It’s official, Pizza Boy Brewing Co. is opening a satellite location on the East Shore.
This fall, the Hampden Township craft brewer will bring its craft beer to Official BBQ & Burgers in Lower Paxton Township.
“I’ve always thought barbecue and beer was a great marriage and there are very few people around here doing that,” said Chuck Miller, co-owner of Official BBQ.
Beer should be available for sale by the end of the month. A taproom is under construction at the restaurant at 6295 Lyters Lane.
Pizza Boy is the creation of Al Kominski, who also owns Al’s of Hampden pizza shop in Hampden Township. He started brewing at the restaurant in 2012 and has developed a lengthy portfolio of beers such as West Shore IPA, Hampden Lager and Citra Pils.
The partnership is possible through changes made a few years ago to Pennsylvania’s beer regulations which allow brewers to sell at two locations other than where their beer is manufactured. As Kominski sees it, selling directly to the consumer is a plus.
“It increases our volume. It increases our footprint and it increases it in an area of the market that is most profitable, which is the retail sector,” he said.
About a year ago Kominski said they hatched the plan to team up. Miller’s son, Brandon Miller, worked at Al’s of Hampden a few years ago and also assists his father as part owner at Official BBQ. (They took over the business about three years ago.)
Adding beer to the barbecue offerings will likely attract more customers to the off-the-beaten-path restaurant. Official is housed in the former Leo Brother’s Sunny Hill Farm and serves pork barbecue, baby back ribs, smoked wings and burgers, among other grilled meats and sides such as sweet potato fries.
“It’s a destination. It’s not some place you stop in while you are shopping at the mall. People have to know what they are looking for,” Miller said.
They carved out space for the taproom in a former storage area. In the beginning they will serve about a dozen Pizza Boy beers by the pint, as well as beer to-go in cans, bottles, crowlers and growlers.
Official BBQ is open noon-8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
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