Four Seasons Brewing Company opened in September 2013 and was created out of Mark Pavlik’s passion for brewing beer. The brewery and pub is planted in Latrobe, about an hour’s drive east of Pittsburgh. With a love for a range of styles, Mark and company please guests with many different beer offerings, plus entertainment on the weekends.
Before opening the brewery, Mark designed substations for a power company. On the weekends, he would brew beer in his garage for himself and some buddies. After receiving high praise from his friends and volunteering at a few local breweries, he knew he wanted to open a place and brew full-time. A lifelong resident of Latrobe, Mark found it natural — and enticing — to opening a brewery in his hometown.
“I wanted to stay close to home,” Mark said. “There aren’t too many other breweries here but there is a love for craft beer. It was a great fit.”
Once the decision was made, it took a grueling two-and-a -half years of planning and construction to open Four Seasons Brewing Company. With persistence and attention to quality, Mark and company opened the doors in November 2013.
“I was a home brewer with a full-time job, so it was difficult to get some people to take us seriously,” Mark recalled. “But it was worth it to see my dream come true. It was awesome to see our first beer — Almost East Coast, an American-style pale ale hopped singularly with Cascade — hit the taps.”
Now, Four Seasons Brewing Company works on a four-barrel system, brewing double batches into seven-barrel fermenters. Mark explained, “We currently have six fermenters, two brite tanks and an array of barrels filled with everything from sours and fruited saisons to Belgians and Russian Imperial Stouts. We brew a large variety of styles and always have 14 of our beers on tap at the pub. We tend to lean a bit hop-heavy, but also love to explore sours.”
The tap list currently features several different IPAs, including the hazy Nebulous, as well as delicate saisons and a few nitro lines. One of those taps is occupied by Dark Side of the Pint, a drinkable stout that took home a silver medal in the Oatmeal Stout category at the Great American Beer Festival.
On his approach to beer, Mark explained, “I try to brew beer the way I feel it should taste. I brew to style sometimes, but in my opinion that’s not always the best way to create beer. Sometimes you need to think little bit outside of the box.” With the smorgasbord of styles available at Four Seasons, and even more aging away in barrels, there is certainly no shortage of creative output.
The brewery is open and visible from the pub, separated only by a metal railing. Mark said, “The vibe in the pub is very laid-back. We have live music every Saturday night and typically have food trucks set up on Friday and Saturday evenings.”
Four Seasons Brewing Company’s honest and hardworking attitude shines in the quality of its beer — stop by for a pint to experience it yourself.
The Brewers of Pennsylvania is a nonprofit trade association that brings together leaders of Pennsylvania-based breweries in order to promote and protect the brewing industry in the state. Established in 2011, the Brewers of Pennsylvania serves the consuming public of Pennsylvania by encouraging brand diversity in the market. We believe in the nobility of brewing and hold dear the great traditions and history of Pennsylvania brewing.
Photos: Four Seasons Brewing Company
