Family dream becomes reality as Copperz Brewing opens in Hamburg

What started as a family passion for craft beer has become a family-owned and operated business creating new beers paired with its own cuisine.

After nearly five years, including delays due to the pandemic, owner Joseph K. Zaleski fulfilled a family dream of opening a brewpub in Hamburg.

“We are proud to be another brewery in the local beer and wine scene not only in Berks County but also in Hamburg, alongside 1787 Brewing, local wineries Bouchette Vineyard and Lucky Leprechaun Vineyard, and even our next-door neighbor, beer distributor Windsor Distributing.”

Copperz Brewing Co. opened on South Fourth Street next to Windsor Distributing in Hamburg on Dec. 17.

“It had taken us almost five years to finally open our brewpub so we were beyond excited to open our doors and share our dream with everyone,” said Zaleski, the driving force behind Copperz.

The family-owned and operated business operates as a restaurant and a microbrewery.

“Our dream at Copperz is not only to serve and connect with our customers, but also to contribute to Hamburg’s rich tapestry of small businesses that bring life to our local community. And of course, our dream is to brew excellent beer,” said Zaleski, a Schuylkill Valley High School and Penn State graduate.

A lifelong Berks County resident, Zaleski still resides in the Schuylkill Valley School District with his wife, Katelyn, and their four children. He coaches his children’s youth soccer and baseball teams.

Zaleski was inspired to open a brewpub in Hamburg by his appreciation for craft beer. Sampling and sharing opinions on the newest craft beers was a bonding experience at family gatherings and the family wanted to try brewing beer.

“We hope to provide our community with a quality experience, from the unique beer to the handcrafted food to the excellent service. We also hope to provide a welcoming environment to all as well as a place for our customers to connect with family and friends,” said Zaleski.

Opening a Brewpub

The name Copperz was inspired for the large copper tanks that are traditionally used in the Industrial Revolution-era of the modern history of brewing. The ‘z’ stands for Zaleski.

“When we decided on a steampunk theme for the brewpub, we knew that we wanted to embody the cross-section of steampunk where history collided with visions of the future,” he said.

To fit their steampunk theme, the restaurant features pipe light fixtures, brocade wallpaper, copper accents, and a bar-top covered in pennies, carefully hand-laid and sealed with resin.

The response from customers since opening has been overwhelmingly positive, he said.

“Many of our customers had been following our journey as we were establishing our business and had been, like us, looking forward to our grand opening, so to be able to finally connect with our customers who have been so supportive has been a real treat for us.”

They encountered many challenges opening a brewpub amid a pandemic.

“We knew that opening a small business would be uniquely challenging as its own endeavor, but we did not anticipate all of the additional hurdles we would encounter, especially through the pandemic,” said Zaleski.

During the different stages of lockdowns, they faced construction delays and supply shortages.

“We even had part of our brewing system delivered only to find out our supplier unfortunately went out of business shortly afterwards,” Zaleski said.

Brew and Food

Brew master Justin Kershner, a longtime Hamburg resident and beer connoisseur, is the mastermind behind the beer created at Copperz.

He is always thinking and planning new beers to create, and collaborates with head chef Ryan Orth to pair their cuisine and food.

“Being a local resident, he brings a sense of familiarity between our business and our customers,” said Zaleski. “Along with his years of experience working as a brewer, he is a wealth of information about the brewing process and is always cooking up new ideas for future brews.”

When he is not brewing at Copperz, he is usually running or hiking with local groups.

Currently, their most popular brews are Pacer, a pale ale; 2102, an American stout; and Patterns In The Leaves, a New England IPA. Copperz typically releases one or two new beers per month.

“We have a constantly rotating menu of what is on tap,” Zaleski said.

Their head chef is Ryan Orth.

Their most popular dishes are the Jumbo Pretzel, which is a 1-pound pretzel served with house-made beer cheese and spicy mustard; the Copperz House Burger, and for dessert, Shoo Fly pie, which is made from a generations-old secret family recipe.

Tying everyone together is general manager Brandi Welker.

As the backbone of the Copperz team, she works with all of the staff members to ensure everything goes smoothly at the microbrewery. Her passion is providing excellent dining and drinking experience for customers.

Looking Forward

Copperz plans to feature live music soon.

Updates will be posted on their social media soon, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CopperzBrewing and on Instagram @copperz_brewing_co.

“Since operating our business through its first full month, we have many changes coming soon,” Zaleski said.

Copperz hopes to implement extended hours in the beginning of March and an updated menu will feature new items. Updates will be posted on their website, www.copperzbrewing.com, as well as social media.

Copperz is located at 798 S. Fourth St., Hamburg. Current hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m.

Extended hours, beginning March 5, are Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Follow Copperz on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CopperzBrewing and on Instagram @copperz_brewing_co. For more information, visit www.copperzbrewing.com.

Source: Berkshire mont