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].

Devout Brewing Company first opened in December of 2018 at 1301 Pontiac Court Suite 101, in Export, PA. They brew on a 7BBL brewhouse, with three 7BBL fermenters that have been repurposed dairy tanks, with 16 taps available at the bar. Matt and Pete have been homebrewing together for the past 10 years, and they’re “devout” about all things beer and it’s all they talk about!

Owners Pete Renwick and Matt Joseph are the brewers at Devout Brewing. Read more to find out their introduction to craft beer, where they see the craft beer industry heading, and more!

What was your introduction to craft beer?

Pete: Before craft beer had grown into what it is today, Erie Brewing’s Railbender and Troegs Troegenator are two beers that come to mind. Drinking those at parties gave me the feeling of knowing a secret that others didn’t. Of course, I do recall the higher gravity being a selling point as well.

Matt: Although they might not be considered craft anymore, the earliest craft beers I drank on a regular basis were Guinness Extra Stout and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. To this day, Stout and American (not hazy!) Pale Ale are my favorite styles!

How did you get started as a brewer?

Pete: My brewing career began during my early college years but without much success. A few failed batches were enough to turn me away from the hobby for a while. Years later my wife purchased a Mr. Beer kit for me, which was quickly followed by a state-of-the-art 5-gallon plastic bucket system. At about this time I started brewing with my now fellow Brewmaster Matt Joseph.

Matt: Around the same time I was introduced to commercial craft beer, a coworker shared some of his homebrewed beer with me at a party. I was intrigued by the fact he made it at home. He made it sound pretty easy so I did some research and bought my own homebrew kit within a matter of weeks. It’s wild to think that one homebrewed beer ultimately changed the course of my life.

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

Pete: I find brewing historical and somewhat obscure styles of beer bring out my creative side. There is something exciting about the process of rediscovering something once forgotten or on the edge of extinction. That said, few of these beers make it to the production level due to demand.

Matt: We’ve been so focused on making great base versions of beer for the last 3 years that we admittedly haven’t gotten very creative yet. We strongly feel you need a solid base recipe that can stand on its own before you start building on it and we’re still working on styles we’ve never made before. Recently, we’ve been expressing our creativity by infusing our draft beer using fruits/spices/herbs as it’s being dispensed. Our most recent infusion was with cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans which made our plum & tart cherry sour taste like cherry pie!

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

Pete: A Red Ale of some sort. What I learned from that beer was that cleaning and sanitation are of the utmost importance in the brewing process. A friend and I picked up a case of returnable bottles from a local beer distributor and apparently, the previous owner was a heavy smoker – most bottles had cigarette butts in them. Even with all the cleaning, the finished beer had notes of rubber balloons and tarnished pennies.

Matt: I’m not entirely sure what the first beer I brewed was, but I know it immediately catapulted me into researching the brewing process as well as the chemistry and biology behind every step. It’s that constant thirst for knowledge that landed me where I am today. That being said, I seriously struggled with the precision and patience it took to naturally carbonate in bottles. The solution to that was to build a kegerator and start kegging!

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

Pete: Personally, I see the same continued growth, at least in the Pittsburgh area. We have a strong and loyal customer base who appreciate what we do, and we appreciate all the love and support they show us in return. However, I do see a possible slowdown of new breweries opening over the next few years due to the pandemic. Most people are probably not aware that it takes years of research and planning to open a brewery, so the effects might not be seen for quite some time.

Matt: Style-wise, I’m pleasantly surprised with the increasing interest in brewing clean lagers. I hope that trend continues and we find our way back to good simple beers that aren’t loaded with the latest trends in hops and fruits. Let’s let the malt and yeast shine through! Beer styles aside, I think we’re already in a “multiple taproom” boom where small local breweries are growing by opening additional taprooms as opposed to ramping up distribution. It’s a smart way to grow while staying in touch with the community and customers.

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

Pete: Pittsburgh’s diverse culture has been essential to its brewing community. With the various ethnicities that fill our neighborhoods throughout the area, we see an appreciation for all things food and celebration. From the Polish to Italian, to German, Asian, African American, Irish, and Slovak cultures there is always room to share their traditions and celebrations with beer that reflects these heritages. It’s exciting and an honor to be part of this brewing renaissance.

Matt: I’m proud to be brewing at a small local Pennsylvania brewery. The craft beer community in Western PA is still rapidly growing and solidifying Pittsburgh as a craft beer destination. It’s always enlightening to talk with other local brewers and owners. It allows us to hone our craft as a community. As a bonus, I love being an hour away from all the outdoor activities the Laurel Highlands have to offer.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

Pete: The names come from all over really. Sometimes from a funny word or phrase, other times from a TV show, movie, or music reference. Every so often a name will come before the beer and the beer is designed to suit the name.

Matt: We’re kind of all over the place on beer names. Sometimes we start with a name and build the beer around it, sometimes it’s a last-second decision made by the bartenders after tasting the finished product.

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

Pete: Given the choice, I’ll never pass up a bright and clean West Coast or German Pilsner. Outside of beer, give me a nice dram of a single malt any day.

Matt: I’ve been on a barleywine and imperial stout kick for a while now (that’s probably the case every Winter now that I think about it). I’m always interested in trying anything barrel-aged, particularly if it’s not the normal whiskey barrel. With some care and attention to detail, a rum or tequila barrel can give unique results.

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

Pete: Not to sound like an old man past his prime, but do what you know and love best. We brew the beers that excited us as homebrewers, some styles being on-trend, while others, our customers have never heard of. But we’ve learned that each beer will find its own group of Devout followers who appreciate them for what they are.

Matt: Planning is one of the most important things you can do. Slowing down to invest time in planning and organization upfront can exponentially save time and money in the long run.