When Scott Mills thinks about the next five years for Cobblehaus Brewing Company, he sees beer, beer, and more beer. Since first opening the brewery in April 2017, he and his business partner continue to grow the brewery, expand their brewing process, and increase their ties within the Coraopolis community.
Owner Scott Mills with bartender, Sam, behind the bar.
“We are constantly trying to listen to our customers on what they like and what they may not prefer. We are always looking for other ways to allow everyone to enjoy the brewery and give them reasons to come out and enjoy some time with friends and neighbors,” said Mills.
In honor of the milestone year, Cobblehaus has a full slate of activities during their 5th anniversary week, which will begin Wednesday, April 6th and run through Sunday, April 10th. (full calendar of events can be found at the end of this article).
Mills said the business has seen a lot of growth in its first five years of operation. Building on its existing taproom, the owners added two additional seating areas that can be rented out for private events, more entertainment activities including darts and pinball machines, and a “Mug Club” which has grown to 145 members - much larger than originally expected.
They have also worked to refine and expand their brewing process, making improvements and acquiring equipment that offers more powerful brewing, increases their capacity for more lager styles, and allows for pre-packaged canning for take-out - a capability that was especially handy in the thick of COVID-19 restrictions.
According to Mills, the pandemic kept them on their toes as they worked through challenges to ensure they were providing a safe environment for their workers and customers, while keeping the brewery in operation despite food requirements and shutdown mandates during typical prime times.
He continued, “At the beginning we were restricted to only ‘to-go’ sales and allowable seating capacities were limited. This was an issue for us since we do not have outdoor seating like many other breweries in the area. We were very lucky to have members of the community allow us to utilize neighboring properties for pop-up taprooms.”
As with many of the local businesses and residents alike, Cobblehaus is ready to put the pandemic behind them. Mills said they are encouraged by all the positive changes they have seen in the Coraopolis Business District in the last five years.
“There has been a lot of growth with the number and variety of new businesses that have come to town. What we have not seen change is the love that the community has for this town. Everyone we talk to seems to go out of their way to come to the businesses and has a real desire to see everyone succeed. We are very happy that we chose to bring the brewery to Coraopolis,” said Mills.
Looking ahead, Cobblehaus hopes to create an Oktoberfest Celebration in downtown Coraopolis in the coming years. In fact, Mills would love to see another brewery come to town to take part in the planning.
“My wife and I make a lot of trips to breweries, and we love it when there are multiple breweries in a close area. It makes the town a destination,” said Mills.
Cobblehaus currently offers a rotation of food trucks on the weekends, but would also like to see more permanent options in town.
“A variety of restaurants helps bring more people out and about,” he said.
Cobblehaus Brewery is currently open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4pm-9pm, Fridays from 3pm-10pm, Saturdays from 12pm-10pm, and Sundays from 12pm-5pm. Stop by 1021 5th Avenue in Coraopolis for a drink during business hours and make sure to check out the full roster of anniversary activities in April.
Cobblehaus Brewery Anniversary Week Festivities:
Wednesday, April 6th:
Monthly Food Feast
Thursday, April 7th:
Trivia with special Cobblehaus questions and prizes above and beyond typical trivia prizes.
Friday, April 8th:
Anniversary Beer tapping along with a one-of-a-kind glass giveaway.
Saturday, April 9th:
Tapping their 2-barrel aged Belgian Tripels and a special “Lucky Me” flight.
Sunday, April 9th:
Closed to the public for their annual Mug Club reception (open to all renewal and new members).
Additional specials will run throughout the week – check out their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for details and an official events calendar: Home - Cobblehaus Brewing Company
