“The Friendly Beer For Modern People”

Sly Fox Brewing (Pottstown) recently signed a licensing agreement to start brewing Reading Premium Beer.

The idea came to the owners of Sly Fox when they announced the opening of their new restaurant in Wyomissing, near where the beer was originally made.

Reading Premium Beer was originally brewed by Reading Brewing Company. RBC was founded by Philip Bessinger in 1886, and was located at Ninth and Laurel streets in Reading. Known as “Old Reading Beer”, it was marketed to beer drinkers as a Pennsylvania Dutch beer.

The recipe was modified in 1952, and the name changed to Old Reading Premium. The beer’s slogan was “The Friendly Beer For Friendly People.” The recipe was changed again in 1958 after low sales, and the beer was rebranded Reading Premium Beer, with the slogan changing to “The Friendly Beer For Modern People.”

Reading Brewing Company closed in 1976. After few owners, Ruckus Brewing Co. of New York bought the the rights to the Reading label and its recipes in 2009.

Sly Fox will change the recipe, but only slightly, to “better suit our equipment but also make a better tasting liquid” according to Sly Fox managing partner John Giannopoulos. The new version of Reading Premium will be slightly cheaper than typical craft beer.

This beer will be first be released during a special party at the Barley Mow Craft Beer House during West Reading’s annual Art on the Avenue on 6/15.