Out along the banks of Logan’s Branch, tucked away in the revitalized Titan Energy Park, Angela Eliasz and her team are stirring up something new for Bellefonte at The Hollow. The old industrial space is the home of Witches Hollow Winery, Mad McIntosh Cider, and Alloy Kitchen. With hopes to open later in October, The Hollow looks to add to the growing craft beverage scene in Centre County with a location that looks to be unique, open, and fun.
Eliasz took me in for a sneak peak of The Hollow and I was amazed as she walked me through the place. By using many of the industrial fixtures from the old plant and mixing them in with recycled and antique furniture, velvet tapestries, and low lighting, the space has a somewhat spooky feel that fits right in with a name like The Hollow. All of the rooms offer a slightly different motif, but all provide a space that looks comfy and fun. The library-themed space in the back provides a quieter space for those looking to get away from it all.
“We have different rooms, different themes, different feels,” says Eliasz. An outdoor patio is also in the works, with an old structure from the manufacturing days that may provide an interesting “clubhouse” area for guests to have a more private and elevated experience. An open dining room in the back can be closed off for private events or general seating.
Local chef Lori Balahs will be serving shared and small plates for equal opportunity eaters such as vegetarians and carnivores. Her Alloy Kitchen will serve The Hollow similarly to way the Blonde Bistro does next door at Axemann Brewery.
“So there will be something for everyone and from all over the world,” says Eliasz. The back room can also be sectioned off as a space for private events.
It all adds up to another awesome looking space in the old Titan Energy Park, which has seen revitalization thanks to state grants and some forward thinkers.
“We are hoping The Hollow just fits into another part of the community. Axemann is wonderful, Blonde Bistro is great,” says Eliasz. She adds, “I think we are looking to be a place where people can come relax, enjoy, be entertained. I mean, not with entertainment, although we might have bands and stuff like that, but really come in and sit down on a couch. Sit and stay awhile.”
Before getting into the cider and wine making games, Angela worked in special effects in Hollywood, and she has taken that experience as part of her inspiration at The Hollow.
“I started watching movie magic and making models and monsters and then going into Hollywood and doing Harry Potter and Spider Man and all those visual effects movies that it’s just ingrained in me now, right,” says Eliasz. “I find something absolutely comforting about the absurd and the oddities in the different. Who wants to be normal? Like, there’s no fun in being normal, so let’s be different. And let’s show it in a different way that is elegant, yet fun. This whole building is an inspiration. So, bringing in all the industrial and throwing in some velvet curtains just seem in that natural.”
After she left Hollywood, she learned wine and cider making. At The Hollow, while she is not exactly stirring away in a cauldron, Eliasz and her crew have been busy in the facility’s large production area, with ciders fermenting away in the tanks. She missed grape season this year, so wine production won’t be up and running until next season, but don’t worry: There will be plenty of local wine, beer and spirits available at The Hollow.
When it comes to what makes a good cider, she says, “First of all, it all starts with the fruit. You know, the blend of different apples for different feels. There are purists that say they should only be like the English ciders or whatever draw in the austere. I believe giving people what they want.”
She says Mad McIntosh will be making one cider that is not a traditional cider but is like “making different cocktails basically out of apples. So, we’ll have a little bit of everything. We’ll have our classic Bob, which is a dry classic cider. We have Sweet Sue, which is a sweeter version of that.”
Other ciders on the menu will include Joe’s Rose, Ginger Geri, and Spiced Mike. Other ciders will have different ingredients.
“We’re trying to take the apple base … to show how versatile that really is by going with a maybe a green tea or different tea blends. … Then we also have been experimenting with … treating it with oak. We want to smoke cocktails and see where we can go,” she says.
Then when the cider makes its way to the bar, Eliasz says there is a whole new game, “because then we can take spirits and add it for your cocktail basis. So, the Ginger Jerry can become a Moscow Mule. That’s my take on it, I think it’s so versatile. It should be fun. I’m not about rules, so long as you have good fruit that’s going in, good science making it, and a good sense of adventure and attitude at the end to be creative.”
They had been planning to open The Hollow this summer, but construction has been held up due to the pandemic. In the meantime, they continue to work to get the space ready for when it is time to entertain guests.
“We’ve been working on this since I left Empire Cider in October 2019. Then once we got started on this adventure, we went through the pandemic. We were mostly in seclusion doing everything on the computer until we’ve been able to physically be here last August. It’s frustrating right now, because we’re itching to open, and we are so excited to share what we’re doing. But at the same time, the universe has a plan that knows more than me. … So, I’m excited to open. I’m nervous. … It’s scary. If it wasn’t scary, everybody would do it, right? But mostly I am excited.”
