Jan 21, 20234 min read

Craft Beer: The Basics

What is craft beer exactly?

When we say craft beer we mean beer that is brewed on a small scale, sometimes even without the use of machinery. Many people all over the world have started gravitating towards craft beers over the recent years, mostly because of the bigger and more complex varieties of flavors that craft beers offer, as opposed to domestically brewed ones.

The history of craft beer.

The process of making beer has been traced back thousands of years to ancient Mesopotamia. Back in those days, beer was actually safer to drink than water because, during the brewing process, all the unhealthy organisms that naturally existed in the water were eradicated.

Modern craft beer hasn’t been around for that long. In the USA, it all began during the 1960s, when Fritz Maytag bought the Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco and started the craft beer revolution. After that, many Americans started brewing their own beer at home, for their own enjoyment, and some of them even launched small businesses that turned into the first craft breweries.

About Us

Our Story

A shared passion for craft beer drew Mike McAllister (our Head Brewer), Kate McAllister (our Head of Operations), and Seth Montz

(our Distribution Manager) together to form the McAllister Brewing Company. The goal of the company will always be to offer the best product, in a welcoming and original environment, with the aim of forging strong, long-lasting ties with our community.

Our products

New England IPAs

This is a modern craft beer style that originated in the New England region of the United States, as the name suggests. The best way to describe this beer is fruity, and highly aromatic, with a soft body and mouthfeel. They’re typically less bitter than traditional IPAs, but they’re still very hoppy.

Our brewery offers two unique NEIPAs. Shovel Buddy is hazy, hoppy, and simply delicious. Dry-hopped with an abundance of Apollo and Citra, this is a beer you can rely on. Blood Orange is made with a generous addition of blood oranges to this highly hopped, hazy IPA to balance out the bitterness of the hops. A tart and refreshing NEIPA.

McAllister Double IPA

If we were to define a Double IPA (or DIPA) we could say that it’s nothing more complicated than an IPA that is made with double the amount of hops and grains, therefore is more bitter with a higher ABV. The term “double”, however, only holds a loose numerical value and it’s only intended to let the drinker know that the brewer has used more hops.

To make our Double IPA we use a ton of Amarillo, Apollo, Centennial, and Cascade hops and, if that’s not enough hops for you, the beer is also generously dry-hopped with Centennial hops after fermentation. It is easy to drink, with a light body, a hazy profile and a mindblowing taste.

Brown Ale

Brown Ales are more malt-forward than hoppy, and often can be characterized by their chocolate and caramel flavors. In this case, the hops are used in order to complement the flavors of the grains rather than cover it.

Our First Love, as you may guess by its name, is the beer that started it all. It was first brewed over a decade ago and, since then, we’ve mastered the recipe to create a beer that is chocolatey with a subtle hop character and perfectly balanced between rich and smooth.

Peach Wit

Witbier is one of the oldest beer styles. It originated in Belgian monasteries during the 14th century and was initially brewed with unmalted wheat and barley malt in equal parts, as well as local herbs and spices like coriander.

Our Peach Wit is heavily inspired by the original Belgian Witbiers, as it is brewed with coriander, orange zest, and, obviously, peaches. The Belgian yeast that is used during the fermentation process adds some subtle ester-y characteristics and a layer of complexity that beer connoisseurs will definitely appreciate. Peach is the most noticeable flavor and scent coming from the beer. It’s a fruity and easy to drink beer that doesn’t lack complexity at all.

Märzen

This beer style originated in Germany and has an elegant, malt-forward profile. It’s another really old style of beer that dates back to the 1800s, when it signified the strength of a beer rather than the style.

McAllister’s Märzen, which goes by the name of Un-canceled, was created as a tribute to the much awaited 2020 Oktoberfest that was, unfortunately, canceled due to the pandemic. Brewed with Noble Hops, it’s a medium bodied beer with a strong malt flavor and a dry finish that will leave you thirsty for a second glass. Nothing more reminiscent of Oktoberfest than this Märzen.

Pale Lager

Continuing on our collection of beers inspired by centuries-old recipes, we’re moving on to a beer inspired by a Czech Pale Lager that was first brewed in 1842 in Bohemia by Josef Groll. As of now, this is still the most popular beer style in the Czech Republic, and we couldn't miss out on making our own version.

Gras Mähen is a crystal clear beer with a malt-forward flavor that is followed by the noble hop bitterness of Saaz and Tettnanger. A light and refreshing beer that you can enjoy whether you’re chilling in front of the TV or mowing the lawn.

Oatmeal Stout

An oatmeal stout couldn’t be missing from our collection. Generally, this style of beer is characterized by its dark color, full body and roasty and malty flavor profile. The oatmeal flavor is also very present, as the name of this style implies.

Our Skook Water Oatmeal Stout is named after Seth’s (our co-owner and distribution manager) childhood home in Schuylkill Country and the coal mines that the region is known for. It’s full-bodied, dark and has a strong flavor of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Its silky mouthfeel and thick tan head will positively surprise you.