E-Malt.com News article: USA, MD: Rubber Soul Brewing Company opens in Salisbury on July 4

Rubber Soul Brewing Company opened July 4 in Salisbury, Maryland. It is co-owned by Jesse Prall, a Steelton native, who worked for 10 years at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Delaware, PennLive.com reported on August 4.

Prall is joined in the project by five partners, all mostly childhood friends from Steelton including Jon Sullivan, Beau Faulkner, Frank Hrestak and Corey Deibler.

The 2,400-square-foot open brewery combines a brewing facility, a tasting room and small retail area.

The brewery is named after Prall's love of cycling. "The soul of the bike meets the ground and gets you were you are going," Prall said. It is also the name of a Beatles album.

Rubber Soul Brewing's signature Other Woman Blonde Ale, Pogo Double IPA or Urban Style Honey IPA fill six to eight taps. Growlers and crowlers also are available for purchase and fill ups.

The project took nearly two years to develop.

"In the brewing industry I think everybody brewing has that dream of opening a brewery," said Prall, a Bishop McDevitt graduate.

For a decade Prall worked at Dogfish Head Brewing under craft beer superstar Sam Calagione after a stint as head brewer at Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg.

The experience, Prall said gave him the confidence to open Rubber Soul Brewing. For several years Prall toyed with the idea of opening a brewery but the time never seemed right. Two years ago, after some prodding by Deibler he forged ahead with the project.

"It all just kind of fell into place. I was like 'You know what? I'm ready. Let's do it,” Prall said.

Deibler said he has watched Prall's brewing skills develop over the years, and calls his friend a perfectionist who is very driven when it comes to the art of brewing. “It's amazing to see what Prall has pumped out of Rubber Soul Brewing's one barrel system,” Deibler said.

"A lot of people in this industry are going from small to massive. Prall‘s going from massive to tiny," Deibler added.

Choosing the location in Salisbury in the Delmarva Peninsula was a no-brainer. Prall said the town is undergoing rapid growth and development.

Prall said he is concentrating on producing Rubber Soul's core brands and awaiting the delivery of a seven-barrel system with plans to add more seasonal and experimental beers next year. Rubber Soul Brewing will stick to traditional styles such as IPAs, pilsners and lagers.

"If it's called IPA, that's what it's going to be," Prall.

More than one month into the operation, Prall said Rubber Soul Brewing has allowed him to move out from full-time production and interact with the beer drinking public.

"Truthfully, one of the reasons I wanted to open a brewery is I missed the intimacy of the people drinking beer," Prall said.


05 August, 2015