Today we’d like to introduce you to Irena Wise.
Hi Irena, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We became Pagoda City Brewing in early 2024, but we had been making beer on this footprint for a few years before that. Our part of the story starts in 2021, when the owner, Raj, bought this brewery in the 18th Ward of Reading, PA and its associated pub in West Reading. He brought on a new team who started to tweak and redevelop the beverages, the branding, and the atmosphere. That team includes us, Irena Wise, Production Manager, and Christian Kriebel, Brewer. After 3 years of making beer, cider and soda to meet the tastes we saw coming into the taproom, when we had really developed our own identity as a craft brewery, we needed a new name. We took on the name Pagoda City Brewing to show that we had come into our own in this spot.
We have since closed that pub in West Reading but expanded the taproom into two separate spaces. Under one roof, we have the beer-focused, cozy lounge space as well as the entertainment-focused, industrial spacious taproom. We’re serving from 23 taps as well as offering soda and cocktails Wednesday-Sunday. We can also be found at events around the county, serving from one of our three popup tap trucks. Our flagship beers include Pray for More, a juicy hazy IPA, Premium Lager, a premium American pale lager with corn, and Split Face, an amber lager with Reading-made pretzels.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road! Of course, we’ve used beer to smooth out some of the bumps! Closing the pub in West Reading and losing our connection to that neighborhood was certainly a struggle. We loved being part of those street fairs and serving so many people in the dining room, but it just wasn’t working, so we had to let it go.
Brewing a line of gluten free beer and sourcing grains for that has also been a struggle. We had to search to find a source of corn and sorghum that would work for brewing, then we had to teach ourselves how to work without the natural enzymes in malted barley. But our gluten free brands, Electrify and Flirtare, are finally as tasty as we want them to be, and it’s ultimately been one of our most rewarding projects. It’s one where we’ve really seen our efforts pay off with consistency and repeatability.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are known for our pretzel beers! Using pretzels in the beer just makes sense, since they’re made from grain, just like beer and bread. It also ties us to the community, as Reading is the pretzel capital of the world!
We are most proud of our personal service and our cellar work. Our cellar work makes the beer smooth and enjoyable. We keep our tanks clean and we treat our yeast well, giving it just the time and temperature it wants. Then, when it’s time to serve the beer, our bartenders provide tailored service. They learn about the customers and their tastes. They listen to what people want and make sure it’s on tap for them!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Our involvement in the community is most important to our success! We get involved with a number of local organizations through multiple outreach activities, including hosting events and using our platform to raise awareness. One of our favorites is the Reading Hospital Foundation and their annual No Shave November campaign, which we’ve taken part in a number of times. We’ve also worked with Blankets of Hope continuously throughout the years, supporting them in providing comfort items to those in need. Getting involved with these organizations both rewards us personally and benefits Pagoda City Brewing overall, as it brings us into contact with the influential movers and shakers of the area!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pagodacitybrewing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pagodacitybrewing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pagodacitybrewing/
