Opening a brewery can be extremely taxing and trying at times, and no one knows that better than the 11 partners who have worked tirelessly to put the final touches on opening Boneshire Brew Works.
“Just a few days ago, we had beer flowing through the taps for the first time ever,” said Brewmaster and majority owner Alan Miller. “It’s been eight months of being scared, but we’re just days away.”
Miller stressed that other than the HVAC and electrical work, they did everything themselves. From the construction of the bar to sawing through the concrete floor, they had learned how to build a brewery on the fly with plenty of challenges.
After passing their final inspection just days ago, Boneshire will open their doors at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 for a “soft opening.”
The grand opening will be just a week later on Friday, Nov. 4. There is no set time yet, but be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook page.
Boneshire Beers
For some time now, Boneshire Brew Works has been hitting the local festival scene to showcase their variety of styles to the craft beer masses. While they will have more on tap in the coming weeks, three styles will be available as of Saturday.
Tried and True White Ale – 5.5% ABV
If you’re into the sweet and crisp flavors of white ales, then Tried and True should be your tried and true at Boneshire. This beer balances the sweetness from the malt and flavors of the yeast to give you a refreshing sip every time.
Devil’s Burden Rye IPA – 6.6% ABV
In Boneshire’s Rye IPA, you will find a marriage of hoppy, spicy and sweet to delight the palate. Rye malt imparts the subtle spiciness while the Centennial, Cascade and Citra hops give the beer a juicy, citrusy aroma and flavor.
LazaRIS Unrobed – 9.5% ABV
One of Boneshire’s signature beers has been their Russian Imperial Stout, LazaRIS. Normally this beer would feature spices like cinnamon and habaneros (YUM), but this version takes down the heat, and you are left with a smooth drinkable robust stout. This beer features flavors of chocolate and sweet honey with a balanced dose of roasted coffee.
Miller plans on keeping four “flagship” beers on tap as much as possible:
- Tried and True White Ale
- Green Machine Northeastern-style IPA
- Long Tongue Liar Belgian Triple
- Testify Wheat Pale Ale
Along with these, Boneshire will also experiment with flavoring beers by using a Hoff-Stevens keg, which is essentially a firkin that can hook up to a normal tap system. Miller plans to pack the kegs with anything from hops to habaneros. Keep an eye out for when these limited editions start going on tap — you won’t want to miss it.
Boneshire Soda
Boneshire Brew Works also will carry a line of all-natural, handcrafted sodas. They will start off with three flavors made with real ingredients.
- Blueberry
- Blueberry-Lime
- Ginger Beer
In the future, Boneshire plans to carry Pittsburgh-based Wigle Whiskey products in the taproom to have straight up or mixed in one of their sodas.
As permitted by Pennsylvania state law, they also will feature Pennsylvania-made wine and cider.
The Food
When they open Boneshire will not be offering their own food, other than some small snacks, but they will bring in outside vendors to set up in the tasting room.
Nomad BBQ is one vendor that will regularly set up in the brewery. Nomad features ribs, brisket, pork BBQ and more, which will go perfectly with the official mascot of Boneshire. Visitors will also be able to order pizza from Marino’s Pizza, which is just two doors down.
Down the road, the brewery will feature house-pickled sausage, eggs and more.
The space
Boneshire sits on Derry Street right in the middle of Harrisburg and Hershey in a building that has sat vacant for years after being used as an indoor batting cage. If you are familiar with the area, it is right beside the old Star Skating Rink. They currently sit 40 people comfortably but can fit up to 78 at capacity.
The 15-barrel brewery is located directly behind the taps with the three 10-barrel fermenters that line the wall.
Boneshire hours: Wed-Thurs 4-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11-10 p.m.; Sun 11-6 p.m.
