USA, PA: Hop Hill Brewing Company to cease operations at original location

A destination for locally brewed lagers, IPAs and other beers is making moves in the Lehigh Valley, WFMZ.com reported on March 28.

Hop Hill Brewing Company, a craft brewery and taproom serving up a wide range of artisan ales, stouts and other beers, will cease operations at its original location at 1988 Blair Ave. in Lower Saucon Township within the next few weeks, owner Greg Smith said.

Hop Hill will continue welcoming guests to its Lower Saucon location until April 19.

New taproom hours are 3-10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays.

"The landlord at our current location decided to go in a different direction and has other plans for the space," Smith told 69 News.

"So, we'll be leaving our current spot in about a month, but we're not ending operations at all. We plan to continue operating at a new location, and we're currently looking for that spot."

Smith does not have a specific area in mind for Hop Hill's new home and is considering locations across the Lehigh Valley area.

He's unsure exactly how long the search for a new location will take.

"If the right space presented itself tomorrow, I would start working on it tomorrow," he said. "But I really want to make sure it's the right fit for us and our customers."

Hop Hill opened in February 2017 in an updated garage bay off of Route 378.

The cozy taproom, featuring string lights and seasonal outdoor seating, offers around a dozen draft selections, including flagship varieties such as House IPA (made with six different hop varieties, including Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo and Simcoe) and Morning Blonde (blonde ale aged on coffee beans from Fieldstone Roasters).

Rotating Hop Hill varieties include Black Magic (oatmeal stout with notes of vanilla, chocolate and oats), Mountain Hawk (American brown ale with notes of chocolate), Walter Street (American wheat ale brewed with orange and vanilla), Strawberry Dream'n (strawberry cream blonde ale) and Gravity Well (West Coast-style IPA brewed and dry-hopped with Mandarina Bavaria, Citra and Sabro), among others.

Glasses of beer and beer flights, featuring four 4-ounce pours, are available.

Smith encourages individuals to come out and bid farewell to the brewery's original location in the coming weeks. Various Hop Hill-branded items, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and glassware, are on sale.

Smith, of Macungie, also operates the three-year-old Three Little Birds Distillery - a nod to Smith and his wife's three children - in a renovated, 120-year-old barn that the distillery shares with Rising River Brewing Co. at 1955 Willow Lane in Lower Macungie Township.

No changes are planned for Three Little Birds.

Smith has been keeping Hop Hill fans updated with the transition plans on the business' Facebook page.

Until a new home for the brewery is nailed down, Smith is available to partner with other breweries, distilleries and wineries.

"While we are waiting for our next place to be ready, if there is any brewery or winery interested in collaborating, partnering, or looking for a brewer let us know, let’s show everyone how this industry still looks out for each other!" he wrote on Hop Hill's Facebook page.

"If anyone is looking to open their own brewery, winery, or distillery location and needs a consultant reach out and we would be glad to work with you."

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