Fresh Face: Rural City Beer Co.

After two summers at the Warehouse District Beer Garden, brothers and best friends James and Ben Burton are bringing their brews to Lancaster City year-round with the opening of the Rural City Beer Co.’s Lancaster Taproom. Although the Reamstown-based brewery is new to the city, James and Ben have been a part of the Lancaster beer scene for over a decade, and they are thrilled to now be in the heart of Lancaster.

Brewing began as a hobby for James in 2007, as he worked on his craft, brewed beers for friends’ weddings, and joined the Lancaster Homebrewers Club.

After Ben began brewing with him, they decided this was something they wanted to take the leap on professionally.

“We worked at a lot of breweries around Central Pennsylvania to learn the ins and outs of the industry, and we made a lot of friends that have helped us along the way,” Ben shared.

After getting this experience, working on their business plan with SCORE, and a serendipitous stop for a beer in the former Union Barrel Works Brewery, the brothers took over the 15-barrel brew system there in 2021. Rural City prides itself on brewing “beers for every palate,” which is why you’re guaranteed to find something you love when you stop by their new space.

Their vision for the King Street taproom is to be a place of comfort where people can slow down a bit and relax.

“We’re really looking forward to not only having a cool bar for people to come have a beer, but also provide an experience where they can leave with a little bit more knowledge about the beers and the beer industry from our staff,” James said. “Everyone is welcome here.”

Grab a pint and make yourself at home at 25 West King Street.