E-Malt.com News article: USA, PA: Moo-Duck Brewery to open in Elizabethtown

Mike Brubaker started as a home brewer and this fall will open Moo-Duck Brewery in Elizabethtown with his wife, Kristen, pennlive.com reported on September, 24.

Mike Brubaker follows a culinary approach when it comes to his Moo-Duck Brewery small-batch craft beers.

Among the Elizabethtown brewery's line-up is a Honey Basil Blonde. The blonde ale is brewed with fresh basil.

There are others such as Hopricot Hoppy Apricot Pale Ale and Sticky Nuts Maple Pecan Brown as well as traditional releases including a Hoppy Toad IPA and Purple Carp Irish Red.

In October, the public will be able to sit down and sip Brubaker's beers when Moo-Duck's taproom opens.

Moo-Duck is opening as a handful of other micro brewers enter the midstate. This year, Alter Ego Brewing in midtown Harrisburg is expected to open and later this fall Molly Pitcher Brewing will open in Carlisle.

They join several dozen brewers in the region, ranging from Troegs Brewing Company in Hershey to the Brewery at Hershey in Londonderry Twp.

For the past couple of years, Brubaker and his wife, Kristen, have worked to make Moo-Duck a reality.

Like most start-up brewers, Mike Brubaker fell into brewing as a hobby crafting beer for home brewing competitions and festivals.

"When people try our beers the response has been positive ... if the beer is good, people will come back," Kristen said.

The eight tap system will carry six beers at one time, ranging from Moo-Duck's traditional releases to its Off the Rail series of beers made with non-traditional ingredients.

"We take a more culinary approach. I'm on the more artistic side," said Brubaker.

All together, Brubaker's repertoire extends to 100 plus beers, although only about 25 of those recipes will be brewed in the beginning, he said.

Speciality beers include A Better Than A Lottery Ticket Holiday Ale and a Pumpkin Kicker Ale.

Moo-Duck produces its beer in one and a half barrel batches which allows the Brubakers to rotate selection on the taps. Customers will be able to order pints in the taproom and also purchase growlers to take home.


01 October, 2014