Ten7 Brewing just posted to their social media thirty minutes ago, that they will be going “10-7”. Which, as their post stated means, using first responder code, that they will be closing. For first responders, police, EMTs, etc, a code “10-7” means out of service, or offline, or out of active duty.

Located at 510 Beaver St, North Wales, PA 19454 , Ten7 Brewing has been a staple of the North Wales craft brewing scene for 8 years. Sadly, far too many breweries, specifically Pennsylvania breweries, have been announcing the shuttering of their doors.

Ten7 Brewing is Going 10-7

Their Announcement Post

At 8:32 PM, September 22nd, 2026, Ten7 Brewing made this post on their Facebook, Instagram, and social media platforms:

Important Message

It is with very mixed emotions that we announce that Ten7 is going 10-7.

For those of you who may not know, “10-7” is a first responder code meaning unavailable or out-of-service. After 9 years of hard work and 8 years of service to an amazing community, we have decided that it’s time for Ten7 to go out-of-service and retire.

We plan to keep our taproom open for the next few months, and we hope you’ll continue to come out, enjoy some beers, support our incredible staff, and make some more memories with us.

Over the years, we have felt an incredible amount of love and support from so many of you. Ten7 has been so much more than a brewery to us, and we hope that you have felt the love from us in return.

We look forward to spending these final months celebrating Ten7 with the people who have made these 8 years so special alongside those of you who never had a chance to visit us. So come raise a glass with us, tell some stories, make some memories, and help us celebrate this last year together.

–Ten7 Brewing (Facebook Post)

More Information on Ten7 Brewing

The following comes via Untappd.

Ten7 Brewing Company is a micro brewery located in North Wales, PA. They have 493 unique beers and over 63,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.95 (as of 9.22.26). Their Untappd description reads: “Great beer for all! We create delicious beers to be enjoyed by everyone, from the most discerning beer geek to those new to the world of craft beer.”

You can follow them on their social media platforms here:

• Ten7 Brewing Company – Official Website
• Ten7 Brewing Company – Facebook
• Ten7 Brewing Company – Instagram
• Ten7 Brewing Company – Twitter
• Ten7 Brewing Company – Untappd

There are few things more American than a small brewery making beer for its local community.

A brewer orders malt. Hops arrive from somewhere that may be several thousand miles away. Yeast goes into the tank. Stainless-steel equipment gets cleaned. The beer eventually finds its way into a keg or aluminum can, and from there it ends up at a neighborhood taproom, a bottle shop, a grocery store or sitting on somebody’s porch while they contemplate whether they really need to mow the lawn.

It is easy to imagine that most of this process has very little to do with Washington, D.C.

Then tariffs enter the picture.

Craft Brewers Confront Higher Packaging Costs Under Trump Trade Policies

During Donald Trump’s current presidency, U.S. trade policy has become an increasingly important variable for American breweries. Tariffs on aluminum and steel, new duties affecting imported brewing equipment and ingredients, and increasingly complicated trade relationships with major suppliers such as Canada have introduced another layer of uncertainty into an industry that was already dealing with declining production, brewery closures and increasingly cautious consumers.

That does not mean that Donald Trump is solely responsible for the problems facing American craft beer.

Far from it.

Craft beer was already experiencing a difficult period before the current tariff regime. U.S. craft production declined in 2025, retail dollar sales fell, and the number of operating breweries continued to shrink. The Brewers Association estimates that craft volume declined another 4% during the first half of 2026.

But trade policy can make an already difficult business environment more difficult.

And for a small brewery, the interesting question isn’t necessarily:

“Did Trump make beer more expensive?”

The more useful question is:

“How does a policy made in Washington eventually become a more expensive can, keg, ingredient, piece of equipment—or pint?”

The answer involves an unexpectedly complicated journey through global commodity markets, domestic manufacturers, tariffs, supply chains and, eventually, the brewery down the street.

Some of our resources and links:

• Trouble Brewing: How Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs Are Impacting Craft Beer
• Tariffs and Taps: How Trump’s Trade Policies Would Impact Craft Breweries
• It’s Time to Say Something About Canada’s Reaction to Trump’s Tariff (Opinion Piece by Lew Bryson)
• How Doubling Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Could Cripple America’s Craft Beer Industry

The Craft Beer Industry Was Already Having a Rough Time

Before getting into Trump and tariffs, it is important to establish something that can easily get lost in political arguments:

The American craft beer industry was already struggling.

The Brewers Association’s 2025 national statistics show craft brewer volume sales declining approximately 4%. Retail dollar sales declined 2.8%, falling to approximately $28 billion.

The number of breweries has also been declining.

According to the Brewers Association’s July 2026 midyear report, approximately 9,344 breweries were operating in June 2026, down 1.8% from 9,515 in June 2025. Craft production was down another 4% during the first six months of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025.

That matters.

A brewery that was already operating comfortably on a five- or six-percent margin doesn’t have the same ability to absorb another increase in its costs as a multinational beverage company.

And the problems facing craft beer aren’t exclusively about ingredients.

Breweries have been dealing with:

• higher labor costs;
• higher real-estate costs;
• energy expenses;
• insurance;
• slower beer consumption;
• increased competition;
• changing consumer preferences;
• distributor challenges;
• declining packaged-beer sales;
• and the simple fact that there are now thousands upon thousands of breweries competing for consumers’ attention.

The Brewers Association’s 2026 midyear data nevertheless contain some encouraging signs. While overall production was down, 54% of surveyed breweries reported growth, and craft consumers’ reported engagement with craft beer increased. Taprooms were also outperforming several other brewery models.

So this isn’t a story about an industry disappearing.

It’s a story about an industry under pressure.

And tariffs are another pressure.

The Aluminum Problem

If you want to understand Trump’s effect on craft beer, start with the aluminum can.

The humble beer can is one of the most important pieces of technology in modern craft brewing.

Cans are lightweight, stackable, recyclable, relatively durable, easier to transport than glass bottles and particularly useful for breweries that want to package beer for distribution.

They are also made out of aluminum.

And aluminum has become one of the most politically important metals in the American economy.

The Trump administration’s Section 232 tariff structure has placed a 50% tariff on covered aluminum products, including aluminum sheet and finished aluminum containers used for beverages. The Brewers Association says the current framework includes aluminum sheet and finished cans within the 50% tariff category, while some aluminum lids are treated differently.

At first glance, a brewery owner might reasonably think:

“I don’t import aluminum. I buy cans from an American supplier.”

And that would seem to solve the problem.

It doesn’t necessarily.

The American Can That Isn’t Immune to Tariffs

This is one of the more fascinating aspects of the tariff issue.

A can can be made in America and still be affected by tariffs.

Why?

Because the American can manufacturer exists within a broader aluminum market.

The Brewers Association explained in August 2026 that U.S. aluminum pricing is influenced by both the global aluminum price and something called the Midwest Premium. That premium reflects the delivered price of aluminum in the U.S. market.

And tariffs can influence that price.

This creates an important distinction between:

“Did my brewery directly pay a tariff?”

and

“Did a tariff affect the price my brewery paid?”

Those aren’t necessarily the same thing.

A small brewery may purchase cans from an American manufacturer.

The manufacturer may purchase aluminum sheet from another American company.

That company may purchase or compete against material priced against the global aluminum market.

Tariffs alter the economics of that market.

Those increased costs can move through the supply chain.

Eventually, the brewery gets the bill.

The Brewers Association’s August analysis specifically noted that the Midwest Premium had grown substantially as a share of U.S. aluminum pricing and that tariff policy was contributing to the delivered cost of aluminum.

That means the tariff’s effect doesn’t stop at the customs dock.

It can move through the domestic market.

The Recycling Complication

Here’s another wrinkle.

Aluminum is highly recyclable, and breweries commonly use cans containing recycled material.

So shouldn’t recycled aluminum protect breweries from tariffs on imported primary aluminum?

Not entirely.

The Brewers Association explains that the primary and recycled aluminum markets are interconnected. Even when a can contains substantial recycled material, the pricing of recycled aluminum can be influenced by the broader aluminum market.

In other words:

American brewery + American can + recycled aluminum ≠ completely insulated from tariff effects.

This is one of the reasons the issue is more complicated than simply asking which country manufactured a can.

The aluminum market is a market.

And markets don’t always respect the neat national boundaries we like to draw on a map.

Why Small Breweries Feel This More

A giant beer company buys enormous quantities of cans.

A small brewery doesn’t.

That sounds like an obvious disadvantage—and it is.

Large buyers generally have greater purchasing power and can negotiate from a stronger position. A small independent brewery ordering comparatively modest quantities has fewer opportunities to use sheer volume to negotiate favorable pricing.

The Brewers Association notes that aluminum cans accounted for nearly 80% of off-premises craft beer volume in 2025, making aluminum particularly important to independent brewers.

Consider what that means.

Imagine a brewery that packages thousands of cases every year.

A relatively small increase in packaging cost is multiplied across:

• every can;
• every case;
• every pallet;
• every shipment;
• and eventually every beer sold.

The consumer may never see a line on their receipt saying:

“Trump aluminum tariff surcharge: $0.37.”

Instead, the cost may simply become part of the price of the beer.

The Keg Problem

Cans get most of the attention because they’re visible.

But breweries don’t live on cans alone.

They use stainless-steel kegs.

And they use enormous amounts of stainless steel and other metal in the brewery itself.

Fermentation tanks.

Bright tanks.

Brewhouses.

Pipes.

Valves.

Heat exchangers.

Pumps.

Kegs.

Packaging equipment.

Storage equipment.

Some of these products or components are affected directly or indirectly by tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The Brewers Association has specifically warned that tariff policy is likely to keep costs elevated for craft brewers in areas including cans, kegs and brewing equipment.

This becomes particularly important when a brewery is trying to expand.

Imagine two breweries.

One is established and has no major capital projects planned.

The other wants to buy a new fermenter, upgrade its canning line or install additional cellar capacity.

The second brewery isn’t simply dealing with the cost of today’s beer.

It is dealing with the cost of tomorrow’s beer.

If equipment costs rise, expansion can become more expensive.

And that can influence decisions about whether a brewery adds capacity, opens another location, launches distribution or simply stays put.

It’s Not Just Aluminum and Steel

If this were simply an aluminum story, it would be relatively straightforward.

But breweries are businesses with global supply chains.

And beer is made from ingredients and equipment that come from all over the world.

In July 2026, the U.S. Trade Representative finalized new Section 301 tariffs covering goods from approximately 60 economies. The Brewers Association reported that Australian and New Zealand hops, along with many Chinese brewing-equipment products, were among the brewery-related products facing a 12.5% tariff rate under the new framework.

That matters because craft beer loves specialty hops.

American breweries have spent decades building beers around distinctive varieties from around the world.

A brewery might use:

• American hops;
• Australian hops;
• New Zealand hops;
• European specialty malts;
• Canadian malt;
• imported yeast or fermentation products;
• foreign equipment components;
• American water;
• and American aluminum cans.

The beer may be brewed in Pennsylvania.

But the supply chain behind that beer can stretch around the world.

New Zealand and Australian Hops

For hop lovers, this is particularly interesting.

Australian and New Zealand hops have become extremely important to modern American craft brewing.

Think of the flavors associated with many modern hazy IPAs:

Passionfruit.

Grapefruit.

Lime.

Tropical fruit.

Stone fruit.

White wine.

Pine.

Resin.

Brewers have increasingly turned to varieties from Australia and New Zealand to achieve particular aromatic profiles.

If imported hops become more expensive because of tariffs, breweries have several options.

They can:

Absorb the increase.

That hurts margins.

Raise the price.

Consumers pay more.

Use less of the expensive hop.

The beer changes.

Substitute another hop.

The beer changes again.

Find another supplier.

That may take time and may not produce the same sensory result.

This is why tariff policy isn’t necessarily just an accounting problem.

For some breweries, it can become a recipe problem.

The Specialty-Malt Question

Hops get the headlines because hop-forward beer is such a defining part of American craft brewing.

But malt matters too.

Specialty malts can come from different countries, and certain brewing styles depend on ingredients that aren’t necessarily produced domestically at the same scale or with the same characteristics.

The Brewers Association has warned that imported hops, specialty malts, brewing equipment and other brewery inputs can be affected by the evolving tariff environment.

Again, however, there is an important exception worth mentioning:

Canadian barley and barley malt have received different treatment under USMCA.

The Brewers Association noted in June 2026 that duty-free Canadian barley and barley malt remained outside the proposed additional tariffs discussed at that time.

Which brings us to Canada.

And things get considerably more complicated there.

Canada: Beer, Barley and a Complicated Relationship

Canada is important to American brewing.

It’s also America’s neighbor, major trading partner and an important source of agricultural products.

For brewers, Canadian barley and malt are particularly significant.

So changes in U.S.-Canada trade policy can have consequences far beyond the political arguments surrounding tariffs.

There is also another side to the Canadian dispute: Canadian beer itself.

In September 2026, the Trump administration issued a proclamation concerning Canadian alcoholic beverages. The White House announced that certain Canadian alcoholic beverages would be excluded from importation into the United States beginning September 29, 2026, while products covered by the earlier measures were subject to a 50% duty under the specified circumstances.

The administration’s stated rationale is that Canada has discriminated against U.S. alcoholic beverages.

That is the administration’s position and should be distinguished from the broader economic question of what the policy does to American beer businesses.

For an American brewery, Canadian beer can be both:

a competitor

and

a source of inputs.

That’s an unusual situation.

A trade dispute that makes imported Canadian beer more difficult or expensive can potentially reduce competition from Canadian products in the American market.

But trade restrictions involving Canada can also create uncertainty around the agricultural and manufacturing supply chains American brewers depend upon.

Trade policy rarely travels in only one direction.

So Will Beer Prices Go Up?

Probably the more useful answer is:

There is upward pressure, but tariffs don’t automatically translate into a specific increase in the price of a pint.

A brewery has choices.

Suppose a brewery’s annual packaging expenses increase.

The brewery could absorb the increase.

That means lower margins.

Or it could increase prices.

That means consumers absorb the increase.

Or it could cut costs elsewhere.

That might mean fewer employees, fewer events, less marketing, fewer experimental batches or reduced capital investment.

Or it might simply accept that it will make less money.

The economic chain therefore looks something like this:

Tariff

↓

Higher input cost

↓

Supplier pricing

↓

Brewery cost of goods increases

↓

Brewery decides how much of the increase to absorb

↓

Potential price increase / reduced margin / cost-cutting

↓

Consumer eventually experiences some portion of the change

The important phrase is “some portion.”

A tariff doesn’t necessarily mean the consumer pays 100% of the tariff.

Nor does it necessarily mean the brewery absorbs 100%.

The cost can be distributed throughout the supply chain.

But Beer Was Already Getting More Expensive

This is another important piece of context.

Craft beer had already experienced significant price increases before the current tariff environment.

Inflation, labor costs, transportation, ingredients, packaging and other expenses have all contributed to the cost of producing and selling beer.

The Brewers Association’s 2025 figures illustrate an interesting phenomenon: craft retail dollar sales fell less sharply than volume, with price increases contributing to the difference.

That means breweries have already been trying to navigate a difficult balancing act:

How much can you charge for a four-pack before the consumer decides that four beers simply aren’t worth that much money?

That’s a particularly serious question for independent breweries.

The Consumer Is Part of the Equation

Ultimately, a brewery can only charge what somebody is willing to pay.

This is where tariffs intersect with consumer psychology.

Imagine a consumer walking into a brewery in 2027.

They see:

$9 pint

Then:

$10.50 pint

Then:

$12 pint

The consumer doesn’t necessarily know why the price increased.

Maybe it was aluminum.

Maybe it was malt.

Maybe wages.

Maybe insurance.

Maybe rent.

Maybe distribution.

Maybe the brewery simply raised prices.

Maybe all of the above.

And that creates a challenge for craft beer because craft beer’s greatest strength—its diversity and independence—is also one of its economic vulnerabilities.

Consumers have alternatives.

They can buy a domestic lager.

They can buy a macro beer.

They can buy wine.

They can make cocktails.

They can buy spirits.

They can buy nonalcoholic beer.

They can drink THC beverages where legal.

Or they can simply buy less alcohol.

The Brewers Association’s 2026 midyear report does provide an encouraging counterpoint: among surveyed craft consumers, monthly craft consumption increased year over year, and brewery visits increased as well.

So consumers haven’t abandoned craft beer.

But breweries still have to convince them that the experience is worth the price.

The Small-Business Problem

This is where the tariff discussion becomes particularly important.

A brewery isn’t just a beer factory.

It’s often:

• a restaurant;
• a bar;
• an event venue;
• a community gathering place;
• a retailer;
• a local employer;
• a tourist destination;
• and sometimes a manufacturing operation all at once.

The Brewers Association estimates that craft brewing contributed approximately $71.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2025 and supported more than 415,000 jobs when direct and indirect economic effects are included.

That means changes in brewery economics don’t stop at the brewhouse.

If a brewery cuts production, the effect can reach:

• employees;
• distributors;
• can manufacturers;
• maltsters;
• hop growers;
• farmers;
• restaurants;
• delivery companies;
• local contractors;
• musicians;
• event vendors;
• and nearby businesses that benefit from brewery traffic.

The economic ecosystem surrounding craft beer is much larger than the liquid inside the can.

Is This All Bad News?

Not necessarily.

This is where the discussion becomes more nuanced.

Tariffs are intended, in part, to change economic behavior.

The argument for tariffs is generally that making imported products more expensive can encourage domestic production and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

If tariffs encourage more American production of aluminum, steel, equipment or other brewery inputs, there could eventually be benefits for domestic manufacturers.

That is a legitimate economic argument.

But the important word is:

eventually.

A brewery facing higher costs today has to survive today.

A hypothetical domestic manufacturing expansion five years from now doesn’t pay today’s electricity bill.

This creates the central tension:

Short-term cost

versus

Long-term industrial policy.

Whether the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term costs is a broader economic and political question rather than something that can be answered simply by looking at the price of a six-pack.

The Bigger Problem May Be Uncertainty

Perhaps the most significant effect of the Trump administration’s trade policy on craft beer isn’t any single tariff.

It may be uncertainty.

Breweries make plans.

They buy equipment.

They sign contracts.

They develop recipes.

They order ingredients.

They negotiate distribution.

They plan seasonal releases.

They forecast revenue.

They decide whether to expand.

They decide whether to hire.

They decide whether to open another location.

All of those decisions become more difficult when a brewery doesn’t know what a particular piece of equipment, ingredient or packaging material will cost six months from now.

And trade policy has continued to change.

The Brewers Association’s 2026 updates show an evolving tariff landscape affecting aluminum, steel, hops, equipment and other brewery-related inputs.

For a giant corporation, uncertainty is expensive.

For a tiny brewery, uncertainty can be existential.

Trump Didn’t Create the Craft Beer Slump

This deserves repeating.

If someone tells you that the current problems facing American craft beer began with Donald Trump, the historical record doesn’t support that simplistic explanation.

Craft beer’s current difficulties predate the present tariff environment.

Production has declined.

The brewery count has fallen.

Consumer behavior has changed.

Competition has intensified.

Costs have risen.

The industry has been working through a post-pandemic correction and a broader maturation of the American craft beer market.

The Brewers Association’s own 2026 data show that the industry was already contracting while also showing signs of resilience.

Trump’s policies therefore shouldn’t be viewed as the cause of the craft beer industry’s problems.

They are better understood as another economic variable affecting an industry that was already under pressure.

That distinction matters.

But Trump Is Changing the Economic Environment Brewers Operate In

At the same time, it would be equally misleading to dismiss the effects of the administration’s trade policies.

The documented effects are tangible.

Aluminum tariffs influence aluminum pricing.

Steel tariffs influence steel pricing.

Tariffs on imported goods affect the cost of certain brewing equipment and ingredients.

Trade disputes create uncertainty.

And those costs can move through the brewing supply chain.

The Brewers Association has repeatedly raised these issues because independent breweries are particularly exposed to packaging and equipment costs.

The question isn’t whether trade policy affects breweries.

It does.

The more complicated question is how large the ultimate effect will be.

That will vary enormously from brewery to brewery.

What Does This Mean for Your Local Brewery?

For the average beer drinker, the most meaningful effects may not be dramatic.

You probably aren’t going to walk into your favorite brewery and see a sign reading:

“SORRY, PRESIDENTIAL TARIFFS. PINTS NOW $14.”

Instead, the effects may be incremental.

Maybe a four-pack goes from $17 to $18.

Maybe a seasonal beer disappears because its imported hops became too expensive.

Maybe a brewery delays buying a new fermenter.

Maybe a tap list contains fewer beers.

Maybe a brewery changes packaging.

Maybe a brewer switches hop varieties.

Maybe a brewery chooses to distribute less beer and focus more heavily on its taproom.

Maybe none of those things happen.

That’s the difficulty in attributing a particular brewery’s business decision to a particular tariff.

Businesses have dozens of costs and dozens of variables.

Pennsylvania Has More at Stake Than Most States

Trump’s Tariff Policies are Affecting Pennsylvanian Breweries

If the national craft-beer industry is feeling the effects of tariffs, Pennsylvania has a particularly interesting—and potentially complicated—position.

The Keystone State isn’t simply another state with a few breweries scattered around it.

Pennsylvania is one of the country’s major craft-brewing states.

According to the Brewers Association’s 2025 economic-impact data, Pennsylvania’s craft-brewing industry generated approximately $4.9 billion in economic output, second among all states behind California.

That makes Pennsylvania’s brewing industry economically significant enough that changes affecting breweries can ripple well beyond the taproom.

And Pennsylvania’s breweries are already operating in a difficult environment.

According to 2025 production data compiled from the Brewers Association, Pennsylvania produced approximately 1.92 million barrels of craft beer, down dramatically from 2.63 million barrels in 2024. That represented the state’s third consecutive annual decline in craft production.

So Pennsylvania’s brewers aren’t entering the tariff era from a position of unlimited growth.

They’re entering it while already trying to figure out how to sell less beer in a market with more competition and increasingly price-conscious consumers.

That makes every additional cost matter.

Pennsylvania’s Brewery Industry Is Big—and Particularly Diverse

Pennsylvania has another characteristic that makes it interesting.

Its craft-beer industry isn’t concentrated exclusively among enormous breweries.

The state has a huge number of small and independent breweries spread throughout Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley, the Poconos, Central Pennsylvania, Erie, Lancaster, York, Harrisburg and dozens of smaller communities.

That means Pennsylvania’s beer economy includes everything from relatively large regional producers to tiny neighborhood breweries.

The tariff consequences therefore won’t be uniform.

A brewery that sells primarily draft beer directly from its taproom has a different exposure than a brewery selling thousands of cases of canned beer through distributors.

A brewery that buys American-made equipment has a different exposure than one importing specialized equipment.

A brewery using mostly domestic hops has a different exposure than one heavily dependent upon New Zealand or Australian varieties.

And a brewery producing 500 barrels a year has a radically different purchasing position from a brewery producing tens of thousands.

But there is one Pennsylvania characteristic that makes the aluminum issue particularly important:

Pennsylvania has a large packaged-beer market and a large number of independent breweries competing for shelf space.

When packaging becomes more expensive, those breweries have to make difficult decisions about where that money comes from.

Fegley’s Brew Works: A Pennsylvania Brewery Already Talking About the Problem

One of the clearest Pennsylvania examples comes from Fegley’s Brew Works, the Lehigh Valley brewery with locations in Bethlehem and Allentown.

In February 2025, before the Trump administration’s aluminum and steel tariffs took effect, owner Jeff Fegley publicly warned that higher metal costs could hurt Pennsylvania’s craft-beer industry.

Fegley specifically connected higher aluminum costs to potentially higher can prices and, ultimately, higher consumer prices.

He also pointed out that Pennsylvania’s craft-beer industry was already dealing with a difficult marketplace, including changing consumer behavior and competition from other beverage categories.

That distinction is important.

Fegley’s concern wasn’t simply:

“Aluminum is going to cost more.”

It was essentially:

“Aluminum is going to cost more in an industry that is already struggling.”

That’s a much bigger problem.

A brewery can potentially absorb a cost increase when business is booming.

It is considerably harder to do when margins are already under pressure.

Fegley’s comments also highlight something particularly important for Pennsylvania:

craft beer isn’t competing only against other beer.

Pennsylvania’s beverage market includes breweries, distilleries, wineries, RTDs and other alcohol categories.

If a craft brewery raises prices, consumers have alternatives.

Human Robot: When the Numbers Become Real

Philadelphia provides an even more concrete example.

In March 2025, CBS Philadelphia interviewed Jake Atkinson, owner of Human Robot Brewery, about the aluminum tariffs.

Atkinson said that if the situation continued, beer prices would have to rise. He described the situation as particularly difficult for a small business because of the uncertainty surrounding changing tariff policy.

Human Robot is an especially useful example because Philadelphia’s beer scene is heavily populated by independent breweries operating at relatively small scales.

Those breweries don’t have the purchasing power of multinational beverage companies.

They can’t necessarily negotiate the same prices.

And they can’t necessarily spread a relatively small increase across hundreds of thousands or millions of cases.

For a small brewery, a few cents per can can become a substantial annual expense.

And if the brewery doesn’t raise prices, that money has to come from somewhere else.

Love City Brewing: The “American-Made Can” Problem

Perhaps the most useful Pennsylvania example is Love City Brewing in Philadelphia.

Co-founder Melissa Walter told CBS Philadelphia that Love City packaged approximately 150 cases—roughly 3,600 cans—on a typical canning day, with the brewery operating its canning line roughly three times per week.

The really interesting part, however, was the source of the cans.

The cans themselves were manufactured in the United States.

But the raw aluminum used to produce them frequently came from Canada.

Walter said the brewery spends tens of thousands of dollars on aluminum, meaning even a substantial percentage increase in raw-material costs could have a significant effect on the brewery’s finances.

This illustrates one of the most important points in the entire tariff debate:

“Made in America” doesn’t necessarily mean “unaffected by tariffs.”

A Pennsylvania brewery can buy an American-made can from an American supplier and still be affected by tariffs on the aluminum entering the American supply chain.

That is precisely why the Brewers Association has continued lobbying for changes to aluminum tariff policy.

The association has explained that American can manufacturers themselves can depend on imported aluminum, particularly material originating in Canada.

For Love City, this wasn’t an abstract economic theory.

It was an actual purchasing expense.

And when Walter discussed the possibility of increased costs, she also raised another issue: maintaining employee compensation and benefits.

That is an important part of the story.

When a brewery absorbs higher costs, the consequence isn’t necessarily just a lower profit for the owner.

It can potentially affect:

• wages;
• benefits;
• staffing;
• hours;
• new hires;
• production;
• taproom investment;
• and expansion.

Sherman Street Beer Company: Hops, Malt and Aluminum All at Once

Philadelphia isn’t the only Pennsylvania market where brewers were worried.

In Allentown, Sherman Street Beer Company owner Beau Baden discussed the tariff issue with The Pennsylvania Independent in April 2025.

Baden had a particularly interesting problem because his brewery imported hops and malt from countries around the world, while also relying heavily on aluminum cans.

And he had just received an order of approximately 20,000 cans when he was discussing the potential financial impact of the tariffs.

His concern was simple: he didn’t yet know exactly what the bill was going to look like.

That uncertainty is worth emphasizing.

A tariff doesn’t always arrive at the brewery with a neatly labeled invoice saying:

Aluminum tariff: $X.

The effects can move through suppliers and distributors.

That makes budgeting difficult.

Baden also described the fundamental problem facing small breweries: margins are already thin.

He told The Pennsylvania Independent that the brewery might have to absorb the increased costs initially and reassess its position later.

That is a very different strategy from immediately raising prices.

And it demonstrates the choices breweries actually face.

Pennsylvania’s Brewery Leaders Were Warning About This Before the Tariffs Hit

The Pennsylvania examples aren’t isolated.

In February and April 2025, Pennsylvania brewery owners were publicly discussing the potential impact of Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs before the costs had fully worked their way through the supply chain.

Fegley’s Brew Works was one example.

Human Robot and Love City were others.

Sherman Street Beer Company provided another.

And Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro even visited Fegley’s Brew Works in Bethlehem in April 2025 to discuss the potential effects of tariffs on Pennsylvania small businesses.

That doesn’t mean Pennsylvania breweries have experienced identical financial consequences.

They haven’t.

But it demonstrates that tariff exposure was an identifiable concern among Pennsylvania brewers before the full effects of the policy were known.

Why Pennsylvania Could Be Especially Vulnerable

There are several reasons Pennsylvania deserves special attention.

1. Pennsylvania has a huge craft-brewing economy

The Brewers Association estimates approximately $4.9 billion in craft-brewing economic output in Pennsylvania during 2025, second nationally.

When the industry is that large, even relatively modest changes in operating costs can have substantial aggregate effects.

2. Pennsylvania has hundreds of breweries

The state has one of the country’s largest brewery populations.

That means tariff effects aren’t concentrated in a handful of companies.

They can reach hundreds of independent businesses.

3. Pennsylvania’s craft industry is already contracting

The state’s craft production fell from approximately 2.63 million barrels in 2024 to 1.92 million barrels in 2025, according to Brewers Association data reported by Breweries in PA.

That makes the timing particularly significant.

4. Pennsylvania breweries compete in a crowded beverage market

As Fegley pointed out, Pennsylvania breweries aren’t operating in isolation.

They compete with:

• other breweries;
• distilleries;
• ready-to-drink beverages;
• wine;
• spirits;
• nonalcoholic drinks;
• and increasingly diverse consumer choices.

Higher beer prices can therefore have consequences beyond the brewery itself.

5. The state’s geographic position makes regional supply chains important

Pennsylvania sits between major population centers in the Northeast and has enormous transportation connections.

Philadelphia is close to New York and New Jersey.

Pittsburgh sits at a major crossroads between the Midwest and Northeast.

Central Pennsylvania sits between major population centers.

That creates tremendous advantages for breweries—but also means Pennsylvania breweries are embedded within complicated regional distribution networks.

But Pennsylvania Also Has Some Advantages

The story isn’t exclusively negative.

Pennsylvania’s size and established brewing culture can work in its favor.

The state has:

• established malt producers;
• hop growers;
• brewing-equipment businesses;
• packaging suppliers;
• distributors;
• a large consumer base;
• a mature brewery tourism culture;
• and a long-established network of independent breweries.

The state also has substantial agricultural resources.

That gives Pennsylvania breweries opportunities to shorten portions of their supply chains.

For example, a brewer can potentially emphasize Pennsylvania-grown ingredients or work with regional suppliers.

That won’t solve the aluminum problem.

It won’t eliminate tariffs on imported equipment.

And it won’t necessarily make domestic ingredients cheaper.

But it provides Pennsylvania breweries with something valuable:

options.

Pennsylvania’s “Brews to Barns” Experiment

Pennsylvania is also doing something particularly interesting at the state level.

A 2026 legislative effort known as Brews to Barns was developed to help connect Pennsylvania breweries with Pennsylvania agricultural producers.

The legislation includes provisions intended to support the use of Pennsylvania agricultural products by breweries, while also providing financial relief mechanisms for brewers.

According to the Brewers Association, Pennsylvania’s version developed from a similar Texas proposal and was being pursued as a way to help small independent brewers navigate a difficult environment that includes tariffs, fuel prices and rising aluminum costs.

That is an interesting response to the tariff environment.

Instead of trying to solve the international trade problem, Pennsylvania can potentially help breweries strengthen the parts of their supply chains that can be localized.

If a Pennsylvania brewery can source more of its agricultural inputs from Pennsylvania, it potentially reduces exposure to some international trade volatility.

Again, though, that isn’t a magic solution.

You can’t grow aluminum in Lancaster County.

You can’t necessarily manufacture every specialized brewing component in Pennsylvania.

And a brewery making a New Zealand-hopped IPA can’t simply substitute a Pennsylvania hop and expect an identical beer.

But localization can reduce exposure at the margins.

And when you’re operating on thin margins, margins matter.

The Pennsylvania Brewery Examples

The following breweries have publicly discussed tariff-related concerns or consequences and are therefore useful examples for anyone writing about the Pennsylvania impact:

The first four are particularly useful because there is specific reporting connecting the brewery or owner to tariff concerns, rather than simply assuming that every Pennsylvania brewery must have been affected.

That’s an important distinction.

It would be misleading to publish a list of Pennsylvania breweries and claim that all of them have been harmed by tariffs without evidence from those individual businesses.

What About Troegs, Yuengling, Yards and Other Pennsylvania Breweries?

This is where caution is warranted.

Pennsylvania has some very large and recognizable breweries—Yuengling, Tröegs, Victory, Yards, Neshaminy Creek, Weyerbacher and many others—but I would not claim that any of these particular breweries have suffered a specific tariff-related financial impact unless the brewery itself, a credible industry publication, financial disclosure or another reliable source documents it.

That’s especially important because tariff exposure depends heavily on:

• packaging contracts;
• purchasing volume;
• domestic versus imported materials;
• equipment purchases;
• hop varieties;
• malt sources;
• distribution strategy;
• and the timing of contracts.

Two breweries in the same city can therefore experience very different effects.

A Pennsylvania brewery is not automatically “tariff affected” in the same way as another Pennsylvania brewery.

The Bigger Pennsylvania Question

The most interesting question for Pennsylvania isn’t necessarily whether tariffs will cause every brewery to raise its prices.

It’s what happens when several economic pressures arrive simultaneously.

Pennsylvania’s craft industry is already dealing with declining production.

Then add:

higher aluminum costs

higher equipment costs

potentially higher imported ingredient costs

labor costs

energy costs

distribution costs

consumer resistance to higher prices

and you have a much more complicated economic equation.

The danger isn’t necessarily one enormous cost increase.

It is death by a thousand small increases.

A brewery doesn’t have to lose $500,000 because of tariffs to feel the consequences.

It might lose:

$5,000 here.

$10,000 there.

Another $15,000 in packaging.

Another $8,000 in equipment.

Another increase in transportation.

Another increase in insurance.

And suddenly the brewery’s annual profit has become considerably smaller.

Pennsylvania’s Craft-Beer Future May Depend on Adaptation

There is, however, an encouraging element to this story.

Pennsylvania breweries have survived enormous changes before.

The state went from having relatively few craft breweries to becoming one of America’s most important brewing states.

Brewers have repeatedly adapted to changes in consumer tastes, distribution laws, ingredients, packaging and technology.

They have also become increasingly creative about their business models.

Taprooms.

Restaurants.

Beer gardens.

Events.

Nonalcoholic products.

Cider.

Spirits.

Food.

Merchandise.

Brewery tourism.

Direct-to-consumer experiences.

The modern Pennsylvania brewery is much more than a factory producing beer.

That flexibility may become increasingly important.

The Keystone State’s Tariff Story

Ultimately, Pennsylvania provides a useful microcosm of the national story.

Trump’s tariffs did not create Pennsylvania’s craft-beer problems.

The state’s breweries were already dealing with declining production and a changing marketplace.

But tariffs add another variable.

And because Pennsylvania has such a large and economically important craft-brewing industry, the consequences potentially extend much further than the breweries themselves.

The question isn’t simply:

“Will Pennsylvania beer become more expensive?”

Some beer probably will.

The more interesting questions are:

Which breweries can absorb the additional costs?

Which will pass them on to consumers?

Which will change ingredients or packaging?

Which will postpone expansion?

Which will localize more of their supply chain?

And perhaps most importantly:

Which breweries can adapt quickly enough to survive another difficult period?

Pennsylvania has one of the largest craft-beer economies in America.

It also has one of the largest collections of independent breweries.

That combination means the Keystone State could become an especially interesting place to watch the long-term effects of America’s new trade environment.

Because when Washington changes the rules of the global economy, the consequences don’t remain in Washington.

Eventually, they show up in Allentown.

Philadelphia.

Erie.

Pittsburgh.

Harrisburg.

Lancaster.

Scranton.

And, eventually, at the tap.

1. Pennsylvania vs. Other Major Craft-Beer States

This would be an excellent graphic for the Pennsylvania section because it establishes why Pennsylvania deserves special attention.

Pennsylvania is one of America’s largest craft-beer economies

2025 economic impact of craft breweries in the five states with the largest total economic output.

Source: Brewers Association, 2025 Economic Impact Data.

Pennsylvania ranked second among U.S. states in craft-brewing economic impact in 2025, generating nearly $5 billion in economic activity. Source: Brewers Association.

2. Pennsylvania Craft-Beer Production

I’d put this directly into the section discussing the state’s existing problems.

The important point here is that tariffs are arriving while Pennsylvania craft beer is already dealing with contraction.

The current Brewers Association data give us a 2025 Pennsylvania production figure of 2,004,382 barrels, while the BA’s 2024 data reported Pennsylvania at more than 2.6 million barrels.

Pennsylvania craft-beer production has fallen sharply

Annual craft-beer production in Pennsylvania. The decline illustrates the difficult market conditions breweries were already facing before the current tariff environment fully developed.

Sources: Brewers Association 2024 and 2025 state craft-beer statistics. Figures are craft-beer production, measured in barrels.

Pennsylvania’s craft-beer production fell substantially from 2024 to 2025. Tariffs therefore entered an industry already dealing with declining production rather than a rapidly expanding market.

3. Pennsylvania’s Craft-Beer Footprint

This might actually be my favorite Pennsylvania graphic.

It shows that Pennsylvania has a huge number of breweries relative to other major craft states, while also having enormous production.

Source: Brewers Association, State Craft Beer Sales & Production Statistics, 2025.

Pennsylvania had 538 craft breweries in 2025, second only to California.

What This Means for Craft Beer as a Whole

The American craft beer industry has always been built on experimentation.

That experimentation isn’t limited to flavors.

Craft brewers experiment with:

• ingredients;
• equipment;
• packaging;
• business models;
• taproom concepts;
• distribution;
• collaborations;
• events;
• and consumer experiences.

Tariffs could potentially make some forms of experimentation more expensive.

A brewery considering an imported canning system might reconsider.

A brewer experimenting with expensive imported hops might use less.

A brewery thinking about adding a new cellar tank might delay the purchase.

Those decisions don’t necessarily kill innovation.

But they can influence which innovations are economically practical.

And that is ultimately the most interesting part of the story.

4. The National Craft-Beer Contraction

I’d also include one national chart near the beginning of the article, because it gives readers the context they need before we start talking about tariffs.

The Brewers Association reports that U.S. craft production fell 4% in 2025 to 22.034 million barrels, following a 3.9% decline in 2024.

American craft beer entered the tariff era already contracting

U.S. craft-beer production declined in both 2024 and 2025, illustrating that the industry’s current challenges predate the latest tariff environment.

Source: Brewers Association. 2024 production: 23.1 million barrels. 2025 production: 22.034 million barrels.

Craft beer’s current difficulties did not begin with Trump’s tariff policies. U.S. craft production declined in both 2024 and 2025, with 2025 production falling another 4% to 22.034 million barrels.

From the Oval Office to Your Pint Glass

The distance between Washington and your local brewery may seem enormous.

It isn’t.

A tariff can begin as a presidential proclamation.

It can become a change in the price of aluminum.

That can influence the price of can sheet.

The can manufacturer adjusts its pricing.

The distributor adjusts its costs.

The brewery receives a higher packaging bill.

The brewery calculates its margins.

The owner decides whether to absorb the increase.

The brewer releases a new IPA.

You walk into the taproom.

And you pay for it.

That’s how government policy becomes beer.

Not instantly.

Not always directly.

And not always predictably.

But through the interconnected machinery of the modern economy.

The Bottom Line

The effect of Donald Trump’s policies on American craft beer is neither as simple as “Trump is killing craft beer” nor as simple as “tariffs will bring manufacturing back and everything will be fine.”

The reality is considerably more complicated.

The craft beer industry was already contracting before the current tariff regime.

At the same time, the administration’s trade policies have created real additional costs and uncertainty for breweries, particularly around aluminum, steel, packaging, equipment and certain imported ingredients.

The aluminum issue may be the clearest example. A brewery doesn’t necessarily have to import an aluminum can to feel the effects of aluminum tariffs. Domestic cans can be connected to a broader aluminum pricing structure influenced by tariff policy.

Meanwhile, tariffs affecting Australian and New Zealand hops and Chinese brewing equipment illustrate how the consequences extend beyond packaging.

And the increasingly complicated relationship with Canada demonstrates just how interconnected American brewing is with its neighbors and international suppliers.

For consumers, the eventual consequences may be subtle:

A slightly more expensive four-pack.

A different hop variety.

A delayed brewery expansion.

A smaller tap list.

A brewery choosing to focus more heavily on its taproom.

Or perhaps nothing noticeable at all.

For some breweries, however, several small increases arriving simultaneously could make the difference between comfortable operation and another difficult year.

And that may be the real story of Trump’s effect on craft beer.

The tariff isn’t the beer.

It’s one more ingredient in the recipe.

And for an industry already trying to figure out what the next version of American craft beer looks like, it’s an ingredient that brewers didn’t necessarily order—but now have to figure out how to work with.

Sources & Further Reading

Brewers Association

1. “From Tariff to Tap: How Aluminum Costs Reach Brewers” — Brewers Association, August 26, 2026.
   Detailed explanation of aluminum pricing, the Midwest Premium, recycled aluminum and how tariff-related costs can reach breweries.
2. “Restructured Aluminum Tariffs Continue to Pressure Craft Brewers” — Brewers Association, April 3, 2026.
   Discussion of the administration’s Section 232 tariff framework and its implications for cans, kegs and brewing equipment.
3. “New Section 301 Tariffs Take Effect” — Brewers Association, July 24, 2026.
   Covers the 2026 Section 301 tariff changes and their effects on Australian/New Zealand hops and Chinese brewing equipment.
4. “2026 Midyear Report: Pressure Persists as Signs of Stability Emerge” — Brewers Association, July 22, 2026.
   Industry production, brewery-count and consumer-engagement data for the first half of 2026.
5. National Beer Sales & Production Data — Brewers Association.
   National craft-beer production and sales statistics, including 2025 volume and retail-dollar data.
6. Economic Impact Data — Brewers Association.
   Estimates of the craft brewing industry’s contribution to the U.S. economy and employment.

U.S. Government

7. The White House, “Excluding Certain Canadian Alcoholic Beverages From Importation Into the United States…” — September 8, 2026.
   Primary-source documentation concerning the administration’s September 2026 action involving Canadian alcoholic beverages.
8. The White House, “Modifying the Scope of Products of Canada Subject to the Additional Duties…” — September 8, 2026.
   Primary-source documentation concerning the September 2026 modifications to Canadian-product duties.

Beer Industry

9. National Beer Wholesalers Association, “Tariffs and Trade.”
   Industry perspective on tariffs affecting aluminum, steel, imported beverages and the broader American beer distribution system.

Bibliography

Brewers Association. From Tariff to Tap: How Aluminum Costs Reach Brewers. August 26, 2026.

Brewers Association. National Beer Sales & Production Data. 2026.

Brewers Association. New Section 301 Tariffs Take Effect. July 24, 2026.

Brewers Association. Restructured Aluminum Tariffs Continue to Pressure Craft Brewers. April 3, 2026.

Brewers Association. 2026 Midyear Report: Pressure Persists as Signs of Stability Emerge. July 22, 2026.

Brewers Association. Economic Impact Data. 2026.

National Beer Wholesalers Association. Tariffs and Trade. 2026.

The White House. Excluding Certain Canadian Alcoholic Beverages From Importation Into the United States in Response to Continued Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Alcoholic Beverages. September 8, 2026.

The White House. Modifying the Scope of Products of Canada Subject to the Additional Duties Imposed to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Alcoholic Beverages. September 8, 2026.

Editorial note: Because tariff policy is changing rapidly, this article should be treated as a September 17, 2026 snapshot rather than a timeless explanation. Tariff rates, exemptions, affected countries and product classifications can change through subsequent presidential actions, USTR decisions, trade agreements, litigation or congressional action.

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There are books about reading, books about books, and then there are books that make you stop in the middle of reading them and think, Wait a minute… how exactly am I reading this?

Peter Mendelsund’s What We See When We Read falls very firmly into that third category.

What We See When We Read Book Cover

At its simplest, the book is an exploration of what happens inside our heads when we read. When a novel tells us that a character has brown hair, do we actually see brown hair? Do we picture an entire face? Do we construct a detailed version of the character in our minds? Or are we doing something much stranger and less visually concrete?

Mendelsund spends the book poking at those questions, and the result is an entertaining, occasionally strange, and surprisingly thought-provoking examination of the reading experience.

And perhaps appropriately for a book about seeing things while reading, What We See When We Read is not presented like a traditional book.

The pages are filled with illustrations, diagrams, unusual layouts, typography, blank spaces, visual jokes, and all sorts of creative formatting. The physical presentation becomes part of the argument. Mendelsund isn’t simply telling us what reading looks like inside our heads; he’s constantly trying to demonstrate it.

That makes this a particularly fun book to read.

So What Do We Actually See?

One of the central ideas Mendelsund explores is the strange relationship between words and mental images.

If you read a description of a woman walking down a street, your brain presumably does something with that information. But what?

Mendelsund spends a considerable amount of time examining this through Anna Karenina. Anna becomes something of a laboratory experiment for thinking about fictional characters. Tolstoy gives us descriptions of Anna, but every reader inevitably constructs some version of her.

And that’s where things get interesting.

My Anna Karenina isn’t necessarily your Anna Karenina.

Even if we’ve both read the same words, we’ve experienced the character differently. We may have completely different ideas about Anna’s appearance, movements, voice, personality, or even the way she occupies physical space in our imagination.

The same thing happens with practically every fictional character we encounter.

When someone says “Harry Potter,” “Sherlock Holmes,” or “Huckleberry Finn,” most readers immediately have something in their heads. But how closely does that mental image correspond to what the author actually wrote?

And more importantly, why does our brain fill in all those gaps?

Mendelsund is fascinated by that gap between the words on the page and the experience happening inside the reader’s head.

Reading About Reading

One of the things I enjoyed most about What We See When We Read is that Mendelsund doesn’t pretend to be some completely objective scientist observing the human brain from the outside.

A lot of the book is based on his own experience of reading.

That actually makes the book more interesting to me.

As I was reading his explanations of how he visualizes things, I naturally started comparing them to how I visualize things. And that’s probably one of the best things a book like this can accomplish.

It made me think about my own reading habits.

When I read a description of a person, do I actually picture the person’s face? Sometimes. Other times, apparently not. I might have a vague sense of a person without ever consciously constructing an image.

Sometimes a setting is incredibly vivid. Other times, I know where the characters are supposed to be, but I couldn’t draw the place if you gave me a pencil and an hour.

And sometimes I realize that I’ve spent twenty pages reading about a character without ever deciding what they actually look like.

Mendelsund’s book made me notice those things.

That’s one of its greatest strengths.

A Different Way of Reading

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the book is the comparison it encourages between Mendelsund’s reading experience and my own.

His internal process isn’t exactly the same as mine.

It isn’t completely different, either.

And that middle ground is fascinating.

Reading this book is almost like getting a glimpse into another person’s brain while they’re reading a novel. Obviously, Mendelsund can’t literally show us everything happening in his mind, but he gives us his interpretation of the process and then uses words and images to recreate some approximation of it.

It makes you wonder how many different versions of the same book exist.

There is the book the author wrote.

Then there is the book the publisher printed.

Then there is the book Mendelsund reads.

There is the book I read.

And there are potentially millions of other versions being created simultaneously inside millions of other readers’ heads.

We all read the same words, but we don’t necessarily experience the same story.

That’s a pretty remarkable idea.

More Than Just a Book About Pictures

Despite the title, this isn’t simply a book about visualization.

Mendelsund also digs into memory, attention, language, character construction, descriptions, perspective, and the ways readers interact with fiction.

And because the book is so visually experimental, the format itself becomes part of the discussion.

Sometimes the pages are almost asking you to slow down and examine them rather than simply turning the page and continuing. The design forces you to become conscious of the act of reading.

That can occasionally make the book feel a little strange.

But I think that’s intentional.

A conventional presentation probably wouldn’t have worked nearly as well here. If Mendelsund had simply written 300 pages of straightforward prose explaining how readers visualize fictional worlds, it could have become a very dry academic exercise.

Instead, he makes the book itself an experiment.

The One Thing I Took Away

The biggest thing I took away from What We See When We Read isn’t necessarily a specific fact.

It’s an awareness of how I read.

That may sound like a small thing, but it isn’t.

Most of us read without thinking about the mechanics of reading. We pick up a book, look at the words, and allow the story to happen.

Mendelsund makes you step back from that process.

What am I actually picturing?

What am I ignoring?

How much of this fictional world am I constructing?

What does this character actually look like in my mind?

Am I hearing their voice?

Am I imagining the scenery?

Am I seeing the action like a movie?

Or am I experiencing the story in some completely different way?

And once you start asking those questions, it’s difficult to stop.

I suspect that’s also one of the reasons I enjoyed comparing Mendelsund’s reading habits to my own. His explanations gave me another perspective on something I’ve been doing my entire life without really examining it.

Maybe I’ll even experiment with it during future reading.

Perhaps I’ll pay closer attention to the images I’m creating—or not creating. Maybe I’ll try to visualize a setting more deliberately. Maybe I’ll notice when an author gives me an incredibly detailed description and my brain promptly ignores half of it.

Or maybe I’ll just continue reading exactly as I always have.

But now I’ll be thinking about it.

Final Thoughts

What We See When We Read is a fascinating little journey into one of those everyday experiences that we rarely stop to examine.

It’s entertaining, visually interesting, occasionally weird, and filled with ideas that can make you reconsider something as seemingly simple as opening a book and reading a sentence.

Mendelsund’s use of Anna Karenina as a recurring example works particularly well because it demonstrates the fundamental problem: an author can give us words, but the reader ultimately has to construct the experience.

And every reader constructs it differently.

That’s what makes reading so personal.

Ultimately, What We See When We Read isn’t just about what we see when we read.

It’s about the fact that we aren’t all seeing the same thing at all.

And that’s a pretty damn interesting thing to think about the next time you pick up a book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

A highly entertaining and unusual examination of reading, visualization, and the strange things our brains do with words. It won’t necessarily change the way you read, but it may make you much more aware of how you read—and that’s probably the best compliment I can give a book like this.

Back of the Book Blurb

A gorgeously unique, fully illustrated exploration into the phenomenology of reading-how we visualize images from reading works of literature, from one of our very best book jacket designers, himself a passionate reader. A VINTAGE ORIGINAL.

What do we see when we read? Did Tolstoy really describe Anna Karenina? Did Melville ever really tell us what, exactly, Ishmael looked like?

The collection of fragmented images on a page – a graceful ear there, a stray curl, a hat positioned just so – and other clues and signifiers helps us to create an image of a character. But in fact our sense that we know a character intimately has little to do with our ability to concretely picture our beloved – or reviled – literary figures.

In this remarkable work of nonfiction, Knopf’s Associate Art Director Peter Mendelsund combines his profession, as an award-winning designer; his first career, as a classically trained pianist; and his first love, literature – he thinks of himself first, and foremost, as a reader – into what is sure to be one of the most provocative and unusual investigations into how we understand the act of reading.

– What We See When We Read (GoodReads)

My Initial Review First Time I Read This

Back in October 2019 I first read this, and wrote this review:

This was a very entertaining read into how the mind views and thinks and “sees” things while we read. Filled with pictures, interesting ways to read each page (the layout and format) and the general bits of information you expect from the title.

He bases a lot of the book on Anna K. from Tolstoy and how we image and view her. And its interesting just how we think about characters when we read. He bases most of the book on his own ideas and own thoughts on reading and his own way of reading, with some bits of a ‘whole community’ as well.

Its kind of fun to see how he reads and internalizes what he reads vs. how I read and how I internalize how I read and how the two are not the same. Not completely different, but not the same. I like the comparison I’m able to make between his internalizing and my own and it makes a nice contrast. Also gives me a viewpoint for future reading perhaps and see if I can do some reading on a different level or different way.

I reread this and finished it today, and the book stays the same for me.

-B. Kline

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As we reported earlier in the year (on January 25th when we saw the Facebook Marketplace ad and reached out to them) (see article: Mudhook Brewing Quietly Listed for Sale), it has now reached the ‘official’ status of the sales process as Mudhook Brewing just moments ago announced their sale via social media.

Mudhook Brewing Company is located at: Central Market House  – 34 N Cherry Ln, York, PA 17401. Mudhook Brewing Company is a casual, family-owned brewpub located at 34 North Cherry Lane in York, Pennsylvania. Known for a relaxed, farmhouse-chic atmosphere near PeoplesBank Park, it features four signature beers, a rotating selection of seasonal sea-themed brews crafted by brewmaster Tim Wheeler, and an elevated pub grub menu.

The sign at Mudhook Brewery

The Post

The following comes from their Facebook page:

First brew pub in York, PA established in 2010 is for sale. Founder, Jeff Lau, is ready to retire. Mudhook Brewing Company has 15 years of traditions, including an annual beach party, pint drop on New Year’s Eve, scavenger hunts, bar crawls, St Patty’s Day party, Mug Club, First Fridays, Piano Man, and many more. Established business, restaurant equipment , bar supplies are for sale. You could be the one to keep this beloved pub alive and well. Energy and creativity was what got Mudhook started and now that is what is needed to keep it going.

Check out this link to the listing and call 717-870-6246 with questions and/or interest.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EtNJiMeAZ/

–Mudhook Brewing Company (Facebook Post)

For Sale

After 15 years of brewing beer, serving food, hosting parties and becoming part of York’s craft beer story, Mudhook Brewing Company is officially up for sale.

Founder Jeff Lau is preparing to retire, putting the established York brewpub, along with its restaurant equipment and bar supplies, on the market. The announcement was made this week on social media, with the hope that a new owner will step in and carry Mudhook into its next chapter while keeping its place in the York beer community alive.

Mudhook Brewing Company opened its doors in York, Pennsylvania, in 2010, arriving during the early wave of breweries that helped establish York as a destination for craft beer.

Over the past decade and a half, Lau grew Mudhook from a small local brewery into a longtime downtown gathering place. The brewpub became known not only for its house-brewed beers, but also for its pub food, events and role as a community hangout.

And there was certainly no shortage of reasons to stop in.

Mudhook built a following around events such as its annual beach party, New Year’s Eve pint drop, scavenger hunts, bar crawls, St. Patrick’s Day party, Mug Club, First Fridays and Piano Man.

Those events, along with the beer and food, helped make Mudhook more than simply another place to grab a pint. For 15 years, it has been part of York’s evolving beer scene.

As Mudhook put it in the announcement:

“Energy and creativity was what got Mudhook started and now that is what is needed to keep it going,” Mudhook said in its sale announcement.

And that may be the biggest question facing Mudhook now: who will bring that energy and creativity into the next 15 years?

For the right buyer, the opportunity is already sitting there. Mudhook comes with 15 years of history, an established brewpub, equipment, an existing customer base and a name that has become familiar to generations of York-area beer drinkers.

This isn’t necessarily the end of Mudhook Brewing Company. Rather, it could be the beginning of a new chapter.

Anyone interested in learning more about the sale can check out the listing or call 717-870-6246 with questions or inquiries.

For those of us who have spent years following Pennsylvania’s craft beer scene, seeing a longtime brewery like Mudhook go up for sale is always a little bittersweet. But if the right person comes along, perhaps the next 15 years of Mudhook’s story are just getting ready to begin.

Mudhook Brewing Company

Mudhook Brewery’s logo

Mudhook Brewing Company is located at: Central Market House  – 34 N Cherry Ln, York, PA 17401. Mudhook Brewing Company is a casual, family-owned brewpub located at 34 North Cherry Lane in York, Pennsylvania. Known for a relaxed, farmhouse-chic atmosphere near PeoplesBank Park, it features four signature beers, a rotating selection of seasonal sea-themed brews crafted by brewmaster Tim Wheeler, and an elevated pub grub menu.

More Information on Mudhook Brewery

The following comes via Untappd.

Mudhook Brewing Company is a brewpub located in York, PA. They have 78 unique beers and a global average rating of 3.46 with 17,799 ratings as of 8.14.26. Their Untappd description reads: “A casual brewpub featuring four signature beers and up to six seasonal brews served alongside appetizers, soups, salads, and pub burgers and sandwiches”

You can follow them on the following social media platforms:

• Mudhook Brewing Company – Official Website 
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Facebook
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Instagram 
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Twitter
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Untappd

Pale ales and India pale ales are closely related, hop-forward beer styles, but they are not interchangeable. In broad terms, a pale ale aims for balance between malt and hops, while an IPA usually places greater emphasis on hop aroma, hop flavor, bitterness, and—often—alcohol strength.

That simple distinction is useful, but it does not tell the whole story. Modern brewing has produced such a wide range of pale ales and IPAs that the styles frequently overlap. A heavily hopped pale ale can resemble a low-intensity IPA, while a hazy or milkshake IPA may taste very different from the classic bitter, clear beers that originally defined the category.

The Pale Ale vs. IPA

A Brief History

Pale ale came first.

In eighteenth-century Britain, improvements in malt kilning allowed brewers to produce lighter-colored malt. This created beers that appeared “pale” compared with the darker ales common at the time. English pale ales developed a range of malt and hop profiles, including the beers later known as bitters.

IPA evolved from this pale ale tradition. British brewers and exporters produced stronger, more heavily hopped pale ales for shipment to India. Hops contributed bitterness and possessed preservative qualities, making them useful in beers intended for long journeys. The term “India Pale Ale” appeared in the nineteenth century, although the historical beers associated with the name were stronger, more mature, and generally less explosively aromatic than many modern IPAs.

The modern American IPA is a later interpretation. American craft brewers emphasized bold New World hop varieties, including hops capable of producing citrus, pine, resin, tropical fruit, floral, and stone-fruit character. The result became one of the defining styles of the American craft beer movement.

The Beer Judge Certification Program now generally uses “IPA” rather than spelling out “India Pale Ale.” This reflects the fact that contemporary IPAs are not necessarily brewed for India, and some are not even pale in color. In its American IPA guideline, the BJCP describes the style as a decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale with a dryish finish and clean supporting malt. (bjcp)

The Core Difference

The most useful way to distinguish a pale ale from an IPA is not color. It is intensity and balance.

These are tendencies rather than strict laws. Beer styles are descriptive categories, not legal definitions. A brewery may produce a pale ale with more bitterness than another brewery’s IPA, or an IPA with relatively low perceived bitterness because of a soft, hazy formulation.

Still, if two beers use similar ingredients and brewing methods, the IPA will generally be the more forceful beer.

Pale Ale Explained

Pale Ale vs. IPA – Round 1

Pale ale is best understood as a family of beers rather than one narrowly defined recipe.

English pale ale

English pale ales are commonly associated with:

• Bready, biscuity, or lightly toasted malt.

• Earthy, herbal, floral, or spicy English hops.

• Moderate bitterness.

• Moderate carbonation.

• A balanced and approachable finish.

• Alcohol levels often in the mid-4% to mid-5% range.

Some English pale ales overlap with bitters, especially when served from a cask. They may be copper-colored rather than extremely pale and can show considerable malt character without becoming sweet or heavy.

American pale ale

American pale ale generally pushes the hops further than its English counterpart. American and other New World varieties may contribute notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, pine, resin, flowers, melon, or tropical fruit.

A typical American pale ale often has:

• A pale gold to light amber appearance.

• A medium-light to medium body.

• Moderate bitterness.

• Noticeable hop aroma and flavor.

• A clean fermentation profile.

• A malt backbone that remains present.

• Moderate alcohol, commonly around 5% to 6%, though examples can fall outside that range.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a classic reference point for the American interpretation. Sierra Nevada describes its pale ale as combining Cascade hop character—particularly citrus and pine—with a caramel malt foundation. The brewery contrasts it with its Celebration IPA, which is stronger and more bitter.sierranevada

How pale ale tastes

A well-made pale ale often begins with a modest malt impression before moving into hop flavor. The beer might taste:

• Crisp and citrusy.

• Floral and lightly resinous.

• Toasty and biscuity.

• Fruity but not intensely tropical.

• Bitter enough to be interesting without dominating the entire palate.

For casual drinkers, pale ale is often an effective introduction to hop-forward beer. It can demonstrate what hops contribute without presenting the full bitterness or alcohol intensity of a strong IPA.

For experienced drinkers, pale ale offers a useful test of brewing balance. Because the hops are not expected to overwhelm the malt, flaws in sweetness, fermentation, water chemistry, or bitterness are often easier to identify.

IPA Explained

Pale Ale vs. IPA – Round 2

IPA is a broad family that includes traditional English examples, American IPAs, hazy IPAs, session IPAs, Double IPAs, and numerous specialty variations.

Traditional English IPA

English IPA is historically connected to the export beers that inspired the name. Modern examples commonly feature:

• Earthy, herbal, floral, or spicy hop character.

• Firm but relatively restrained bitterness.

• More prominent malt than many American IPAs.

• Moderate alcohol strength.

• A relatively dry finish.

• A less explosive aroma profile than contemporary American versions.

The term “IPA” therefore does not automatically mean citrus, tropical fruit, or extreme bitterness. Those qualities are especially associated with particular American and New World hop varieties.

American IPA

The American IPA is the reference style most drinkers probably picture when they hear “IPA.” The BJCP describes it as hop-forward, bitter, moderately strong, cleanly fermented, and dryish, with American or New World hop character. Its expected hop flavors can include citrus, floral, pine, resin, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berries, melon, and spice.bjcp

A standard American IPA commonly features:

• Prominent hop aroma.

• Medium to very high hop flavor.

• Medium-high to very high bitterness.

• Low to medium-low malt flavor.

• A dry or medium-dry finish.

• Moderate alcohol, often around 5.5% to 7.5%.

• A medium-light to medium body.

The BJCP lists American IPA at 40–70 IBUs and 5.5%–7.5% ABV, although commercial beers and modern variations can fall well outside those figures.bjcp

Hazy IPA

Hazy IPA changes the relationship between bitterness and hop intensity.

A hazy IPA may contain enormous quantities of hops while presenting relatively soft perceived bitterness. The beer can be saturated with mango, pineapple, peach, citrus, passion fruit, or other juicy flavors. Oats, wheat, chloride-forward water profiles, specialized yeast, and extensive dry hopping may contribute to a soft, rounded mouthfeel.

This is an important reminder: measured bitterness and perceived bitterness are not the same thing. A beer may have a high IBU value but taste less harsh than a clearer, more sharply bitter beer.

Double IPA

A Double IPA, sometimes called an Imperial IPA, increases both strength and intensity. It commonly contains:

• More alcohol.

• More extract and malt.

• Greater hop concentration.

• A fuller body.

• More noticeable alcohol warmth.

• A longer and more forceful finish.

The BJCP places standard Double IPAs roughly in the 7.5%–10% ABV range within its specialty classification. A Double IPA is not simply a regular IPA with more bitterness; it must balance the additional alcohol, malt, and hop material well enough to remain coherent.bjcp

Hops: The Biggest Brewing Difference

Pale ales and IPAs can use the same four fundamental ingredients:

• Water.

• Malted grain.

• Hops.

• Yeast.

The distinction usually comes from how brewers use those ingredients, especially the hops.

Hop quantity

IPAs generally receive a greater hop load than pale ales. More hops can contribute more bitterness, but quantity alone does not determine the final experience. Hop variety, timing, wort gravity, yeast, water chemistry, and fermentation all matter.

Hop timing

Early-boil hops contribute more bitterness because heat extracts alpha acids. Later additions contribute more aroma and flavor. Whirlpool additions and dry hopping can intensify hop character without adding bitterness in precisely the same way as early-boil additions.

Pale ales may use a combination of bittering and late hops. IPAs often devote a larger portion of the recipe to late-kettle, whirlpool, and dry-hop additions.

Hop varieties

English pale ales and IPAs may use varieties such as East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, or similar hops that produce earthy, herbal, floral, or spicy notes.

American pale ales and IPAs may use Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, and many newer varieties. These can produce flavors ranging from grapefruit and pine to mango, passion fruit, peach, berry, and dank resin.

Hop freshness

Hop aroma is volatile. Freshness and packaging have a major effect on heavily hopped beer. An IPA that was vibrant when packaged may become muted, papery, or oxidized if stored warm or for too long. Pale ales can also suffer from age, but the decline is often less dramatic because their hop intensity is lower.

Malt, Body, and Balance

Malt is not merely present to provide alcohol. It creates the structure that supports hops.

Pale ale balance

Pale ales commonly retain more malt flavor. That malt may resemble:

• Fresh bread.

• Crackers.

• Biscuits.

• Toast.

• Light caramel.

• Honeyed grain.

This does not mean a pale ale should taste sweet. The best examples use malt to soften and frame the hops while still finishing cleanly.

IPA balance

Many IPAs use a leaner malt profile so that the hops remain prominent. Excessive crystal malt can create a sweet, heavy beer in which bitterness and residual sugar compete unpleasantly. Modern American IPAs often favor high attenuation, restrained caramel malt, and a dry finish.

However, not every IPA is lean. English IPAs, Red IPAs, Brown IPAs, and Double IPAs may include more malt complexity. The key is that an IPA still generally maintains a hop-forward balance rather than becoming primarily a malt beer.

Body and mouthfeel

Pale ales often feel medium-light to medium-bodied, with a smooth and refreshing texture.

American IPAs are frequently medium-light to medium-bodied as well, but their dryness and bitterness can make them seem sharper. Hazy IPAs may feel fuller, softer, and creamier because of grain choices and brewing methods. Double IPAs can feel heavier because of higher alcohol and residual extract.

Bitterness: Important but Frequently Misunderstood

Bitterness is one of the most obvious differences between many pale ales and IPAs, but it should not be treated as the only measurement of style.

IBU stands for International Bitterness Units. It estimates the concentration of isomerized alpha acids in beer. It does not measure every factor that determines how bitter a beer tastes.

Perceived bitterness is affected by:

• Residual sweetness.

• Alcohol.

• Carbonation.

• Water chemistry.

• Body.

• Hop-derived compounds.

• Roast or other malt flavors.

• Yeast character.

• The drinker’s sensitivity.

A dry, lean pale ale may taste more bitter than a sweeter IPA with a larger nominal IBU value. Likewise, a hazy IPA can contain substantial hop material but taste soft because its body and fruit-forward hop profile reduce the impression of sharp bitterness.

For casual drinkers, the practical takeaway is simple: do not choose a beer solely by its IBU number. For dedicated craft drinkers, IBU is useful context but not a complete description of sensory experience.

Similarities Between Pale Ales and IPAs

Despite their differences, pale ales and IPAs share a substantial foundation.

They are often hop-forward

Both styles showcase hops more clearly than many traditional lagers, wheat beers, porters, or sweet stouts. Even a balanced pale ale may present citrus, pine, floral, herbal, resinous, or fruity notes.

They commonly use pale malt

Both styles typically rely on pale ale malt, two-row malt, or another lightly kilned base malt. This produces a relatively light color and allows hop expression to remain prominent.

They are usually top-fermented ales

Pale ales and IPAs are generally fermented with ale yeast, although yeast selection varies. A clean American strain can emphasize hops, while an English strain may add fruity or earthy complexity.

They occupy overlapping color ranges

Color is not a reliable separator. Both may range from pale gold through amber. Some IPAs are very light, while some pale ales are copper-colored. Specialty IPAs can even be brown or black.

They can share hop flavors

A pale ale and an IPA may both show:

• Grapefruit.

• Orange.

• Lemon.

• Pine.

• Resin.

• Tropical fruit.

• Floral notes.

• Stone fruit.

• Herbal or spicy character.

The principal difference is usually the concentration and prominence of those flavors, not the complete absence of one set of flavors.

They can both be highly drinkable

Strength does not automatically determine drinkability. A crisp 7% IPA may feel easier to drink than a sweet 5% pale ale. Conversely, a heavily bitter IPA may be tiring while a well-balanced pale ale remains refreshing over several servings.

Drinkability depends on fermentation quality, attenuation, sweetness, carbonation, alcohol integration, bitterness, and the drinker’s preferences.

Common Misconceptions

“All IPAs are extremely bitter”

Not necessarily. West Coast IPAs tend to emphasize bitterness, while hazy IPAs may emphasize saturated fruit character and a soft mouthfeel. Session IPAs reduce alcohol strength, and English IPAs may be more balanced and earthy.

“Pale ales are not very hoppy”

Some pale ales are gently hopped, but American pale ales can be intensely aromatic. The difference is often that their malt foundation remains more visible and the overall strength is lower.

“IPA always means India Pale Ale historically”

The name has historical connections to British export beer, but modern IPA is a worldwide category. Many contemporary examples never traveled to India, and some are not pale. The BJCP explicitly treats “IPA” as a modern style descriptor rather than insisting on the literal historical expansion of the acronym.bjcp

“A darker beer cannot be an IPA”

Black IPA, Brown IPA, and Red IPA examples exist. These beers retain an IPA-like hop-forward balance while adding darker malt flavors or color. They demonstrate why color alone cannot define the category.

“More hops always means a better beer”

More hops can create intensity, but intensity is not the same as quality. A successful beer needs integration. Harsh bitterness, grassy dry-hop character, alcohol heat, oxidation, or excessive sweetness can overwhelm otherwise excellent ingredients.

How to Choose Between Them

Pale Ale vs. IPA – Round 3

Choose a pale ale when you want:

• A balanced introduction to hop-forward beer.

• Moderate alcohol.

• Noticeable but controlled bitterness.

• A clearer malt contribution.

• A beer suitable for longer sessions or casual meals.

• A bridge between traditional ales and more aggressive IPAs.

Choose an IPA when you want:

• Stronger hop aroma and flavor.

• More pronounced bitterness or hop saturation.

• A drier finish.

• Greater alcohol intensity.

• Tropical, citrusy, piney, resinous, or dank hop character.

• A beer where hops are the primary event.

If you are unsure, a pale ale is often the safer starting point. If you already enjoy pale ales and want more intensity, try a standard American IPA. If bitterness concerns you but you enjoy fruit-forward beer, a hazy IPA may be a better choice than a classic West Coast IPA.

A Practical Tasting Exercise

To compare the styles, taste a pale ale and IPA side by side at similar serving temperatures.

First, compare the aroma. Does the IPA produce a stronger burst of citrus, pine, tropical fruit, or resin? Then taste both beers and focus on the transition from malt to hops.

Ask:

1. Which beer shows more bread, biscuit, toast, or caramel?

2. Which beer has the sharper bitterness?

3. Which beer leaves a drier finish?

4. Does the IPA taste more alcoholic?

5. Does the pale ale seem more balanced or simply less intense?

6. Are the hop flavors different, or is the IPA mainly a stronger version of the same profile?

7. Does bitterness linger pleasantly, or does it become harsh?

A useful example would be comparing an American pale ale around 5.5% ABV with an American IPA around 6.5% ABV. The pale ale may feature citrus and pine alongside a lightly caramelized malt base. The IPA may use similar hops but deliver a larger aroma, stronger bitterness, leaner malt character, and a longer, drier finish.

Final Verdict

Pale ale and IPA are best viewed as neighboring points on a broad hop-forward spectrum. Pale ale generally prioritizes balance, moderate strength, and approachable hop character, while IPA typically increases hop intensity, bitterness, dryness, and sometimes alcohol.

The boundary is not absolute. Brewing traditions, brewery naming choices, and modern substyles create considerable overlap. A pale ale can be remarkably hoppy, and an IPA can be soft, fruity, balanced, or surprisingly easy to drink.

For casual drinkers, the distinction comes down to choosing between balance and intensity. For craft beer enthusiasts, the more interesting question is how each beer achieves its balance: which hops were used, when they were added, how the malt supports them, how bitterness is perceived, and whether the final beer feels integrated rather than merely powerful.

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If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

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Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

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This is one of the flagship beers at The Beerded Goat Brewing Company. So let’s dive in and take a good look at it. Firstly, its a Czech Pilsner – Bohemian style, and it weighs in at 5.3% ABV.

(See our article about our sneak preview of The Beerded Goat Brewery: A Sneak Peek at the Beerded Goat Brewery.)

The Standard by Beerded Goat

Beerded Goat Brewing Co. (now operating under the broader “The Goat” sports-bar identity in Lower Paxton Township) opened in 2023 in the former Newfangled Brew Works space. Head brewer Brian Keeney leans toward traditional, well-executed styles, and The Standard is a clear expression of that approach—a clean, classic Czech-style pilsner that serves as one of the brewery’s reliable house pours.

Appearance Crystal clear pale gold with a bright, persistent white head that leaves fine lacing. The spunding (natural carbonation) shows in the lively, tight bead.

Aroma Soft grain and light honey-like malt sweetness up front, followed by classic Czech Saaz character: mild herbal, floral, and grassy notes with a hint of spice. Nothing aggressive or fruity—just clean and inviting.

Taste Crisp and balanced. Mild bready/grainy malt with a soft honey edge gives way to an assertive but refreshing Saaz bitterness that stays dry and clean rather than harsh. The finish is snappy and lingering without any residual sweetness or off-flavors. It drinks true to style: straightforward, sessionable, and focused on drinkability.

Mouthfeel Light-to-medium body with lively, natural carbonation from the spunding process. It feels crisp and refreshing on the palate—exactly what you want in a pilsner meant for multiple rounds or game-day sipping.

Overall The Standard lives up to its name. It’s a well-made, no-frills Czech pilsner that prioritizes clarity, balance, and refreshment over trends or gimmicks. At 5.3% it’s highly sessionable and pairs easily with the brewery’s food (pizza, wings, burgers) or simply stands alone as an easy, reliable pour. Keeney has called it one of his favorites, and the brewery itself positions it as a go-to first-round choice.

If you like classic European pilsners that emphasize clean malt and noble hops over modern hop bombs or haze, this is a solid local example worth seeking out on draft at the brewery. Cheers.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.66 (as of 8.1.26).

Untappd Description:

Brewed with 100% Weyermann floor malted Pilsner and hopped with 100% Check saaz. Spunded for natural carbonation. Crisp, clean, and crystal clear. Mild grainy notes of soft honey balanced by an assertive and refreshing bitterness. This is the Standard

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Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

]]> 16950 https://thebeerthrillers.com/2026/07/27/pennsylvania-liquor-control-board-responsible-alcohol-management-program-or-pulling-back-the-curtain-on-serving-alcohol-in-pennsylvania/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pennsylvania-liquor-control-board-responsible-alcohol-management-program-or-pulling-back-the-curtain-on-serving-alcohol-in-pennsylvania Mon, 27 Jul 2026 22:48:06 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16944 Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Responsible Alcohol Management Program

(or Pulling Back the Curtain on Serving Alcohol in Pennsylvania)

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board requires at least 50% of servers at most establishments that serve alcohol in Pennsylvania to complete and pass the Responsible Alcohol Management Program (RAMP) in order for the establishment to be certified to legally serve alcohol in the state. This training program has a number of purposes behind it:

1. Inform servers of their responsibilities under PLCB rules and regulations as well as under the Pennsylvania State Legal Code, and the potential repercussions of violating those rules, regulations, and laws.
2. Educate them on methods of detecting intoxicated patrons through visual or other means not involving breathalyzer or blood test.
3. Ways to deescalate confrontation with intoxicated patrons  and methods of delaying patrons becoming intoxicated.
4. Educate servers on the effects of alcohol on the body and methods of delaying those effects.

The RAMP Certification Training logo (courtesy of https://www.ramptraining.com/ )

RAMP certification is offered both in person and online, certain situations require in person classes, but generally most employees serving alcohol can take the course online as I did. The PLCB contracts a number of sites to offer this course and test at a wide variety of prices, the quality and value of each offering widely varies, but the certification does not. The class I took was one of the cheaper ones, but the associated education and training left something to be desired, I’ll refrain from naming the training site I used out of better discretion. In any case, the test administered is the same in all cases and I was able to pass the 80% correct answers on the associated test to be RAMP certified.

All in all, the test, and the training, are not that difficult. Most of us in the craft beer community, have probably already had experiences with the course teaches. One method of delaying intoxication is offering food; substituting non – alcoholic beverages is another. Detection methods include slurring speech and swaying or unsteady walking. This program is pretty general in it’s approach, and that makes it, perhaps, of value to not only those working in the industry, but also to those of us who enjoy craft beer and breweries. If we, as patrons, can help staff because we have this sort of education, keep our wits about us (or in other words, apply this training to ourselves as we are out enjoying this community) this is a positive to keep the good reputation of  the craft beer community. As mentioned, cost and quality vary, the PLCB website provides both information on the program and a list of approved providers with links to their websites.

Remember, enjoy responsibly, be aware of your individual limits, and be cognizant of your friends’ conditions. Education can make you a more responsible consumer and community member.

As always, the best beer is the one in your class, enjoy it for what it is. Cheers!

Drunk Duck

Drunk Duck is a craft beer appreciating rubber duck, along with his Posse and Matt Leiby, he visits breweries and samples various craft beers. The Beerventures started when Drunk Duck and Matt met in Staunton, Va. while Matt and some friends stopped on the way to Asheville, NC for a Beercation. What started as just Drunk Duck and Matt enjoying beers together has grown into an entire Posse of Ducks to accompany Drunk Duck. You can follow Drunk Duck and Matt’s Beerventures, and get their insights and beer reviews on Instagram @drunkduckposse and Facebook @MattLeiby (Drunk Duck).

Drunk Duck is our newest writer here at The Beer Thrillers and this is his first article. All future articles will link to each of his other articles as we build his author portfolio on the site. (All articles will link to the other articles so you can read his work, just like we have done with our other writers like Amy and Paul R. Kan.)

Drunk Duck Articles

• Welcome to Our Newest Writer: Drunk Duck
• Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Responsible Alcohol Management Program (or Pulling Back the Curtain on Serving Alcohol in Pennsylvania)

Follow The Beer Thrillers

For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state’s ever-evolving craft beer scene.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

There are certain moments when you realize the internet has completely broken the concept of normal.

A raccoon becomes famous.

The raccoon gets a name.

The name is Jimothy.

And then, naturally, one of the most famous craft breweries in America puts Jimothy on a beer can.

Welcome to 2026.

Tree House Brewing Company has apparently decided that the only appropriate way to celebrate the viral Seattle raccoon known as Jimothy is to give him the ultimate craft beer honor: his own can design.

And, honestly, we’re here for it.

Tree House’s Jimothy Beer Can

Who the Hell Is Jimothy?

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid the internet for the past several weeks, first of all, congratulations.

Second, Jimothy is a raccoon from Seattle who became an unlikely internet celebrity after videos and photos of him began circulating online.

Jimothy has a condition known as short spine syndrome, which gives him his distinctive appearance. Rather than looking like your average raccoon sneaking around a trash can at 2 a.m., Jimothy has an unusually compact body that makes him look like someone accidentally hit the “squish” button on a raccoon.

The internet, being the internet, immediately fell in love.

And somewhere along the way, he became Jimothy.

The name is almost as funny as the raccoon himself.

Jimothy has accumulated a considerable following online, with people becoming fascinated by his appearance, personality and general raccoon-ness.

Then Massachusetts got involved.

Because apparently Seattle needed a little more New England IPA in its life.

Tree House Enters the Chat

Tree House Brewing, the Massachusetts brewery best known for beers such as Julius, Green and Haze, recently unveiled a can featuring Jimothy.

The brewery confirmed on Instagram that the cans were real and described them as “beautiful,” while the Jimothy cans went on sale at Tree House’s Charlton location.

And that’s about as much explanation as Tree House apparently felt was necessary.

Which might actually make the whole thing better.

There wasn’t some massive corporate marketing campaign explaining the strategic importance of raccoon-based beer branding.

There wasn’t a 47-slide PowerPoint presentation about “leveraging the Jimothy demographic.”

There was just a picture of a weirdly shaped raccoon on a beer can.

Beautiful.

Is “Jimothy” Actually a Beer?

Here’s where things get slightly confusing.

Despite the internet’s immediate tendency to call it a “Jimothy beer,” the Jimothy connection appears to be primarily a can-design tribute, rather than Tree House announcing an entirely new beer style specifically brewed in Jimothy’s honor.

Tree House has not provided many details about the beer itself, and the brewery’s announcement focused on the can design and its availability.

That’s important because, naturally, the craft beer internet immediately started treating Jimothy like the next legendary Tree House release.

Which, frankly, is exactly what should happen.

Because if we’re going to live in a world where a raccoon can become famous enough to get a Tree House can, we might as well enjoy it.

Tree House Is Probably the Perfect Brewery for This

There are thousands of breweries that could have put a raccoon on a can.

But Tree House?

It somehow makes perfect sense.

Tree House has spent years developing an enormous cult following around its hazy IPAs, limited releases, colorful artwork and highly recognizable branding.

The brewery’s flagship Julius is one of the defining beers of the modern New England IPA movement, while beers such as Green and Haze have become equally recognizable names among IPA enthusiasts. Tree House itself recommends Julius as the starting point for people who haven’t tried the brewery, with Green and Haze as alternatives.

Tree House also has the kind of fan base that will happily travel considerable distances to acquire cans.

So when you put a bizarrely adorable viral raccoon on one of those cans?

People are going to want it.

Badly.

In fact, people were already looking for Jimothy cans almost immediately after the release, with social media users discussing how badly they wanted one.

This is how craft beer works now.

You don’t necessarily need a groundbreaking new IPA.

Sometimes you just need a raccoon.

Jimothy Summer Has Arrived

There is something wonderfully ridiculous about the entire thing.

Craft beer has spent the last decade becoming increasingly sophisticated.

We’ve had pastry stouts.

Triple IPAs.

Barrel-aged everything.

Beer brewed with coffee, fruit, spices, cereal, candy and ingredients that sound like they were selected by someone wandering around a Whole Foods at midnight.

And now?

Raccoon beer.

Or, more accurately, a Tree House beer wearing a raccoon costume.

I’m not complaining.

The craft beer industry has always been at its best when breweries don’t take themselves too seriously. The Jimothy can feels like a reminder that beer is still allowed to be fun.

You don’t need to explain the water chemistry.

You don’t need to give us a dissertation on hop varietals.

You don’t even need to tell us why the raccoon is there.

Just put Jimothy on the can.

We’ll figure it out.

The Internet Has Officially Won

There is also something very 2026 about this entire story.

A creature in Seattle becomes famous online.

People give him a ridiculous name.

The name spreads.

Memes happen.

Then a brewery in Massachusetts thousands of miles away decides:

Yep. That’s going on a beer can.

And suddenly people who couldn’t tell you anything about raccoon biology are discussing Tree House distribution.

That’s the power of the internet.

It’s also the power of craft beer.

The best brewery merchandise has always been about more than just the liquid inside the package. People collect cans because the artwork tells a story, represents a moment or simply looks cool sitting on a shelf.

Jimothy checks all three boxes.

It’s weird.

It’s timely.

And it’s impossible to look at without wondering how the hell we got here.

Will Jimothy Become a Tree House Legend?

That’s probably the fun part.

Tree House has plenty of legendary beer names.

Julius.

Green.

Haze.

Very Green.

And now, at least unofficially, we have Jimothy.

The raccoon probably won’t become a permanent member of the Tree House lineup.

But that’s not really the point.

For a brief moment in the summer of 2026, a viral raccoon became part of the craft beer world.

And that’s considerably more entertaining than another brewery announcing that it has released a 9.2% double dry-hopped triple hazy IPA with “notes of citrus, tropical fruit and dankness.”

Give me Jimothy.

I’ll take the raccoon.

The Bottom Line

Tree House Brewing putting Jimothy on a beer can is exactly the kind of wonderfully stupid, completely unnecessary and strangely wholesome story that makes the craft beer world fun.

No, Jimothy doesn’t need a beer.

No, Tree House doesn’t need Jimothy to sell beer.

And yes, people are probably going to want the can anyway.

Because sometimes craft beer isn’t about hunting down the newest hop combination or arguing about whether a beer is technically a double IPA.

Sometimes it’s about seeing a funny raccoon on a can and thinking:

“I need that.”

So here’s to Jimothy.

Here’s to Tree House.

And here’s to the glorious insanity of craft beer in 2026.

Long live Jimothy.

And somebody please give that raccoon a beer.

The Beer Thrillers will, of course, accept donations of Jimothy cans for extremely serious journalistic research.

News Sources

• Jimothy – The Viral Raccoon Gets His Own Beer
• Jimothy – Beer Advocate
• Jimothy Survived Against The Odds
• Tree House Releases Instagram – Jimothy

Follow The Beer Thrillers

For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state’s ever-evolving craft beer scene.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

We have a brand new writer joining the team of The Beer Thrillers! So lets everyone get a glass, pour it high with a good craft beer (may I suggest a fine beverage from Moo-Duck Brewery?), and toast our newest writer — DRUNK DUCK.

Drunk Duck and Posse

(You can go to his author page here: Drunk Duck – Author Page)

Bio

For a quick bio on Drunk Duck:

Drunk Duck is a craft beer appreciating rubber duck, along with his Posse and Matt Leiby, he visits breweries and samples various craft beers. The Beerventures started when Drunk Duck and Matt met in Staunton, Va. while Matt and some friends stopped on the way to Asheville, NC for a Beercation. What started as just Drunk Duck and Matt enjoying beers together has grown into an entire Posse of Ducks to accompany Drunk Duck. You can follow Drunk Duck and Matt’s Beerventures, and get their insights and beer reviews on Instagram @drunkduckposse and Facebook @MattLeiby (Drunk Duck).

Can’t Wait

We can’t wait to read all the great articles that Drunk Duck will be bringing to The Beer Thrillers. He is fast at work on his first article which we should soon see (about RAMP training). So be on the lookout for his articles!

Thanks for joining the team Drunk Duck! And cheers for following us all these years and joining us!

Pennsylvania Breweries Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary

Lehigh Valley: Beer, Industry, and History

The National Museum of Industrial History 250 Celebration (photo courtesy of The National Museum of Industrial History)

The National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem is currently hosting Cheers to 250: Brewing in America, a special exhibition running through July that explores how beer production helped shape American industry, transportation, and culture from the colonial era through the modern craft renaissance. To deepen the experience, the museum is partnering with regional staples—including Lehigh Valley Brewers Guild, Lehigh Valley Homebrewers, Hijinx Brewing, and Lost Tavern Brewing—to present community history programs that connect local beer culture to the wider national story.

Celebrate shared history and community spirit at the 250th All-American Picnic in Downtown East Stroudsburg, along Crystal Street and Miller Park, on July 4th from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. This family-friendly festival offers live music from classic rock and country acts, plus performances by Lilly Moss, Sick Whiskey, and Clodagh Conboy, along with local vendors and refreshing drinks from ShawneeCraft Brewing Company and Bovino’s Brewery.

Western PA: Concerts, Drones, and Local Pours

On Sunday, July 5, 2026, Allegheny County is hosting an official America’s 250th Anniversary Concert and Drone Show at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater. Gates open at 3:00 PM, and local favorite Hop Farm Brewing Company will anchor the on-site beverage offerings alongside Black Dog Winery, setting the stage for an evening that ends with a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performance synchronized to a 200+ drone light show.

In Downtown Grove City on July 3rd, the town is throwing an open-to-the-public celebration for America’s 250th birthday, with local bands, kids’ activities, food trucks, and shopping. Local breweries such as Allusion Brewery will be pouring, giving attendees a chance to toast the holiday with hometown craft beer while exploring the downtown businesses.

Northeastern PA: Rails, Lagers, and Railroad Heritage

Photo courtesy of Runaway Train Brewery

Honesdale, known as the birthplace of the American railroad thanks to the historic Stourbridge Lion’s first commercial run on August 8, 1829, will host a historic beer tasting train ride aboard the Stourbridge Line. The train will feature Declaration Lager, Pennsylvania’s official beer for America250PA, with representatives from Runaway Train Brewery on board to walk riders through tasting notes and flavor profiles as they enjoy the scenic ride and the state’s railroading legacy.

Southeast and Philly Region: Orchards, Gardens, and Biergartens

Photo courtesy of Aristaeus Craft Brewing

Aristaeus Craft Brewing will be the official featured brewery at the America 250 Celebration at Styer Orchard on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This ticketed, family-friendly orchard bash pairs Aristaeus’s locally poured craft beers with food trucks, classic lawn games, and live music, all building toward a fireworks display to cap off the evening.

Photo courtesy of Love City Brewing

Love City Brewing is marking Independence Day in its garden and taproom with an event that blends holiday fun and civic values. Highlights include an annual water balloon toss benefiting immigrant and refugee rights organizations, plus cornhole and ladder ball throughout the day, alongside $2 hot dogs and free water ice while supplies last. The celebration emphasizes democratic values, diversity, and inclusion as part of Philadelphia’s 250th anniversary, while offering space for critical engagement with current political issues.

Photo and logo courtesy of Brothers Kershner

Brothers Kershner Brewing in Skippack is again the hub for the town’s 4th of July festivities, hosting the annual Skippack 4th of July Parade after-party on Saturday, July 4th. They’ll open early for front-row parade views from the porch and parking lot, with live music starting as soon as the parade ends. To mark America 250, Brothers Kershner is releasing a special American Light Lager in 12oz six-packs and on draft. Then on Sunday, July 5th, the celebration moves to the Brothers on the Brandywine Biergarten Independence Day event, with the park opening at 1:00 PM and featuring a beer and wine bar, live music, food trucks, vendors, a bounce house, and laid-back creekside vibes.