beertour

Harrisburg/Lancaster PA ...

BUBE'S BREWERY 102 North Market Street Mt Joy, PA
Bube's (pronounced "boobs") is one of the oldest surviving breweries in America (circa 1800's). They no longer brew beer there (although I think they're going to start again), but have a decent selection of beers on tap. They have The Catacombs ... a dungeon/tomb/basement place that's a good distance underground and used for fun events such as Medieval Feast (with serving wenches and EVERYTHING!). They have Curtis Earth Trivia there every Tuesday nite at 8p. Neat, neat place.

LANCASTER MALT BREWERY 302 Plum Street, Lancaster, PA
This brewery is located in an old warehouse in the middle of Lancaster. They've changed owners since I used to hang out there a lot, but their beer has been consistantly good. Fairly famous for their Milk Stout and Amish 4 Grain, their speciality beers have been a favorite of mine. They used to brew a Spring Bock in the spring time that was a fine example of a weisbock. Golden brown in color and just a hint of sweetness. My hands-down favorite (and I'm not sure if they make it any more). They also brewed a Scotch Ale in the winter that would knock your socks off. They have decent pub fare and entertainment, as well as a big bar, a few TVs and some dart boards. Their beer is offered often at Camden Yards at Oriole Park in Baltimore.

STOUDT'S BREWERY Rt 272 Adamstown, PA (right off the Tpk)
Rather infamous for their semi-annual beer tasting events, the grounds of the brewery match the quality of their beer. My personal favorites are their Blonde Double Mai Bock, their annual Fest Beer and their Fat Dog Stout.   It's definitely a fun place to visit, their Black Angus restaurant has some fine food and, again, their festivals are not to be missed.

Western Philadelphia Suburbs ...

VICTORY BREWING COMPANY 420 Acorn Lane, Downingtown, PA
In my humble opinion (and I have good company on this), probably the BEST brewery on the East Coast in terms of consistantly good to above average beers. Probably best known for their Hop Devil IPA, this brewery is diverse and creative in their output. I can't even begin to tell you what I like the best. Being a HUGE bock fan, their St. Boisterous Hellerbock and Moonglow Weizenbock are never a disappointment. The Fest Beer is DELICIOUS this year and their Old Horizontal Barleywine Ale can and will knock you on your butt. The brewery itself is located in a warehouse-type complex, next door to a rock climbing facility ... Vertical Extreme (although I would suggest drinking AFTER you climb). Their food isn't as great as their beer, but their beer makes you forget about their food. They have a REALLY BIG BAR and fun atmosphere.

THE DRAFTING ROOM Rt 100N, Exton, PA
I live right down the street from this place and I'm glad I do.   They regularly have approx 8-10 beers on tap (including a hand-pumped beer), plus a FULL MENU of bottles. If you're interested in being somewhere where you can try a major amount of beer without bar hopping, this is the place. Their food is always good (I HIGHLY recommend the cream of mushroom soup) and the restaurant itself is lovely. Their bar manager is highly educated in the ways of the hops and can answer most questions you have about what you're drinking and what you should be drinking.

                                                                                                                 to be continued ...