Our Story

Poverty Knob Origins

Port Farms has been around since 1897 and has continually evolved from a potato farm into the tourist attraction it is today. The idea of a brewery has always been something 4th generation owners Jerry and Kelly Port have dreamed of starting.  

Why a Brewery 

The Port family is always looking for new ideas for their guests to enjoy. Jerry came up with the idea of starting a brewery around 2012 and purchased the Poverty Knob Farmhouse Ales website domain in hopes that his dream would eventually come to fruition. With farming being such a big part of his life, he loved the idea of being able to incorporate crops grown on the farm into the beer making process.  

Why Poverty Knob 

Many years ago, Jerry’s grandmother Beatrice Port deemed a portion of the farmland “Poverty Knob” because of its lack of crop production. Not only was the ground gravelly and dry, but groundhogs constantly ate the crops that would grow in that area. If you’ve ever been on the farm wagon ride, you have seen this part of the property. Poverty Knob is nestled back in the woods near the train tracks where the wagon ride makes its turn around. 

The Building 

The building was originally built in the mid 70’s to store potatoes but has been ever-changing through the years. In 1987, when potato farming slowed, the building transitioned into grain storage for corn and soybeans. In more recent years, the space was used to store equipment during the farm’s different seasons. Today, it has been transformed into a beautiful brewery which houses a 10-barrel brewhouse with five 10-barrel fermenters and three 20-barrel fermenters. The north half of the space is the production area, and the south part of the building is where you can enjoy freshly made brews and food in the taphouse.   

Atmosphere 

The Port Family wanted to create a unique space for friends and families to gather and enjoy flavorful food and exceptional craft beer. The brewery is family friendly and offers games, live music, and entertainment for all ages. The sharable food options and fun atmosphere make it the perfect destination to visit year-round. Given its proximity, Poverty Knob also makes a great place to relax after spending a day on the farm.   

Meet Tater and Spud  

What better mascot to have for the brewery than the critters who helped inspire it? Tater and Spud are our farm groundhogs who pop up occasionally to remind us that sometimes what seems like a problem can turn into something better than you ever could have imagined.