Vortex Brewing was born from more than just an affinity for a cold pint; the business idea was born out of a friendship between Ed and Richard, the co-owners. What started as a simple conversation in a basement bar drinking home-brewed beer has now turned into a full-fledged business plan committed to quality beer and spectacular service. 

To understand the meaning of the name of the brewery, you must understand the origin. Years ago, before the property was secured and name was selected, there was a basement bar in the home of Ed that was fondly referred to as “The Vortex.” Many late nights were spent here full of laughter and conversation, and often the clock would go unnoticed by those enjoying their friends’ company. 

We used to laugh and say, “One minute you look at the clock, and it’s midnight, and then next, it’s three in the morning!” say’s Ed.

People like to say, “It’s 5 O’clock somewhere!.” We’d rather say, “It’s 6:59 because time stands still, and the fun never ends.”

From there, we began to corrupt the neighborhood with delicious homemade craft beer.

While you could call us “beer obsessed,” we are equally “experienced obsessed.” Our mission is to make Vortex Brewing a place that’s always the top choice for an evening out. As we did with our friends and family initially, we plan to incorporate that feeling into the atmosphere of our brewery and make it a wonderful experience… that also serves high-quality craft beer. 

As the idea for our brewery grew, so did our passion for sharing the experience of perfectly crafted beer. We knew it was time to start looking for a permanent home for Vortex Brewing. We searched far and wide throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania for the perfect place to plant our roots. 

In our search, we were always drawn back to New Freedom, Pennsylvania. It is the perfect combination of Southern Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland. We were drawn to the seemingly small town with a vibrant community and rich history and knew it was the right place to call home. We immediately recognized the passion and community within New Freedom and needed to be a part of it. 

You could say we wanted our little slice of freedom. 

Our goal is to give back to the community of New Freedom as much as we possibly can. By paying homage to the thriving railroad and agricultural history. Our brewery will do its very best to constantly remind our guests of the history of the town and educate those who might never have heard. 

There’s nothing in New Freedom like Vortex Brewery yet, but our mission is to make sure that we don’t forget the past while still looking forward to the future, all while serving up a refreshing pint of cold beer.