By Serge Bielanko

The thing about Axemann Brewery is this, right?

Once upon a time, men and women traveled here to work hard on a factory floor, making a bajillion brass rods a year. The temperatures were probably scorching, the noise deafening. This wasn’t a place where people worked in a mindfulA environment with the soft calling of office phones answering one another like the American workplace today. This was a place of fire and steam and lava. No one listened to music on their earbuds while clickety-clacking down the keyboard trail.

This was a factory. Old school. You came in clean and you went home dirty. Your hair smelled like electrocuted trout when you stumbled back in the front door of your house after a day’s work. You were hungry like the wolf. You probably needed a beer…and you probably had one too. And then another one.

Look, if you’ve ever been insideA a steel plant…you know what I’m saying; if you haven’t, well. then you just have to use that imagination of yours. Either way though, the reality here when we are talking about local brewerA Rod Stahl’s longtime coming dream is this.

Axemann Brewery is brewing and serving locally-crafted beers on the very same spots where blue-collar Centre Countians once spent their live-long days earning their keep, day after day, year after year. For almost a century-A from just after World War I in 1917 until the last workers walk slowly to their pick-up trucks after the last shift ended in 2011- the vast buildings that now stretch across the Titan Energy Park on Axemann Road in Spring Township was a living, thriving house of American industry. Through WorldA War II, through JFK and Nixon, through much of the nation’s turbulence and affluence, her rises and falls, through a dizzying array of name changes: Titan Metal Company, Titan Manufacturing Company, Cerro Metal Products, Bolton Metal Products, this glorious monstrosity rising from the the steely cold waters of Logan Branch has deep roots in our county history.

And now this.

After several years of looking for a permanent home for his well-respected, barn-brewed Blue Stripe beer, Rod Stahl has finally landed in what is perhaps the most uniquely storied building that any existing brewery or beer hall can lay claim to for many miles in any direction. And by utilizing the old factory’s charm and possibility, Stahl and team have not only created a space where the public can gather safely during these uncertain times to unwind and eat and drink in an insanely unique environs, but they have also- perhaps even somewhat unintentionally- created a living, breathing conduit vessel. Because Axemann Brewery isn’t just another brew pub serving hand-cut fries and skull-crunching IPAs. This is a beer land where you can sip a pilsner/take a breath of fresh hollow air/ consider every square inch of original factory still closing in on you from every side/ and be transported- if only for a moment or two- to another place, another time.

And if that’s not what drinking beer is all about, well, then I don’t understand anything at all.

In celebration of their recent opening then, I reached out to Axemann Brewery’sA marketing director, Cristina Barnes, to ask her about this whole super-collision of local beers and local buildings and local history.

Read our chat, then go see for yourself what I’m trying to get at here. There is a lot of working-class history in these hills and valleys we call home.

And Axemann Brewery is a darn good place to toast it.

—

Bellefonte.com:A Hi Cristina. You know, I remember cruisingA by the lesser seen backside of Titan Park several times over the past decade and being fascinated by the place. It was always on one of the Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society’sA annual train excursions…and inevitably the train would crawl by the seemingly abandoned factory. I remember thinking that the whole place radiated with working-class history, that the very patina of the building….her rusted fences and her corrugated sides and her dirty glass…it all spoke of older times, times when many people spent a huge part of their lives working inside those vast walls.A Now you guys are bringing it back to life in a sense. At least as the first tenants to allow the general public to stand there in that historic structure…and drink a beer while soaking it all in.

So.

How much did you consider the history of the place when you began considering it as the new home of the brewery?

Maintaining the history and character of the facility was a priority. Although it was very rough looking, we loved the industrial facets of the building and sitea|the rust and patina and old metal fixtures. We could see a great potential for this place by keeping the character and reusing as many components as possible throughout the renovation. And we wanted people who spent their careers working here to come in and recognize pieces of their personal history.

Was it a difficult space to turn from pure industrial to a public hang-out?

Design and construction was definitely a long and challenging process. Cleaning and removing decades of manufacturing oil, grease, and grime was one of the issues.A However,A our goal of maintaining the industrial theme enabled us to keep the existing structural elements exposed and avoid replacing many parts. And the end result is a really cool and spacious hang-out.

From what I gather, people were employed making metal rods at the factory until about a decadeA or so ago.. Have you been lucky enough to come across anyone who once worked there when it was Cerro Metal or Bolton Metal? That would be pretty astounding for a local to sip a nice cold pilsner right where they used to spend their work lives, I figure.

Yes, weave been posting photos onA Instagram, and collecting stories of people who come in to check out the new use of their former workplace. In fact, some former Cerro employees now work for McCrossin and were involved in the renovation. And right after we opened, a 93-year old metal sawyer who worked in the building came in to buy a six-pack of Blue Stripe. Many people in the area either worked here or know someone who did. We are honored to have them pay us a visit.

I’ve heard that much of the design of the Axemann Brewery interior incorporated what was already there in the space? Can you tell us more about that?

The exterior windows along the stream were replaced with garage doors to allow for an open air experience right along Logan Branch. But we restored the window frames and used them on both the first and second floors to allow patrons in the taproom areas to overlook the beer production area. The wooden locker doors with original paint and locker numbers were used as the front of the bar itself. So not only can former employees come in and sip a cold pilsner, they can sit at their locker.A The ingots implanted in the corners of the bar were made for us by Bolton Metal Company, which still has a small operation in the facility.

Also, the lights above the bar and in the dining area along the stream were repurposed from the factory.A Part of the crane rail that had to be removed to facilitate our mechanical systems was used as table legs for some of the handmade tables throughout the taproom.

The cement floor is original. The dirt and grime mentioned earlier? There were inches of it caked on the floor.

In another note of interest, the Brewery is named after Axemann Road, which got its name from the Mann family axe dynasty. The axe door handles are original Mann axes.

How has being open to the public been so far? Are locals excited?

The public support has been really amazing. The local people who come here seem very happy to see the factory brought back to life. They tell us there has long been a need for a venue like this in the area, with craft beer and open-air seating. We are thrilled to be part of the Bellefonte renaissance, and look forward to collaborating with our industry partners in the area and local associations to support the community.

Obviously being open during a pandemic is no one’s dream come true. How is Axemann Brewery allowing folks to have a safe experience?

We are complying with all state mandates, including wearing masks, social distancing, and sanitary practices. Our spacious interior and open-air atmosphere contributes to a safe and pleasant experience for our guests. Our COVID statement is posted on our website:

https://www.axemannbrewery.com/covid-statement.html

Looking out over Logan Branch, out over her wild trout, and up onto the green mountainside, the back deck of your place seems so industrial idyllic. It’s an incredible mix of two distinctly Pennsylvania views. Do you ever think it might be possible for those old time train folks to deliver a couple of carloads of beer lovers right to your back door? I hope so. I hope that happens. I think it would be like historical lightning striking up there in Axemann Hollow.

Agreed!

Anything else you want to let folks know?

Some of our beers honor aspects of the facility or the area. Titan Stout is based on the icon for Titan Energy Park. Hop Alloy is a tribute to Bolton and Cerro and the melding of ingredients to create something new. Mean Duck Pale Ale honors the ducks that are a fixture of Tallyrand Park. And in the spring we have something planned that relates to the stream. So stay tuned.