13-02-2025
Jackass Brewery tapped to represent Pa. breweries at 'Beer is Bipartisan' event in D.C.
Jackass Brewing Company in Lewisburg was one of six Pennsylvania breweries invited to Washington, D.C., to represent the state's beer industry during an event with 17 Congress members from Pennsylvania.
Jackass owners Larry Winans and Skip Kratzer traveled to the nation's capital on Tuesday to take part in the event 'Beer is Bipartisan' in the Department of Agricultural room in the Longworth House Office Building for the U.S. House of Representatives. Jackass Brewery, which opened in 2020 has two locations: one at 2268 Old Turnpike Road, Lewisburg, and the newly-opened Williamsport facility in Lycoming County.
'We met with congressmen from Pennsylvania, their staffers and a few others,' Winans said. 'We had conversations with them, talked about what Pennsylvania does, how much beer it produces, and what the industry does for the state. It was intended to get people together. There's a lot of divisiveness and we wanted to talk rather than being political and taking sides.'
Pennsylvania ranks second in the nation in the economic impact generated by its craft breweries at $5.474 billion in 2023. Producing 3,132,799 barrels a year, the state also ranks second nationally in volume, and third in the number of craft breweries, with 530, according to the state Department of Agriculture.
The event, sponsored by the Nardelli Group, also included Yards Brewing Company and Love City Brewing, of Philadelphia; Susquehanna Brewing Company, of Pittson; Tröegs Independent Brewing, of Hershey; and Zero Day Brewing, of Pennsylvania. Nardelli Group President Mick Nardelli is familiar with Jackass because Winans is on the board for Breweries of Pennsylvania.
Each of the breweries brought samples of their products. Winans said they brought Foggy Doo, a double IPA, and Moms with Pitchforks, an amber ale.
'They were very well received,' Winans said.
Winans said he and Kratzer left the event feeling positive.
'The staffers and congressmen and women are people too, and they want to listen and want to do what's best for Pennsylvania,' he said. 'That's fantastic that everyone could get together to be as apolitical as possible and just talk about the industry. These people who seem so far away in Washington are not so far away. That's a fantastic feeling.'
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-09) shared his experience with Jackass at the event on several social media accounts.
'Last night, I sampled some of Pennsylvania's finest beers alongside skilled local brewers and fellow members of the Pennsylvania delegation,' Meuser wrote. 'I enjoyed meeting Skip Kratzer and Larry Winans, co-founders of Jackass Brewing Company in Williamsport, whose beers stood out as some of the best on the panel — though I may be slightly biased, as they proudly represent Pennsylvania's beautiful Ninth District.'
