Currently, PA ranks first in the number of barrels of craft beer produced annually (3.7 million+); there are 31 gallons in a barrel. Across the entire state, there are 282 craft breweries, earning PA a ranking of 6th in the nation. Perhaps the most important figure from the National Brewers Association is the economic impact of brewing, estimated at $5.8 billion in the state, earning PA the 2nd highest billing in the country behind California.
“We’re well-positioned [in Central PA] with a location in between major metropolitan markets, with fantastic agriculture and clean water, plus a work force to support brewery expansion,” says Dan LaBert, executive director of the nonprofit trade association Brewers of Pennsylvania.
Central PA’s tourism organizations began jumping on the beer trail bandwagon about six years ago, recognizing the opportunity to collectively market area brew pubs to both residents and visitors alike. Brewers seem to embrace and enjoy the team spirit aspect of trails, calling it camaraderie and community, rather than competition.
The Lancaster Ale Trail and York’s Susquehanna Ale Trail were the area’s first trails, laying down their roots in 2012. Hershey Harrisburg Beer Country soon followed in 2013. Newer trails include the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail, established in 2017, and the Adams County Pour Tour, which just debuted this summer. With the continued rise of new Central PA brewpubs, all are welcoming and promoting new trail stops, new brews, and new talent.
“We are seeing diversity in expansion,” says LaBert. “Brewing used to be a white, male-dominated field. Now, we’re seeing females and people of color; it sends a strong message that Pennsylvania is leading the way.”
Get ready to hit the trails and as we explore Central PA’s welcoming watering holes and booming breweries—we’ve got you covered in this handy guide to the mid-state.
Craft Brewing: A "Maker Mentality"
What exactly does it mean to be a “craft brewery” serving “craft beer”? According to the Brewers Association, there are three criteria. First, a craft brewer is small, producing 6 million barrels of beer or less every year. Secondly, craft breweries are independent, meaning that less than 25 percent of the company is owned by someone other than the brewer. And lastly, craft beer is traditional—or at least the majority of brews hail from traditional brewing ingredients and their fermentation.
Creativity and innovation in combining those traditional ingredients are often what set craft brews apart. While working with water, malt, yeast and hops may be a hip market today, there’s a firm foundation in history too.
“There was a list from the state a few years ago saying Lancaster County had the most craft breweries in the entire state—25,” says Joel Cliff, Destination Lancaster spokesperson. He says numerous craft breweries have opened since then—and they’re located throughout the entire county, from Columbia to Ephrata, Denver to Millersville, Elizabethtown to Lancaster. So why are so many craft breweries located in Lancaster County?
“There are two historical reasons,” says Cliff. “One is our Pennsylvania German heritage, which definitely has a longtime brewing element to it, stretching back to the 1800s. At one time Lancaster had the nickname ‘Little Munich of America.’ Some of that is being brought back with these smaller scale, hand crafted brewers. Secondly, there’s always been a real ‘maker mentality’ in Lancaster County…There’s a lot of handcrafting that goes on in this county, and this is another extension of that.”
LaBert says Stoudts Brewing Company, Adamstown, Lancaster County, set “industry standards that anchor Central PA’s brewing industry.” It was a trip to Germany that inspired Ed and Carol Stoudt to open the first craft microbrewery in Pennsylvania in 1987. Carol became the nation’s first female brewmaster since Prohibition.
Many craft breweries, like Stoudts, have added restaurants too with fresh food and a “grain to glass atmosphere,” says LaBert.
1. Adams County Pour Tour
The newest trail in the Susquehanna Valley is Adams County’s Pour Tour, which combines breweries, cider houses, distilleries and wineries into one trail with 14 stops, many producing more than one type of craft beverage.
“The word ‘craft’ often gets overlooked,” says Carl Whitehill, Destination Gettysburg spokesperson. “For all these locations, this is a craft, a passion; there are stories behind what they do and the work they put into it.”
Paige Neidig, Adams County Pour Tour trail manager, says by including multiple craft beverages, their tour stands out.
“We’ll always have people coming for our history, so [the Pour Tour] is a great add-on. We’re seeing phenomenal results,” says Neidig.
Adams County, also known for its 20,000 acres of apple trees, is the perfect location for craft beverages—fitting right into the mix of farm markets and orchards, says Neidig.
Passports, available at all of the locations, encourage visitors to try beverages and receive stamps; prizes for completed passports are given on the spot.
“One of our newest beverage producers is Thirsty Farmer Brew Works [located in Biglerville], which opened this spring, making beer and cider,” Neidig says. “They actually grow their own hops—you can see them growing [on location].”
“Mason Dixon Distillery grows a lot of their ingredients on the battlefield—it makes it a special story and people really appreciate that,” Whitehill says.
But he says the tour encourages visitors to fan out across Adams County. Reid’s, for example, offers a farm location as well as their downtown Gettysburg Reid’s Cider House. “When you’re downtown, you can mix in some history, shopping, and great restaurants. Or if you venture out to the countryside, you’ll see farm markets and gorgeous views.”
He says exploring the wider footprint of Adams County, near the York County border, offers two tour destinations in Abbottstown—Center Square Brewing plus Brookmere Winery.
One of the best things about craft beverages? “With the size of [craft beverage] locations, that winemaker or brewer might be the one helping with your tasting, so you have the opportunity to talk to them one on one,” Neidig says.
2. Cumberland Valley Beer Trail
Since Cumberland County is Pennsylvania’s fastest-growing county, it makes sense that its craft beer industry is booming. When the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail launched in April 2017, it featured 15 locations. By April 2018, the trail had grown to 30 locations, with new breweries expected to come on board as they open, according to organizer Aaron Jumper of the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.
“We’ve seen incredible growth of new places—Grand Illusions Hard Cider opened in Carlisle a few months ago, adding a new twist with cider,” says Jumper. “Molly Pitcher has a great story, tied to the statue in Carlisle with a bigger, newer location that just opened. Burds Nest Brewing in Carlisle has a great view of the actual brewing process—another addition to the trail.”
He credits Ashleigh Corby at Carlisle’s Market Cross Pub with the insights and inspiration needed to launch the trail.
“Calling it a trail connects all the locations,” says Jumper. He says many of Cumberland County’s scenic back roads connect its craft breweries. And many of Carlisle’s downtown breweries such as Market Cross Pub, named for its sister city’s square in England, are within walking distance.
Cumberland Valley Beer Trail Passports—with more than 25,000 of them distributed thus far—show that the beer enthusiasts who return them for prizes are a blend of locals mixed with “visitors from several counties over and several states over—plus even Texas,” Jumper says.
The Cumberland Valley Beer Trail recently began working with the popular app Untappd, which encourages beer enthusiasts to review and mark the beers they’ve tried. Through Untappd, Jumper can tell one of the most popular stops is Al’s of Hampden, featuring their Pizza Boy Brewing Company. With 100 taps, Al’s claims to have the largest selection of draft and bottled beer in the area.
Jumper says Evergrain, Mechanicsburg, is another popular location, along with ABC, “where you can have a great burger.”
Waiting in the wings to join the trail soon: Mellow Mink Brewing and Cold Springs Inn & Brewing Company, both of Mechanicsburg, and Bridge Street Brew Works of New Cumberland.
The visitors bureau, which is in the unique position of being paired with the county’s economic development corporation, sees the craft brewing industry as an economic catalyst. “We continue to see a lot of requests for funding, grants, and loans from craft beer businesses launching,” Jumper says. “From the development perspective, brew pubs can be cornerstones for development.”
3. Susquehanna Ale Trail
While the Susquehanna Ale Trail has been around since 2012—with new locations still being added—York County also offers a new Keystone Craft Spirits Trail, which debuted in 2017.
Chrissy Tobias of the York County Convention and Visitors Bureau says York County’s industries and infrastructure provide a helping hand to its craft breweries and distilleries.
“With York County’s history in manufacturing and food services—being home to Utz, Snyder’s and other snack foods—we’ve had a strong foothold in the food and manufacturing industries. Combined with a good road structure, that all comes together for breweries. When they started popping up, we saw an opportunity to create the trails,” says Tobias.
There are 13 breweries on the ale trail and another 13 on the craft spirits trail. Many of the locations blur and cross county lines, speaking to the camaraderie and entrepreneurial spirit shared by craft beverage makers to promote each other’s products no matter their location within or outside York County.
“They range throughout the area from Gettysburg to Hanover to York City, into Dauphin and Lancaster Counties,” says Tobias. “Wine trails laid the foundation for ale trails and distillery trails to follow the same path.”
Ale trail highlights include Collusion Tap Works, York. “Collusion’s head brewer was educated in Germany and certified in Europe for brewing,” Tobias says. Mudhook Brewing Company, also in York, is part of the historical Central Market House and is the longest-operating brewery in York City.
“Bube’s Brewery has a fascinating history, with the building dating back to the late 1800s,” says Tobias.
Newer locations on the ale trail include Miscreation Brewing Company, Hanover; Stony Run Brew House, York; and Lyndian Stone Brewing Company, York Haven.
As the brews, ales, and drinks are poured and enjoyed, Tobias says beverages aren’t the only things flowing within the industry. “It’s absolutely a willingness of a give and flow of information, with breweries recommending other stops…it’s a community.”
WEB BONUS
Top Spots for Craft Beer in Central PA:
Adams County Pour Tour (destinationgettysburg.com/pourtour)
- Battlefield Brew Works / Located two miles from the Gettysburg Square in the historic Montfort Farm’s Barn / 248 Hunterstown Road, Gettysburg / battlefieldbreworks.com
- Center Square Brewing / Located in the lower level of the Atland House / 1 Center Square, Abbottstown / altlandhouse.com/center-square-brewing
- Thirsty Farmer Brew Works / Launched by family members who also own and operate the Historic Round Barn and Market across the street / 290 Cashtown Road, Biglerville / thirsty-farmer-brew-works.business.site
Cumberland Valley Beer Trail (visitcumberlandvalley.com/cumberland-valley-beer-trail)
- Roy Pitz Brewing Company / A variety of craft beers brewed onsite in a historic 1900's building; the owners are long-time, childhood friends / 140 N. Third St., Chambersburg / roypitz.com
- Burd’s Nest Brewing / Serving American-style brews in downtown Carlisle / 19 N. Hanover St., Carlisle / burdsnestbrewingco.com
- Molly Pitcher Brewing Co / The Colonial-themed menu features Independence IPA, Patriot Pale Ale, Redcoat ESB, Black Powder Stoudt and even a Peanut Butter Porter / 139 W. High St., Carlisle / mollypitcher.com
- Al’s of Hampden / Offering 20-30 Pizza Boy Brewing options within the 100 taps / 2240 Millennium Way, Enola, PA / alsofhampden.com
- Ever Grain Brewing Company / Beers ranging from the light-bodied Hellyes to the Russian-style Dark Necessity, located in the 10,000-foot former Sun Motors facility / 4444 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg PA / evergrainbrewing.com
- Zeroday Brewing Company / On tap: seasonals, series, IPAs and more; flagship beers include the imperial amber Critical Condition and the cream ale Wastin’ Daylight / 250 Reily St., Suite 103,Harrisburg / zerodaybrewing.com
- The Millworks / In addition to its craft brewery, The Millworks features a restaurant, biergarten, artist studios, gallery and shop / 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg / millworksharrisburg.com
- Desperate Times Brewery / Aiming for beers that capture the desperation of the Prohibition era such as their Honest Lawbreaker oatmeal stout / 1201 Carlisle Springs Road, Carlisle / desperatetimesbrewery.com
Hershey Harrisburg Craft Beer Country (hersheyharrisburgbeer.com)
- Appalachian Brewing Company / Handcrafted ales and lagers at ABC’s flagship Harrisburg location are replicated at several additional Central PA locations / 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg / abcbrew.com
- Snitz Creek Brewery / From the Brown Trout Stout to the Opening Day IPA, flagship brews carry an outdoors theme—plus there’s the Seltzer’s Smokehouse. / 7 North 9th St., Lebanon / snitzcreekbrewery.com
- The Brewery at Hershey / Featuring the Central PA (Pale Ale), the brewery is paired with The Vineyard at Hershey; 598 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown / BreweryAtHershey.com
Lancaster Ale Trail (discoverlancaster.com/lancaster-county-trails/ale-spirits-trail)
- Lancaster Brewing Company / Featuring a Double Chocolate Milk Stout, Baked Pumpkin Ale, traditional European-style Lancaster Lager and much more / 302 North Plum St., Lancaster / lancasterbrewing.com
- Bube’s Brewery / Offering brewery tours, three restaurants plus a biergarten, all in an 18th-century brewery complex / 102 N. Market St., Mt. Joy / bubesbrewery.com
- Rumspringa Brewing Company / Beers range from Harvest Gold (a straw-colored Kolsch-style ale) to Harvest Hearth (a full-bodied ale with malty sweet character). / 3174 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand / lancaster-gallery.com/rumspringa
- Columbia Kettle Works / The craft beer lineup includes the traditional German Boat Launcher, the Belgian wheat Vanna Wit, and much more / 40 N. 3rd St., Columbia / columbiakettleworks.com
- Cox Brewing Company / Veteran-owned and operated; featuring their Liberty Lager / 276 Heisy Quarry Road, Elizabethtown / coxbrewingcompany.com
- Funk Brewing Co. / 28 S. Market St., Elizabethtown / Located in the former E-town Hotel; beers range from the cream ale Plunk to the German black beer Rumble / funkbrewing.com/elizabethtown
- Troegs Brewing Company / Founded in 1996, the year-round beer lineup includes Sunshine Pils, Perpetual IPA, Nitro Chocolate Stout, Dream Weaver Wheat and more / 200 E. Hershey Park Dr., Hershey / troegs.com
- St. Boniface / Established in 2010; craft beers include “the best of both brews,” SQ 1 Coffee IPA / 1701 W. Main St., Ephrata / stbonifacebrewing.com
- Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant / Try their Raspberry Wheat Ale / 781 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster / ironhillbrewery.com
- Joboy's Brew Pub / Authentic southern barbeque accompanied by craft beers / 27-31 E. Main St., Lititz / joboysbrewpub.com
- Wacker Brewing Company / With roots reaching back to 1853 and a menu featuring Wacker’s Little Dutch, a light Dunkel (dark beer) / 417 W. Grant St., Lancaster / wackerbrewing.com
- Stoudts Brewing Company / The first craft brewery in PA; Octoberfest is one of their flagship brews / 2800 N. Reading Rd., Adamstown / stoudts.com
Susquehanna Ale Trail (yorkpa.org/food-and-drink/susquehanna-ale-trail)
- Aldus Brewing Co. / Located inside the former Snyder’s Pretzel Factory / 555 Centennial Ave., Hanover / aldusbrewing.com
- Collusion Tap Works / Featuring 24 rotating taps; the seasonal Reaper’s Pursuit (pumpkin beer) will be released around Halloween. / 105 S. Howard St., York / collusiontapworks.com
- Gift Horse Brewing Company / Flagship beers include the double IPA Cease and Resist, Downtown Brown Ale and more. / 117 N. George St., York / gifthorsebrewing.com
- Lyndian Stone Brewing Company / Try the Perfect Day IPA / 685 York Haven Road, York Haven / lydianstonebrewing.com
- Miscreation Brewing Co. / Craft beer ranges from the jalapeno stout Frank’N Stout to the seasonal cream ale Booo!!! / 6 Center Square, Hanover / miscreationbrewing.com
- Mudhook Brewing Company / Part of historical Central Market House, featuring mudhook (or anchor) fish and sea theme / 34 N. Cherry Lane, York / mudhookbrewing.com
- Wyndridge Farm / Historic farm brewing award-winning craft beer and cider / 885 S. Pleasant Ave., Dallastown / wyndridge.com
- Statewide / The Brewers of Pennsylvania debuted their “Digital Ale Trail App” in September, which lists all of the current breweries in the entire state. Not a craft brewery, but a must-see in PA: Yuengling, located about 50 miles from Harrisburg in Pottsville. Established in 1829, Yuengling’s is the oldest brewery in the U.S. yuengling.com
