Nova Cellars Eager to Brew Beer, Make Liqueurs

PULASKI, Pa. — Business has officially begun, but the work is far from over at Nova Cellars Winery.

Next month a new brewery, Brew 32, will open in the space above alongside a new distillery.

“We don’t like to sit still,” says owner Walt Novosel with a laugh. “Pretty much this started in our garage four years ago.”

When a property down the road on state Route 208 became available, Novosel saw the opportunity to get out of the garage and create a destination center.

Nova Cellars Winery sits on 151 acres in Pulaski Township that includes a pond and ample room to expand. The pond features stadium seating for 100 people, with 10 fire pits and additional seating coming soon.

On Thursday Novosel, his extended family, staff were joined by community leaders as they cut a ribbon to mark the opening of the winery. The press event was co-sponsored by four are chambers of commerce.

For now the winery offers several dry selections, such as cabernet and merlot, and four blended sweet wines, says operations supervisor Capri Mateer.

“We didn’t want to do our fruit wines at the opening because we would have sold out of them in a couple hours,” she states.

The winery has planned several events for the near future. The first is a 1K Sip-n-Spill scheduled for Sept. 18.

“You’ll walk the whole way around the pond and you’ll have an oversized wine glass,” Mateer says.

“You’ll have to make it around the pond the fastest without spilling any of the wine.”

Announcers will be on hand to call this event similar to a horse race.

“So it will be very entertaining,” she says.

Nova Cellars operates under the umbrella of Nova Destinations, which includes four wineries and two cideries. Most are also along 208 in Lawrence County.

Brew 32 will offer some 10 craft beers when it opens, says Novosel. Half will be standard, such as IPAs, while the other half will be more adventurous.

“Jalapeño, mango, maple chocolate stout. Stuff that you can’t get typically,” he says.

The yet-to-be-named distillery, he says, will at first offer brandies, vodkas, and liqueurs such as limoncello, but eventually begin serving other spirits such as whiskeys as well.

Production of the beer and spirits is taking place at their warehouse down the road, but plans are to consolidate operations at a new warehouse at the winery. Novosel hopes to have it open by next fall.

Next to it he plans to plant “20 acres of vineyards in the spring,” and he says work will begin soon to renovate a 5,000-square-foot pavilion on the property for weddings and receptions.

“That’s next year’s goal,” he says. “Then you have five- and 10-year goals, but that’s a start.”

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