Otto’s Pub and Brewery and Barrel 21 Distillery are pleased to announce that, moving forward, they will be the exclusive alcohol beverage suppliers to Hofbrau Pizza of Bellefonte, one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Central Pennsylvania.

Opened more than 80 years ago, the Hofbrau served Italian specialties and seafood to such acclaim that they are still going strong decades later. Well known for their amazing pizza, wings, sandwiches, and salads, the Hofbrau has been the place for great pizza for happy patrons from near and far. Their perfect, chewy crust is covered with their amazing sauce, fresh cheese, and none but the best toppings. This scribe has considered their large pepperoni/mushroom pie to be the absolute best pizza I’ve ever enjoyed, and it’s going on forty years for me now. Plus, if you like, they will custom-make a thin crust at your request. Order the antipasto salad for a huge bowl of meats and greens covered with house-made dressing that will easily feed two people.

Recently, the restaurant received an offer for their liquor license that they couldn’t refuse, but what about providing their loyal customers with the great selection of beer and spirits they’ve come to enjoy over so many years? That’s when Otto’s and Barrel 21 came to the rescue!

Being Pennsylvania craft beverage producers, they are permitted to operate satellite locations in addition to their State College businesses. The Hofbrau has been designated as a satellite location for both entities, in what may be a first for a long-established restaurant in the state. From now on, Hofbrau patrons will enjoy a full selection of Otto’s beers on draft and in cans to go, top-quality spirits from Barrel 21, and Otto’s Keewaydin brand hard ciders and apple wine.

It will again have a fully stocked bar, complete with vodka, gin, rum, liqueurs, and top-shelf bourbon and rye whiskeys, all distilled completely from scratch, never from grain neutral spirits sourced from an industrial distillery, as has become more common as “craft” distilleries proliferate.
In yet another first, Otto’s has brewed their very first light beer, OttoBrau, exclusively for the restaurant. Light beers were the top seller on draft at Hofbrau in the past, and now this flavorful, craft-brewed light beer is already the number-one draft in the lineup.

Otto’s is renowned for their delicious beers and ales, like Red Mo ale, Slab Cabin IPA, Spruce Creek lager, and Black Mo stout, and now Bellefonte has a dedicated destination where those beers can be enjoyed as fresh as possible, delivered direct from the brewery, alongside the great food offered by this storied restaurant.

We invite you to stop by the Hofbrau soon for a pizza or sandwich, their great service, and an Otto’s beer or a delicious cocktail made from Barrel 21 spirits. We like to say that Otto’s and Barrel 21 are “better together,” and now they’re even better, together with our newest partner, the Hofbrau of Bellefonte.

(Release courtesy Sam Komlenic, Pennsylvania Whiskey & Beer Historian)

Hofbrau Pizza, 106 E. Bishop Street, Bellefonte. 814-355-5529