Hey, I’m Randy Young, the guy behind the brewhouse at J.J. Rattigan Brewing Co. in Pottstown, PA. I’m the owner, brewer, and all-around doer here, and I figured it was time to tell you a little more about my journey and what makes this place tick.
My Brewing Journey
I got into brewing the same way a lot of us do: by accident. I was in a food program at Widener University and had to create a Scottish-themed restaurant for a final project. I thought, “You know what? Let me try making a beer to go with it.” Never brewed before. Went straight to all-grain. Made a Wee Heavy. Turned out so good people were slipping me $5 bills at the event telling me it was the best beer they’d ever had.
That feeling stuck with me. I cashed out everything I had—savings, 401k, inheritance—and bought a two-barrel system. Set it up in my parents’ backyard (they were… surprised).
I had eight taps running from a walk-in fridge. Friends would swing by at midnight for growler fills. It was the start of something big.
From there, I joined Iron Hill and spent several years learning from great brewers in Media and Ardmore. My first solo brew there took second place in the World Beer Cup. That sealed it. I was all in.
Founding J.J. Ratigan Brewing Co.
We opened in 2019. The name honors one of my partner’s great-great-grandfathers, John J. Ratigan, an Irish immigrant who bottled imported beer and spirits in Philly until Prohibition shut him down. Fitting, since we got hit with our own shutdown thanks to COVID just months after opening.
We didn’t close for long. I told the team: we’re going to stay open and find a way. We turned our kitchen into a community resource, making thousands of school lunches for local kids and partnering with other restaurants to feed new immigrants arriving in the city. It was hard, but it gave us purpose. I maxed out my credit cards just to buy ingredients. It was all or nothing, and we chose all in.
What We Brew & Why
I’m not interested in chasing trends or having an IPA on every tap. I brew a wide range of styles—color, flavor, bitterness—so there’s something for everyone. You don’t have to like beer to hang out here. We’ve got ciders, NA options, whiskey, live music, shuffleboard, pool tables, and family-friendly vibes. We even do a reverse happy hour from 9 to 11pm with BOGO apps and drink specials until midnight.
There’s axe throwing upstairs—BYOB-style (beer only)—and community tables downstairs where strangers become friends. It’s a spot with a soul, and you’re welcome here even if beer’s not your thing.
We run a 15-barrel brewhouse, bigger than most new spots, because I knew from day one: I didn’t want to be stuck doubling brew days just to keep up. I’m the only brewer here, so efficiency matters.
Local Sourcing & PA Beer Culture
We’re proud to use Pennsylvania-grown grain from Double Eagle Malt. My spent grain goes straight to a local Wagyu cattle farm, and in return, we serve Wagyu burgers on the menu. It’s a beautiful cycle—and yeah, I’ve petted the cows.
Switching to local malt was a no-brainer. My old sources were across the ocean, expensive, and unreliable. Double Eagle’s Pilsner and two-row do the job beautifully. I still get some specialty stuff from overseas, but I trust PA-grown grain now more than ever. The last batch I brewed with them? Probably the best Aromatic Phanatic NEIPA I’ve ever made. (7.2% – NE IPA / HAZY IPA – Smooth, mellow NE IPA, mild finish)
We experimented with funky ingredients, I used black garlic honey in beer, and made terpene-infused lagers like “Bong Wooder”. I’m still a homebrewer at heart—I just happen to brew for a whole town now.
We’re all about building Pennsylvania beer culture. I believe beer should reflect the place it’s brewed. That means working with small farmers who might otherwise just grow corn and soy, and paying them better to grow malting barley.
Beyond Beer: Food, Music & Community
Our food’s globally inspired—cheese curds, Hungarian potato salad, frog legs, rockfish buffalo mac & cheese, and buffalo cauliflower that even a meat lover like me respects. My GM is Hungarian and brings great old-world flavor to the menu.
Steak Frites – classic European biergarten food! (France and Belgium keep fighting about who invented it.) The grain salad is another European biergarten item. For the summer: Grilled Swordfish and Lemon Ricotta Pasta – they’re classic beer and wine foods from the Mediterranean. We also do American foods: habanero grilled shrimp and classic American BBQ – we smoke brisket and pork in house!
We’ve got live music twelve hours a week, three upstairs and three down every Friday and Saturday night. Upstairs is chill. Downstairs, it’s a party. There’s even a soccer table with a real net under the glass top.
We chose Pottstown because it’s got bones—tin ceilings, industrial floors, wide streets, and a town ready for a comeback. This place used to build the Golden Gate Bridge. We’re just doing our part to build the next chapter.
What’s Next
I’m hoping to get a distillery going soon. We’ve got the space, the gear, and the itch. Just need one more partner and we’re in. I’ve brewed beers with black garlic, made hot sauces with Carolina Reaper, and even tried aging weird wee heavies in barrels. If it tastes good, I’m down to explore it.
We also support Double Eagle’s “Made with PA Grain” campaign. If you see the logo, know it means your beer was brewed with local grain and the farmers who grew it.
At J.J. Ratigan’s, I want everyone to feel welcome. Bring your family. Bring your dog. Bring your vegan cousin. Grab a beer. Or don’t. Just enjoy what we’ve built.
Editor’s Note: Bottles from the original John J. Ratigan bottling operation in Philadelphia are prized by collectors of pre-Prohibition beer memorabilia. These rare glass artifacts are a tangible link to Pennsylvania’s brewing heritage and the legacy that inspired the modern J.J. Ratigan Brewing Co.
