Grab a seat and let Dave and Mary Heller serve you up a pint. The couple just opened the Olde Bedford Brewing Company in March. Their motto: “Join the whiskey rebellion. Drink beer.”
The craft micro-brewery was born out of Dave’s love for beer and a birthday gift from Mary.
“I got him a Mr. Beer kit for his birthday. He started home brewing. It just expanded after that. He made really good beer and people wanted to drink it. We just decided to open a brewery,” Mary said.
It takes about three weeks to brew the beer, from barrel to bottle. In small batches, the family brews the beer from scratch, using some local ingredients. The Hellers even grow their own hops.
“We use them to accent as many beers as we can depending on the recipe that we have,” Dave said.
The couple says when they were starting out, they got advice from other local breweries and beer enthusiasts.
“Everybody wants to help everybody in this craft brewing environment,” Dave said.
Along with a little help from friends, homegrown hops and a whole lot of beer, the Hellers have brewed up a first for the area.
“Since this is the first brewery in Bedford County, [it was important] that we really pay tribute to everybody in the county and the history of the county, itself,” Dave said.
The Hellers said they love experimenting with recipes, but they never forget the most important ingredient: fun.
Olde Bedford Brewing Company is located at 109 Railroad Street, Bedford, Pennsylvania. Their hours are:
- Wednesday – Thursday, 2pm -8pm
- Friday – Saturday, 12pm-10pm
- Sunday, 12pm-6pm
You can visit their website or Facebook page.