What's On Tap in Railroad? AleCraft Brewery and Their Journey in Expanding North

BY BRENDAN SALYARDS | MANAGER, ECONOMIC INITIATIVES

Soon, the answer will require a menu. This summer, Railroad’s newest business – AleCraft Brewing – plans to open its doors. The business began in 2013 in Bel Air, Maryland as a home brew supply store and expanded in 2017 to include a microbrewery and taproom.

"Our current location is in historic downtown Bel Air, Maryland, and we had been working for some time to find a site for expansion with enough outdoor green space to allow us to provide a destination where families and friends could relax and enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors,” said Ken Roberson, Vice President of AleCraft. Ken continued, “When we found the site in Railroad right along the trail, we knew we had found our new location.” Now, five years after its foundation, AleCraft is relocating its operation and primary production to the newly restored building which once housed a furniture manufacturer.

The opening of a brewery in Railroad marks a return to the borough’s 19th century roots. Frederick Helb, a German immigrant, operated several businesses in Railroad including a brewery and apple brandy distillery.

The Helb family’s legacy extends well beyond Railroad. Theodore Helb, Frederick’s son, founded the once prominent Keystone Brewery in York.

The new two-story AleCraft location will feature a restaurant to be operated by Fox and Fern – a Forest Hill, Maryland based café that will soon have a home North of the Mason-Dixon. Among its amenities, the new AleCraft building will include a seven-barrel brew house, an outdoor deck, a biergarten, a taproom, and even a hop farm. AleCraft intends to collaborate with Northern Central Railway when NCR offers trips and plans to offer a Heritage Rail Trail themed brew - the proceeds of which will be donated to support the maintenance of the trail.

We are certainly excited to welcome AleCraft to Railroad and wish them many years of happy brewing in York.

alecraftbrewery.com