Making Magic With Voodoo Brewing Company
They say that good things come in small packages and “they” are rarely wrong. In the case of Voodoo Brewing this is definitely the truth. Hailing from Meadville, PA Voodoo Brewing makes some of the best beer to come out of the Pittsburgh area. From beers like Wynona’s Big Brown Ale, which is a robust dark brown ale, to Hoodoo, a 7.3% IPA that is better than anything you’ve had from other big names in beer that distribute nationwide.
Voodoo Brewing Company opened their doors in September of 2007 and since then has put the small town of Meadville on the map when it comes to great beer. Founder and original head brewer Matt Allyn has worked in the beer industry for far longer than Voodoo has been open, and started off home brewing as a way to get better beer while serving his country in the US Air Force. After getting used to the amazing beer he found in England and Germany, the bland beers he found around his stateside base just didn’t cut it.
After traveling the country and working with countless breweries to set up and improve their systems, Matt settled on Voodoo in Meadville and hasn’t looked back. The Meadville brewery is far more than just a place our favorite beers are brewed, it’s a full service brewpub with amazing locally-sourced food and of course all the best Voodoo beers.
You don’t need to drive to Voodoo to get an amazing beer however. Voodoo has shifted their focus from draft and large bottles to smaller 12 ounce bottles and cases to make it easier for you to get their beer. Available in four packs and full cases, more of their beers are now readily available and will start showing up in bars, bottle shops, and distributors soon, if not already.
Until fairly recently it was a rare treat to find a Voodoo beer on tap at your favorite bar, and only some large bottles made their way to bottle shops and distributors. The commitment that comes with a large bottle is offputting to some people, which is why Voodoo is making the jump to smaller 12-ounce bottles as well as still featuring the larger 22-ounce bottles for those of us that think bigger is always better, too.
As if we needed yet another sign that good things do indeed come in small packages, the new 12-ounce bottles from Voodoo should be all the proof you need.
The Beers
Sure, the brewery and brewpub are great, but what you really care about are the beers. While Voodoo has a far more diverse offering that you’ll see listed below, these are some of the beers that will be showing up in the new packaging we’re all excited about.
Hoodoo
Possibly the best IPA brewed not only in the Pittsburgh region but in all of Pennsylvania and beyond, Hoodoo will make you think there’s some magic going on to make this 7.3% beer as good as it is. Hoodoo is brewed with the 7c’s of hops, which include Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Citra, Cluster, Columbus, and Crystal.
Hoodoo is an American IPA that has a juicy, hoppy aroma that’s big on pine and citrus tastes as well as a mild sweetness and breadiness from the malt bill. Fairly light bodied and a crisp, light mouthfeel, Hoodoo is definitely a beer you want more than a four pack of.
Killapilz
A new name for an older beer, Killapilz is an imperial lager that’s sort of a double kellerbier that uses a blend of Czech, German, and Polish pilsner recipes to make a truly unique beer in a category that can often lack innovation. Killapilz uses a variety of 8 different European hops to make this 7% ABV beer something that you definitely need to try, and try often.
Wynona’s Big Brown Ale
Easily the most interesting name out of the bunch, Wynona’s namesake beer is a dark brown ale that’s brewed with a generous amount of brown and marris otter malts, and is hopped with Simcoe, Amarillo, and Northern Brewer to make a beer that’s approachable yet strong enough at 7.5% ABV to warrant a try from even the most veteran craft beer fans.
White Magick of the Sun
White Magick is a Belgian-style wheat beer that focuses on the spices common to this style of beer, including juniper berries, coriander, orange peel, and 12 different types of peppercorns. White Magick is a light, crisp beer that’s spicy with the unforgettable Belgian yeast character you’d expect.
White Magick of the Sun comes in at 6.75% ABV to make it a beer that’s fine for drinking on a warm summer day as much as a chilly fall evening. You’ll find very little hop profile to this beer and no alcoholic bite. White Magick is all about the spices and wheat.
Voodoo Brewing is proudly brought to you in Western Pennsylvania by Vecenie Distributing