Stampede Barbecue (based in Mohnton, PA) has become well known for its mouthwatering barbecue since its opening in 2012. Their menu boasts a wide variety of smoked meat and more that locals have come to know and love. And after 10 successful years in business the team at Stampede is adding even more hand-crafted enjoyment in the form of craft beer.
Stampede officially opened its brewing operations on August 31st, 2022. We spoke with General Manager and Head Brewer Evan Detwiler to understand more about what the craft beer community can come to expect from Stampede.
As we learned, the motivating factor behind the brewery addition originally came from overseas (which, as you will see, is an influence behind much of the brewing operation). As Detwiler explained, he traveled to England where he fell in love with their way of making wild fermented cider.
It was in the spirit of the trip that the plan for Stampede to offer in-house fermented beverages was born. Detwiler initially started brewing all grain batches of beer on a 30-gallon system and the rest, as they say, is history.
In addition to the beer (which we will discuss more soon), Stampede will offer housemade, wild fermented cider. The barbecue restaurant has always had a close relationship with nearby Weaver’s Orchard which will supply the freshly squeezed juice. Stampede will then let the juice ferment, using the natural yeast and sugar from the apples, in their sherry wine barrels. The finished product will eventually move to white oak barrels where the cider will barrel age for several months until the beverage is ready to be served directly from the barrels. The plan is to keep a steady rotating cider option for as long as the restaurant can procure freshly squeezed juice from the orchard.
On the beer side, most notably all brewing will be done on a wood-fired brew system. To accomplish this the team at Stampede had a custom-made brew system created. First, a brew tank was developed to support the wood-fired brewing method. Then local artisans created a brick oven that would encapsulate the entire operation.
There will be no electric or heat source beyond wood fire involved in the brewing process. Much like the love that they put into their food menu, everything will be done by hand. In addition to this, there is no steel used in creating the beer beyond the brew tank. All fermentation will be done in White Oak Foeders or sherry casks.
When asked what is driving this decision Detwiler explained “I am a purist when it comes to what I do. I hated the idea of an automated brewing system using propane or electricity. Aesthetics and tradition are also important to me.”
As Detwiler noted, the brewery is not the sole focus of the operation. Stampede has run as a successful barbecue restaurant for 10 years. The goal behind adding a brewing system was to offer their customers even more handcrafted options on the menu. “I really love beer. So I decided to offer a craft beer option” Detwiler confirmed about the motivation. Stampede plans to offer just four beers, three of which will always be available, with a fourth rotating seasonal. There will always be a light ale, brown ale, and Porter. The summer seasonal offering will be a Pennsylvania Wheat. And all four beers will be poured using a hand pump draft system.
Detwiler went on to add that the brewery from Stampede will not be the main attraction. This part of the operation is born out of a “love of traditional, simple, plain beer.” They plan to put the same love and dedication into their select beer offerings as they have a robust food menu of over 30 different items.
See a look of what to expect below (Photos courtesy Stampede Barbecue)
