Paladin Brewing: “Creating An Experience Worth Sharing with Friends” 

Abby Chandler, co-owner of Paladin Brewing, is a dedicated entrepreneur and community supporter from Austintown, Ohio. Through her business, CWC Productions, she has a background in video and photography and a passion for creativity and storytelling. Alongside her husband, John, she is committed to fostering a family-friendly atmosphere at Paladin Brewing while contributing to the growth and prosperity of the Youngstown and Warren communities. DeliveryRank offers you an exclusive interview.

Paladin Brewing was established in 2015. Could you share the journey from receiving a Mr. Beer kit as a gift to opening your own brewery? What were some of the challenges and triumphs you experienced along the way? 

The Mr. Beer kit was a gift for my husband—he has a deep passion for beer, whereas I don’t quite share the same enthusiasm for drinking it. However, I have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, so between the two of us, I was the one who even considered the idea of starting a business. 

When he brewed his first batch, he was surprised by how good it tasted. That initial success got us hooked. Soon, we had about eight kits. He would spend Sunday afternoons brewing all of them at once. At that stage, the process was incredibly simple—just mixing a syrup with water and yeast. It was essentially the “Hamburger Helper” of beer, but just like Hamburger Helper, it tasted great. 

A few years later, he asked for an all-grain system as a Christmas gift. Apparently, that wasn’t exactly what he meant, but that’s what I heard—so I bought him a stove-top all-grain brewing kit. He ended up loving it, and from then on, we switched to that method. Eventually, we invested in a half-barrel system for the garage, which allowed us to brew larger batches. 

Then, everything took a turn when his company began restructuring. The owner, who had always valued my husband’s work ethic, was retiring, and a team of executives was brought in to replace him. They didn’t take to my husband—he’s never been a “yes man,” and that’s exactly what they were looking for. The owner, on the other hand, respected him because he simply got things done. They had a conversation, and my husband told him, “I want to open a brewery. How about you lay me off?” That way, he’d receive some severance pay to help bridge the gap, and he could finally make this dream a reality. His boss agreed, and just like that, our journey from a Mr. Beer kit to opening a brewery began. 

Of course, it wasn’t without challenges—far more than the usual hurdles of starting a business. In June of 2015, right as our brewing equipment started arriving, my husband began experiencing severe headaches. By Father’s Day weekend, he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, an aggressive cancer. He underwent a 15-hour surgery at the Cleveland Clinic to remove a baseball-sized tumor from his sinus cavities. The surgery was successful but cost him an eye and his sense of smell—devastating losses for a brewer. 

As if that wasn’t enough, just as we got home from the hospital, our nine-year-old son jumped out of a tree and broke his arm. My husband had a heavily bandaged face from surgery, our son was in a cast, and we were balancing all of this while raising our twin three-year-olds. We must have been quite a sight. 

Against all odds, we opened the brewery less than a month after his surgery. Just as we were nearing the end of his chemo and radiation, one of our twins fell and broke his femur, ending up in a full-body cast for six weeks. 2015 was an unimaginably difficult year for our family, but somehow, through all of it, we pushed forward. Looking back, it’s astonishing to think about everything we overcame to get here. 

Your brewery offers over 20 styles on tap, including ales, IPAs, stouts, and seasonal favorites. How do you approach the development of new beer recipes, and what inspires the diverse range of flavors you offer? 

Our diverse range of flavors can be traced back to a trip we took to Colorado in 2009. That experience initially led to the purchase of the Mr. Beer kit. The sheer variety of beer options we encountered there was mind-boggling, and when we returned home to Youngstown, we found that the local selection was incredibly limited—there wasn’t much of anything as far as craft beer was concerned. 

Even when we were homebrewing, we craved variety, always wanting to experiment with something new. That passion carried over when we opened the brewery. Initially, we thought we would establish a core lineup of eight staple beers that we’d offer year-round. However, we quickly realized that customers were always asking, "What’s next?" They were eager for new releases, constantly searching for the latest and greatest. So, we adapted and kept innovating, continually introducing fresh recipes to keep up with demand. 

Developing new recipes is especially challenging for my husband because he no longer has a sense of smell. Despite that, he relies on the extensive collection of homebrew recipes he created back when he could still smell, using those as a foundation for crafting new beers. Additionally, he has developed a deep understanding of brewing techniques and beer styles, often researching unfamiliar styles and trusting the palates of others to fine-tune his creations. Even for styles he never brewed at home, he has an incredible ability to put together a recipe that works. It’s a testament to both his skill and his determination that he continues to craft exceptional beers despite such a significant challenge. 

As the oldest brewery in Youngstown, Ohio, serving the largest selection of locally brewed styles, how do you maintain a balance between honoring traditional brewing methods and embracing innovation within the craft beer industry? 

When I first read this question, I found it surprisingly difficult to answer because I had never consciously thought about honoring traditional brewing methods—it’s simply the only way we’ve ever brewed. At its core, brewing is a straightforward process: water, grain, and hops. You can experiment with flavors and techniques, but if you stray too far from that foundation, you’re no longer making beer. Traditional brewing methods aren’t just a preference; they’re the necessary framework for brewing itself. 

That being said, one area where we deliberately avoid innovation is in sour beers. We have chosen not to brew sours because once you introduce sour yeast into your system, it has the potential to contaminate your entire brewing setup. Even with the utmost caution, there’s always a risk that wild yeast could turn any beer sour unexpectedly. Given that we’re not particularly fond of sours to begin with, it simply isn’t worth the risk. 

However, when it comes to incorporating fruits and flavors, we love to experiment. We have a Pixie Series that features flavors like watermelon, raspberry, blueberry, and orange vanilla. While these beers push creative boundaries, they are still brewed traditionally, with fruit added after the base beer is made. Our pumpkin beer, though, is where we truly blend tradition with innovation. Instead of using canned pumpkin puree, we process hundreds of pounds of fresh pumpkins by cutting them into small cubes, roasting them in the oven, and adding the softened chunks directly into the mash tun. This method extracts authentic pumpkin flavor, rather than relying solely on pumpkin spices. It’s a perfect example of how we stay rooted in tradition while embracing creativity to craft something truly unique. 

Paladin Brewing's branding and atmosphere are heavily inspired by medieval themes, from the name itself to the design of your taproom. How does this theme influence your customer experience, and what role does storytelling play in connecting your brand with your patrons? 

Our brewery's theme all started because we wanted dragons. I don’t even remember exactly why—we just knew we wanted dragon artwork to be a part of our identity. From there, the medieval theme naturally evolved. We brainstormed countless names, but Paladin stood out. A paladin is a noble knight who fights for the good of all people, not just one kingdom or faction. They follow a strict moral and religious code, embodying justice and righteousness. The idea of a virtuous warrior protecting others felt like the perfect name for our brewery, and it stuck almost instantly. 

This theme deeply influences the customer experience. When you think about medieval times—whether in history or video games—the local tavern was always the heart of the community. It was where people gathered, exchanged news, made deals, and found companionship. In games, it’s where adventurers pick up quests; in real life, it was where neighbors met to trade goods, share stories, and strengthen their community. That’s exactly the kind of atmosphere we’ve cultivated in our brewery—a place that feels like home, where people can gather, unwind, and connect. We joke that it’s like Cheers, but in reality, it’s pretty close to the traditional medieval tavern experience. 

Storytelling is a huge part of how we connect with our patrons. Every beer we release has its own unique character—sometimes a dragon, sometimes a soldier, a wizard, or a pixie. Each can tells a story, not just with its artwork but through its description. We don’t just say, This is a blonde ale with orange zest and vanilla cream. Instead, we craft a narrative: One sip of this, and you’ll believe in magic. Whether our customers are drinking in the brewery or enjoying a can at home, we want them to be immersed in the world we’ve created. The medieval theme isn’t just decoration—it’s an experience woven into every aspect of our brand. 

The craft brewing industry is witnessing a shift towards health-conscious and experience-driven consumers, with breweries expanding their portfolios and employing targeted marketing to engage this audience. How is Paladin Brewing adapting to these trends while staying true to its core values and the essence of craft beer? 

Our brewery has always been an experience-driven tavern—because if there’s nothing to experience, people won’t come. Craft beer is the heart of it all; if the beer isn’t great, people won’t return. But to get them to try the beer in the first place, we need to draw them in with events and experiences. 

In the beginning, tours were everything. On grand opening day, we probably ran two tours an hour the entire time we were open because people were eager to see how it was done. Over time, we expanded our event lineup to keep the experience fresh. We host numerous events such as single mingle evenings, trivia and music bingo, and game nights where a local company, Table Top Station, brings a massive selection of modern board games for guests to play for free, and we have live music in the summer to bring energy to the large outdoor space. 

One of our original slogans—our mission statement, really—was to create an experience worth sharing with your friends. That philosophy still drives everything we do. It’s not just about events and tours; it’s also about the atmosphere and our staff. When you have the right bartenders, simply coming in for a drink becomes an experience worth repeating. Right now, I have an amazing team of bartenders who truly make every visit special. 

We do offer one gluten-free option called Brum. It’s similar to rum but made using beer-brewing techniques, which allows us to sell it. It’s a great alternative for those who are gluten-free but still want to enjoy something craft. 

We also get creative with our drinks by offering beer-based mixed drinks. They’re not traditional cocktails, but they expand our offerings for people who don’t like beer. A simple example is mixing any beer with Sprite to make a Shandy XL—refreshing and light. 

On the food side, we recently added salads to the menu, which is a big step toward more health-conscious options. While we’re all about indulgence and fun, we also want to make sure there’s something for everyone. 

If you would like to find out more about Paladin Brewing, please visit https://paladinbrewing.com/