Nestled along the trail on Union Avenue in Oakdale, Helicon Brewing is a 15-barrel production brewing facility and 40-seat taproom that recently celebrated its first anniversary. If you blink you might miss it, because the former Joy Dog Food Factory building has no sign. But that’ s OK with the owner, Chris Brunetti.
“ Signs are kind of expensive to do professionally, and if we put up a sign and more people came in, we wouldn’ t be able to keep up with production,” says Brunetti, a former computer programmer who left a successful job to open the brewery.“ So we will save up and buy more tanks and make more beer and worry about a sign in the next year or two.”
After parking your bike on the available bike rack and walking into Helicon, your first impression is that the beer is the star of the show. Sitting anywhere in the taproom, the enormous shiny tanks are in full view in the clean, industrial space complemented by high ceilings, metal accents and garage doors that open in the warmer months.
Brunetti’ s passion for his craft is obvious— all of the beer is brewed with high-quality ingredients and the purest water that is filtered from what he describes as“ a giant Brita pitcher.” Selections of beer run the gamut, from Old Ale, American Pale Ale, American IPA, Helles, and English IPA to Oatmeal Stout and Raspberry Wheat.
“ One of the biggest questions I get is,‘ What are your flagship beers going to be?’” notes Brunetti, who started home brewing in 2010 and attended Beer School in 2013.“ A lot of breweries say they make a really good pale ale or a really good stout, so those become their flagship beers and their decision is made. We opened up specifically not wanting to have a flagship beer. Basically what people buy and enjoy— we will just brew more of that. Buying a beer at my place is like casting a vote in an election, and the beers that get elected are the ones that we make. The community decides what our flagship beers are going to be.”
Brunetti was inspired to name the brewery“ Helicon” after reading about the history of Oakdale. Nearly all of the town was once part of a 400-acre plot purchased in April 1778 by Judge Hugh Henry Brackenridge. He called the tract“ Mt. Helicon,” from the Greek mythological name for the sacred home of the Muses.
“ We are very happy with Oakdale,” he says.“ Oakdale Borough has been tremendously helpful and supportive. They make it very clear that they are easy to work with and are happy to have us.”
Oakdale’ s mayor, Paul Hennemuth, says,“ Chris Brunetti and his entire staff have done a wonderful job of bringing a unique and refreshing addition to the business and social scene in Oakdale. Oakdale Borough is a very small community with very little property available for new development. When the owner of the property, Tom Robinson, first approached the borough about developing the site, our desire was to introduce a business, or businesses, that would complement our existing business community and bring something new and different for our residents and the surrounding communities. Helicon has done both.”
He adds that Helicon is a good fit for Oakdale:“ Oakdale has a large number of people who‘ pass through’ our community both on the roads and the Panhandle Trail. The goal of myself and our borough council is to get people to stop and give our businesses and our town a good look. Helicon’ s location has become a good stopping point for our neighbors and visitors who are driving or cycling through, and has given our town and the other businesses some additional exposure.”
Chris Brunetti, owner of Helicon.
With no kitchen facilities at Helicon,
Brunetti encourages his patrons to order in food from the local restaurants and keeps menus available for his customers. He has also demonstrated his commitment to the community by supporting borough-sponsored events such as the Oakdale VFD Annual Street Fair and the recent“ Oaktoberfest.”
Some of those who“ pass through,” from the trail into the brewery, are particularly memorable.“ I have met locally famous musicians, one of my old high school principals... a lot of neat people,” notes Brunetti.“ It has been absolutely fantastic. There is one lady who brings her horse by every once in a while, so I’ ve actually considered getting a hitching post. One guy rides his bike 19 miles starting on the Montour Trail in Peters and then rides on the Panhandle Trail to the brewery, has one beer and then rides back. He loves the beer.”
Although it’ s been stressful at times starting a new business, Brunetti wouldn’ t change a thing.
“ One of the things I love about beer in general is that it’ s great to sit down and have a beer and talk to people,” he says.“ Getting to meet hundreds of people who come into the brewery and talk with them has been amazing.”
For more information, visit heliconbrewing. com. ■
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