Clifford and Michael Lindgren are making a spirited investment—transforming a shuttered bank into the newest brewery in Perry County.
The father/son team spent years renovating the former PNC Bank building on Duncannon Square and recently opened the Lindgren Craft Brewery.
The pair has been brewing on their farm in Penn Township since 2018, and, in 2019, brought brewer Jason Simmons on board. From that time on, customers were able to purchase their colorfully named libations at several different distributors in Cumberland, Perry, Dauphin and York counties.
When they decided to purchase the former bank building on N. Market Street, area residents eagerly watched the project take shape.
“We bought the bank in January 2020, which was bad timing since COVID-19 hit shortly thereafter,” Michael said.
By 2021, the pair was ready to work with architects and, by 2022, construction was underway.
“We did things in stages, which had its pros and cons,” said Michael, adding that construction of the tasting room began in spring of 2023.
The business finally opened to a packed house in May, much to the delight of the Lindgrens, who were bolstered by the enthusiasm of area residents.
According to Clifford, their flagship brew has been popular since day one.
“It’s a coffee cream stout we call ‘Collapsed in the Corner,’” he said.
Another uniquely named brew called “It’s Beautiful and So Are You” is also popular.
“It’s a pale ale, brewed with sweet potato, which adds a little sweetness at the end,” Clifford said.
Then there’s a double IPA that also sells well. Called “I Love Mary Jane,” it’s named after Mary Jane Lindgren, who happens to be Michael’s mother and Clifford’s wife. Michael describes it as an American-style IPA with notes of pine and grapefruit.
The team enjoys promoting local farmers and often relies on them for seasonal ingredients. For instance, the brewery sources pawpaws from People’s Provisions in Elliottsburg for a pawpaw hefeweizen.
“I’m a firm believer that beer is agriculture, and People’s Provisions does a good job connecting us with local farms,” Michael said. “We also source ingredients from Three Fold Farm in Mechanicsburg.”
With 24 taps, the Lindgrens seem to have a selection that will please just about anyone. There’s an American light lager, an American lager, red ale, dark ale, IPAs and even sours.
“In Duncannon, beer is like music,” Michael said. “We all like music. We just have different tastes.”
A Boon
The brewery’s tasting room is bright, airy and Instagrammable.
“We took out the drop ceilings to reveal the 20-foot-high vaulted ceilings and reinstalled the 15-foot windows back to where they initially were at one time,” Michael said.
The bar seats eight, with communal tables seating 24 and low tops taking up the remainder of the space. Right now, the Lindgrens employ three full-time employees, along with several part-timers. Plans are in the works for a private space that is expected to accommodate between 15 and 20 people, along with outdoor seating in the back.
Duncannon Mayor Rickey Knepp said the brewery’s been a boon to the borough.
“I’m delighted that they were methodical and thoughtful on how they rolled things out,” he said.
Knepp, a former teacher, also lauded the team’s creativity.
“Part of what I taught was chemistry, and it’s refreshing to have a team as adventurous as they are here,” he said. “It’s the kind of thinking that we like to foster in our community.”
Ryan and Ashley Leonard are regulars who drive from Thompsontown to frequent the business. They often join others in a group they laughingly call the “Perry County Country Club.” The couple is also part of the “mug club,” holding a key to a safe deposit box located in the bank vault, where swag, coupons and free discounts are periodically deposited.
The Lindgrens said that it’s been an interesting and exciting journey. Now, they’re just hoping that their endeavor will bear fruit—or is it hops? Whatever it is, they said that they are glad to be up and running.
“I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally saw people walking in the door,” Michael said. “Beer brings people together, and it’s really cool to see that happening in our tasting room.”
Lindgren Craft Brewery is located at 5 N. Market St., Duncannon. For more information, visit www.lindgrenbrewery.com.
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