ADAMSTOWN, PA—Carol Stoudt, touted as the first female brewmaster since Prohibition, announced on Monday her pending retirement and the closure of its Stoudts Brewing operations here this spring.

Stoudt, with her husband Ed's support, launched the brewhouse in Adamstown in 1987, adding a 30-barrel brewhouse to an already existing business that included a 70,000-square-foot Antiques Mall, restaurant and pub, and indoor/outdoor Bier Garden. An on-premise bakery and cheesemaking facility would eventually be added to the operation.

"This was a difficult decision to make," says Carol Stoudt, "but we're not moving enough volume to justify the expense of keeping the brewery open. However, we're not closing the doors to any business opportunities that could help the Stoudts brand live on."

Production will scale down immediately and brewery operations at the Lancaster County brewhouse will cease by early spring in order to prepare the brewery for sale.

Operations will continue as normal for all other divisions of the Stoudts enterprise.

Stoudt helped pioneer the craft brewing movement in the late eighties and early nineties by providing support and encouragement to fledgling breweries. Stoudt's Microfests provided fruitful networking opportunities for brewers and members of the burgeoning craft beer industry.

As she prepares for retirement, she noted, "I did my part. Now it is up to the new generation to continue the tradition of innovation that defines craft beer."

Instant Insights /

Pioneer Central PA Brewery Closing This Spring

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