Harrisburg beer stores/bars

Downtown, Federal Taphouse will have 100ish beers on, food isn't too bad either (pork belly!); very small and pricey bottle selection to go. Pizza Boy Brewing/Al's of Hampden's is nearby and worth the visit as well--about 100 beers on, 20-30 of them house beers. They will have some bottles to go as well, some of them house. I won't comment on the pizza, but will warn you that they have a unique/potentially frustrating ordering process/flight policy. Still worth the trip.

Troegs Brewing isn't too far either, and if you don't see their stuff (and if they have Scratch beers on), it may be worth your time. Going to need someone else to chime in on a proper area bottle shop, as I don't usually grab them when there. Safe travels.

 

Going off that pizza boy comment, the pizza is very inconsistent in my experience. Some days it's phenomenal, others it's incredibly mediocre

 

Definitely recommend going to Al's of Hampden/Pizzaboy (northwest of downtown Harrisburg and about 15 minutes away) to sample some of the nearly 100 beers on tap. They always have some Tired Hands beers on tap if you wanted to try those. If you're into IPA's, be sure to sample Al's/Pizzaboy Murren River as it is excellent. They also make a fantastic double coffee stout called "Sunny Side Up". You can also pick up some 6 packs there and make up your own 6 pack there. Here is Al's tap list (alsofhampden.com/beer.php)
If you want a better selection of just 6 packs and create your own 6 pack, then go to Wegman's off of the Carlisle pike(west of downtown Harrisburg and about 15 minutes away). With weird PA beer laws, you're only allowed to purchase 192 ounces at a time though(from grocery stores). So you may have to take stuff to your car and come back to get more from grocery stores that sell beer.
Troeg's is a great visit also. The brewpub serves about 12-15 of their beers including recent scratch series beers. The food is really good there. Troeg's is about 20-25 minutes away in Hershey(east of downtown Harrisburg).

For beverage stores(where you can pick up cases and half cases), the 2 I would recommend are Breski's beverage and Westy's beverage. Breski's has a good website that you can see what micro brews they have in stock(breskibeverage.com/micro). Breski's is southeast of the city of Harrisburg and about 10-15 minutes away from downtown Harrisburg.
Westy's has an extensive selection and is across the river(west of Harrisburg) in the Camp Hill/Mechanicsburg area. It's also about 10-15 minutes away from downtown Harrisburg.

 

Als of Hampden/Pizza Boy, Wegmans on Carlisle Pike, Troegs Brewery in Hershey are the highlights in Harrisburg. There's a newer brewery downtown called ZeroDay. Never been tho.

 

There's pretty much no such thing as a proper bottle shop around here. If you want less than a case, your best bets are Wegmans, Al's and the Giant in Linglestown or maybe Grain and Verse in New Cumberland. Unless you want to hike down to Lancaster for Hunger and Thirst or Reading for Mari's 6-pack and More.

If you like Belgian beers, you can't beat Café Bruges in Carlisle.

 

I too will be going to Harrisburg soon.
Im eyeing that Breski's to get an idea of what bottles I can pick up (hopefully in smaller quantities, elsewhere).
Pumped to see them getting Jacks Abbey. I used to go to the brewery often, and miss their stuff.

 

Not a ton of places to pick up single bottles in Harrisburg. Best places would be Brass Rail Beverage in Campbelltown, Union Beer House in Lebanon, the Fridge and the Friendly Greek in Lancaster and Good-Ta-Go in Chambersburg.

 

Well looks like everything has been hit pretty much. Correction on earlier comment, Al's is SW of the city. Wegmans on the Carlisle pike and Giant on Linglestown have pretty good selections with pretty good prices.

 

The brand new Giant right across the street from Al's has beer as well. If you'r going to Al's there is zero point in going to the others mentioned above as they all have the exact same beers and nearly identical prices.

Your compass must be busted, Enola is most definitely North West of Harrisburg.

 

Just to clear up a few things or at least to add my two cents:
1. No great bottle shops in Harrisburg's immediate vicinity but the Wegmans in Mechanicsburg is the best one around. Okay supply of bombers and 6's, Giants have limited bombers and decent 6's. Like others mentioned Brass Rail is a good bottle shop but not close. Better bottle shops in Lancaster area like others mentioned. There is Grain and Verse in Mechanicsburg which others have mentioned.

2. Als has pizza shop food, it's a pizza shop, nothing fancy but okay pizza, decent subs, etc. Best tap list around and okay bottle selection for that kind of location. I love Als as I can always find something.

3. Troegs has an upscale menu where you will find some interesting things. They pretty much always have 2-3 of their scratch series beers on along with a good selection of their normal offerings. I also love Troegs.

4. Zeroday in midtown harrisburg is ok. The young couple who started it are good people, not much in the way of food offerings there just a couple snacky things, and their beers are hit or miss, every once in a while they have a pretty decent one.

5. Breski's and Westy's are two of the better distributors in the area. Westy's is much larger with more offerings but Breski's is smaller and more personal with an ever increasing selection of quality craft beers.

6. Lancaster Brewing and Appalachian Brewing have locations in Harrisburg, nothing to write home about from either.

7. Brewery at Hershey and Spring Gate are vineyards and breweries in the area, wine and beer leave much to be desired, not worth a trip.

8. There is now a Harty Brewing Co. that recently opened in Mechanicsburg, can google them, have heard okay things about their beer. Husband and wife opened it, nothing crazy but have heard it's decent, can't vouch for it personally.

9. There is also a distillery if you are in the area called Midstate Distillery which is located near Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, check it out if you are into spirits.

 

Went to a giant place. No beer.
Ended up going to a "bar" and paid $9 for two boston lagers to go.

 

Damn, what bar?

 

Pizza Boy. Philly Cheesesteak Pizza. End thread.

Pizza Boy has a decent little bottle shop inside too.

 

Actually, the Weis in Mechanicsburg just started selling beer about a week ago and carries a few beers that none of the other stores seem too, like La Folie and Transatlantic Kreik. Now if I could only get someplace to carry Fat Tire in cans...

 

Not all Giants carry beer, only a few, I should have been more clear. More and more supermarkets here carry beer, but still few and far between.

 

Federal Taphouse on 2nd has three Fat Heads brews on tap over Easter. Had some other good IPAs on too.

 

I second pretty much every sentiment in this post, though my Zeroday review would be quite a bit harsher. Not worth the stop IMO. Hard pass.