Craft Brews & Detroit-Style Pizza at Cygnet Brewing
In the Old Yellowstone District, just west of Downtown Casper, a unique brewery brings the taste of local and sense of community to a whole new level.
For Taylor Schwahn, owner and brewer at Cygnet Brewing, it all started with a hobby shared between a father and son.
Long before Cygnet opened its doors in the OYD, Taylor and his dad spent years brewing beer together at home. What began with simple homebrew kits in the 1990s gradually evolved into increasingly ambitious recipes and more sophisticated equipment. Eventually, Taylor enrolled in the American Brewers Guild, an intensive six-month brewing program that combined chemistry, engineering, and craftsmanship into the science of great beer.
After graduation, he gained professional experience at a brewery in Kansas before returning home to Wyoming to work in Casper. But even while building his career, another dream was taking shape.
"My dad came to me and said, 'I want to upgrade my brewing system and never have to upgrade it again,"" Taylor recalled. "We just started brewing more and more complex beer... and building the idea that we wanted to open something like this."
That dream eventually became Cygnet brewing - a place where thoughtfully crafted beer, scratch-made Detroit-style pizza, and community all come together under one roof.
Brewing with a Story
One of the things that makes Cygnet stand out isn't just the quality of the beer - it's the stories behind it. Every tap has its own personality, but one beer in particular holds a special place in Taylor's heart.
His favorite? Handsome Jack, a Scottish Ale named after his beloved Border Collie.
"I wanted to brew a beer for him because he was such an important part of our life," Taylor said. "My first attempt turned into something that I couldn't have even expected... it just became my favorite beer."
It's a perfect example of what makes local breweries so memorable. Behind every pint is a person, a memory, or an experience that shaped it into something uniquely Wyoming.
Visitors often gravitate toward the approachable Nordic Cowboy Blonde Ale, especially during the warmer months, while locals eagerly await the return of seasonal favorites like Handsome Jack. More recently, Taylor's IPA, Favorite Child, has quickly become another customer favorite.
The tap list is always changing, giving guests another reason to stop back the next time they're in Casper.
A Place That Feels Like Casper
One of the things Taylor appreciates most about Casper's brewery community isn't competition, it's collaboration.
Unlike larger cities where breweries often develop highly specialized identities, Casper's breweries each occupy their own unique spaces while remaining connected by a shared sense of community.
"I'd like to highlight the beer industry in Casper," Taylor said. "You walk into all these places and more often than not, you're going to be running into the owner... it's a lot of that personal feel."
That personal connection is something visitors notice almost immediately.
Whether you're chatting with the brewer about a new recipe, getting recommendations from the staff, or meeting locals gathered around the taproom, Casper's breweries offer something increasingly rare: genuine hospitality.
Taylor hopes visitors take the time to experience more than just one stop.
His advice?
"Always keep drinking local and pay attention because there's always new stuff coming out from every brewery."
More Than a Brewery
While beer may have been the inspiration, Cygnet has continued growing into a gathering place for the community.
Throughout the year, the brewery hosts puzzle nights, specialty pizza evenings, local vendor pop-up markets, First Thursday Art Walk activities, and a variety of community events that make every visit a little different.
It's part neighborhood hangout, part craft brewery, part pizza shop, and part creative community space.
That blend reflects Casper itself, a place where people come together over shared interests, support local makers, and aren't afraid to try something new.
The Only - Right Here in Casper
Every destination has places you can only truly experience there.
At Cygnet Brewing, that experience is found in a brewery built from decades of family tradition, beers inspired by personal stories, and Detroit-style pizza that's become a destination of its own.
It's a place where science meets creativity, where every pint has a story, and where visitors quickly become regular, even if they're only in town for a weekend.
So, the next time you're exploring the Old Yellowstone District in Casper, pull up a chair, order a personal Detroit-style pizza, ask what's new on tap, and discover why Cygnet Brewing is one of the many experiences you can only find here.
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