E-Malt.com News article: USA, PA: Gunpowder Falls Brewing opens in New Freedom

Martin Virga, 46, of Phoenix, is the proud creator of two German-style lagers he brews at Gunpowder Falls Brewing, a new brewery he opened last month in New Freedom, The Baltimore Sun reported on December, 13.

The brewery has a tasting room where visitors can sip two beers — a soft yellow Pils and a pale brown Dunkel. The beers are made in a cavernous warehouse behind the tasting room.

"I'm brewing beer the way they used to centuries ago," Virga said. "I use four ingredients — water, yeast, hops and malted barley."

Once these two beers are established, Virga hopes to introduce new varieties as well.

After Virga and his assistant brew master, Daniel Williams, 20, also of Phoenix, combine those four ingredients, it takes four weeks until the beer is ready to be bottled.

They brew once a week, so each of the four stainless steel fermentation tanks contains beer in a different stage of completion.

"This is a very fun job," Williams said. "It's a cool process to see and we do it all by hand. This place always smells so good."

Virga, Williams and some part-time employees also sanitize brown beer bottles, label them, fill them and package them for delivery.

Gunpowder Falls beer is already pouring into liquor stores, bars and restaurants in Baltimore County and city.

Although the beers are brand new to the market, they are doing well, said Robert Yorke, with Legends Limited, a Maryland distributor.

"Most every place that has tried it has re-bought it," he said.

"Gunpowder Falls beer has been selling very well," said Steve Judge, who runs the craft and imported beer department at Calvert Liquors. "He's the only guy around who is doing old-style German beers."

Virga said he picked Gunpowder Falls as the brand name because it clearly identifies the region where the beer is brewed.

"Since New Freedom is at the headwater for the Gunpowder Falls and since water is one of my primary ingredients, I thought it would be appropriate to use Gunpowder Falls for the branding," he said.


14 December, 2012