The brewmaster responsible for transitioning Sly Fox Brewing Company into a regional independent craft brewing competitor will leave the brewery in early July.
Brian O’Reilly came to Sly Fox in February 2002 when the small operation, one of the first in the Philadelphia region, consisted of a single small brewpub in Phoenixville. O’Reilly immediately began transforming the Sly Fox beer lineup into what has since become one of the most respected portfolios of new- and old-world styles available anywhere.
Sly Fox’s enduring success has been due, in large part, to O’Reilly’s award-winning beers and careful go-to market style. The brewery won a Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medal for its Helles Golden Lager in O’Reilly’s inaugural year, and it has accumulated more than a dozen awards since then, including four medals in five years for its Grisette Summer Ale. O’Reilly was also instrumental in championing craft beer in cans and, in 2006, oversaw Sly Fox’s transition as the first craft brewery in the mid-Atlantic region to install a canning line.
When O’Reilly first came to Sly Fox, he proposed a spring celebration that would feature racing goats, and now, in its 18th year, the Sly Fox Bock Festival and Goat Races hosts more than 5,000 guests and is named “Best Beer Event in Philadelphia” year after year. The brewery hosts a packed schedule of other uncommon events that all started as O’Reilly ideas, including a huge outdoor music festival and Robert Burns birthday celebration. But, it’s beer-making that motivates the brewer.
“I’m most proud of the actual growth of the brewing operation,” reflects O’Reilly.
Former Operations Manager Tim Ohst will be named director of brewery operations and will oversee production at the regional brewery that currently enjoys distribution in six states.
Next up for O’Reilly is a new brewing venture in partnership with Philadelphia restaurateur Avram Hornik in the space formerly occupied by Yards Brewing.
We wish Brian the best of luck in his brewing journey!
- Photo: Sly Fox Brewing Co.
