Dead Canary Brewing Opens in Philipsburg

PHILIPSBURG — After more than eight decades, Philipsburg again has a working, brewing brewery.

On Oct. 29, the doors were officially opened to the public at The Dead Canary Brewing Company.

Housed in the restored Hoffer Building at 5 N. Front St., the micro-brewery’s owners said they hope to fill a void that has been missing in town, and build a sense of community.

Head brewer Brent Baskin told Town&Gown Magazine in September that he saw first-hand what a brew pub can mean to a small community in his hometown of Perkasie in Bucks County.

“I fell in love with beer because a craft brewery opened up there. It took me a while to realize what this feeling was because there was never anything in this town that I was proud of or something that I just had to tell my friends about before — but that brewery made me want to do that. It made me excited to bring people there and show them this thing in the town I grew up in,” said Baskin.

“So, part of it is hoping that the same sort of thing happens here. That people get excited and they have something to be proud of. They can bring family and friends and be like, oh yeah, I live three blocks from here and that rules.”

Baskin’s business partner, Eric Kelmenson, said he saw a lot of potential in the old building that once was home to a diner.

“I saw a lot of promise. You know it is a great community with a lot of gorgeous, historic and largely abandoned property that was affordable. So, you could really do something. … And then you are like a stone’s throw from cool outdoorsy recreational stuff. So, I saw a lot of potential. I bought the building like a year later and I started thinking what it would take to get a brewery in Philipsburg again,” said Kelmenson.

He then connected with Baskin, who has been brewing ever since he was inspired by the craft brewers in his hometown.

The name of the brewery represents the town’s coal mining past, when miners carried caged canaries that were sensitive to deadly gases. If the canary died, the miners knew to leave quickly.

“So, just like the coal business, for better or for worse, isn’t what it used to be, we’re looking toward a new future and new enterprises in the community,” said Elliot Lauderm, who handles marketing.

“So, by being part of that, we know, we are that dead canary that is coming back to life, hopefully, and showing the community that there is more to it than that was already here. That there is a cool future.”

For the time being, the brewery will be open Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m.