TheBurg

28 | theburg | 07.17 W hen people think of small Pennsylvania towns, they often aren't aware of the jewels that may be found there. Such is the case with Mifflinburg. Recently, my wife and I made a day out of it, starting with a morning hike in the Tall Timber Natural Area before enjoying a repast at the Rusty Rail Brewing Co. and finishing up with a visit to Penns Creek Pottery. A rhYthM Tall Timber Natural Area is located at the base of Jacks Mountain, about an hour north of Harrisburg. ere, we hiked the Swift Run Trail along the creek. ere are some ups and downs, but most of the easy-walking trail follows the creek through a forest of white pines and other hardwoods, then up the mountain. Listen for the musical calls of the thrushes and other birdsong along the way. Once you finish your hike and the appetite begins to build, it's an easy, 20-mile drive to Mifflinburg. Turn left off of Route 45 at 8th Street and, in half a block, you'll see the Rusty Rail Brewing Co. on the left, located in a historic, red-brick building. Inside, S m a l l T o w n E S c a p E Take a day to take in Mifflinburg. bY dON heLiN you'll find everything you need to fuel back up. You can even relax with some pool or darts and even take in a dose of Pennsylvania's industrial past. e Rusty Rail occupies an enormous, century- plus-old building that, over the years, has made everything from automobile bodies to pool tables to kitchen cabinets. A few years ago, brothers Paul and Eric John decided to convert the cavernous building into a brewpub and events space, which entailed a complete redesign and remodel, as well as an enormous investment. General Manager Rich Schrader said that they used many existing elements during the renovation and construction, repurposing materials and objects to reflect the industrial heritage of the building and the town. Next, they recruited a team—chef, brewer, restaurant manager, events coordinator and brewery/ sales manager—to lead the different areas of the operation. "Like any startup, we had our share of turnover, but, overall, we have retained the largest portion of our original staff," Schrader said. "We had to find a rhythm with the team. On our busiest days of opening the restaurant, 350 customers a day seemed like a lot. Two years later, we are serving over 800 people on our busiest days." e restaurant now smokes its own meats, bakes its own breads and creates its own bases, sauces and desserts. e specialties of the house include smoked brisket, cheesesteak spring rolls, Asian veal short ribs and venison meatballs. Beer-wise, the brewery has six core brands, including an IPA, a pale ale, a blonde ale, a stout, a witbier and a lager, as well as various seasonals. In the near future, the Rusty Rail plans to start brewing sour and barrel-aged beers and to add canning to its packaging. "e production and distribution side of the brewery has grown tremendously," Schrader said. "We are present in most of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and we plan to continue to expand into surrounding states and beyond." e Rusty Rail's events side—for weddings, live music and other happenings—also has grown substantially, which should be enhanced further once an outside pavilion and beer garden are complete. "e future looks very bright," Schrader said. Shade Mountain Winery. Photo by Megan Adams.

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