Brewery Biz Hopping
Knowing your community and inviting the community to know you are key ingredients to success in the craft beer industry, if you listen to Recon Brewing co-owner Dave Bestwick.
Both Recon and the craft beer scene in Butler County have been growing “beyond our expectations and projections,” since Recon opened on Route 8 in Center Township in May 2017, Bestwick said.
Sales of craft beers in 2017 increased 8 percent, up to $26 billion and now account for more than 23 percent of the nation's $111.4 billion beer market, according to the national Brewers Association.
In Pennsylvania alone, 282 craft breweries produced 3.724 million barrels of beer in 2017.
In Butler County, North Country Brewing in Slippery Rock led the wave, opening in 2005, and steadily built a confident customer draw.
Now, North Country and Recon have a six-pack of peers: Reclamation and Butler Brew Works in the city, Missing Links in Butler Township, the Harmony Inn offers “The Snug Series,” Shubrew in Zelienople, Cellar Works in Sarver and the newest addition, Stick City in Mars.
The brewers seem to agree that their growing ranks are more complimentary and cooperative than competitive.
“Everyone wants to see what's different,” said Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau. “Each brewery has different tastes and passions and that's reflected in their beer.”
Bob McCafferty, co-owner of North Country, likened the brewers to “gardeners comparing tomatoes. We help each other out more like a team than competition.”
Read more about the county's breweries in Sunday's Butler Eagle.
