To say that Barrel 21 is unique would be an understatement.
It is in fact the first —and only — State College distillery. It is also the only restaurant of its kind in central Pennsylvania because it has a fully-functioning distillery on the premises.
The State College-based restaurant/distillery will reopen its doors for business at 4 p.m. on Tuesday after a two-week hiatus to fine tune service standards and allow the new chef to create a new menu. Otto’s chef, Chris Mohr, has made the trek across the parking lot to set up culinary shop inside Barrel 21.
Partner Roger Garthwaite is excited to see what customers think of the changes taking place at Barrel 21.
“I think we’re at a point, one year into Barrel 21, where we’ve had an opportunity to act on feedback we have received from our guests,” Garthwaite said. “We put some new things in place that our guests have suggested. I think the thing we’re most excited about is that we have a chance to showcase the high level of customer service that has been an Otto’s standard for years at Barrel 21.”
According to Garthwaite, Barrel 21 has made considerable changes to its menu. Diners will find more entree-style meals, which is something guests have been clamoring for since its opening. Small plates are still an integral part of the menu, he said.
“We’ve listened to our guests and this is what they’ve asked for,” Garthwaite said.
There are some things that will not change. Barrel 21 will continue to distill some of the finest spirits in the state. They currently have four of their own products behind the bar and available in the tasting room for purchase. The popular Sunday brunch isn’t going anywhere, either. And Barrel 21 will still have its private dining room available to rent for meetings, private luncheons, dinners and special events.
Mohr has extensive experience in the kitchen and he’s excited for the changes taking place at Barrel 21.
“We wanted the menu to present a little more traditional,” Mohr said. “We don’t want Barrel to be a special occasion-type of place. We want it to be a place that people can come in multiple times. We want people coming back every week, every couple of weeks.”
As far as the menu is concerned, Mohr said that there will be a lot of great new choices, but he mentioned some of his favorites.
“We’re going to be doing a grilled pork tenderloin from Hogs Galore, our local purveyor, over sautéed greens. We’re going to have filet on the menu, and we’ll do small plates, as well. It’s going to be great.”
Mohr said that the Barrel 21 menu will have something for everyone — and every price range.
“Some of the smaller plates will start at $5 or $6 and we’ll go all the way up to a $30 entree,” he said.
Scott Whitfield is the purchasing and facilities manager at Barrel 21. He’s been assisting Mohr with the new menu.
Whitfield said that he’s excited to see the customer reaction to the new Barrel 21 menu.
“Oh, we can’t wait. It’s just fantastic. It gives us an opportunity to get a lot closer to our goals,” Whitfield said.
Like Garthwaite and Mohr, Whitfield talked about some of the changes customers can expect to see.
“We’re really moving away from the expansive tapas menu we had initially. It will be a more traditional-style menu. We’ll still have a few small plates and some standard appetizers and entrees,” Whitfield said. The distillery, Whitfield said, is what makes Barrel 21 unique.
“As far as we know, we’re the only (distillery pub) currently operating in central Pennsylvania,” Whitfield said. “That really sets up to be different. We have our own spirits right there so we can use them in the food as well as in the drinks.”
Of course, one of the keys to a successful restaurant is the atmosphere. Barrel 21 has it. Walk into the building and it’s like no other restaurant in the Centre Region.
“It’s pretty striking. You walk in and we’ve got the big dramatic bar. We’d love to have that bar hopping at the end of each night. We really want Barrel 21 to be a destination for dinner, drinks and entertainment,” Whitfield said.
Kevin Franklin is the operations manager for both Otto’s and Barrel 21.
“We’re really excited to offer another dining option for central Pennsylvania. Our goal is to offer a different dining experience than Otto’s, but with the same high standards,” Franklin said. “I’ve been in this business for 30 years. Barrel is all part of the vision. The distillery is very unique. There’s not a whole lot of these in the country.”
Barrel 21 offers its own brand of light rum, vodka, white rye whiskey and apple brandy.
“We’re still young,” Franklin said. “I can’t wait to see what we’re able to do at Barrel 21.”
Mike Smith is Barrel 21’s distiller. While his background is in beer, having worked at Dogfish Head, Ithaca Beer Co. and the Gamble Mill, Smith has become an expert when it comes to distilled spirits.
“You see a lot of brew pubs, but we’re different,” Smith said. “(Barrel 21) is unique. We’re bringing really high-quality food and really high-quality spirits together. You really don’t see that much around here. We’re the complete package.”
Barrel 21 will be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday at 4 p.m. Barrel 21 is also open at 9 a.m. on Sundays for brunch.
For more information about Barrel 21, call (814) 308-5922, visit www.barrel21distillery.com.
IF YOU GO
What: Barrel 21 re-opening
When: 4 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 2.
Where: Barrel 21, 2255 N. Atherton St., State College (Next to Otto’s)
More info: www.barrel21distillery.com
