It’s the latest installment in the brewery’s Old School line of beers…
Breaker Brewing Company, anchor of Wilkes‑Barre’s craft scene, has quietly been weaving nostalgia into your pint glass via its clever “Old School” series. The latest star in that line-up is the Bishop Hoban Golden Lager, a gently golden tribute to a beloved, now‑defunct local high school—and the fourth such brew in the series.
A taste of memory…
The Bishop Hoban Golden Lager is billed as an American light lager—crisp and easy-drinking, but with texture and character. Breaker’s recipe employs a base of 2‑row and Pilsen malts, complemented by flaked corn for softness, copper malt for color, and a whisper of wheat to round things out. In the hops department, Hallertau (likely in noble, delicate fashion) tempers the malt base, yielding a sessionable 4.7 % ABV and 12 IBU that speaks softly but satisfyingly.
Old School Series: A brew for every alma mater…
This isn’t Breaker’s first foray into Pilsner‑style nostalgia. Their series has already paid homage to GAR High School, Meyers, and even Coughlin in their earlier outings. Let’s rewind the tape:
- Coughlin Pilsner, the kickoff of the series, poured a clean, lightly floral 4.2 % ABV pilsner—think of the swagger of a long‑ago Friday night game, with Tettnanger hops giving a subtle tea‑like kick
- GAR Pilsner, the second, mobilized memories of sneaking beers and wild party tales among friends. Saaz‑hopped and softened with flaked corn and wheat, it landed at 4.2 % ABV with a 12 IBU whisper—clean, crisp, community‑infused
- Meyers Pilsner, the third in the sequence, stuck with Pilsen malt and flaked corn, this time introducing a fresh yeast strain and Tettnanger/Saaz blend for hopping—its subtly bright, pilsner‑light charm clocked in at 4.2 % ABV and 14 IBU
Each one feels like a memory housed in hops, malt and water—Breaker’s way of bottling up local stories and school‑yard lore.
Breaker Brewing Company: More than a place to drink
Founded in Wilkes‑Barre Township and serving the Valley with freshness, locally inspired brews, Breaker Brewing Company isn’t just a brewery—it’s part confidant, part town historian. Their Wilkes‑Barre location (and Outpost in Archbald) keeps crowds coming with creative, rotating taps, thoughtful food pairings, and events that make gathering feel celebratory. Untappd showcases the Bishop Hoban Golden Lager at 4.7 % ABV, 12 IBU, a perfect porch‑or‑pub refresher.
Pouring Generations into Every Pint
The Bishop Hoban Golden Lager continues Breaker’s playful and poignant salute to schools that shaped generations. Sure, the high schools may have shuttered or been renamed, but the memories endure—and so do the flavors. It’s a sessionable lager that feels a little like flipping through a yearbook—or listening to a hushed laugh about old pranks and pep rallies. In a word: sentimental, without being saccharine. And that’s just the sort of thoughtful brewing Bitman might applaud—a marriage of flavor and story, of simple pleasure and local lore.
So go ahead—get nostalgic. Cheers to memories both old and new, and to a brew that tastes of both.
