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].

Broken Chair Brewery opened in November of 2017, in West Reading PA. The brewery utilizes a 2 BBL brewhouse, which allows them to make a wide variety of constantly rotating beers. Todd Bray is the co-owner and head brewer at Broken Chair Brewery. 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 was introduced to brewing in 1988. My roommate and I went to the wine store and bought a beer-making kit. It was very limited at that time for equipment and ingredients. We bought a generic amber ale extract kit. We actually bought two. We realized we were going to need 5 cases of long neck bottles so we got to drinking 5 cases of beer. We did everything on a stovetop and in the basement. We sanitized everything, made the beer, and waited. After two weeks we bottled the beer and let it sit another two weeks. We were now ready to chill and drink. The beer turned out great. It had great flavor and color. We invited friends over to help us drink our beer. We both woke up in the middle of the night with the worst heartburn we have ever had. We thought it was the wings. Then we discovered every time we drank the homebrew; we got this wicked heartburn. This ended my homebrew experience until 2008. My kids were soon graduating high school and I needed a hobby since I was not going to coach sports anymore. I started brewing again in my garage.

How did you get started as a brewer?

I started my brewery in November of 2017. My goal was to be making in my own brewery by the time I was 55. I brewed the very first batch the day before my 55th birthday. This was something I always talked about doing and I felt that time was running out for me if I wanted to open a brewery. My wife was crazy enough to let me try it. I still have a regular daytime job. I also have a food science degree, which helped with equipment layout, sanitation, and just general organization for a food production facility.

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

I really like making English ales, stouts, and porters. I make everything from a red or brown ale to imperial stouts. I really enjoy using the darker grains to get that particular color and flavor you desire. This has resulted in a larger-than-most selection of dark beer at Broken Chair, which attracts some pleasantly surprised customers. There are times when I could have up to 8 taps with dark beer. Don’t worry, we still have plenty of room for everybody’s favorite hoppy styles.

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

The first beer I brewed when I started up again in 2008 was an Irish Red ale from an extract kit. The things I learned from the first time I brewed in ‘88 to now were vast. I did not have the internet to use as a reference and the equipment available now made things so much easier. The kits were still the same with a much larger selection. It was very exciting just to walk into a store that carried nothing but brewing supplies. I learned that you need to be clean and follow the procedures and Document absolutely any change you make. Do NOT drink any beer until you have the boil going, or you will forget the small things.

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

The industry is definitely going to get bigger. Competition is going to increase. You need to have a solid business model that also sets you apart from the rest and one that allows for some unseen problems. My brewery is very small, and I do not distribute. It is a local brewery and does not depend on out of town business to survive. The store shelves are changing a lot and it is harder to get on them. I believe the middle size breweries may have trouble in the future because they must distribute and it continues to cost more money to get that shelve space.

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

Brewing beer in PA has generally been a solid experience, other than new taxes. The other brewers in the area will do anything to help you out if they have the time. I also believe that over time the laws will be changed to be more favorable to this growing industry.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

Our names come from a variety of places. I am a science geek and love science fiction so some of the names have come from that. My wife was an art major in college, and we get some names from that. My son who has done most of the brewing over the last two years comes up with them from quirky music references. We try not to infringe on other breweries’ beer names, but it is almost impossible to do. It also costs way too much to copyright names if you are not going to distribute.

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

I went through a chocolate phase and then a hazy IPA phase, now I am drinking anything with peppers in it. I really enjoy them with burgers or Mexican food.

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

Do not be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. I was amazed at the brotherhood in the industry. I had times where I needed legal suggestions. Do things the right way, and don’t try to save money in these situations or you may regret it.

Thank you to Todd for talking with us! Make sure you visit Broken Chair Brewery for all the latest beers, news, information, and special events. And also follow Broken Chair on Facebook and Instagram!