John Ryan Brewery about ‘the experience of the product’
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Bring on spring with a small-batch beer from John Ryan Brewery. Located at 151 E. Third St. in Williamsport, John Ryan Brewery was opened in 2021 by chef-owners and partners John and Andrea Roskowski and Matthew and Yvonne DiRocco.
John Ryan Brewery is a small-batch-only establishment, taking care to ensure each beer has a robust flavor profile. Maintaining a modest operation of five barrels, brewmaster William Ernst-Wingfield can keep six to eight beers on tap at the bar and cycle in seasonal blends throughout the year. They also operate "an all-scratch kitchen that focuses on seasonal ingredients," said Andrea, with many menu items being inspired by world travels.
"The general direction of the beers at John Ryan Brewery are that of traditional European public houses which means the beers are clean, crisp and easy to drink," said Roskowski. "Pilsners for warm weather, dark beers for winter. Our favorite beers to brew have local produce like pears or dandelions as part of the process...our Dandelion Ale carries on a local tradition of generations past in the Williamsport area, who used dandelion greens to brew dandelion wine."
With charming exposed brick walls, elaborate trim and molding, French-style lighting, and a sultry feel to the tavern, pulling up a chair at John Ryan Brewery morphs a casual night out into a classy memory. The brewery was brought to life inside of the historic John R. T. Ryan house, built in 1870.
"The majority of the details in the home are original and any moldings that were damaged or missing were restored when the building was being rebuilt," Andrea explained. "The lighting is all new, however, the large chandeliers in the main bar are a French Second Empire style which is the same architectural style as the building. The grand staircase has hand-blown Morano glass and vintage chandeliers."
The brewery caters to "people that want to be part of their community and unwind after a day with a pitcher of beer, a meal and good conversation," Andrea said. Community is important to the chef-owners and partners of John Ryan Brewery, going out of their way regularly to give back to their neighbors.
"Whether it is purchasing local produce from farmers for brewery ingredients (local pears for Pear Beer), collaborations with other breweries (recently Clarion River Brewing Company and John Ryan Brewery partnered in the Continuing Education Saison), and donating spent grain to farmers to use as feed for livestock. Over the St. Patrick's Day weekend, John Ryan Brewery participated in the K's for Cancer event and brought two varieties of beers (Pilsner + Dandelion) to celebrate," Andrea said.
When brewmaster William Ernst-Wingfield was asked what his favorite part of working with John Ryan Brewery was, he overwhelmingly attributed his satisfaction to the customers.
"Brewing more traditional European style beers that at first glance customers might think could be boring or bland, can be disheartening sometimes," said Ernst-Wingfield. "But then being able to see the shift in their expressions and body language as they take that first sip, and seeing the looks of enjoyment as they order a glass and/or a pitcher to share. Because at its core John Ryan Beers are more about the experience of the product than a fancy name or cool label. Sometimes it's nice to be able to just sit and enjoy a beer that tastes like a beer, that still drinks well by itself or with food."
If spring fever strikes, John Ryan Brewery is the perfect place to grab an artisanally crafted pint and make new friends. For more information on beer selection, food specials, and events, visit John Ryan Brewery's Facebook page or go online at johnryanbrewery.com.