January 12, 2022

Olde Bedford Brewing Company honored at state Farm Show

By Angi McCaulley, The Bedford Gazette

A brew of Olde Bedford Brewing Company was recognized with a pair of awards during the 106^th Pennsylvania Farm Show this past weekend.

Owners Dave and Many Heller said the brewery’s “Next Door Lemon/Lavender Sour Ale” was given the PA Preferred Legacy Award, which is open statewide and is only awarded to one beer per year, as well as a second-place ribbon for Class” 015- Fruit/Herb/Vegetable same sour ale.

Qualifications for the legacy award require that a majority of the ingredients used to make the brew come from Pennsylvania

Heller stated that the name of the brew was inspired by a lemon-lavender iced tea he had at LIFeSTYLE Next Door, 110 East Pitt St.  With the idea of the ale in mind, Next Door owners Haley Feaster and Mallory Pachtman then reached out to the Warm Spring Farm, owned by Angela Hissong, that grows the fresh lavender to supply it to Wholesome Living Marketplace, owned by Jess Frye and located at 107 Railroad St., for Frye to create the simple syrup from fresh squeezed lemons and the lavender.

The brewery also obtained the pilsner malt from CNC Malting in Butler County.

“We are able to highlight PA agriculture and how we use them in our products,” Heller said.  “Additionally, the collaboration among our local business community is brought to the forefront.”

The award is open to the whole state and each year one beer is picked.

“This is our big win and it was very important to us as a Farm-to-Cask Brewery,” Heller said.