Our Story
Handcrafted ales made by flame, tradition, and patience in the heart of Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
About Detwiler Brewing
We take great pride in being the only wood-fired brewery in Pennsylvania—eschewing both electricity and gas in favor of flame from wood to power our brewhouse. Our ales are brewed upon traditional recipes, recalling the days when the public house served honest, wholesome beer meant to be enjoyed in generous measure. Thus, you shall find no fashionable IPA nor tart Sour here. Each ale is crafted solely from Pennsylvania-grown grain, cask-conditioned with care, and hand-pumped directly to the glass.
“Beer that can be drunk in plenty, beer that is perfectly plain!”
The Brewing Process
Every pint of Detwiler beer is made with simple ingredients, timeless methods, and an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship.
Mashing
Detwiler Brewing employs only the finest malted barley—proudly grown and malted within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, many of them of organic origin. Our brewing water is drawn from a deep on-site well, enriched by distinctive minerals, and brought to the proper mash temperature in our wood-fired kettle. The mash rests for ninety minutes, during which the grains steep in their full measure of water to yield the utmost flavor and sweetness. Thereafter, the wort is gently filtered through its grain bed and, by the grace of gravity, returned to the kettle for the boil.
Boiling
The boil is a threefold affair. First, it purifies the wort, ensuring a wholesome environment in which the yeast may later prosper. Second, it concentrates the liquid and harmonizes its developing flavors. Third, it coaxes from the hops their noble oils, imparting a refined bitterness that tempers the sweetness of the wort.
Fermentation
Detwiler’s employs a fermentation method nearly lost to antiquity—known as drop fermentation. Once the wort has been boiled and cooled, it is conveyed to one of two fermentation vessels wherein the yeast is introduced, and an open fermentation commences. After some forty hours, the partially fermented wort is briskly ‘dropped’ into our seasoned oak vats. This venerable practice imparts the signature butterscotch and toffee notes so cherished by both our patrons and our master brewer. Following two further days within the oak, the beer is casked and left to condition—a patient refinement that bestows its incomparable smoothness and delicate natural effervescence, achieved without the intrusion of added gas or artifice.
Tradition Meets Craft
When you raise a pint at Detwiler Brewing, you are tasting Pennsylvania’s history in liquid form. A beer brewed by hand, by flame, and with a whole lot of heart.
