What Makes The Old Firehouse Special?
Williamsburg is a small village East of the city that is home to about 2,500 people the last time I counted… it’s situated about 30 miles outside of downtown and isn’t really all that close to any other breweries (Mt. Carmel is it’s closest neighboring brewery at 15 miles away). But Williamsburg is exactly the place that The Old Firehouse should be. They have quickly become a central part of the village’s image and beloved by many of it’s beer hungry residents. If I have to put into words what the one thing that makes the brewery special actually is…it’s the people that frequent it’s bar, the city that houses it… and it’s the pure brewery joy that it oozes down the main street of Williamsburg.
The Space
The owners of The Old Firehouse Brewery sort of stumbled upon the space when they were looking to open a brewery. The Old Firehouse theme just picked up from there and took off, being executed to near perfection. Sitting in the brewery you will marvel at all the details…which seem to multiply every time I set foot in the taproom. Stainless steel diamond plate covers the surfaces around the bar, and in the summer the garage doors that once opened for firetrucks open up right onto the sidewalk patio for drinkers to enjoy the warm summer air while they sip some great beers.
The Beers
The tap list at The Old Firehouse Brewery grows every day, with their beers not fitting into any particular classification. They brew some solid beers that will help some newer drinkers ease themselves into craft beer without shocking their palates too much. The Pin-Up blonde is delicious, but not overpowering to someone who might not be ready for the big West Coast IPA. The Old Firehouse brews one of my favorite beers in the city, their Hoser Gose – a much under appreciated style that almost became extinct until craft beer revived it from it’s certain grave. Pull up a stool… get a flight and see what they have to offer.