Sam and I decided to meet his team lead and her husband for lunch at Rockmill Brewery this past Sunday.

I would check in on the brewery’s Instagram page from time to time and commented to Sam about wanting to go there at some point. Our opportunity arrived when his team lead suggested we all go there for a casual double date.

Nestled just outside of Lancaster in the hills, Rockmill Brewery originally was built as a horse farm with a stagecoach stop, tavern and gathering place. The horse logo is a nod to that part of the brewery’s history.

What truly sets the brewery apart is the location and the natural resources around it – specifically, the water. Rockmill is situated at the headwaters of the Hocking River, where the water is filtered through Black Hand Sandstone. The minerality is similar to the water makeup of the water in Wallonia, Belgium, and helps to create a unique flavor in the beers that Rockmill brews.

We got there first and decided to order some drinks at the bar. I’m not a big drinker or much of a beer fan, but I wanted to try the Raspberry Lemon Seltzer. I like floral and fruity flavors, and the alcohol content seemed reasonable at six percent for a mostly non-drinker (I asked Sam’s opinion, since he enjoys beer regularly, and he figured what I ordered wouldn’t turn me into a falling-down-drunk gal.)

To my pleasant surprise it was delicious. The raspberry and lemon blended together nicely, and the alcohol taste wasn’t overpowering at all. Sam ordered a pilsner and liked his drink.

We were both starting to feel hungry and our company hadn’t arrived yet, so I suggested we try one of the snacks. Rockmill is known for serving wood fired pizza, as well as some unique snacks and sandwiches. Duck infused popcorn looked good, so we ordered that and munched on it while working our way through some beer.

Y’all. The popcorn is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Turns out duck fat and sea salt are the perfect combination on some popcorn. It was an effort for me to not shovel the entire bowl into my own mouth.

Thankfully our company arrived at this point and we moved to a table outside under one of the trees to talk and order our pizzas. We ordered the burrata pizza, which is similar to a margherita pizza with the exception being that instead of mozzarella, Rockmill paired burrata dollops with San Marzano sauce and fresh basil. They ordered the chorizo and portabella pizza, which the team lead said is one of their favorite flavors.

Personally I have yet to meet a pizza I didn’t like, and burrata was no exception.

We had a great afternoon, spending it talking for several hours and enjoying each other’s company. Sam and I decided to walk around the grounds a bit and discovered the red door chapel the brewery rents out for weddings, as well as the reception venue. Turns out the grounds were hosting a wedding that day and we might have been walking where we should not have been.

Overall, Rockmill Brewery was a casual, peaceful retreat from the busyness of our lives in the city. Locals were there for their weekly Sunday lunch, as were other city people or suburbanites who wanted to enjoy something new and relaxing.

I didn’t have a lot to say in this restaurant review. Simply put, we had a great time and I recommend anyone local to Lancaster or traveling either direction of 33 to pull off and enjoy some beer and pizza on their way through.

Until next time friends!

Yours in writing and running,

Allison