Von C Brewing Company was founded on a family tradition. Brothers Rick, Eric, and Jay von Czoernig are sixth-generation brewers, dating back to 1860 when their great, great, great grandfather Christian Schmidt founded Schmidt’s Brewery in Philadelphia. Their father, uncles, and grandfather, and so on, were all Master Brewers.

Their grandfather was named president of Schmidt’s in 1958 and lead the brewery through its most productive years. The family history also includes the operation of the former Valley Forge Brewery of Norristown, which Schmidt’s purchased in the 1950s. The new von C Brewing facility is about one mile from where that brewery was located. It is on this family foundation, that the brothers will look to continue the brewing tradition.

The brewery, located at 1210 Stanbridge Street in Norristown, is currently planning on a grand opening in the winter of 2020 and will be looking to open a beer garden in the spring of 2021.

We spoke with all 3 von Czoernig brothers about the new space, the history of their family, and of course, the beer they plan to bring to the area.

BIPA: What stage are you currently in?

VC: We have our licensing with the TTB done, and waiting until the building is done to get the LCB approval.

We are in the middle of the build-out now and have almost all the equipment purchased that we need. 

BIPA: How did you become initially interested in craft beer?

VC: We started homebrewing back in the early 1980s, and have been at it ever since. And of course, the family history had a lot to do with it!

BIPA: Have you run into any roadblocks on your way?

VC: Well, of course, a lot of the issues have been COVID-19 related, but the biggest roadblock for a while was trying to find the right building for the brewery. Luckily, the town of Norristown is helping us out along the way.

BIPA: What breweries have had you back and helped you on your journey?

VC: A lot of breweries have been so helpful on the way. They were so patient with us asking questions, and have offered lots of advice. Specifically, Workhorse and Bald Birds have helped us a lot. La Cabra in Berwyn and New Ridge in Manayunk have both been great as well. And Matt Guyer from The Beer Yard has been great, he has helped us network with a lot of people.

BIPA: What styles of beers will you focus on?

VC: We will have many styles of beer for our patrons’ to enjoy. Our “core” beers will be based on our German family heritage including Helles, Vienna Lager, and Pilsner as well as American West Coast and East Coast styles of IPAs. We will also have rotating taps including Pale Ales, Session IPAs, and a Lo-Cal IPA along with many seasonal brews including a Marzen-style Octoberfest, and a traditional Porter. We have a small pilot system to experiment with small-batch releases too. 

BIPA: Can you describe the space you are opening?

VC: The building was built in 1908 and used to be a manufacturer of knitting machines for the garment industry. At one time, it was one of the largest employers of Norristown. The brewery is approximately 16,000 sq. ft. and will house our 20 BBL brewhouse and cellaring tanks. The tasting room is about 2,500 sq. ft. and we are not changing much inside. It has a rustic industrial vibe, with very high, open ceilings, and provides a great view of the brewhouse.

We are also planning an outdoor beer garden in the spring of 2021. A large garage door will lead to the beer garden, and we will be using onsite food trucks as well as local restaurants for food delivery.

BIPA: Will you release crowlers/cans there as well?

VC: We will be mobile canning to start and then move to a canning line eventually. And we will also be doing crowlers right away. We will keep most beer in the taproom, and then have a small distro footprint, growing that as we grow.

BIPA: Will there be food offered?

VC: We will not have food at the brewery. We will utilize local food trucks and also local delivery.

BIPA: Anything else our readers should know about von C Brewery?

VC: The last master brewer of Schmidt’s, Adam Brozetti who last brewed for them in 1987, will be helping us formulate some of the recipes. We will share the family history of Schmidt’s on the inside of the building on a history wall. We ask that any original fans of Schmidt’s to contact us if they have any memorabilia to donate.

Thank you to brothers Rick, Eric, and Jay von Czoernig for talking and sharing the plans of their upcoming brewery with us. Follow von C Brewing Company on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on their progress. Breweries In PA will be touring the facility soon, so check back for more pictures!