Photo by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Love sour beers? Prepare to pucker up for Pizza Boy Brewing Co.’s Permasmile: an apricot lambic earning national accolades, brewed right here in the Susquehanna Valley. On Beer Advocate, an online community for beer enthusiasts, this particular beverage ranks eighth out of the top 50 brews of the mid-Atlantic U.S., putting this small, local brewery on the map right beside much larger and more widely recognized craft brewing establishments. According to Albert Kominski, owner of Al’s of Hampden, the brewpub housing Pizza Boy, there is an intricate process to making this tangy brew. Brewer Terry Hawbaker begins the nearly yearlong process of creating Permasmile with oak barrels, freshly dumped of their white wine and delivered direct from the Napa Valley. The wort (or base of the beer) is fermented with wild yeast within the barrels for four to eight months; fresh apricot is added about halfway through. After the fermentation and maturation within the barrels has completed, they are emptied into one large tank, which allows the liquid to blend, ensuring consistency. Sugar is added, the beer is bottled individually, and then it is left to carbonate within the bottle for an additional 60 to 120 days. The result is a dry, tart brew with many of the complex characteristics of wine and a slight fizz. Though currently available only for dining in, the next batch will be available at select local beer distributors, so keep an eye out for this smile-inducing beverage.
Pizza Boy Brewing Co. | Al’s of Hampden | 2240 Millenium Way, Enola | 717-728-3840 | www.alsofhampden.com
