Images courtesy Donovan Roberts Witmer
Cumberland/Dauphin County
Molly Pitcher Brewing Company
The brewery, named after the Revolutionary War hero, pays homage to that history, from their unique tap handles to brewing classic beer from the era. Try the Minuteman Mild, Redcoat ESB or one of their Taste of the Taproom rotating series.
10 E. South St., Carlisle, PA/mollypitcher.com
Spring Gate Brewing Company
Emulating the German biergarten, this family friendly brewery (and winery) on a farm is a hit with its weekly “feasts,” partnering with local caterers and food trucks for easy, pay-as-you-go afternoons of good beer and good times.
5790 Devonshire Road, Harrisburg, PA/springgatebrewery.com
Harty Brewing Company
A small-town nanobrewery in the heart of Cumberland County that serves up classic, solid craft beer styles in a cozy taproom. Their American Pale Ale has big hop flavor and is the highlight of the tap list.
146 Walden Way, Mechanicsburg, PA/hartybrewco.com
Market Cross Pub
A combined brewery, beer bar and restaurant makes this a unique stop in Carlisle for more than 20 years. Their beers rotate constantly between a few taps—including one dedicated cask line—and include Excalibur Imperial Stout, Old Yeller IPA and Pub Daddy Pale Ale.
113 N. Hanover St., Carlisle, PA/marketcrosspub.com
Pizza Boy Brewing Company
Hosting dozens of their own beers plus around 80 more sourced locally and nationally create a beer drinking atmosphere that is intoxicating on its own. Brews like West Shore IPA, Murren River IPA and Hampden Lager appeal to everyday beer drinkers, while barrel-aged sours get the attention of even the most hardcore beer geeks.
2240 Millenium Way, Enola, PA/alsofhampden.com
Brewery at Hershey
The area’s first winery-plus-brewery, The Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey is a destination, especially during warm summer weekends when the place is jammed for its Friday Decked-Out Live performances and near-monthly parties that draw in thousands from the area. Choose from wine, beer, or both, or even one of their experimental ciders.
598 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown, PA/vineyardathershey.com
Appalachian Brewing Company
Harrisburg’s first microbrewery has expanded its roots to cover locations from Gettysburg to Lititz. Each location hosts its own brewhouse to create fresh, local beer that is made just feet from the taps.
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, PA/Other locations: Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Collegeville, Lititz and Gettysburg/abcbrew.com
Tröegs Brewing Company
One of the best-known breweries in the area and the region has been a mainstay in Central PA for nearly 20 years now. Well-known brews like Perpetual, Mad Elf and Nugget Nectar top the list of notable beer lists everywhere, but their Scratch Series always offers something new for everyone. And though brothers Chris and John Trogner will never call it a brewpub, Tröegs’ concession-style indoor and outdoor picnic area is on the must list for any foodie.
200 E. Hershey Park Dr., Hershey, PA/tröegs.com
Zeroday Brewing Company
The first brewery to call Midtown Harrisburg home—and quickly a neighborhood sweetheart—has been putting a spin on classic beer styles since its ribbon cutting last spring. Mango Hab, Dolce Vita and a rotating series of IPAs keep people from all over the area coming back
for more.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg, PA/zerodaybrewing.com
Image courtesy Donovan Roberts Witmer
Lancaster County
Mad Chef Brewing Company
One of the few places where the head chef is also the brewmaster. Classic sandwiches like cubanos, reubens and French dips highlight the menu, while brews like Black Beerd Oats and Porter Rico impress. As a bonus, Mad Chef’s Fusion Series adds new twists on some of their original beers. It’s a Susquehanna Style office neighbor and a staff fave.
2023 Miller Road, East Petersburg, PA/madchefcraftbrewing.com
Stoudts Brewing Company
Carol Stoudt is a pioneer in the craft beer world, and Stoudt’s has long been winning awards for its craft brews. Locals also know it’s the best place for Oktoberfest celebrations. Hopheads should look for their annual IPA Fest, too.
2800 N. Reading Road, Adamstown, PA/stoudts.com
Black Forest Brewery
A small taproom in Ephrata that is attached to the 1777 Americana Inn with a true hometown feel. The main brewery serves up traditional tavern ales like Whistle Stop Amber and 42nd Mile IPA, while also adding more variety with their 5 O’Clock Heffy and Russian Imperial Stout.
301 W. Main St., Ephrata, PA/blackforestbrewery.net
Image courtesy Funk Brewing Company
Funk Brewing Company
Even though Funk has been open in Emmaus for a few years now, it’s a newcomer to Central PA. Their taproom in downtown Elizabethtown makes for a great place to grab unique food—be sure to wash it down with their signature Citrus IPA made with grapefruit. Live local music is another highlight of the taproom.
28 S. Market St., Elizabethtown, PA/funkbrewing.com
Moo Duck Brewing Company
Take the train to Elizabethtown and you will end up directly across the street from this neighborhood brewery. They specialize in putting their own twist on classic styles of beer like Honey Basil Golden Ale and Mistopheles Chocolate Stout.
79 S. Wilson Ave., Elizabethtown, PA/mooduckbrewery.com
Cox Brewing Company
Although they currently do not have a spot to sit for a pint, you can go and taste Cox’s beers to take home in growlers. Signature beers include 82nd Amber, Chi-47 IPA and Liberty Lager that also can be found in some local bars.
276 Heisey Quarry Road, Elizabethtown, PA/coxbrewingcompany.com
Columbia Kettle Works
The only brewery in Columbia, this is a treat for visitors seeking good food and beer. Taps are ever-rotating with treats like a cranberry gose and German specialities like maibock and dunkelweizen, next to aggressively hopped IPAs. Beer-friendly snacks and sandwiches are sourced locally.
40 N. 3rd St., Columbia, PA/columbiakettleworks.com
Image courtesy Donovan Roberts Witmer
Spring House Brewing Company
With crazy names like The Martians Kidnapped Santa and The Astounding She Monster, Spring House has found a home in Lancaster for years now. Beer travelers might have been to the Taproom on King Street, but their new brewery and taproom just down the road makes for a whole new beer experience, placing you right in front of the brand new brewhouse that sits directly behind the beautiful bar and seating area offering gourmet grub.
209 Hazel St., Lancaster, PA/springhousebeer.com
Lancaster Brewing Company
The location in Lancaster is worth the trip alone with the bar and restaurant sitting above the entire brewhouse. LBC is one of the few places that gives you every beer on tap when you order a sampler. Check out their daily food specials, which include $5 cheeseburgers and wings on select days.
302 N. Plum St., Lancaster, PA/lancasterbrewing.com
Image courtesy Donovan Roberts Witmer
JoBoy’s Brewing Company
BBQ and brews take center stage at this Lititz brewpub. A tap list that consists of everything from lagers to double IPAs will pair with anything on their menu. Head downstairs to their recently opened Speakeasy for some creative cocktails.
27-31 E. Main St., Lititz, PA/joboysbrewpub.com
Saint Boniface Brewing Company
One of the fastest growing breweries in our area just got a little bigger with additional space and a brand new look to their taproom. You might have seen cans of Paidea Pale Ale or Libation Double IPA, but head to the brewery to try one-offs like black currant stout and molasses porter plus different food trucks most weeks.
1701 W. Main St., Ephrata, PA/stbonifacebrewing.com
Iron Hill Brewing Company
Each of the locations from Lancaster to Philadelphia offers a special tap list that features flagships and brewery specials. Pig Iron Porter and Ore House IPA are mainstays joined by seasonals like spring’s Mahalo Apollo, a wheat beer welcoming the sun god spiced with grains of paradise and lemongrass.
781 Harrisburg Ave., Lancaster, PA/ironhillbrewery.com/lancaster
Fetish Artisanal Ales
The newest and possibly smallest brewery in the Lancaster scene has just opened a space with limited hours to sample their unique small-batch brews like Ghost Pepper Fetish, Spelt Fetish and Bumble Fetish.
325 Ice Ave. Lancaster, PA/facebook.com/fetishbeer
York County
Image courtesy Mexitaly Brick Oven Brewhouse
Mexitaly Brick Oven Brewhouse
Yes. Mexican plus Italian—burritos, tacos, strombolis, pizza—is the menu here. Beers are small-batch and ever-changing.
2440 E. Market St., York, PA/mexitaly.com
Mudhook Brewing Company
Tucked alongside the market in downtown York, Mudhook’s full taproom—with newly expanded hours—is a casual spot intended for good beer, food and company. Stop in on Saturdays for live music, or make the most of York’s First Friday celebration each month.
34 N. Cherry Lane, York, PA/mudhookbrewing.com
Crystal Ball Brewing Company
Plan a weekend afternoon to visit Crystal Ball—their taproom is currently only open Fridays and Saturdays—but you’ll want to get your hands on their coconut porter or session-friendly Breakfast Beer with bacon.
1612 W. King St., York/crystalballbrewing.com
Liquid Hero Brewing Company
A stellar name, great downtown location and boatloads of events (Randall Thursdays, Brewery Yoga Saturdays, plus a daily happy hour) put Liquid Hero at the top of the must-visit list. Their cozy taproom is filled with local regulars and beer travelers alike enjoying American Hero amber ale, Irregardless IPA or any of the other beers on tap.
50 E. North St. York, PA/liquidhero.com
Gunpowder Falls Brewing Company
You never quite know where you’ll find a brewery pop up, like this one in a warehouse tract nearly in Maryland. Gunpowder Falls focuses strictly on traditional German lagers, following Reinheitsgebot, the German purity law, which dictates beer can only be made using four ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast.
15556 Elm Dr. New Freedom, PA/gunpowderfallsbrewing.com
Wyndridge Farms
“Live crafty” is the theme at gorgeous Wyndridge Farm, where the focus is on house-made ciders and craft beers in a picturesque restored barn and event space. Weddings and corporate events are popular here, plus look for special pairing dinners, brunch every Sunday and live music in the summer.
885 S. Pleasant Ave., Dallastown PA/wyndridge.com
Image courtesy Donovan Roberts Witmer
Lebanon County
Snitz Creek Brewing Company
Bringing beer back to Lebanon, Snitz Creek’s fishing theme runs throughout the menu, including Opening Day IPA and super drinkable Brown Trout Stout. However, their innovation with local product—including Seltzer’s Smokehaus #7 and Shuey’s Pretzel Wheat—sets them apart. The menu, too, is beer-perfect. Hungry? Don’t miss the Bacon Jammer burger featuring bleu cheese and bacon jam. Keep an eye out for the new second location, Snitz Creek Tasting Room, opening this summer.
7 N. 9th St. Lebanon, PA/snitzcreekbrewery.com
Image courtesy Casey Martin Photography
Adams County
Battlefield Brewing Company
Housed in a former confederate hospital in historic Gettysburg, Battlefield also upped the ante by adding a distillery. Fresh beers rotate often, and popular snacks include their wild game jackalope sausage, Carolina quesadilla and pulled pork sandwich.
248 Hunterstown Road, Gettysburg, PA/battlefieldbrewworks.com
Aldus Brewing Company
Housed in the former Snyder’s pretzel factory, Aldus has an open space to enjoy well-crafted beers that are approachable for everyone. Highlights of the tap list are the Wee Dame Wee-Heavy Ale, American Blonde Ale and Arrow Mattic Amber IPA.
555 Centennial Ave., Hanover, PA/aldusbrewing.com
Something Wicked Brewing Company
Limited hours make this brewery lesser known, but it is a must-visit in Hanover. Their offerings include full flavored beers like Chaos, a chocolate-coconut stout, and Sinful, an IPA brewed strictly with citra hops. If you’re not imbibing, they also offer cold-pressed coffee on tap.
34 Broadway, Hanover, PA/somethingwickedbrewing.com
Miscreation Brewing Company
A unique setting in the middle of the square in Hanover makes this a place to grab a beer and some of their award-winning chili. Their flagship, Reckless, is a 102 IBU IPA that will satisfy any hophead and Mush Mouf, a wheat beer fermented with peaches and raspberries, will please the more moderate beer drinker.
6 Center Square, Hanover, PA/miscreationbrewing.com
Warehouse Gourmet Bistro and Brewpub
Pairing good food with quality small batch beers is the main calling card of Warehouse Bistro in Hanover. Leggy Blonde Imperial Ale is one of the mainstays on an ever-changing tap list that also includes Passive Aggressive Pale Ale and Screaming Peacock Smoked Porter.
7 Pennsylvania Ave., Hanover, PA/warehousegourmet.net
Craft Beer in PA
The brewing culture in Pennsylvania is one of the best kept secrets in the country. The state boasts America’s oldest brewery, Yuengling, more than 175 craft breweries, and an iconic beer city in Philadelphia—but many people put states like Colorado and California at the top of the list when talking about the best brewing states in the nation.
Pennsylvania’s brewing scene has been thriving throughout the last decade to become one of the most influential and impactful states in the brewing nation, and the stats—along with beer quality—reaffirm this sentiment.
In terms of quantity, brewers measure their output in barrelage. One barrel produced is equal to about two kegs. In 2014, Pennsylvania breweries ranked first in the nation by producing more than 4 million barrels. You do the math; that’s a lot of beer. In fact, it’s 13.4 gallons per adult 21 and older.
In all of those gallons are some award-winning brews as well. At the Great American Beer Fest in 2015, Iron Hill took home two silver medals for The Cannibal, a Belgian-style strong ale, and its Russian Imperial Stout. Stoudts Brewing Company also took home silver for its Vienna-style lager. In the past, other Pennsylvania breweries like Tröegs, Victory and Yards have brought home gold medals in a variety of categories.
Our state is not only producing beer of the highest quality but is making a significant impact on the economy as well. The craft beer industry here had a $4.48 billion economic impact in the state, which ranks second in the entire country.
Local breweries like Tröegs Independent Brewing and Appalachian Brewing Company blazed a trail for the smaller ones that have popped up in our area and all over the country in the recent years. The 178 breweries located in Pennsylvania in 2014 ranked eighth in the nation, but that number has grown and will continue to grow. Central PA alone now boasts more than 40 breweries with five more planned to open in the near future.
Upcoming Beer Events
5th Annual Dauphin County Brewfest at Fort Hunter July 16/3-7 p.m. Rivertown Hops Beer Fest at Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce August 6/12-4 p.m. Pride of the Susquehanna Brews Cruise with Tröegs Independent Brewing August 17/6-8 p.m. Lancaster Craft Beerfest August 27/VIP: 3-4 p.m./General Admission: 4-7:30 p.m. Capital City Invitational Brewfest at Appalachian Brewing Company Harrisburg Sept. 10/Two sessions Lititz Craft Beer Fest September 25/2-5 p.m. Breast Cancer Awareness Brewfest at Stoudts Brewing Company October 10-11/First session: 12-4 p.m./Second session: 6-10 p.m. Yorktoberfest Beer & Wine Festival at York Fair Grounds October 15/12-5 p.m. Pride of the Susquehanna Brews Cruise with Appalachian Brewing Company November 2/6-8 p.m.
