Floating Feathers Brewing is coming soon to Mill Hall. The new brewery is opening up at 380 S Main Street in Mill Hall, in a 150-year-old building right on Fishing Creek.
We recently spoke with owner Richard Powers to see what beer fans can expect with the first brewery to come to the area. See below for our Q&A with him!
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BIPA: What stage are you currently in? Is there a timeline of when the brewery will open?
RP: We are still building out the space, and waiting on permitting to come through. We are aiming to have beer to-go and distribution by fall, with some reservations for tastings in the fall as well. We are shooting to open the taproom by April of 2022 to coincide with the start of the fishing season.
BIPA: How did you become initially interested in craft beer? What is your background?
RP: Well I have a few different degrees. I have both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in biotech, and a Minor in chem. I also have a Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Healthcare and a Doctorate in Chiropractic. The last two I got in the Finger Lakes where there are breweries and wineries everywhere. I got the itch and started brewing, and ended up really loving the process and what I made.
I’m currently a chiropractor. I also own a hunting call company called Triple Toe, where I make duck, goose, turkey, and a bunch of other calls, that we distribute throughout the US and Canada. Additionally, I own a lodge in Fingers Lakes, New York, called Floating Feathers Lodge.
BIPA: Can you describe the space you are opening?
RP: Floating Feathers is opening in a 150-year-old building, and will be the first brewery in Mill Hall, PA. The building used to be many things including an appliance store, laundromat, arcade, restaurant, and most recently a restaurant and laundromat split.
The property is about 4 acres on Fishing Creek, right on the stream. We clear-cut some of the dead ash trees to bring a lot of the stream in view as well.
The building is 2 stories, and the upstairs will be storage and eventually a second taproom/event area. We have a large outdoor covered porch, and outside there will be tables and chairs facing the stream. You can fish and bring your dogs and kids, all while sampling beer.
Inside, there is space for about 99 people. We will be a nano-brewery to start, and then we will be finding a production facility shortly after. The taproom will have 12 taps all with our own beer, cider, and seltzer for sampling.
BIPA: Will you be serving food?
RP: Yes we will, mainly finger foods will be served. Items such as crab cake sandwiches, scallops, some sandwiches, and paninis. We want upscale finger foods.
BIPA: What styles of beers will you focus on?
RP: We will feature a little of everything at Floating Feathers. For example, we will have a light lager, a flagship pale ale, a higher ABV pale ale, and some cream ales. I am also excited to offer fruited sours and nitro beers. One thing I do not see a lot of is sours on nitro, so we will offer some.
BIPA: Will you release crowlers/cans there as well?
RP: We will not be offering growlers or crowlers. Instead, we will have 12oz six-packs and 16oz four-packs to-go. We will also offer bottles of cider to-go as well.
BIPA: How can the community support you right now?
RP: We just got shirts in, and looking to do more shirts, hats, and glasses soon! I will be putting them up on my Triple Toe website for purchase. Other than that, if they could like our social media, they can keep up to date with the latest news we have.
BIPA: What else would you like people to know about your brewery, and what you aim to do in Mill Hall?
RP: I want Floating Feathers to be something that changes and helps the community. I want this brewery to be the catalyst for helping the town come back. A lot of the current buildings in Mill Hall are in the floodway, and the town is currently condemning them.
The goal is to make it a very beautiful brewery with great beers and cider that incorporates the outdoors. We will be developing beers for the community, and donating back to the area. For example, Palomino pale ale will be brewed and we will be donating fish to put in the stream.
Follow Floating Feathers on Facebook and Instagram, and make sure to keep up with Richard and his progress with Floating Feathers as the first brewery in Mill Hall comes closer to being finished.
