Bring on the Brew
Millcreek Brewing
Company has
established itself
as a destination for
a great meal and a
good brew.
By Angela Magee
T
he journey that led homebrewer and
Millcreek resident Tom Morris to open
his own brewpub last November began
17 years ago. At the time, he owned a dental
lab business and started brewing beer as a
hobby.
Then, at the Brewer’s Cup Home Brew
Fest at Union Station in Erie, he won first
place with a Belgian beer and second place
with a German one.
Friends and family have enjoyed his
brews for years, but, as Morris says, your
friends telling you a free beer is good is one
thing, winning an award and people paying
to drink it is another.
“It’s been fun. It’s like a dream come true,
basically. I am overwhelmed that these
recipes I’ve had for 17 years are selling so
well. I am humbled by how well they’ve
been received,” says Morris.
His wins, combined with the fact
that Millcreek was lacking in places to
enjoy a microbrew, prompted Morris to
begin exploring the idea of opening his
own brewery, something that is every
homebrewer’s dream.
He and his wife, Barb, put together a
plan, working with the Small Business
32 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Millcreek
Administration and sought out partners to
make the dream a reality.
Finding a great location was key and
they got lucky with an old building dating
back to the Prohibition era that was once
the Sportsmen’s Athletic Club. Morris and
his partners started renovating, and when
they opened up the ceiling they discovered
beautiful existing wood trusses.
Morris has pictures of the building
from the ‘20s and ‘30s and you can see
the original ceilings. The dramatic beams
became the basis for the brewery’s German
beer hall style. They completed the feel with
long tables and church pew seating.
After two years of renovations, Millcreek
Brewing Company opened its doors in
November 2015 and has been wellreceived in the community.
Millcreek Brewing Company is the
only brewpub in Pennsylvania to boast
24 guest taps in addition to its own, plus
microbrew bottles from around the world
as well as standard domestic favorites.
Tours are available but you can peek
in on the brewing room anytime you
are there. Morris serves as brewmaster
and tries to rotate the beers to keep the
menu interesting, but the most popular
beer is the Creeker, often selling out. The
brewpub has served 18 different beers
since opening.
“The Creeker is our number-one seller.
As fast as I can brew it, we sell it. That is