Northwest Philly’s biggest brewery heads to the suburbs
Wissahickon Brewing Co. plans to add a third location just months after opening its second
Less than two months after opening its second location in Olde Kensington, East Falls landmark Wissahickon Brewing Co. is on the move again, this time in the Montgomery County suburbs.
The Gill family owners of Wissahickon filed paperwork with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board this week to open a satellite location in Maple Glen, taking over the former Brick & Barrel Taphouse. Tim Gill Sr. said he anticipates the new outpost will be ready before the end of the year, following a facelift to give the space more of a brewpub vibe.
“Before was Brick & Barrel, it was an Italian restaurant, and you can really see that with the terracotta roof on the front portico,” Gill Sr. said.“We’ll figure something out that’s going to make it look inviting and give it that Wissahickon feel.”
One inherited feature that’s not going anywhere, though: a full kitchen, including a wood-fired pizza oven. “We want to actually open it up a bit to let the customers see the action,” Gill Sr. said. “Just like we let them see us making beer [in East Falls], we let them see us making kombucha [in Olde Kensington], let’s put on a show for the pizza.”
That’ll make for a crowded pizza scene in downtown Maple Glen, which is home to emerging cheesesteak player Verona Pizza, as well as Maple Glen Pizza and Fratelli’s. But Wissahickon will be well-positioned as one of the only full bars in town. “We think that we’ve got the right mix of family-friendly and also cool and funky that we’re going to be able to pull a crowd,” Gill Sr. said, noting that townhomes are going up behind the new space’s parking lot.
When Brick & Barrel closed abruptly about a year ago, Tim Gill Jr., who lives nearby, flagged the available space to his dad and brothers, all of whom are partners in the eight-year-old brewery. The Gills signed the lease on 870 Welsh Rd. last fall, while they were still under construction in Olde Kensington.
“It was opportunity that I just couldn’t let go,” Gill Sr. said of the former taphouse, whose state-of-the-art draft system is still in good condition. “We want [to provide] a great experience for the neighborhood. I can trick you into coming and visiting me once, but the real deal is to get you to come back.”
As with the newly opened American Street location, Gill Sr. said the plan for the Maple Glen branch is to be open as early as 7 a.m. for breakfast, courtesy of Wissahickon’s in-house cafe concept, Wirlybird Coffee. Beer service will start around 11 a.m.