I wife and I are driving from Hartford,CT to Cleveland,OH next week and wanted to hit some pubs along the way. Since we will be traveling via I-80 through most of Pennsylvania, can anyone recommend anywhere to stop along I-80? And does Pennsylvania allow the sale of growlers?
Well, depending on your schedule, I'll throw in a quick piece of advice to take a 60-75 minute detour and head to Vintage Estate in Boardman, but I'll let you determine that. Check them out at www.vewinebeer.com as they have a list of what's on tap updated every 24 hrs. As far as along I-80, I don't know anything directly on that road, but when you get to I-79, I suggest you take a quick detour if you have the time. Less than 20 minutes will get you to North Country to the south and just over a half hour to the north will get you to Voodoo Brewing Co's brewpub. I'm sure others can direct you to maybe something closer to I-80, but I wouldn't sleep on any of the 3 suggestions, particularly Voodoo if you can get there when Cowbell is on tap.
For the Eastern and Central PA parts of I-80: Berwick Brewing Company (and Brewpub) in Berwick, PA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16818/?view=beerfly Marley's Brewery and Grille in Bloomsburg, PA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24870/?view=beerfly Old Forge Brewing Company (and Brewpub) in Danville, PA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18724/?view=beerfly The Gamble Mill Restaurant and Microbrewery in Bellefonte, PA - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24257/?view=beerfly If you're taking I-81 as part of your route, then you'll go through Scranton and Wilkes-Barre which have a bunch of solid beer bars like: The Banshee (Scranton) - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8708/view=beerfly Backyard Ale House (Scranton) - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18825/view=beerfly Arena Bar & Grill (Wilkes-Barre) - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/11761/view=beerfly Elmer Sudds (Wilkes-Barre) - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1791/view=beerfly And yes, PA does allow the sale of growlers. I'm pretty sure the brewpubs all fill growlers as does Banshee.
Just to answer your other question, the State of Pa. does allow the sale of growlers, but the laws seem to vary depending where you are in Pa. Beer bars will generally fill any growler, but many breweries and brewpubs will only fill their own growler (as that's what they've been told the law is, according to the lovely folks at the PLCB). Also, in some instances there are apparently local ordinances that prohibit the sale of growlers, and of course some beer bars have elected on their own not to fill growlers. Bottom line... never just assume a beer bar or brewery will allow growlers sales, whether it's legal to do so or not.
Seems like the perfect opportunity to check out Selin's Grove brewing company. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1666 - Rated 96
ShawneeCraft makes some nice beer. If you are coming into PA via NJ on I-80, they are right over the border. They will fill any growler you bring. All the above rec's are solid as well. Berwick, Turkey Hill, Marley's, Selin's Grove, Old Forge, Bullfrog and all the bars mentioned will fill any growler as well (except Elmer Sudds, they opt not to fill growlers to go). The only places in PA that are legally required to fill their own branded or blank growlers, yours or theirs, are those establishments holding a brewery license (Weyerbacher, East End, etc.) Brewpubs and bars can fill anything (despite the lies spewn forth by the servers at Tired Hands). Hell, you can even get a 1 gallon milk jug filled at Sabatini's in Exeter.
Had some of ShwaneeCraft at a local beer festival, surprisingly good stuff. Thanks for the clarification on growler fills - I thought that it was only places that sold others' beers that could fill any growler (Whole Foods, Wegman's). I do not think I will try the milk jug thing, unless getting a milk stout of course.
I second this. I recently drove cross-country and hit 21 breweries. Of all of them, Selin's Grove had the best single beer of the entire trip.
