A Hoppy Place
Maybe we don’t talk about it much, but there are three things noticeably absent in Adams County:
1) an NFL team
2) a NASA launch pad
3) a craft beer brewery
Obviously, it’s ridiculous to compare these three things, and I do it only for effect, but that’s just how absurd it is that we don’t have a place to call our own to enjoy a cold, hand-crafted beer. The best we can do right now is to visit our good friends at 2 Doors Down up in Rapids and District 1 in Point.
But that’s all about to change, because Adams County’s first and only brewery is right around the corner! Literally. If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself. Take the turn into the Rome Town Center in Rome, hang your first left on Matterhorn Trail, and just before you reach the curve, there it is.
Well, almost…
Construction is well underway on the Up North Brewing Company, a destination brewery that is a dream coming true for four friends who served us in the military and are now eager to serve us again.
Meet the Brew Crew; Heather Dalton, CJ Dalton, Leslie Orr, and Brandon Orr. Four longtime friends who met while serving our country in the Air Force. Now retired, they had the opportunity to travel the world, and when on leave, taste some of the finest beers along the way.
Brandon, Up North’s brewmaster, was so inspired, he took it to a whole new level. In 2006, he started brewing his own beer. And even though his friends loved every pint he poured, it wasn't good enough for him. So, he enrolled in Doemens Academy in Gräfelfing, Germany where he earned an International Diploma in Brewing Technology. For more than 100 years, the Academy has been an international training and consulting institute for the brewing industry. Fun fact: Doemens is where the Busch family perfected their craft.
That’s all well and good, but what was Brandon going to do now with all that new-found expertise?
Funny you should ask. While sitting with his three friends (yes, at a bar with beer in hand), he pulled out the proverbial napkin, borrowed a pen from the waitress, and just like that, Up North Brewing Company was conceived.
When it opens, the crew will have been through many hours of planning and decision-making regarding every last detail. One of the most important decisions they will make is what beers it will pour, and which of them will receive flagship designation. That is, which ones will be brewed the same way time after time and always be available. And which ones will be seasonal, or rotating beers, which as the terms imply, will come and go.
The flagships typically appeal to most beer drinkers and effectively define the brewery, whereas the rotating beers keep the brewery fresh, exciting, and forever new. Though still working through the details, Up North has committed to feature six flagships and six rotating taps. At least for now.
“This is a fluid process. What works today may be different in the future. As preferences change and trends occur, we will be right there out in front. We will always have a beer for every taste.”
Taking full advantage of the beautiful, wooded property, the Up North Brewing Company will sit among the trees with a huge, outdoor, dog-friendly beer garden, or biergarten, as they refer to it. Biergartens, originally popularized in Bavaria and other parts of southern Germany, differ from your average American bar by featuring unassuming, picnic-style tables that are shared by guests.
“We didn’t want this to be a typical bar, but rather a gathering place. Where there’s a sense of community. Where strangers sit together, share stories, and become friends.”
Construction is on an accelerated schedule with an anticipated open date of Mid-autumn. And though it’s unlikely we will ever be sitting in our own NFL stadium, or watching nearby rocket launches, we will soon be drinking a cold beer or two in Adams County’s one and only Up North Brewing Company.
Until then, you can show your excitement by visiting their Facebook page or website and be one of the first to don some really cool Up North Brewing Company swag.
Written by: Lydell Capritta
