John at the first-ever Hoppy Valley Brewers Fest at Beaver Stadium

Antifragile Brewing Company co-owner John Schaffer is as much a staple at Downtown State College’s first brewery as the vibey, artist-appreciating business’s craft beer, kombucha, and Philly-style cheesesteaks are for locals and visitors alike.

John made the popular PSU undergrad → move to the big city → move back to State College loop and has loved trading in D.C.’s traffic for the peaceful and less congested — but still opportunity-filled! — State College.

We asked John to fill us in on some of his favorite things about living here. We hope you’ll enjoy!

On a typical weekday, you’ll find me… working from home in my estate planning or wealth management practice, and likely taking care of brewery office work. Being self employed, I have some flexibility, so I’ll head to the intramural building for a workout each day; I may go for a run outside when it’s nice. I’ll usually run a few errands and poke my head in at the brewery.

And the weekends are for… Antifragile Brewing Company! Where else!?!? There’s a lot to do, so that’s where I spend most of my “long weekends.”

If State College had its own TV show, my character would be… the one who is always keeping his head down and staying busy. (I hardly ever watch TV, so I’m not sure if that’s a typical character.)

I’m probably best known around town as… an owner of Antifragile Brewing Company, but I can also be found at home. I’m a homebody.

The thing I’m most proud to be contributing to our community?  There are two things, most recently was being a co-founder of Hoppy Valley Brewer’s Fest. The other was organizing Rise and Rally. When the PSU football team was facing sanctions and potential transfers out in 2011, I was involved with The Goon Show, an online PSU sports radio program. We organized an impromptu pep rally early in the morning where a few thousand people came out to support the players and coaches.

To me, a perfect day in State College looks like… waking up early, getting a workout in, taking a walk downtown, in the woods, or through the Arboretum, maybe taking a drive somewhere outside of town for a little, then dinner with friends, maybe finish up with a fire in my backyard.

The season I love most in State College is… spring into summer, because there is so much positive energy as the school year starts to come to a close and seniors get ready to graduate. The weather is getting nicer, downtown becomes lively, and there is a lot of activity.  Then everything slows down and I have a few weeks to catch my breath instead of just hanging on.

I consider Pat Daugherty State College royalty. (If there is such a thing). Pat gave me a chance by hiring me as a bartender my senior year. I really got to know him on a personal level and would regularly drop in to see him. He had such a huge impact on his employees’ lives in developing them into responsible employees and people. He hired a lot of local kids and really made a dent in this town. His passing was a huge loss to so many including me.

One downtown restaurant that I just can’t get enough of is… Allen Street Grill. It’s my go-to, but there are a lot of other places I like to eat in and out of town.

The best day trip destination within a 2-hour drive from State College is… Troegs! They are great people with a great operation, and it’s a fun experience.

Favorite local park? Sunset Park. I live nearby and it’s nice to walk through there and into the Arboretum.

Something I didn’t think I’d like about living here that has really grown on me is… I kind of knew what I was getting into when I came back for grad school, but I think the biggest thing was worrying about not having my friend group from undergrad. I’ve made plenty of new friends here along the way and have kept the ones I already had.

My go-to “Spend an Evening Downtown” itinerary looks like… have a drink at Antifragile, walk around town, have dinner at Allen Street Grill or the prime rib at the Tavern, poke my head into a bar with live music for a little, and then finish up at Antifragile.

On game days, you’ll find me… Likely at Antifragile. On a rare occasion, I may get a chance to tailgate and/or go to the game.

A neighboring town that I love to explore is… Just one? I love to head to Reedsville to hit Revival Kitchen for dinner. Huntingdon is a charming little town with a few spots to duck into for a bite or a drink. Hollidaysburg has a ton of charm and with the addition of Dead Canary, Philipsburg is on my list of neighboring towns to pop into. And it may go without saying, but Bellefonte is very close and pretty awesome.

The 3 things I’d miss most about State College if I had to move are… friends, the lack of real traffic, the amount of outdoor areas – farmland, forest, etc. – nearby.  But my roots are well planted. I’m not leaving.

The coolest, under-the-radar thing in State College is… being able to drive 15 minutes outside of town to go for a hike or walk in the woods.

My personal list of State College hidden gems includes… The Cheese Shoppe, Gemelli Bakery, Yummy Cafe, The Lobby Bar at Allen Street Grille, and Carter’s Table

Something that has pleasantly surprised me about living in State College is… the concerts that have come to town over the past year. We need more Beaver Stadium concerts!

If I had to sum up life in State College in 3 words? Wouldn’t change it

Photo: Antifragile Brewing Company

Want to learn more?

Connect with John on Instagram at Antifragile Brewing Company or Uncle John’s Jawns!