Craft beer meets farm-to-table dining at new Butler taproom
A beer in one hand and an ear of corn in the other: It’s a fitting logo for The North Country Corn Crib Taproom, a soon-to-open taproom that will marry North Country Brewing Company’s local craft beers with Freedom Farms Farmto-Fork Kitchen’s farm-to-table bites.
Located inside the Freedom Farms Farmers Market off Route 8 in Penn Township near Butler, the taproom will hold its grand opening July 8-10. That weekend, guests will be able to enjoy homegrown food, beer on tap and Pennsylvania-grown
wine and spirits. A happy hour (6-9 p.m. Friday, 2-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday) will include half-priced North Country drafts; opening weekend will also feature live music (6-9 p.m. Friday, noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Saturday, noon-3 p.m Sunday).
The Corn Crib taproom takes its name from the two wire granaries behind the building — each about 20 feet tall, with wooden roofs. Though traditionally used to hold dried corn for livestock feed, the structures will be used as gazebos for wheelchair-accessible outdoor dining.
Stroll into the building and you’ll see two long banquet tables, hand-hewn from felled oak trees, dotted with stools carved from white pine. Then there’s the bar, where patrons can sit at a countertop made from polished black walnut and order from North Country’s menu of craft beers on tap.
At the dining counter across the room, Freedom Farms’ menu includes salads, flatbreads, burgers and pizzas, almost exclusively prepared using the farm’s own produce and meat. The taproom will also feature a weekly special, pairing a North Country beer with a new menu item.
A long mural behind the banquet
table symbolizes the partnership: It depicts rows of hops and barley on the left, and farmland and a red barn on the right.
The idea for the collaboration came about a few years ago, when North Country Brewing Company attended Freedom Farms’ Fall Festival and the owners realized the two companies had a lot in common.
“We just started talking, and I think we have the same type of mindset where we focus a lot locally. Everything’s about sustainability and supporting the local economy,” said Tim King, one of Freedom Farms’ founders.
Mr. King, a fourth-generation farmer, co- founded Freedom Farms alongside his brother Peter. Though previous King generations have focused solely on raising livestock or growing produce, these Kings do both on their more than 100-acre farm, taking advantage of the “symbiotic relationship” between the two. Instead of using chemical fertilizers, the Kings use a diverse compost mix made from the waste products of their cows, pigs and chickens.
At the Freedom Farms Farmers Market, in a barnlike building built in 2009, customers can purchase the Kings’ produce and meat
products, as well as grab prepared foods or meals prepared by another King brother, John.
“Our goal is to produce natural, nutrient- dense foods, and I think we do. People can taste the difference,” said Tim King.
North Country Brewing Company first opened its doors in 2005, but the idea for its conception dates back to 1998, when Bob McCafferty was at a crossroads in his archaeology career. Faced with a decision to go back to school or pivot completely, he chose to try his hand at brewing, which he had dabbled in on the side ever since he used it as a study technique for his organic chemistry class.
Now, he and his wife, Jodi,
operate the business, primarily run out of their brewpub and taproom in Slippery Rock. Since 2013, the McCaffertys have also run the North Country Canning Company, which cans and ships their popular brews all over Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Like Freedom Farms, North Country has sustainability and local sourcing at its heart. Its mission statement is “Think like a mountain,” which captures the brand’s focus on longevity and long-term thinking. Bob McCafferty said their brewpub and taproom are made from reclaimed wood or felled trees that would otherwise have been burned. Their beers, including the popular sours, are colored only with nature-derived
dyes, like beets or carrots, instead of synthetics such as Red Dye 40.
The Corn Crib taproom is a first for both companies — neither has launched a major collaboration before — but a step both feel is a natural one.
“They’re good people. They are small business owners that genuinely care
about our community. Why not join forces and try to promote more of that?” said Tim King, complimenting the McCaffertys’ approach to business. “The partnership is a symbiotic one.”
“It’s cool to see two families that think alike come together,” Mr. McCafferty agreed.
Located on a stretch of semi-rural highway with few fresh food options, the owners hope the taproom will become a mini oasis for anyone passing by.
Diners can eat inside the newly built greenhouse, which features long tables nestled among rows of trellisgrown heirloom tomato plants. By the end of the summer, Mr. King said diners will be eating alongside 20-foot-tall tomato plants laden with fruit.
“We wanted people to be able to see where the produce is actually grown,” he said.
Outside the greenhouse, diners can also sit around recycled barrels, courtesy of North Country Brewing Company. A small lawn contains several cornhole sets, and firepit and porch swings are planned.
“We just want it to be somewhere where you can feel comfortable, get some good food, maybe learn a bit, too,” said Deena Hower, general manager of the taproom. “We want to make this your spot.”
North Country Corn Crib Taproom: 795 Pittsburgh Road, Butler. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday.Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday-Tuesday.