Just west of the fork where the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers meet lies Two Rivers Brewing Company in Easton. The outside of this historic brick building is a standout, with its ornate Victorian spire presiding over the street corner. Inside, the feeling is warm, with dark wood and nods to art deco and classic pub stylings.
This award-winning brewery has taken home accolades from both the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival. It’s also well-known for its comforting pub food. We caught up with Troy Reynard, one of the owners of Two Rivers Brewing Company, to find out more about the story behind the brewery, his favorite beers and tips for upcoming brewery owners.
It sounds like you’ve done a lot of traveling the globe with your co-owners. How have those trips influenced Two Rivers and the beers you produce? Have your travels influenced the brew pub offerings as well?
The idea for Two Rivers was born through traveling with my wife, Kathy, and our friends (now business partners), Brad and Judy Nelson. As we traveled together, we found that we enjoyed the intersection of craft beer and unique experiences. We found it was rare that places offered great beer and great food in a unique environment. It was while we were at Ommegang’s Belgium Comes to Cooperstown Beer Festival in 2010 that we first had the idea to build a brewpub. Sitting around, smoking cigars and drinking some Ommegang beer outside of the B&B we were staying at, our conversation turned to reflection on all the breweries and brewpubs we had visited. We speculated that our experiences had provided us with the knowledge of what the ultimate brewpub’s characteristics would be. Some regional cuisine from our travels has become part of our menu. Poutine came from a trip to visit friends in Ottawa, gumbo from a trip to the New Orleans Jazz Festival and hot chicken from a stop in Nashville are some examples.
If you had to pick a spring, summer, fall and winter favorite from Two Rivers’ portfolio of beers, what would you pick (and why)?
Spring: O’Hanlon’s Irish Stout. Although I’m only Irish by marriage, St. Patrick’s Day is my favorite holiday. Even when it’s not spring already, St. Patrick’s Day is the time of the year when the days are getting longer, and there’s the feeling that winter is almost over. For many years, I’ve participated in a pub crawl through town with 15-20 friends and acquaintances — all wearing kilts! Everybody’s happy on St. Pat’s, and stout is the only beer to drink on that day.
Summer: Dutchtown Double IPA, our version of a New England IPA, bursting with hazy hop juiciness. It sometimes goes down too easy on a hot summer day.
Fall: Easton Assassinator Doppelbock, named for hometown hero Larry Holmes, the “Easton Assassin,” a former boxing heavyweight champ and frequent Two Rivers guest. I’ve always loved doppelbocks, and I think ours is a classic example of the style.
Winter: Bangor Slate Baltic Porter. It’s robust, with hints of cocoa and just enough roastiness. This is the beer that will warm you on the coldest days of winter. We’ve been fortunate to win a gold medal at the 2018 World Beer Cup, a bronze at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival and a second place ribbon at the 2019 PA Farm Show with this beer.
It looks like local ingredients are focal for Two Rivers’ brewing and pub fare. What made you “go local,” and what are some notable highlights from the drink and food menus?
My wife and I eat as much local and organic food as possible, and wanted that to be a part of our business. One of my favorite dishes is our hog wings with Buffalo sauce. Deep-fried pork shanks are tossed in Buffalo sauce and served on a bed of slaw (so you can tell yourself you’re eating some vegetables). I’m also a big fan of our bison burger, which features bison meat that was locally raised in Reddington, N.J.
What are the top five most memorable beers you’ve tried, and why were they so special?
Troegenator Doppelbock: One of my all-time favorite beers. This is one of the beers that got me into craft beer, and a beer that has stood the test of time.
Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel Ale: I had the pleasure of drinking this at the brewery in Bruges, Belgium. Just a great sipping beer that improves as it warms.
Ommegang Rare Vos: This was my introduction to Belgian beers and is from one of my favorite breweries.
Founders Backwoods Bastard: It’s complex and boozy, and fits two of my favorite things: Scottish ales and bourbon barrel-aging.
Duchesse de Bourgogne: My first sour beer; delicious and classic.
If you had to offer advice to aspiring brewery owners, what tips would you give?
- Financing: Have your finances in order. Have access to more funds than your estimated budget, because you will need them.
- People: Your employees are the most important part of your business. Listen to them, take care of them and let them do their jobs.
- Quality: Know what good-quality beer tastes like and make that the most important thing. Take the Cicerone class, become a homebrew judge and do anything you can to learn how to impartially evaluate beer quality.
- Network: If you don’t know something, ask. We’re not your competitors, we’re your neighbors. I’ve gotten so much help in this business from other brewery owners. The community suffers as a whole when there is an independent local brewery making bad beer. I’m willing to answer any question anyone has, and so is my staff.
- Community: Your base is your local community. Find out how to connect with them and they will take care of you.
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.
Featured photo: Helene Kiser; other photos, top to bottom: Ryan Fisher; Kim Snyder
