BierHall Brewing will celebrate its first anniversary in November. “Opening a craft brewery and restaurant is a longtime dream for us,” says Jim Rommel, who co-owns the business with his brother, Chris.
Brothers Chris (left) and Jim Rommel are the owners of BierHall Brewing.
Chris, who serves as brewmaster, learned brewing techniques through attending a school in Germany over a decade ago. He then worked in the craft brewing industry for about 10 years (locally at Spring House Brewing, as well as at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond, Virginia), before launching BierHall. The brewpub’s name pays tribute to Germany and the biergartens or beer halls that can be found in nearly every community.
“In Germany, each small town has a biergarten/beer hall. It’s a place where people gather for food and drink and to socialize,” Jim explains. With that in mind, the brewpub plans to honor that tradition and host an outdoor event on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29, to celebrate Oktoberfest. Jim, who is BierHall’s general manager, says the event will entail the release of a special fest beer. Food specials will also be on the menu for the event. Visit BierHall’s website and social media for details.
The menu pays homage to traditional German fare such as bratwurst, sausage and schnitzel, as well as American favorites such as burgers.
The Manheim Township restaurant and craft brewery is housed in the former Juke Box Nightclub, but those familiar with the site will find dramatic changes have been made to the building. Jim and Chris worked with Benchmark Construction Company to transform the space. “It was a major renovation; it was originally a house with a front porch that was later enclosed. We demolished two layers of drop ceiling and left the wooden ceiling exposed and restored the brick,” Jim explains. “We also added a lot of windows – we went for a clean, modern, industrial feel. A lot of people who had been here when it was a nightclub are amazed at the transformation – they’ll come in the door, look around and say, ‘Wow!’”
BierHall will celebrate Oktoberfest on September 28 and 29.
The renovation project created a large but comfortable space. The brewing equipment is visible at one end of the space, as well as from the building’s exterior thanks to the addition of large windows. “Craft brew fans focus on that space and visit shortly after entering. Some people visit the brewing area after they’ve finished their meal,” Jim notes.
Chris Rommel is BierHall’s brewmaster.
The brew pub seats about 150 indoors; seating is available at tables that accommodate up to six, as well as at long communal tables with bench seating. A bar constructed by Jim and Chris seats 12. “The communal seating area has been well received; it encourages people to talk with one another,” says Jim. An outdoor beer garden seats about 100. It’s festively lighted in the evening. Sails shade the area during the warm-weather months. There’s even a designated dog-friendly seating area for canine visitors and their owners.
Ashley Vazquez serves as BierHall’s chef. Jim describes the menu as a mix of authentic German and American pub-style food. Produce is sourced locally through vendors such as Brogue Hydroponics and Lancaster Farm Fresh. Bread products are made by Front Porch Baking Co. in Millersville. The Rommels hope to expand their reach and work with other local vendors.
Twelve beers are always on tap.
Popular menu items include house-made potato pancakes, the giant Bavarian pretzel that’s served with mustard (a house-made beer cheese is an optional upgrade), and the BierHall cheesesteak, which uses the beer cheese as a sauce. Appetizers include loaded fries that also incorporate the beer cheese, wings, nachos and roasted garlic hummus. Salads include Caesar and Cobb. Sandwiches range from a plant-based smash burger to bratwurst. Entrées (“plates”) include fish-and-chips, sausage (bratwurst, sweet Italian or Italian) and schnitzel (chicken or pork). Sides include German potato salad, sauerkraut and onion rings. To top it off, there’s apple strudel or strawberry cream cheesecake. The menu, which is reviewed and tweaked monthly, is augmented with weekly specials.
An outdoor beer garden features a dog-friendly area.
BierHall offers 12 beers on tap. The brewpub’s three flagship craft brews – ZugTruppe, a hefeweizen; Das Pils, a German pilsner; and Golden Crispy, a Helles bock – are always available. Tap selections also include seasonal brews and a guest cider, which is locally sourced from Levengoods of Lancaster, Ploughman Cider of Gettysburg or Wyndridge Cider Co. of Dallastown. The beverage list also includes cocktails, adult slushies and wine from such wineries as GlassHouse Wineworks in Manheim; Galen Glen Winery in Andreas; and Britain Hill Vineyard in Quarryville.
Long tables fill the interior of the dining area, while individual tables encircle the space.
BierHall Brewing is located at 1703 New Holland Pike, Lancaster. Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 4-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday, noon-8 p.m. (The kitchen closes 30-60 minutes earlier.) Reservations are accepted for parties of 8 or more. For more information, visit bierhallbrewing.com and Instagram.
We visited, this evening, Sunday.
The BierHall was excellent. We were staying close by and had our friend join us. We all were very pleased with the excellent food. The ordering process was a little different but we managed.
We loved what they did with this space. Authentic German food and great beer. We have been to Germany and will return to The BierHall