About Us

Hoplyte was born out of love. Love of American beer.

The common misconception is that before the craft brewing era American beer had always been low quality swill. Appealing to the masses with cheaply made, largely flavorless, commodified brew.

In fact, the brewing industry at the turn of the previous century looked much like it does today with thousands of regional brands making high quality beer in endless varieties. The rise of the Midwestern mega-brewery put an end to all that. With ready access to cheap grain, clean water and a new national highway system the national brands flourished. Beer consumers got cheap beer but at a cost to quality. 

Hoplyte is inspired by the independent spirit of the First Golden Age of American Brewing from 1850-1950. We're fascinated and perhaps a bit obsessed with the history of regional American brewing and the thousands of defunct breweries that once served a younger nation.

Hoplyte