What’s in a name?
If you’re talking about Recon Brewing, the name is a reference to the Bantam Reconnaissance Car 40—a precursor to the Jeep that was designed and built by American Bantam, a small and financially-plagued car manufacturer based in Butler, Pennsylvania, that went on to play an important role during the Second World War.
But it’s more than just a nod to the past and city of Butler’s role in World War II. It’s also a reference to the determination to succeed that was evidenced by the three original owners: Toby Wehr, Dave Bestwick and Nate Bacher. This commitment has continued through the past eight years, even through significant company changes: Bestwick’s departure in 2024 and the addition of Rob Mikita (in charge of human resources and off-site events) and Mike Sherman (technology and analytics) to the ownership team.
Also in that timeframe, two more taprooms were opened in addition to the flagship brewery in Butler: Recon Brewing at Meeder in Cranberry in April 2021 and Recon Brewing at Hastings in South Fayette in February 2022.
Stepping out of Their Comfort Zone 
When the company was first formed in February 2016, the goal was to start a micro-brewery that would focus on high quality, yet simple beers that would become known for their drinkability and value.
“I think we achieved that pretty early on,” says Nate, whose role is manager of brewing operations. “Now our main focus is continuing that quality, while stepping out of our comfort zone. We are now brewing newer and more complex styles than we did initially for those customers who want that experimental or niche beer. In the past four-plus years, we’ve added a lot to our portfolio of beer offerings, and we've even gone to making our own cider in-house.”
The Butler location was secured in August 2016 and in May 2017, Recon Brewing opened its doors after an eight-month whirlwind of activity that involved construction, permitting and equipment purchasing, says Toby, manager of front of house operations.
“Most breweries take a year-plus from the time they secure the building until they're open,” adds Nate. “But Toby is very ambitious when it comes to the construction side. He and Dave were here every day doing something and really got it done faster than we expected.”
Tasting is Believing
You can’t talk about a craft brewery without talking about the beers, and the selection at Recon Brewing has to be tasted to be believed. The list of 30 beer styles and over 100 recipes includes the intriguingly named Juice Head Baby, Key Lime Pie Gose and fifteen flavor options in the Trail Rated Sour Series as well as seasonal favorites. Year-round staples are BRC, the flagship IPA, and 14 Leatherheads, notes Nate. As an added incentive for its regulars, the brewery has a Warrior Mug Club that gives members a discount on food, beer and merchandise as well as other perks.
As for the restaurant side, that was an add-on to their original plan and something they learned on the fly, says Nate. “Initially, we weren’t sure we were going to go in that direction. We thought about just doing a brewery with food truck options,” he says. “But we decided that people would want to have food. We started out by keeping it very simple, and it got a little more complex as the years went on.”
Each location has its own menu selections, but all three have Happy Hour deals on weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. The Hastings taproom also serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 2 p.m.
A Convivial Atmosphere 
The quality of the craft beer brewed by Recon Brewing—about 500 barrels a year—is matched by the warm and welcoming mood at all three taprooms.
“Keeping repeat customers happy has been our saving grace. People like to go to a place that’s comfortable, where they know the quality of the food, drink and service they’re getting,” says Nate. “We have a spectacular staff, and many have been here long term. They know the customers and the customers know them.”
They wanted to create the sense of a local pub when they opened the Butler taproom—a space with an interior seating capacity of 55 and another 40 on the patio. That goal also influenced their choice of locations for the other two taprooms. Both Hastings, accommodating a total of 160 inside and out, and Meeder, the largest with a total seating capacity of 210, are the center points in those communities, says Toby, and the taprooms have become the place where friends can come, stay for a while and enjoy the food, beers and conversations.
This has helped them weather the downturn the craft beer industry in general has been experiencing, due as much to economic factors as to the oversaturation of the market. There was a ten-year timeframe when there were a lot of people opening breweries or expanding existing ones, says Nate. Then, he notes, the reverse started happening.
“There was a period where almost one Pennsylvania brewery a week posted about having their last day. Every time one would come across my Facebook feed, I'd send it to Toby and say, ‘Here's another one.’”
While the owners have considered expanding again, at present they are watching the economic climate and focusing on controlling their costs, according to Toby. Fortunately, he adds, the brewery is extremely flexible, both operationally and financially—a situation that affords them the ability to adjust very quickly.
“Breweries have gone from our size to triple that size with the hopes of distributing and expanding and then hit economic downtimes. Having our brewing equipment and other large capital expenses paid off has allowed us to navigate through those times.”
Nate believes one of their keys to success is ensuring the quality of their product is consistent, whether customers enjoy it in one of the taprooms or at an off-site event.
“We are the sole provider of our beer. We make it in-house, keep it cold, serve it by the glass through clean beer lines, and present it the way we want it presented,” he emphasizes. “And I think that has served us well through the years.”
They are well aware that it’s the community backing that has allowed Recon Brewing to survive and thrive, and in return actively support organizations both by participating in local events and sponsorships and through Recon Brewing’s “Karma Tap.” Each quarter, the brewery pairs up with a charitable organization and either creates a new brew or chooses an existing one, with 15% of the sales from that tap handle going to that specific organization—over $65,000 to date.
Brewing a Community Connection 
It’s the value that the owners place on the community connection that led them to Farmers National Bank. “It’s a community bank and they really care about local businesses,” says Toby.
Nate adds, “They took a holistic approach to our plan, our story and our projections while other banks only looked at our financials. They were willing to work with us because they thought we had a good business plan. And it was a booming time for breweries, so that was in our favor as well. We’ve had a good relationship from the get-go.”
Recon Brewing has been a client of Farmers since 2016, says Greg Anderson, Vice President, Sr. Relationship Manager, who, together with Kyle Hilfiger, the manager of the Butler branch, maintains the relationship. In addition to meeting their daily financial needs, the bank had provided them with a line of credit and construction loans for the taprooms in Cranberry and South Fayette.
“The owners are very active in the areas they serve, just like us, so I think that partnership goes hand in hand with who they are,” says Anderson. “As a community bank, we understand how important community ties are. Recon Brewing is proud to be part of their community and Farmers Bank is proud to serve as their bank.”