USA, PA: Lititz to welcome another craft brewery

More craft beer is coming to Lititz, the Lititz Record Express reported on July 31.

The Lititz Shirt Factory, an up and coming multi-use entertainment venue currently under construction at 5 Juniper Lane, has signed a multi-year lease with Collusion Tap Works of York.

Phase one of the project, which involved the transformation of the existing structure, began last October and included renovations to the exterior of the 100-year-old building. As the name suggests, in addition to a shirt factory, across the past century the building has also served as a consignment shop, antiques store, and furniture outlet.

“From the day I tasted Collusion’s beers more than a year ago, I knew this was the brewer I wanted at the LSF (Lititz Shirt Factory),” said Lititz native and building owner and Jim Hoffer.

“We always knew that we wanted to have a taproom presence in Lancaster County, and my wife and I have long been fans of the Lititz scene,” said Chuck Barnes, managing member of Collusion Tap Works. “When Jim invited us to meet him at the shirt factory building, I knew we had found our next home.”

Chuck’s son Jared Barnes will serve as head brewer for the Lititz location. He attended The Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology in Chicago and the Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany. He then brewed professionally for six years in Delaware, New York, and Florida before returning to Pennsylvania.

“We looked at several locations in both York and Lancaster counties before landing in the Royal Square district in downtown York,” Barnes added concerning their current. This location would open in 2016.

One year later, fate would come calling.

“Jim (Hoffer) approached us about a year later in the fall of 2017 after visiting us at the recommendation of a friend,” Barnes added. “He was looking for his ‘perfect fit’ of a local brewery for his LSF (Lititz Shirt Factory) redevelopment project and was impressed by the quality and variety of Collusion’s offerings. A constantly rotating and evolving beer menu is at the center of our business plan.”

The company plans to offer both their beer (brewed at their production facility in York) as well as a limited selection of premium Pennsylvania-produced distilled spirits. Once completed, Collusion’s bar inside the Lititz Shirt Factory will feature a 16-tap system where the company’s full line of brewed beverages will be rotated. The owners also intend to continue operations at their York location.

Barnes noted that the food menu is still being developed, but states that it will be exciting and different.

“I am so thrilled to bring Collusion’s unique, high-quality crafted beers to Lititz,” Hoffer stated. “Now, with this agreement, construction at the warehouse on Juniper Lane will accelerate toward an end of the year completion.”

“We are really excited about finally getting this deal done and are looking forward to coming to Lititz,” Barnes added.

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