In 1995, Dan Weirback went from homebrewer to president of his own brewing company when he launched Weyerbacher in Easton, PA. The company has been a success, growing into its current 25 barrel brewhouse and producing a line of seven year-round beers, as well as over a dozen seasonals and special edition labels.

One of the first off the line was Merry Monks, and you voted this bottle-conditioned Belgian-style tripel Best Local Beer in the 2012 Drinker’s Choice Awards. We caught up with Dan to find out more about this delectable brew, and also found out one of his favorite local beers.

– Can you name two (or more) specific things that make Merry Monks special and deserving of the win?

Weyerbacher Merry Monks is brewed with all European malts and noble hops which combine to deepen the flavor profile on this Belgian-style tripel in a more pronounced way than most examples of the style. Our proprietary bottle-conditioning techniques are responsible for the special effervescence in carbonation and mouthfeel.

– Tell us briefly why you were inspired to create Merry Monks?

I’ve always loved  Belgian-style tripels and 12 years ago decided to brew this very special version, which has gone on to become our flagship beer.

– If you had to choose a winner in this category that is not from your own company, what would it be?

If I had to pick another locally brewed beer that I consider excellent, it would surely have to be Troegs Nugget Nectar — outstanding!

Photos by Adam Schmidt