Congratulations to J.J. Ratigan Brewing as they become the latest craft brewery to open in Pennsylvania. The brewery will officially open to the public on Monday, December 9th starting at 11:00 AM. With a grand opening to follow in 2020. The brewery will then operate with the following hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Friday & Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1862 to Irish immigrants, Patrick Ratigan and Mary Dowd, John J. “J.J.” Ratigan grew up in the “River Wards” where Frankford Creek flows into the Delaware River. J.J. Ratigan had Philadelphia water in his veins.
In 1906 Ratigan established his enterprise in Harrowgate on the 3600 block of Frankford Avenue wholesaling whiskey and bottling beer for local distributors and bars. From vats to barrels to bottles to glasses, whiskey and beer flowed, the region smiled, and Ratigan’s enterprise thrived. On February 25, 1919, Prohibition came to Pennsylvania, but Philadelphia, with its strong Irish and German populations, mounted the most successful resistance to Prohibition in the Commonwealth and throughout the 1920s opposed the Eighteenth Amendment.
During those dark years of our nation’s history, the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol was illegal. Ratigan, like so many others were forced out of business. He died on Christmas Eve in 1922. The nature and manner of Ratigan’s employment during Prohibition between February 1919 and December 1922 can neither be confirmed, nor denied.
Why is Mr. Ratigan so important to this breweries story? Because it is one of his direct decedents who is leading this project; Dan Glennon, co-founder of the brewery.
“I grew-up hearing stories of my great, great uncle J.J. Ratigan, whose very name to me always resonated with the pride of a strong Irish past and the promise of a bright American future. Hoist your glasses! Every beer brewed in this establishment is a toast not only to the memory of J.J. Ratigan, but also to my friends and partners for putting him back in business after 100 years!” Glennon said.
It is in that spirit that J.J. Ratigan Brewing Company is scheduled to open in Pottstown. The deep background of J.J. Ratigan isn’t the only historic piece of this brewery. The business will be opening in the Ellis Mills Building; which was originally constructed in the 1800s.
The building has gone through plenty of changes. A department store for many years, most recently served as a nightclub and in 2016 underwent a serious facelift.
Moving in later this year will be a 15 bbl brew system with five 15-barrel fermenters. Randy Young, a homebrewer for roughly six years as well as working professionally at Iron Hill Brewery.
The brewery will seat roughly over 100; which will include plenty of high seating and a large L-shaped bar. A second bar will be housed downstairs. The plan is to offer a food menu and wide variety of beer styles. The food menu will feature gastropub-style food, such as sandwiches, shish kebabs and other choices.
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You can follow along with the breweries growth on their social media pages at Facebook and Instagram.
