Before the Whiskey Rebellion in the 1790s, Pennsylvania rye claimed more fame than Kentucky bourbon. Cider, too, has a rich regional history, with William Penn touting its splendor before the nation's birth. In more recent years, Pennsylvania held the title of the most craft beer produced by any U.S. state.
As for east coast wine, Pennsylvania is second in growth, trailing only behind New York. Even meaderies are infiltrating niche markets, especially in the Pennsylvania dutch region known for its sweet tooth.
The point? Craft grog in the Keystone state is booming, and communities throughout the Susquehanna Valley are reaping the rewards.
Breweries Freckle the Map
With a name reminiscent of the Gettysburg Address, Fourscore Beer Co. in Gettysburg remembers history just as much as they make it.
The place is owned by two brothers, Wade and Drew Leedy. The Leedy brothers are third-generation owners of Tommy's Pizza. For years, they stayed ahead of the trends and brought craft beer to their parlor for the community to enjoy.
"We spent years chasing hard to get beers through our distribution channels and later saw an opportunity to simply do it ourselves," says Wade.
Since 2019, Fourscore has been pushing fan favorites like Gettys Brau, an American pilsner that's easy to drink with a low ABV. They're also developing wild concoctions like Jahmba, their line of fruited sour ales. Wade says, "The Jahmba series utilizes a creative combination of fruits in each batch and on occasion includes added ingredients like marshmallow. "
"Our goal was to create a neighborhood brewpub that welcomes all with great fresh local beer and a good menu to pair with it," he says.
Other beer makers like Collusion Tapworks in York, Our Town Brewery in Lancaster and New Trail Brewing Company in Williamsport are playing the craft ale game. For Pennsylvanians, the regional palate is burgeoning.
Distilling is Back in the Keystone State
Step into Zoetropolis in downtown Lancaster and you'll find yourself in a different world. It's a happening restaurant equipped with a long-standing independent movie theater, topped off with a 300-square foot distillery. That's the home of Lancaster Distilleries.
"This might be the tiniest setup in the nation," says Cheila Huettner, Managing Partner for the Zoetropolis brand.
If you can manage to get past the fried lion's mane mushrooms in the dining room, you'll find handcrafted spirits like rum, gin, and vodka. They're all made in a glass-sheathed room that holds the shiny and distracting "booze flute," as owner and head distiller Nate Boring calls it.
Flavors are experimental, aromatic, and always local. Stepping into the quaint fermenting room as an apprentice stirs in botanicals feels like steeping in tea.
Award-winning variations like paw paw brandy and rose geranium gin successfully test the limits of the spirit while retaining a local flair. "We even have a cooper who builds our barrels from Pennsylvania white oak," says Boring. "I love the Pennsylvania aspect."
The distillery has a new hand-built stand at the Lancaster Central Market as well as a booze van for local delivery. Boring and his team are even on the verge of their first-ever whiskey program.
Distilling had a place in Pennsylvania centuries ago, and the practice is finding its way back into the atmosphere. With about two years of distilling under their belt, Lancaster Distilleries is made up of one crafty bunch, but they're not alone. There's neighboring operation Stoll and Wolfe Distillery, as well as Old Republic Distillery in York, and Hidden Still Spirits in Hershey.
For Lancaster Distilleries' production, as well as the region's collective distilling community, Huettner feels eager above all else. She says, "We're really optimistic and excited for all the things it can be."
Modern Cideries are Reinventing a Historic Beverage
Kevin Smith, owner and cider maker at Under the Bridge Cider in Lebanon, was in the coast guard for a decade. For him, port calls felt like a foray.
"I would always look for a bar that had a cider on tap, and it kind of turned into a bit of a scavenger hunt," Smith says.
Now, Smith's own cidery manages to evoke the adventurousness of a young brewery while retaining the traditions that birthed the beverage. His passion lends itself to the orchards of apple trees and the heirloom varieties lost forever in the prohibition era.
Smith's flavors include the popular and fruit-forward Strawberry Fields. Beverly Hills, infused with lemongrass and ginger, feels warm and nourishing. The hops-brewed Bittersweet Symphony caters to the beer lovers of the bunch.
Smith opened up his operation in December 2019 as a bring-your-own-food establishment to prop up downtown Lebanon. He's managed to build up his brand while maintaining an entirely hands-on approach. He says, "It's all moved by hand, kegged by hand, bottled by hand, labeled by hand. They're all capped one by one by one, so we are about as handcrafted as one can get."
Smith is so enthusiastic about cider that it got me seeking craft options myself. Throughout the Susquehanna Valley, establishments like Wyndridge Farms, Jack's Cider, Lancaster County Cider, and Big Hill Ciderworks all stand out. Adams County produces a staggering five million bushels of apples per year (with Biglerville at the crux of it), so it's no surprise this watershed has a handle on the cider keg.
Vineyards Make Their Way Up and Down the River
Pennsylvania's booze boom has been in the works for decades, and Shade Mountain Winery in Middleburg is proof. Amy Scorsone, daughter of the winery's founders Karl and Carolyn Zimmerman, says the community has been integral to their success over 30 years in business.
"They were the ones stopping in and trying our wine when we opened our doors. Before wineries became tourist destinations, it was the local community who helped us get our start," says Scorsone.
Known for Jack's Mountain Red, a sweet red wine with concord grapes, Shade Mountain has a range of options. Perhaps their most interesting creation is Granny Z's, an iced tea infused with mint wine. This concoction is named after founder Karl Zimmerman's mother, a symbol of the establishment's family ties.
Shade Mountain has spectacular views, whether you're going for curbside pickup or wine flights with food. They're built up by a family of wineries in the region, like Moon Dancer in Wrightsville, Logan's View in Loganville, and Whispering Oaks in Sunbury.
Meaderies Make for a Meeting Ground in Susquehanna
"I like mead because there's no preconception of what it should be," says Drew DiFrancesco, owner of DiFrancesco Meadery in Wrightsville.
Mead, or honey wine, holds great potential in the Susquehanna Valley. The rural landscape combined with a plethora of apiaries (including Lancaster's own Dutch Gold) makes it fertile ground for a beverage that requires at least 15 pounds of honey for five gallons of mead.
DiFrancesco's Meadery blossomed five years ago and has since gone on to produce still and carbonated flavors like cherry, almond, ginger and sakura (Japanese cherry blossom). The mildly sweet cherry and sharply aromatic ginger meads are worth the trip to the barn-style setting, equipped with scenic views and space enough for indoor music, DiFrancesco hopes.
Given its charm, it's easy to think DiFrancesco's is a one-of-a-kind establishment, but meaderies are popping up throughout the valley. Meduseld Meadery in Lancaster and Beauregard's Meadery in Thomasville are both working to bring homage to the honey wine name.
Despite the Pennsylvania Dutch palate, mead's sweetness is a subtle one. The fermentation process turns much of those sugars into alcohol, making for a sippable libation.
Given statewide regulation requiring alcohol-serving establishments to offer food during the COVID-19 pandemic, DiFrancesco has been given the chance to dabble in homemade fare. As someone with a keen focus on the fermentation process (going so far as to make his own pasteurizer), he's veered toward comforting crockpot and handheld dishes like meatball subs and peel-your-own shrimp.
Independent & Influential
Small, independent, craft alcohol makers contribute to Pennsylvanian communities across the map. What do they give, exactly? Jobs, partnerships, consumer spending, a sense of camaraderie, and permission to kick back, glass in hand.
Fourscore Beer Co.
603 S Washington St, Gettysburg, PA 17325 | fourscorebeer.com
Zoetropolis
112 N Water St, Lancaster, PA 17603 | zoetropolis.com/drink
Under the Bridge Cider
750 Cumberland St, Lebanon, PA 17042 | underthebridgecider.com
Shade Mountain Winery
16140 Route 104 Middleburg, PA 17842 | shademountainwinery.com
DiFrancesco Meadery
1237 Trinity North Rd, Wrightsville, PA 17368 | difrancescomeadery.com
