out to Colorado. I got a job at Bonfire Brewing in Eagle Colorado where I worked for almost 3 years.
What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?
My wife and I love sours. The ability to make short “kettle sours” and longer more complex aged sours; plus the vast combination of ingredients you can use to create different flavor combinations and layers of complexity can be extremely rewarding.
What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?
A Kölsch with Cardamom spice. It turned out really tasty and clean, pretty sure my roommates drank it all in one night. So I learned to hide some of it.
Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?
I know Hype beers are big right now which is a cool way to showcase an abundance of unique ingredients. But I am encouraged by the love that people are showing for some more traditional styles. People are producing some really good traditional European beers these days and I personally like brewing some old school west coast style American IPAs at my brewery.
Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.
Ever since I moved to Lancaster, PA area the brewery scene here is killer. The community of brewers in this area, and around the state, are awesome and everybody helps each other out, and genuinely likes working together.
What is the inspiration behind your beer names?
Beer names are tough to come up with these days because people have already come up with so many good ones. I do throw all my bartenders on group texts and let everyone pitch their favorite names which usually results in some hilarious ideas.
What is your favorite beer to drink right now?
Really loving some crisp dank West Coast IPAs. After a long day at the brewery, I’m drinking our house IPA #TeamWestCoast.
What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?
You have never learned everything, always ask questions, and be humble. There are always new ways to improve your beer.
Thank you to Sean for talking with us! Make sure you visit Raney Cellars Brewing for all the latest beers, news, information, and special events. And also follow Raney Cellars on Facebook and Instagram!
