Welcome to our “Meet The Brewer” series! Where we interview brewers in Pennsylvania, from breweries small to large. Let us know if you know anyone who should be featured, email us at [email protected].

Erie Brewing Company was founded in 1993 in Erie, PA. Over the years the brewery has experienced immense growth by distributing to 14 states and opening 2 taprooms along the way. They currently operate two locations, Knowledge Park, where all the brewing is done, and their West Side taproom, just 20 minutes west of the brewery, close to Lake Erie. Tate Warren is the head brewer at Erie Brewing Company. Read more to find out his the first beer he ever brewed, where he sees the craft beer industry heading, and more!

What was your introduction to craft beer?

Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada, also Southern Tier black water series beers. Dogfish Head and the creativity they had, just lit the spark of excitement for me in the industry. Sam Calagione’s Extreme Brewing was a book that at the time blew my mind. It made me say I need to learn this trade.

How did you get started as a brewer?

I started out homebrewing during my summers off as a teacher. I moved around a couple of times and landed back in Erie, Pa. I was having a hard time finding a teaching job in the area, and Lavery Brewing Company allowed me to come to work and learn when I could. It was then I knew that this is what I wanted to do and 9 years later here we are.

What style allows you to be the most creative, and why?

I’d have to say IPAs and Fruited Dessert Sours. The endless amount of new hops allow us to make new combinations for the profile we want. The amount of fruit available to us allows us to do many of the same things for sour beers. We have also started to use more non-traditional dessert-style ingredients.

What was the first beer you ever brewed, and what did you learn from it?

The first professional beer I ever brewed as a head brewer was HopNess Monster IPA at the Brewerie at Union Station. I learned our Brewhouse at the time didn’t like the amount of hops I put in it!

Where do you see the craft beer industry heading in the next few years?

I think everyone is always chasing the next big thing. I feel it’s going to keep going the direction it is now with crazy sour beers, NEIPA, clean lagers, barrel-aged beers, you name it. Eventually, I feel that consistent quality is going to be what people are looking for.

Describe what it’s like to be a brewer in Pennsylvania.

With where we are located, we have to deal with crazy weather patterns and how it affects our equipment. We also need to have the ability to make many different kinds of beer, to meet all of the different beer drinking palates in this state.

What is the inspiration behind your beer names?

It’s usually movie quotes, songs, inside jokes, and ease of use, like our Crayon box lineup. The Crayon Box series, for example, allows us to make tons of beers and just choose a new color for each name. Also having a beer (or five) can inspire many creative names, as long as you write them down!

What is your favorite beer to drink right now?

Lately, at Erie Brewing Company, it’s been the Piña Colada Sour IPA. Otherwise, Silk Bomb from the Brewerie at Union Station is always a favorite.

What is the most important lesson you learned in the beer industry so far?

“We’ve always done it this way” is the worst protocol ever. We always push ourselves to experiment and improve whether it involves ingredients or processes.