Pennsylvania

Harrisburg boasts more microbreweries than your-average-burg, conveniently located within a two-hour drive of Northern Virginia. Time for a road trip!

The rich brewing tradition of Pennsylvania’s capital city dates all the way back to the 18th century. In 1705 John Harris founded his trading post here, and you gotta wonder if he had a little somethin’ somethin’ on tap. By the middle of the 19th century, nearby Lancaster County was dubbed the Munich of America – with beers that were winning acclaim both in the U.S. and abroad.

Support of the World War I effort had a significant impact on the brewing industry, and Prohibition put another nail in the coffin in 1920. Graupner’s Brewery closed in 1951, and Harrisburg was one thirsty town until the microbrewery craze of the ‘90s hit.

The folks in Harrisburg now put factory space to good use by producing an impressive array of handcrafted beers. Shake the doldrums of winter and take a Saturday road trip to taste them for yourself – commandeering a minivan and filling it with friends to make the experience even more memorable.

This is the proper use of the ubiquitous suburban vehicle – comfortable seating for six of your best beer-loving buddies. Choose passengers wisely, as the journey provides half the fun (and potentially all the psychological trauma). And be mindful not to select folks who will sing, “One hundred bottles of beer on the wall” through three states and back again.

Harrisburg is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River – an easy drive up Route 15. Our recommended day trip includes three fine breweries.

The Appalachian Brewing Company at 50 N. Cameron Street, is housed in a three-story antique brick and timber building that was formerly the Auchenbach Printing Company. Destroyed by fire in the 1930s and rebuilt for use by the Works Project Administration, it also produced aircraft parts for WWII. Fire again ripped through the building in 1993, rendering it useless.

In 1995, the process of restoration and preparation for its new life began when four partners purchased the building for $1 and put their blood, sweat and tears – and $1 million – into the project – for which they received the Mayor’s Award for Preservation Excellence. Their first batch of beer was released in 1997, and the rest is history. ABC is now one of the largest microbreweries in the nation, producing flagship and specialty beers as well as craft sodas from its 50,000 square foot facility.

ABC offers tours every Saturday at 1 p.m., giving a step-by-step look at how great beer is made. Arrive 10 minutes early, as space is limited.

The Brewpub is a thing of beauty, with exposed brick for walls, massive wooden beams over head, and aged hardwood floors under foot. With such history often comes paranormal activity, and ABC is rumored to have a ghost of its own.

While history and beer surround you, this brewery is serious about its food, too. Offerings include appetizers – the Thai chicken wings rock—as well as soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and some comfort foods to compliment your pints and flights. The beer sampler includes seven tastes of their flagship brews, including Susquehanna Stout (affectionately referred to as “hair of the dog”), Organic Brown Ale and Hoppy Trails IPA. The root beer is a palate cleanser and a bonus.

Brothers John and Chris Trogner founded Troegs Brewing Company, located at 800 Paxton Street, 14 years ago. Like ABC, their first batch was released in 1997 — a very good year for Harrisburg beer lovers. This brewery is located in more of an industrial building, but it’s not without its charms.

The tasting room is jam-packed with people and activity, giving off the vibe that this is Harrisburg’s happening place. And since the brothers love a little fat and sugar with their beer, you’re likely to be offered a complimentary donut for any number of reasons.

A tour of the works begins in the gift shop and, again, gives a look at the beer-making process. The brothers Trogner regularly lead the way and freely share their philosophy: If we don’t like it, we don’t make it. With their taste buds as guides and themselves as critics, John and Chris are producing a balanced selection of beers to suit most palates.

Popular favorites include Hopback Amber, Javahead Stout and that holiday darling, Mad Elf. The Scratch series of beers is an experimental line that is not sold in stores and allows the brewers to experiment with interesting flavors and techniques.

Troegs’ use of technology – plus a new, state-of-the-art facility in Hershey (coming this fall) – means they produce consistently good beers, but they still test their quality the old-fashioned way – they taste it. Because, when all is said and done, it’s all about the flavor – same as it ever was.

Tours depart at 1, 2, and 2:30 p.m., and reservations are required. Visit giftshop@troegs.com to book your place, and plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before tour time. You can taste Troegs beer in a flight of eight nifty snifters either before or after the tour for a nominal charge.

If you make the trip prior to the opening of the new brewery in Hershey, you might try to get on an early tour and taste before you go. The current venue is rather small, and seating is limited. And note that they serve only soft pretzels, no meals.

While Lancaster Brewing Company has a location in Harrisburg, it’s just a small outpost and lacks the ambiance of the first two stops on our brewery hop. So for a more memorable experience, go to the source – located at 302 North Plum Street in downtown Lancaster, about 30 minutes east of Harrisburg. It’s a great dinner stop that’s brimming with historic charm.

Warmth emanates from the inside out at this 19th century tobacco barn turned brewery. Originally the home of the Lancaster Malt Brewing Company, it opened under new ownership in 2001 and operates under the strict German code of Reinheitsgebot, requiring that the only ingredients used are water, yeast, barley and hops.

Tours of the brewery are not conducted on the weekends, but are available by request on Monday-Friday. Even without the tour, this brewing company is worth a stop for its ambiance and interesting selection of beers. The sampler contains a whopping eleven tastes and includes the usual suspects, as well as some creative offerings. Milk Stout and Strawberry Wheat are in the line up, and when mixed together they yield something akin to a beery strawberry milkshake.

The restaurant boasts everything from salads to burgers and 10-cheese mac and cheese to rack of wild boar, and it provides a comfortable stop for happy wanderers.

While each person on our excursion had a favorite brew and brewery, we came to the conclusion that there really is no bad beer in Harrisburg. The town offers a great selection of fresh, handmade beer from brewers who are serious about their craft, and their historic and eclectic settings add to the fun.

So jump in the van, designate a driver, and head north to beer country. Even if you aren’t a beer geek, you will enjoy the day. And don’t forget to pack the growlers – reasonably priced refills are available at all three breweries.

When you go…

• The van rents for $75 per day, just over $10 per person, at Enterprise.
• Brewery tours are free, and flights for tasting are available for a nominal charge.
• Most food is reasonably priced and better than expected – a cut above typical pub food.
• Visit websites for hours of operation and details.

Talking to Strangers

In making day trips and chronicling them for my previous employer, I often chatted with the people I met along the way – the woman in Winchester who danced to Patsy Cline’s records as a teen and swore she had the real scoop on this local legend, the man in Remington who immigrated here just 10 years ago and recently purchased his own farm, and the three guys in Fredericksburg who were dodging their wives while hiding out at the tobacco shop. Regrettably, their stories never made it into my 500-word columns.

On this week’s adventure I met a roller derby queen who sported an impressive collection of tats and wielded an extensive knowledge of the ABC menu. Over at Troegs, I discovered that, while the brothers do love their donuts, they rarely consume them with beer for breakfast as previously rumored. And when I visited Lancaster’s strip-mall-esque outpost in Harrisburg, I learned from the guy behind the bar that the company’s historic brewing facility in Lancaster would be more to my liking.

From the time we are little, we are taught not to talk to strangers — sound advice for our children. Unfortunately, it can become a habit that’s hard to break.

In this fast-paced, ever-changing, Face Book-y world in which we live, I’ve enjoyed forging connections with the people and places around me. These interactions brighten my day and enhance my life, illustrating that we are all more alike than we are different.

And I’ve found that when I talk to strangers, they often become my friends.

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean.  All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean.  All rights reserved.