Along the Susquehanna River in south-central Pennsylvania, Columbia serves as the border between Lancaster and York counties and is home to the two-and-a-half-year-old Columbia Kettle Works, a brewpub with an open-concept dining space.
With the vision of Columbia Kettle Works (CKW) co-workers William (Bill) Collister and Rod Smith, who served as the brewery’s original head brewer, CKW came to life inside a former telephone building. After the first year in operation, CKW brought in Chad Rieker from his five years of brewing experience at Iron Hill in Lancaster. Rieker is a sixth-generation brewer from Lancaster County with German roots and has helped take CKW to the next level.
The building, now owned by Collister and his wife and leased back to CKW, gives CKW two floors with 7,500 square feet each and a basement of 2,500 square feet.
Much of the business that Collister and Smith see coming through the door is thanks to locals who live within a short walking distance or less than a five-mile driving radius. And as word continues to spread, more patrons are coming from outside the area, whether due solely to the beer or to the synergy with local attractions where word-of-mouth recommendations bring in new customers.
Customers visiting from outside the nearby vicinity are quick to learn that Columbia is rich in attractions that feature both the borough’s history as well as modern-day interests.
For the outdoor enthusiast looking to work up a hunger and thirst prior to visiting CKW, the Columbia Crossing trailhead for the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail is just a few blocks from the brewery and provides 14 miles of riverfront hiking and biking. For those who prefer to work up a thirst by shopping, Columbia has at least a half-dozen antique and art galleries scattered across town in addition to the Columbia Market House.
Perhaps the two more recognizable destinations, though, are the Turkey Hill Experience and the National Watch and Clock Museum. The Turkey Hill Experience is fun for all ages with an obvious theme on the local ice cream and iced tea business. The Museum offers one of the world’s most significant collections of timekeeping devices from across the centuries and around the world.
On the other hand, a stop in at CKW will have you wanting to forget about time. Since opening in April 2014, Collister and Smith have taken a rather measured and prudent approach to growth, erring on the side of meeting customer demand as it evolves. The demand appears to have come with trust that the food, the beer, the service and the atmosphere will create an ideal outing for friends and family.
As Collister reflected, “Once opened and we began learning, we changed various aspects of the business to meet and satisfy customer feedback as well as increase our offerings in beers with interesting recipes and more taps.” More tanks, larger tanks, a new boil kettle, a water storage tank, another walk-in cooler and expanded hours (from three days a week with limited hours in 2014 to six days a week in 2016 opening at 11:30 a.m. each day) have all been part of a successfully changing and growing CKW.
The food menu consists of well-made sandwiches and accompanying small plates like olives, pickles, jerky, cheeses and popcorn and is served up with efficient, knowledgeable and friendly service. Locally sourcing ingredients is important to Smith and Collister, who added that “we want to help the smaller entrepreneurial businesses. Dynamite Dill, Crazy Corkey’s Popcorn and Gnaw Jaw are one-person businesses located within 10 miles of CKW, among others from the region that we support.” As to the focus on quality and quantity, Collister continued, “Our vision is to excel at a few offerings in lieu of a wide variety, which we believe would be quite difficult to maintain in consistent high quality.”
From the tanks, head brewer Chad Rieker consistently keeps up to a dozen fresh beers on tap that represent a wide variety of styles and strengths. One recent visit found everything from low-alcohol, dark-colored, malt-forward beers (Oyster Stout, 4.2% ABV) and light-colored beers (German Pilsner, 4.5% ABV) to higher alcohol beers, both dark-colored and malt-forward beers (Dunderhead Scottish Wee Heavy, 7.5% ABV) and light-colored (Tricky Fingers Belgian Tripel, 9.3% ABV). Multiple serving sizes are available, plus growlers to take home.
Collister’s comments about Rieker’s brewing savvy proved accurate in every beer sampled. With regard to diversity in the available beers, Collister offered, “Our business model includes developing and brewing a constantly changing range of beers which results in as many as five new beers each month. We do keep our Pilsner around often as this beer and our Blonde are what we consider a transitional first beer for those unfamiliar with craft beers.”
In 2016, CKW opened up additional seating on the first floor that can accommodate another 35 guests and a second-floor space used for live music. Although the brewery doesn’t conduct an inordinate amount of special events outside of first tappings and limited releases, live music in what has become known as “Above Kettle Works” has become a Saturday night thing. Special events are commonly accompanied by another interesting angle, such as oysters (December 9).
What’s next for CKW? In keeping with its disciplined approach to change and growth, don’t expect too much too soon. Collister shared that plans are in the works to incorporate a bar in the second-floor space and to conduct “several larger music-based events.” It could take another year or two until they give more room to the kitchen and add more to the food menu. And in the two- to five-year outlook, Collister said, “there may be a restaurant-style kitchen with additional seating possible.”
CKW has done well by itself to grow into a community fixture. With a smartly controlled growth and focus on a quality pub experience, the brewpub’s future should be sustainable to continue satisfying hungers and thirsts.
Find Columbia Kettle Works at 40 N. 3rd St. in Columbia; phone: (717) 342.2374.
- Exterior & beer photos: Bryan Kolesar
- Remaining photos: Columbia Kettle Works
