User:Artilleriley

The Artillery Brewing Company

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The Artillery Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 2018 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, a suburb located 25 miles west of the city of Philadelphia. Inspired by the rich history of the Brandywine Valley in the stories and events of the American Revolution, Artillery Brewing blends a passion for beer with a deep appreciation for the America’s foundational ideals. Known for its commitment to a diverse range of high-quality beer styles, the brewery also has strong ties to U.S. military and first responder communities, supporting causes that give back to those who serve. The brewery distributes its beer products to distributors, restaurants and bars in the region and sells them onsite in its taprooms in Delaware and Chester counties in Pennsylvania. Early Years in the Cellar and on the Farm The brewery was co-founded by Mike Loveless, who fell in love with craft beer during his time in Europe, and Paul Zippel, who comes from a long line of Italian winemakers. The two started homebrewing together in the cellar of Mike’s family home in 2013, focusing on both American and European beer styles. By late 2018, their love of history and beer had evolved into The Artillery Brewing Company. The brewery started commercially with a 1-barrel brewhouse on a beautifully scenic and historic farm located near West Chester, Pennsylvania on a portion of the site where the Battle of Brandywine took place, the longest and largest battle of the American Revolution, on September 11, 1777. Opening on July 3, 2019, news of the grand opening on the farm went viral online and over 1,200 people showed up and consumed all the brewery’s product in a matter of hours. This theme continued over the second half of 2019, and accordingly The Artillery Brewing Company had to move to larger pastures. The original founders were fortunate to bring in a vital group of partners and investors to help facilitate a move off the farm and into the Borough of West Chester (3.5 miles away from the original brewery site). The Move into the Borough The Artillery Brewing Company identified a larger commercial space in downtown West Chester in February 2020, where it would eventually open a 10-barrel brewhouse and The Barracks Taproom. The 2,800 sq. ft. concrete and steel building was previously the home of a fitness center called ‘Legion Fitness’ in the west end of the Borough of West Chester, with access from Granite Alley, a small throughway between the municipal lot at the top of Hannum Avenue and North Wayne Street on the downhill side. Equipment and inventory were moved into the building on February 12, 2020. However, just one month later and before demolition and renovation work could commence, a major roadblock appeared: the Covid-19 pandemic. Demolition and renovation work was delayed significantly by the global pandemic shutdown and social distancing period. Work was not able to start until nearly 9 months later at the end of 2020. As construction ended, beer production operations began in early 2021. The Barracks Taproom officially opened to the public on April 9th of that year. The design of the 60-person taproom drew inspiration from the high ceilings of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, and the kitchen structure mirrored visual elements of the encampment huts in Valley Forge, PA used by General George Washington’s Continental Army during the winter and spring encampment of 1777-78. By the time the taproom opened, it featured wide range of angles, nooks, a “Mess Tent” kitchen structure, and a giant interior brick wall behind the taps which belied its prior existence as a monolithic rectangular fitness warehouse. Positive reviews, articles, and awards began coming in for the Artillery brand, mission, location, and brews. The Artillery Expands In July 2023, Artillery Brewing expanded again with The Arsenal Taproom in Drexel Hill. Nestled into the heart of the town, the long-vacant site of a former Citizens Bank branch was gutted and converted into a space boasting more than double the patron capacity of the original West Chester location. Today, Artillery Brewing’s Arsenal Taproom features an open plan indoor taproom space for 80+ patrons with roll-up garage doors and giant televisions for watching local sports, an upstairs event space for an additional 80+ guests, and a significant outdoor patron dining space with covered seating, a small garden with a replica Revolutionary War cannon, and a cornhole court with benches and chairs. The Artillery Brewing Company is planning to open their third location, The Citadel Taproom, in the Philadelphia area by late 2024. More locations are sure to follow in the years ahead. Crafting Beer with Passion Artillery Brewing prides itself on offering a variety of classic beer styles, from American and Belgian to German and Czech. This isn’t by accident – the Artillery brand focuses on a brewing history forged and brought to America by immigrants from across Europe. Visitors won’t find a tap rail that’s only packed with the ever popular and ubiquitous India Pale Ales. The Artillery Brewing team pays close attention to the ingredients and techniques for brewing classic beer styles with true-to-style traits. The founders, owners, and brewers of Artillery appreciate that different seasons, different moods, different patrons call for different styles of beer, so beyond their ‘core’ beers there is always a nice rotation of seasonal beers. This is what can be found at any Artillery taproom. Their beer lineup includes popular brews such as: • The Patriot – West Coast IPA • The Fog of War – New England Hazy IPA • The Volley – Czech Pilsner • The Brown Bess – English Brown Ale • The Black Powder – Cascadian Black IPA • The Militia – German Helles Lager • The War Horse – Irish Oatmeal Stout • The Headless Horseman of Canton – Classic Pumpkin Ale Crafting Beer with Purpose Supporting historic organizations like the Valley Forge Park Alliance and providing a place for local veterans and artisans to meet, Artillery loves to support community causes. Artillery Brewing is more than just a brewery – its taprooms serve as a community hub. Both current taprooms regularly host events like Roll Call Night, where veterans can gather to connect over discounted food and drinks. The brewery also partners with organizations like the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project for events like the Oktoberruck and Cannonball Run, helping to support veterans and first responders and their families. As ardent grassroots fans of American soccer, The Artillery Brewing Company became the official craft beer sponsor of The Philadelphia Union, the city’s Major League Soccer team for the 2023 season. As craft beer sponsor, Artillery beers became a top fan favorite at Subaru Park from kickoff through the final whistle. Looking Ahead Artillery Brewing is always looking for new ways to combine its love of history, beer, and community. Their long-term goal is to further develop projects like the Battlefield Series (which will name beers after Revolutionary battles and donate to battlefield preservation), and to become even more involved in historical preservation efforts overall. The Artillery Brewing Company dream is to one day bring its beers, with names and stories steeped in the history of the foundation of the nation, to join the ranks of the supporters celebrating the nation’s birthday on July 4, 2026, the Semi-quincentennial of the United States, with specially brewed products and names to celebrate the event, perhaps in collaboration with other great American beer brands. As they continue to grow, Artillery Brewing remains committed to honoring the past while brewing for the future.