A Harmony restaurant that claims to have a ghost named Barney may soon boast of having unique spirits of another sort.

Representatives of the Harmony Inn on Mercer Street said they hope to unveil plans this summer for Butler County's first microbrewery.

Carl Beers, one of the owners of the restaurant, said there were six microbreweries operating in the area, and all are in Pittsburgh.

He said he envisioned the Harmony Inn's microbrewery as a way to help promote responsible drinking because home-brewed beer would be a bit more expensive.

It's not a new idea: It was two years ago that Beers and John Barnes, son of restaurant co-owner Gary Barnes, presented plans to borough council for an addition on the rear of the building to be used mainly to brew beer. The restaurant also wants to use the additional space to enlarge its kitchen.

But Beers said last week that several factors caused the delay, including the amount of construction involved.

"We're still working on it," he said. "We hope to announce something this July."

He said the restaurant would slowly phase out its stock of mass-produced beers and eventually serve only those brewed on site. John Barnes said he would serve as brewmaster, and has been studying brewing techniques for the past several years.

Barnes said microbreweries tended to phase out the "corner bar" concept. "This way, people come in just to enjoy a few beers with dinner," he said.

Barnes said the restaurant would be able to brew special batches to coincide with existing Harmony events such as Dankfest, and he envisions the start of an annual Oktoberfest.

He said the beer would be made only for consumption in the restaurant and would not be bottled for distribution.

Barnes said the system involved would not be large, and the restaurant would probably have to brew beer only three times a week. He said it took about three hours to make one batch.

Odor emanating from the process would not be a problem for neighbors, Barnes said. "There is a slight odor, but it just smells like baking bread," he said.

Beers said the idea went hand-in-hand with the Harmony Inn's tradition of making all its food products from scratch.

"People nowadays are enjoying more home-made food products," he said. "The brewery would tie this in for us."

There is a more colorful tradition as well at the Harmony Inn, which was originally the home of a railroad entrepreneur. Legend has it that it is home to a ghost named Barney, which is manifested by a cold stream of air in the stairway. Barney has, as the stories go, occasionally been known to move things.

Some believe Barney is the spirit of a man who was killed falling down the stairs.

Legends aside, the town's historic designation means the owners must work with the Harmony Historic Architectural Review Board to ensure the building change fits in with the town's appearance.

Composite photograph showing what the planned microbrewery and kitchen addition to the Harmony Inn would look like. The microbrewery is at front center and the kitchen expansion is at front right. The additions are planned for the rear of the building facing the parking lot. The Harmony Inn was built in 1856.