A brand new taproom is currently making its way to a Pennsylvania town that hasn’t seen any new alcohol establishments since 1940.
Blondes & Brunettes is a local brewery from owners Charles “Knute” Mellon and his wife Bernadette Mellon. The concept began in 2013 as a casual conversation between two sisters and their beer loving husbands. After receiving a home-brewing kit as a gift, the four endeavored to try their hands at making beer of their own and quickly fell in love with the process.
After three years of experimentation, refinement, and mastery, the families formally created the Elk Creek Farms Brew Club, and began discussing ideas for opening up a taproom and brew house for their new creations. Wanting to source ingredients directly from local producers in Southern Chester County, they began dreaming of establishing a local taproom for residents to socialize in and enjoy amazing beers. There was only one problem – they lived in a dry town.
Wanting to provide an inviting new experience for the local community, Bernadette and Knute began working with the local government to repeal the restrictions on new alcohol establishments that had been in place since 1940. After many long hours of work and many petition signatures, the effort finally paid off, and the people of West Grove were granted the right to brew craft and malted beverages.
After earning the right to create and distribute their craft beers, Bernadette and Knute were able to use their restaurant Twelves Grill & Cafe as the predecessor for their commercial brewing process. In 2019 the team installed a brand new brew system in Twelves Grill and began serving brews out of their restaurant for the first time since 1940. Sadly, their victory was shortly overshadowed by the looming Covid-19 pandemic, and their long-held plans had to be delayed once again.
Now though, life has returned to general normalcy and the team is once again ready to put their plans back on track. Knute and Bernadette have since decided to move forward solo with the project, with the blessing and support of their former partners. Now, the new concept Blondes & Brewnettes is getting ready to open up as a brand new taproom at 122 Rosehill Avenue in West Grove.
The new taproom will feature light and dark draughts appropriately sorted into two categories – “blondes” and “brewnettes”. The taproom will offer Knute and Bernadette’s signature brews, made from locally sourced grains, malts, hops, and fruits from Southern Chester County. The taproom will also offer sampling flights for guests, and will make all beers available in cans so that you can take your soon-to-be-favorite beers back home with you. There are additional plans to serve cocktails as well, inspired by famous eras in history.
The space will also feature a full kitchen with an impressive menu. The as-yet unnamed executive chef will prepare mouthwatering BBQ dishes like smoked brisket, pulled pork, and smoked wings alongside alternative options like salads, paninis, and flatbreads. Perhaps most importantly, the taproom will be kid-friendly and dog-friendly, so all of your loved ones will feel right at home in the new space. At the moment, the team is hoping to have the space operational by the end of Summer 2022, and you can follow Blondes and Brewnettes on Facebook for more updates as the team gets closer to launching their grand opening.
