A Tamaqua microbrewery received a $50,000 loan from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, which allowed the business to purchase equipment to keep up with the demand from customers.

Stoker’s Brewing LLC, located at 36 Mauch Chunk St., Tamaqua, received the $50,000 loan through the NEPA Alliance Tri-District loan fund, which includes funds from the Economic Development Administration. The total project cost $140,000, which included the purchase of land, building and equipment. Other project funds consisted of $50,000 from Mauch Chunk Trust Company and a $40,000 equity injection from the borrower.

Stoker’s, Tamaqua’s first microbrewery, is a self-distributing small microbrewery with a tasting room. Located in the heart of downtown Tamaqua, the company fills a niche in the Schuylkill County beer market by producing its own beer on-site in small batches using only the highest quality ingredients and abiding by world-class brewing standards.

Stoker’s offers an alternative to other tavern concepts with more than eight high-quality house-brewed beers on tap at all times. Owner Douglas G. Drost has extensive industry experience as an award-winning home brewer. He also attended America’s premier brewing school, The Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, where he earned his Professional Brewer Certification.

Brewing takes place every Monday with one additional brew day per month in order to produce the appropriate volume of beer.

The NEPA Alliance, a regional community and economic development agency, serves the seven counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania including Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne. NEPA Alliance services include business financing, government contracting assistance, international trade assistance, nonprofit assistance, transportation planning, research and information, and local government services. The full-service economic development lender offers nine low-interest loan programs for job creation and job retention in our region.

For more information about NEPA Alliance, visit www.nepa-alliance.org or call 866-758-1929.