Planning to be in Hershey a few days next month (Sun - Tues) for work and looking for recs... It's been 9 years since I was last in the area and the most recent thread I saw was last updated 4 years ago. Mainly interested in breweries and bottle shops. Also, any specific beers I should be on the lookout for on draft or bottle/can. Breweries with food also a plus. Coming up from Virginia by way of Rt. 81 so anything on route between here and there. Already have Pizza Boy and Troegs in the plans. Could also probably come up Rt. 15 through Gettysburg if there's something better along the way. TIA!
Not a very dense area, but still plenty of options if you are willing to go a little bit here and a little bit there. Given that you have both Pizza Boy and Troegs on the agenda, that suggests a little bit of a radius. I'd definitely recommend a stop at Evergrain, which is between Pizza Boy and Troegs (closer to Pizza Boy, for sure). They do a lot of the usual hazies, fruited sours, etc., but their lager game is strong as well. Overall, maybe the best top to bottom beer in the area. Mellow Mink is very close to Evergrain, maybe a mile away. Solid beer, limited food, but frankly I haven't been there that often recently. Believe they are still focusing on fruited sours and some hazy IPAs. Maybe someone else can chime in on how they're doing these days. Downtown Harrisburg has a few options, none of which are that compelling to me, nor are they awful. One minor exclusion is that Millworks has some really good food. Beer is solid, but unspectacular. I go for the food, though. Admittedly, I haven't been there in a while. Speaking of food, Zeroday Brewing paired with a taco place at their new location and the tacos were pretty yummy. Their beer is only really average to me, though. I do like that they dabble in the Baltic Porter world, though. Bonus points for that. Few others do around here, if any. Admittedly, I haven't been there in a while. If you are looking for a bottle shop in the Harrisburg area, Breski Beverage is your place. They're on Eisenhower Boulevard, which is pretty close to your route from the west shore to Hershey. That place is terrifying to go to. Go for a co2 refill, come out with $100 of cans and a blurry recollection of what just happened. *edit* South of Hershey is Elizabethtown, which has Funk Brewing. They're located originally in Emaus, PA and opened a tap room out here probably five or so years ago. Small place on Main Street, but they have some really nice beers (though, admittedly heavy on the hazy side of things) and some under the radar good food. It's my local place, so I'm trying not to be all homer-ish on them. Fun place with a cool local group of regulars and staff. Praise be that they close on Mondays and Tuesdays....*edit* If you are up for a trip east of Hershey, Lancaster and Lititz have some places that I really like. Our Town Brewery is a pretty nice place with some refreshing choices on tap (not all hazies and pastry stouts and fruit juice sours, though they'll occasionally have one or a few of those). Haven't given their food much of a chance, frankly. Cartel Brewing and Blending is a great place. Similar in that the tap list is diverse enough to seemingly keep everyone happy, even with only 12ish taps. Small, almost dive-like place. I just love going there and am happy it is as far away as it is from where we are at or I'd be there all the time. Lititz has two places definitely worth a stop: Bulls Head Public House is a brilliant old time pub/bar. Maybe my favorite place to drink a beer in the greater area, all things considered. They've gone back to having two cask engines on, and that made me happy when we stopped in before Christmas. That was always an extra bright spot, given that so many places never had them or abandoned them a while ago. Right around the corner is Collusion, who is based in York, PA. They opened the Lititz outpost maybe a year or two ago. They really do some fine stouts and their hazy game is pretty good, too. Food is solid, at least the one time we went. *edit2*If you do decide to come up 15, Gettysburg has a real gem of a place. FourScore has both the fad stuff that they do a really good job with, but also a foudre program and some solid beers to further diversify their tap list. The food there is pretty darn good, too.*edit2* Any questions, let me know. Hope to hear others chime in, too. Always like hearing what people from out of the area think of it when they stop by, so if you're up to it, let us know how it went. Have fun.
@onthebusin03 Thanks for the recs! A lot to look at! it's a really quick trip and since it's for work I really won't have time to get much farther beyond the immediate Harrisburg / Hershey area so likely won't be able to get to Lancaster, Elizabethtown, Lititz. Driving up on a Sunday morning which is really my only fairly free day to make some stops and then coming back home Tuesday afternoon. I won't be free Monday until late afternoon so will stick to the Hershey if breweries are open. At least here in VA a lot of breweries are typically closed Mondays and/or Tuesdays. Fourscore looks good since I really didn't have any stops planned between home and when i hit Harrisburg. Since they are closed Mon/Tues I might take 15 up Sunday to hit them for lunch and then depending on time stop by some spots in Harrisburg Sun. afternoon or take 81 when I head home Tues and try to get a couple stops in. Both routes have about the save drive time. Thanks again for the thorough list but definitely anyone else keep 'em coming!
I swing thru this area every so often, and Troeggs is usually my stop for a solid dinner and some drinks.
Someone above me seems to have it covered in detail, but I came to say Troegs, Pizza Boy and Evergrain. Troegs is great and right on site, Evergrain is tasty with a nice taproom, and Pizza Boy has 140(or so) taps, along with solid pizza and event to-go options.
I am in Philly but have family in Hershey and E-Town and @onthebusin03 covered it well. My family/friends seem to dig this place and I have not gone yet but they enjoy it and the area around it is quite scenic (at least in the warmer months): https://www.englewoodhershey.com/brews
I grew up in the area and was just there for Christmas holiday. Troegs, Pizza Boy and Evergrain are great recommendations. Cant go wrong on any. Breskis Beverage is awesome as a beer shop. I went to high school with their beerguy Jeff. If you ask for him he will make recommendations based on your preferences for beer. Tell him Sully says Hi! I also stopped at Rubber Soul Brewing in Hummelstown which is next to Hershey. Easy for your plans and route. They were busy when I stopped in and will crowler any beers on tap and also have 4 pcks to go. I had the Porter and it was solid. Pretty good variety, but a lot of hazy IPA and sours too. Ill think on this a little more since I was just in the area. But youve got a solid list rolling so far. Enjoy the trip!!
Hershey also has Rotunda and Iron Hill. Hummelstown(right down the street from Hershey) has Rubber Soul and Howling Henry's. Agree with Breski($$$), Ever Grain, Pizza Boy. If you come up 15 from Gettysburg, Hemauer is just off the Rossmoyne exit in Mechanicsburg. Mellow Mink barrel aged bottles are awesome, if you just want to get one to go to keep your trip moving. Enjoy!
