Crossroads Brewery releasing small-batch Punk' N Brew

Yes, I know there are dozens if not hundreds of pumpkin brews to choose from this time of year, but there is one that is being released Friday, September 30th, that I want to make sure you’re aware of. Punk’ N Brew from the Crossroads Brewery is a small-batch beer and one that you should try.

“I’ve been brewing this beer for a number of years,” said Todd Brenningmeyer, co-owner, and head brewer. “We started working with Diffey Pumpkins last year. I really like to include fresh pumpkins and they hand-selected some really nice pumpkins for us to use. This year’s crop looked beautiful and cooked up nicely.”

He’s not kidding. In order to brew this beer right, Brenningmeyer says he had to roast up 40 pumpkins in his home stove, and that we will notice that effort in this beer’s robust flavor. The roasting gives the pumpkins a nice caramelization that adds depth and color to the beer.

“Our pumpkin beer is also a strong ale and is a nice sipper as the weather gets cool. It tends to be just a really nice beer that is made in a small quantity,” said Brenninbgmeyer. “The yeast worked hard right to get this beer ready for release on Friday.”

The Backstory for Crossroads

Crossroads Brewery is a collaboration of three owners with a shared passion for quality craft beer. Brenningmeyer began brewing more than 25 years ago and has sampled beers throughout the world while working as an archaeologist.

“I had some really good Belgian beer while working in Northern Greece a few years ago and some fantastic Hefeweizen near Stuttgart on my way back from an archaeological conference,” said Brenningmeyer. “I modeled our Hefe on my memories of the fresh Hefeweizens I tasted in Germany.”

Marc Hagan and Kirk Dickinson, co-owners and businessmen likewise explored the craft beer industry while engaged in various businesses. The two purchased the popular homebrew shop (Design2Brew) about five years ago and it is here that the three met. Todd, Marc, and Kirk first discussed the possibility of opening a brewery in 2018 and two years later this became a reality.

The Name

Crossroads are places where paths converge. In a literal sense, the brewery is at the crossroads of the major interstates and highways in the area (64, 70, 364), but it’s also a place where our interests, friends, and love of beer converge.