Tell someone you are going to Reamstown, PA for a night out and you might draw some curious responses. That’s no bag on Reamstown, it is a quaint and beautiful town in the heart of Lancaster County’s antiques region, but the phrase night-out-on-the-town never had a place there, until Tom and Amy Rupp fulfilled a dream.

The brewery is a venture of love for the owners of Union Barrel Works. Now, Reamstown is officially on the merriment map since the Rupp’s began brewing and serving handcrafted beers in April 2007. It is a true brewhouse, built and staffed by beer lovers.

THE DEAL

There might not be a better place to kick off the first segment of Grapes and Grain than UBW because, simply, the only alcohol they serve is wine and beer. Forget whiskey and gin, the only shaking and stirring going on here is in the kitchen. This spiritless approach may sound a little dangerous to some people—what about all the patrons who prefer mixed drinks?

Not so fast, no one ever said UBW did not serve mixed drinks. Through creativity and experimental palettes, the UBW staff has concocted a selection of aletails for those who prefer a mixed drink. For instance, the Mai-Bock Bay Breeze is a blend of UBW’s Mai-Bock—a golden beer with the sweetness of honey—and the traditional fruit juices in a bay breeze, cranberry and pineapple. And they’re great! One sip of this beverage hybrid had me talking about it for days! Nevertheless, what if fruity beer isn’t your thing?
“We find that a lot of patrons who want a cocktail like a Manhattan, or say a Gin and Tonic, easily switch to wine,” Amy says.

The selection of wines at UBW is as unconventional as beer mixed with fruit juice. They stock wines only from local wineries.

THE BEER

The finest things come in small packages; more commonly associated with petite gift boxes, this maxim also relates to UBW. For the price of a UBW draft, a patron can order a sampler rack of six two-ounce “tasters.” It is the perfect opportunity to try all the beers the brewery has to offer especially if you’re not sure what a kolsch or dopplebock is. The mini-glasses allow the drinker to find a favorite quickly.

UBW offers several traditional brews: a lager, a super-lager called Double Barrel, a stout and a Belgian style beer called the Dubbel U. Tom also brews up seasonal varieties, like the Oktoberfest. Uncle Fester (get it? F-e-s-t.) is a classic dark lager with a thick copper color and is brewed during well before and after October. It’s Amy’s favorite and Tom is fanatical when it comes the taste of malt.

“I like a smooth beer; I can’t take a beer that is all hops,” Tom says. “I can’t stand pale ales.”

Even though he cannot stand to drink pale ale’s, Tom still makes one. But, if you weren’t sure of his resolve and actual disdain for hoppy beers, then know that he has not even tried his own pale ale. Despite a partisan approach to malt, his beer making is proficient and meticulous.

By the way, a dopplebock is a Bavarian style beer with a minimum alcohol content of 7 percent. It is malty, strong, and aromatic. UBW’s Wobbly Bob Dopplebock packs a punch, just as its name suggests.

FAMILY AFFAIR

In creating UBW, the Rupp’s converted a downtown landmark, reverting the former 1911-built Lesher’s Store to glory. The high ceilings are tin, the walls are papered, the bathrooms are new and the atmosphere screams clean and comfortable. On the bar is a photo album that shows that the phases of construction and the transformation from commercial/industrial to dining. The Rupp’s didn’t do it alone. They had family.

Amy’s Dad created the wooden sign that hangs out front of the streetside entrance, and when they speak of the circa-1800 bar and its restoration the Rupp’s talk of brothers, cousins, and uncles.

“We’re family friendly, we wanted that atmosphere,” Amy says. “Our own kids are in here a lot.”

It’s true. Tom’s son is the accredited chef running the kitchen.