PA Beer - The Beer Thrillers https://thebeerthrillers.com Central PA beer enthusiasts and beer bloggers. Homebrewers, brewery workers, and all around beer lovers. Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:03:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://i0.wp.com/thebeerthrillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cropped-The-Beer-Thrillers-December-2022-Logo.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 PA Beer - The Beer Thrillers https://thebeerthrillers.com 32 32 187558884 ZeroDay Brewing Has Just Announced Closure of Their Taproom on 3rd Street in Harrisburg https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/12/03/zeroday-brewing-has-just-announced-closure-of-their-taproom-on-3rd-street-in-harrisburg/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=zeroday-brewing-has-just-announced-closure-of-their-taproom-on-3rd-street-in-harrisburg Thu, 04 Dec 2025 01:24:22 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16718 ZeroDay Brewing Has Just Announced Closure of Their Taproom on 3rd Street in Harrisburg

In shocking news, just moments ago (at 8:00 PM), ZeroDay Brewing announced that they will be closing their taproom on 3rd street in Harrisburg, PA. Located at 925 N. 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA, United States, Pennsylvania, they stated that the taproom will be closing, but their brewery production will continue, and they will still maintain their outposts at the Broad Street Market and MidTown Cinema.

ZeroDay’s Announcement – Moving Forward with Gratitude

The Announcement

Just moments ago, at 8:00 PM on December 3rd, 2025, ZeroDay Brewing posted the following on their social media accounts:

Zeroday Brewing Company has made the very difficult decision to close the Zeroday Taproom on 3rd Street. Our final day of service will be Sunday, December 28, 2025.
Our brewing facility remains fully operational, and our Outposts at the @broadstreetmarket and @midtowncinema will continue serving the craft beer you know and love.
We are incredibly grateful for the community that gathered in our Taproom, for the celebrations, collaborations, concerts, dinners, and conversations that made the space so special. Thank you to our extraordinary staff and to every guest who walked through our doors.
Zeroday began with a belief that everyone deserves a moment to pause and find their own “zeroday.” That belief continues. We look forward to welcoming you at the Broad Street Market, Midtown Cinema, and events around town — and to sharing more moments with you at the Taproom through December 28.
While this is good that they will be maintaining their outposts. It is a rough look to see them closing the main taproom. This follows on the heels of The Vegan Hunter announcing their closure (also in Harrisburg) and HiJinx Brewing announcing their closure (though looking to stay open going forward via new partnership). The end of 2025, specifically the end of December, may see more of these sorts of stories as leases and rents come up and breweries take a hard look at the profits versus losses.

For More Information on ZeroDay Brewing

The following comes via Untappd.

ZeroDay Brewing is a micro brewery from Harrisburg, PA. They have 475 unique beers and over 71,000 ratings. Their global average rating is 3.71 (as of 12.3.25). Their Untappd description reads: “Zeroday Brewing Co. is an award winning microbrewery located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania established in 2015. Taproom 925 N. 3rd Street Harrisburg Outpost at the Historic Broad Street Market 1233 N. 3rd Street Harrisburg Outpost + Hot Dog Bar at The Midtown Cinema 250 Reily St Harrisburg“.
You can follow them at these social media platforms:

 

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, auctions, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:


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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

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Black Friday Weekend Trip Day 2 https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/11/30/black-friday-weekend-trip-day-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=black-friday-weekend-trip-day-2 Sun, 30 Nov 2025 11:20:27 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16712 Black Friday Weekend Trip Day 2

So day two of found me waking up just outside of Washington PA and beginning my day with a trip to Oglebay park to hike the Driehorst Trail.

 

The route for Black Friday Trip Day 2, starting at Oglebay Park

As with the previous day’s route and itinerary – Black Friday Weekend Trip – be sure to take a look at our Instagram account, where it shows the beers and each of the places I visited.  (And while you’re there, be sure to follow us. We’d really appreciate it.)

Oglebay Park – Driehorst Trail

My first stop for the day took me just outside of Wheeling, West Virginia for a beautiful little hiking trail as part of the Oglebay Park. There I hiked the Driehorst Trail, as well as walked around the Falls Vista trail, the junction, and around the education center. Absolutely beautiful area and it looked like there was still so much more to see and do there especially for families with children.

Brewkeepers

My first brewery stop of the day was inside Wheeling, WV itself. In a quaint little area filled with antique markets and all kinds of things was a spot called Brewkeepers. People were watching the game on the TV at the bar and had it filled up, so I grabbed a Rauchbier – Scut Farkas – and sat in the back corner and read.

Wheeling Island Casino and Racetrack

On my way to get into Ohio, I crossed off Wheeling Island. Which is pretty much like what City Island is to Harrisburg. And with a casino there, I had to stop. As a former table games dealers any time I see a new casino, I always have to poke my nose in there and just take a look around. While inside I enjoyed an IPA by Big Timer. (And yes, thats the beer name – IPA.)

Belmont Brewerks

My first brewery into Ohio for the year and its near the very end of the year. In Martins Ferry, Ohio, is Belmont Brewerks, and from the sounds of the nearby people its more known for its food than its beer, but both were quite good. I had the Italian Sausage Sandwich for food, and for beer I had their Belmont Stout.

Hightower Brewing Company

Up a winding road in Rayland, OH, after crossing train tracks and death defying turns, you’ll reach Hightower Brewing Company, which had possibly the happiest and nicest brewer / bartender I’ve seen all trip. There I had The Great Punkin Charlie Brown Ale and Stumpdweller English Brown Ale.

Squids Brewery LLC

After this I reached Toronto, OH. Already on my list, but also recommended by the brewer at Hightower Brewing Company, Squids Brewery LLC was a rocking jamming frat party place and atmosphere at 5 PM on a Saturday night at the end of November. I had the Knotty But Nice stout and made my way back into Pennsylvania.

Coal Tipple Brewing

Back into Pennsylvania, I reached Burgettestown. At the Kramer Farms is a little brewery called Coal Tipple Brewery. Inside what looks like it could pass as an Amish road-side greenhouse and novelty shop (ok… not Amish, but maybe Mennonite), was a fabulously delicious Peanut Butter Porter.

Helicon Brewing

Planning on making the brand new Grist House Command Station my last spot I made my way there, but just before reaching there I found Helicon Brewing. Who am I to pass up the chance at trying another brewery? Inside I found myself chatting up sports with a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and another local who seemed to foster the complete Philadelphian style attitude for his Steelers. They also had a delicious Dunkel Lager.

Grist House Brewery – Command Station

Just recently opened (Grist House Brewery Command Station Opening), the Grist House Brewery’s Command Station used to be a missile command site. And boom (see what I did there?) they had me instantly with a Black IPA – Hops of Darkness. And damn was it explosively good. (Ok…. I’ll stop there.) I also got a thing of fries and made my way to my hotel for the night.

Tomorrow will be my last day on the trip and the last day in the area before heading back home. No plans and not quite sure where I’ll end up tomorrow. Planning on possibly Lincoln Avenue Brewery, and maybe the new(ish) Allusion Brewing Taproom. Especially since they won our 2025 Battle of the Breweries championship. But who knows, weather also doesn’t look the greatest, and it is a four some hour drive home.

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. Search for us on all of your favorite social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, etc.) – search “THE BEER THRILLERS”.Thanksg

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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

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The Vegetable Hunter is Closing Their Doors https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/11/28/the-vegetable-hunter-is-closing-their-doors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-vegetable-hunter-is-closing-their-doors Sat, 29 Nov 2025 01:05:03 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16729 The Vegetable Hunter is Closing Their Doors for the Last Time on November 29th

A beloved vegan restaurant and a craft beer brewery in Harrisburg is closing their doors after an eleven year run. Their final day will be on November 29th, 2025. Their Harrisburg location is at 614 N 2nd St, Harrisburg, PA 17101. They also have a location in Carlisle and a vendor stand in Hershey.

The Vegetable Hunter’s social media announcement

The Announcement

After 11½ years of plant-based magic, mayhem, miracles, and memories, we’re closing our doors.
We’ve seen it all- the beautiful, the hilarious, the unforgettable.
Every guest, every employee, every amazing and wonderfully weird moment has left a mark on this little vegan corner of the world.

Tomorrow, 11/29/25, is our last day.
Come through, grab a bite, tip the crew, soak in the vibe.

A new restaurant will be taking over soon, not fully vegan, but offering plenty of vegan love to keep the option open and the spirit alive.

Thank you for being part of our journey.
Stay kind. Stay wild. Stay plant-powered.
K & J
The Vegetable Hunter

The Vegetable Hunter (Instagram Post)

One of many Central PA (and national) breweries closing. The Vegetable Hunter was much more than just a craft brewery however. They were the premiere vegan restaurant in the Harrisburg, Carlisle, and Hershey areas of Central PA and received much celebrated attention for their foods, as well as their beers. They will be missed both from the brewery scene as well as from the restaurant scene. Especially in Harrisburg.

For More Information on The Vegetable Hunter

The following comes via Untappd.

The Vegetable Hunter is a nano brewery from Harrisburg, PA. They have 182 unique beers and over 4,100 ratings with a global average rating of 3.7 (as of 11.28.25). Their Untappd description reads: “Boutique brewery located in Harrisburg, PA. We handcraft each batch of beer onsite, 1 BBL at a time. It’s small batch brewing using fresh and unexpected ingredients. The beer recipes are crafted to complement the seasonal food featured in our restaurant. We utilize PA grown malts, hops, fruits, herbs and vegetables as much as possible. Our beer lineup is constantly changing, but you can always expect to see approachable, hop-forward ales and rustic row house ales (Saison, Grisette, etc.).

You can follow them at these social media platforms:

 

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, auctions, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:


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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

 

 

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A Pennsylvania Craft Beer Thanksgiving: Maple-Brown Ale Glazed Turkey (Featuring Troegs, Victory, and More) https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/11/25/a-pennsylvania-craft-beer-thanksgiving-maple-brown-ale-glazed-turkey-featuring-troegs-victory-and-more/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-pennsylvania-craft-beer-thanksgiving-maple-brown-ale-glazed-turkey-featuring-troegs-victory-and-more Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:14:12 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16696 A Pennsylvania Craft Beer Thanksgiving: Maple-Brown Ale Glazed Turkey (Featuring Troegs, Victory, and More)

Thanksgiving at The Beer Thrillers household usually means one thing: yes, the kids are arguing over who gets the wishbone, the pies are cooling on the counter, and the Macy’s parade is droning in the background — but most importantly, a Pennsylvania craft beer is getting cracked and poured into whatever dish I’m cooking. Because if you’re not using local beer in your holiday feast… what are you doing?

This year, we’re going with a full-on PA-powered centerpiece: a Maple–Brown Ale Glazed Turkey, roasted low and slow, basted in a malty, caramel-rich glaze made with one of Pennsylvania’s best fall beers: Troegs’ Troegenator Doppelbock or Victory’s Festbier (both work beautifully and are easy to find statewide). The result is a turkey that’s juicy, glossy, sweet, savory, and unapologetically Pennsylvanian.

Below is the complete recipe, along with a few craft-beer-pairing side suggestions to turn your Thanksgiving table into a full flight of PA brew goodness.

Maple–Brown Ale Glazed Turkey Recipe Card

For More Thanksgiving Themed Articles

See our other Thanksgiving themed articles:

Maple–Brown Ale Glazed Turkey (Made with Pennsylvania Craft Beer)

Beer Recommendation

Pick one of these PA craft beers depending on your flavor goals:

  • Troegs Troegenator Doppelbock – Dark fruit, caramel, toffee; slightly sweet.
    Perfect for a deep, rich, almost BBQ-like glaze.

  • Victory Festbier – Clean, bready, slightly sweet malt.
    Lighter, more delicate, but still beautifully malty.

  • Weyerbacher Merry Monks – If you want a more Belgian, fruity twist.

For the recipe below, I’ll assume Troegenator, because very little says “Pennsylvania in November” more than that purple-labeled doppelbock.


Ingredients

The Turkey

  • 1 whole turkey (12–16 lbs), thawed

  • 2 tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 tbsp black pepper

  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika

  • 2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • 1 tsp dried sage

  • Olive oil or melted butter (2–3 tbsp)

Aromatics (for inside the turkey)

  • 1 orange, quartered

  • 1 small onion, halved

  • 3–4 garlic cloves

  • Fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage

The Beer–Maple Glaze

  • 1 ½ cups Troegenator Doppelbock (or your PA beer of choice)

  • ½ cup pure Pennsylvania maple syrup

  • ¼ cup apple cider

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce

  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

  • 3 tbsp butter

  • Pinch of salt & pepper


Instructions

1. Prep the Turkey

  1. Remove giblets and pat the turkey dry.

  2. Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and sage.

  3. Rub the turkey generously with olive oil or butter, then coat with the seasoning blend.

  4. Stuff the cavity with the orange, onion, garlic, and herbs.

  5. Place on a roasting rack in a large pan.

2. Make the Beer Glaze

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine Troegenator, maple syrup, cider, soy sauce, Dijon, and brown sugar.

  2. Bring to a simmer and reduce by roughly one-third (about 15–20 minutes).

  3. Whisk in the butter until glossy.

  4. Remove from heat and set aside — it will thicken slightly as it cools.

This stuff smells like caramelized heaven. Resist the urge to drink it.

3. Roast the Turkey

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

  2. Roast the turkey uncovered for 1 hour.

  3. Start basting with the beer glaze every 20–30 minutes.

  4. Continue roasting until the internal temperature hits 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh (usually about 3–3.5 more hours).

  5. If the bird is browning too quickly, tent with foil.

Your kitchen will smell like a brewery decided to host Thanksgiving. This is a good thing.

4. Finish & Rest

When the turkey reaches temp, remove from oven and let it rest 20–30 minutes before carving. Brush once more with warmed glaze for that Instagram-ready shine.


Flavor Notes (Because This Is The Beer Thrillers)

A Troegenator glaze gives you:

  • Deep caramelized sugar from the doppelbock malt

  • Notes of date, fig, and dark fruit

  • Rich mahogany color

  • A slightly sticky, sweet–savory crust

  • Incredible drippings for gravy

If you go with Victory Festbier instead, the turkey comes out lighter and more bready-malt forward — still spectacular, just less intense.


Suggested Pennsylvania Craft Beer Pairings

Serve your turkey with any of these PA craft beer gems:

  • Troegs Blizzard of Hops – juicy, bright, seasonal, balances the turkey’s sweetness

  • Neshaminy Creek Shape of Hops to Come – for hopheads who want bitterness with the rich glaze

  • Rotunda Cran-Gose (Annville) – tart, salty, and the sleeper hit of the meal

  • Imprint’s Schmoojee Cranberry variants – dessert in a glass, but pairs amazingly well


Bonus: “Beer in Every Side” Pairing Ideas

Because why stop at the turkey?

Hop-Infused Mashed Potatoes

Stir ½ cup of slightly warmed Troegs Sunshine Pilsner into your mashed potatoes with butter and cream — it adds a grassy, herbal brightness.

Brown Ale Stuffing

Use Lancaster Brewing’s Winter Warmer or Yards Brawler in your stuffing liquid. Absolute game-changer.

Stout Sweet Potatoes

Glaze roasted sweet potatoes with Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (still PA! still craft-adjacent enough!). Chocolate + sweet potato = chef’s kiss. (If you have any left. They stopped making this two years ago. A good new substitute would be Troegs Chocolate Elf.)


Final Thoughts: A Thanksgiving Made the PA Way

If you’re a regular reader of The Beer Thrillers, you know that Pennsylvania isn’t just a craft beer state — it’s the craft beer state. From the giants (Tröegs, Victory, Yuengling) to the small-town killers (Boneshire Brew Workst, Rotunda, YAH Brew, Sworn Brewing, Sterling Pig, Forest & Main), the Commonwealth knows how to brew something for every season.

And Thanksgiving — with all its comfort, nostalgia, chaos, and warmth — is the perfect canvas to show off what Pennsylvania beer can do in the kitchen.

If you end up making this recipe, send pictures or tag us on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter. And let me know which PA beer you picked — I’m always curious what everyone’s pouring and cooking with.

Happy Thanksgiving, and cheers from The Beer Thrillers!

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. Search for us on all of your favorite social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, etc.) – search “THE BEER THRILLERS”.Thanksg

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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

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Hell in a Bucket Brewing Will be Closing Its Doors at the End of the Month https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/11/11/hell-in-a-bucket-brewing-will-be-closing-its-doors-at-the-end-of-the-month/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hell-in-a-bucket-brewing-will-be-closing-its-doors-at-the-end-of-the-month Tue, 11 Nov 2025 22:35:57 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16689 Hell in a Bucket Brewing Will be Closing Its Doors at the End of the Month

Hell in a Bucket Brewing has made the difficult decision to announce the upcoming closure of their brewery. They made the announcement just hours ago on social media. Located currently at 392 E Front St, Marietta, PA 17547, originally located in Wrightsville PA, they recently moved to the Marietta location. (They moved January of 2024.)

Hell in a Bucket Closing Announcement

Announcement

After the death of our founder and partner earlier this year, we have made the very difficult decision to close Hell in a Bucket Brewing Company. Owning and running a brewery and restaurant has been the ride of a lifetime. Thanks for being a part of it with us.

Jeff and Sarah will continue to keep the bar open on a very limited basis to continue (Saturdays and Sundays only) to sell the remaining beer and merch that we still have in stock. Come see us, raise a glass to Matt, raise a glass to the Bucket, reminisce, and take home a few 4 packs.

What a long, strange trip it’s been…indeed

We would like to wish our condolences on the loss of their founder and partner. He was a wonderful man and great spirit and loved going to nearby breweries and other events. Hell in a Bucket has been a great brewery in the area and will be sad to see them go. Be sure to come out by November 30th, 2025 to see them off one last time. Cheers to a long strange trip!

Hell in a Bucket Brewery

For more information on Hell in a Bucket Brewery, we get the following from Untappd.

Hell in a Bucket Brewery is a microbrewery from Wrightsville, PA. They have 99 unique beers, and just shy of 6,200 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.75 (as of 11.11.25).  Their Untappd description reads: “Grateful Dead themed microbrewery and restaurant located in Marietta, PA.”

You can follow them on these social media pages:

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, auctions, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:


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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

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After a Four Year Run – West Connection Beer Vault is Closing Its Doors https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/11/10/after-a-four-year-run-west-connection-beer-vault-is-closing-its-doors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=after-a-four-year-run-west-connection-beer-vault-is-closing-its-doors Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:31:22 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16686 After a Four Year Run – West Connection Beer Vault is Closing Its Doors

After four years of being one of the top, and greatest premier craft bottle and beer shops in the Central PA area, West Connection Beer Vault is closing its doors. Located up on the Hershey Hill overlooking Hummelstown, between Weiss and what used to be K-Mart and is now a host of other businesses (including a gym and a Tractor Supply), at 1164 Mae St, Hummelstown, PA 17036. They just posted on their social media accounts moments ago about the upcoming closure.

West Connection Beer Vault Announces Closing

Announcement

After a four year run of great beers and even better conversations, The Beer Vault is closing the doors for good in mid, to late January. This was not an easy decision to make and we are very grateful for all the support and friendships we’ve built with our customers and staff over the years. Thank you for being a part of our story!
We will continue to operate as normal through the holiday season and will always bring the best customer service that you have come to expect until our last day. We have stopped selling gift cards and suggest you redeem them before the new year.
Cheers!
Chris & Randy
The team at West Connection Beer Vault (WC Beer Vault) has been phenomenal and always helpful to us when we’ve gone in looking for beers. Talking and chatting, following up with the beers on social media, etc. And so to them, thank you Chris, Randy, and the rest of the staff for providing so much for the Hummelstown, Hershey, Central PA area.

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, auctions, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:


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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

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Haunted Hops: Five Pennsylvania Craft Beers to Sip This Halloween https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/10/31/haunted-hops-five-pennsylvania-craft-beers-to-sip-this-halloween/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=haunted-hops-five-pennsylvania-craft-beers-to-sip-this-halloween Fri, 31 Oct 2025 21:03:36 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16649 Haunted Hops: Five Pennsylvania Craft Beers to Sip This Halloween

As the leaves fall and the nights grow longer, it’s time to dive into the seasonal brews that bring all the thrills of October to your glass. For fans of craft beer and the spooky season, there’s no better time to explore Pennsylvania’s haunted-hops landscape. Below are five beers brewed by PA breweries that lean into Halloween vibes—names, labels, stories and all.

Pennsylvania Halloween Themed Beers (can art is our creation, for their labels see below)


1. Master of Pumpkins (2025) — Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, PA)

Master of Pumpkins by Troegs Independent Brewing

One of Pennsylvania’s most iconic fall-season beers, Master of Pumpkins returns for 2025 with all its harvest-pumpkin glory. The Hershey-based Tröegs brewers source 3,000 lbs of Pennsylvania-grown longneck pumpkins every year, roast and purée them, then brew a rich, spiced ale that leans deep into autumn.


Abram-style: Sweet caramel malt backbone, pumpkin depth, spices (cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg) and at 7.5 % ABV, hearty enough for a brisk October night.

 

2. Young Pumpkinstein — Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company (Croydon, PA)

Young Pumpkinstein

A fun twist on the pumpkin-beer tradition: Young Pumpkinstein is described as a Märzen-style lager brewed with allspice, candied ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, finishing dry yet spiced.
Specs: 5.2 % ABV, 23 IBU.


3. Michael Meyer’s Lemon IPA — Pizza Boy Brewing Co. (Enola, PA)

Pizza Boy’s Michael Myers Lemon IPA

Here’s a wild card on the Halloween list: a lemon-hazy IPA that uses horror theme branding to good effect. According to its description:

“Brewed with predacious amounts of oat and pilsner malt, fresh meyer lemon zest and a maniacal amount of Amarillo, Mosaic and NZ Motueka hops … Notes of supernatural citrus, blood stained everything, sharp knives and inside-out William Shatner masks.”
It clocks in at 6.66 % ABV.


4. Reaper’s Revenge Blood Orange & Pomegranate Ale — Wallenpaupack Brewing Company (PA)

Reaper’s Revenge by Wallenpaupack Brewing

Lending a hint of theatricality, this beer is tied to a haunted‐attraction experience and embraces the spooky side of fall. While I couldn’t find full specs, its marketing says:

“Just in time for the Halloween season … a beer that not only captures the essence of the season but … embodies the thrilling, hair-raising experience.” (via the brewery)
This beer joins the list to highlight a more theatrical style of Halloween craft brew—bold names, fruit twist (blood orange & pomegranate), an event tie-in. Great content for a blog segment like “Not just pumpkin: Halloween beers that think outside the Jack-O-lantern.”


5. Batch No. 666 — Appalachian Brewing Company (Harrisburg area, PA)

Batch 666 by Appalachian Brewing Company

Bringing classic Halloween flair: devilish name, dark-bronze hue, and a clear “in the spirit of Halloween” tagline. The brewery describes it as:

“Produced with 1,666 lbs of malt along with three 6 lb hop additions. The result is a dark bronze colored brew with tons of flavor, and a delightfully clean finish! Be careful, this one can sneak up on you and take you to the dark side. We’re sorry, the devil made us do it!”
Vintage/specs: Strong Ale / American style, 7.7 % ABV.

Other Fall Lists

Check out our other fall lists:

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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When Washington Goes Dark: What the 2025 Federal Shutdown Means for Pennsylvania Breweries https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/10/05/when-washington-goes-dark-what-the-2025-federal-shutdown-means-for-pennsylvania-breweries/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-washington-goes-dark-what-the-2025-federal-shutdown-means-for-pennsylvania-breweries Sun, 05 Oct 2025 23:32:10 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16629 When Washington Goes Dark: What the 2025 Federal Shutdown Means for Pennsylvania Breweries

For beer lovers, the notion of a federal government shutdown might seem distant—something about national parks, IRS forms, and Congress fighting over budgets. But for breweries—especially craft breweries with narrow margins, seasonal releases, and regulatory dependencies—a shutdown can become existential. In October 2025, as federal funding lapsed and agencies began furloughing non-essential staff, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) effectively ground to a halt in its regulatory functions.

This post is a deep dive into how the shutdown ripples through the craft brewing world, nationally and in Pennsylvania, how breweries can respond, which ones may weather the storm best, and what the future might hold.

The Government Shut Down and Pennsylvania Breweries (2025 Edition)

1. Overview: The 2025 Shutdown and What’s Actually “Off the Shelf”

What triggered it

On October 1, 2025, the U.S. federal government entered a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass appropriation bills or a continuing resolution. The lapse in funding forced many federal agencies to suspend non-essential operations.

The TTB, a critical agency for breweries (and wineries, distilleries), publicly posted its shutdown plan: out of approximately 459 staffers, 398 would be furloughed, leaving only around 61 “excepted” employees to maintain legally required and essential operations.

What functions continue (and why)

The TTB’s “excepted” functions are narrowly defined. Among the tasks that will continue:

  • Processing excise tax returns that include remittance (i.e. payments)

  • Maintaining minimal computer / IT operations to avoid data loss or system collapse

  • Protecting statute expirations, liens, seizures, federal property — i.e. safeguarding legal and financial infrastructures

  • Criminal enforcement, to the extent required by statute, and operations that cannot legally pause

However, most of what breweries rely on will be suspended or delayed:

  • Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) reviews and approvals

  • Formula approvals

  • Brewer’s permit application or modification

  • Laboratory services and testing

  • Non-criminal investigations, audits, inspections

  • Administrative support, customer service, and non-statutory tasks

In effect, if you had a label to approve or a change in formula to submit, it’s on ice. You can submit electronically, but nothing moves until TTB is fully funded again.

Trade associations are already warning of a backlog when operations resume.


2. National Impact: The Shockwaves through the Craft Beer Industry

It’s easy to imagine that a government shutdown is a “Washington problem,” but the brewing sector is one of the less obvious industries hit hard and fast. Let’s trace the national picture before we localize to Pennsylvania.

Why breweries are uniquely vulnerable

  • Regulatory dependency: Breweries must interact with TTB for label approvals, permit changes, formula permissions, and compliance oversight. When TTB pauses, breweries cannot legally launch new products or adjust existing ones.

  • Seasonal and specialty beer timing: Many breweries operate on tight windows: spring IPAs, summer sours, fall pumpkins, winter stouts. Any delay in approval can push a beer’s launch past its season, undermining marketing and sales.

  • Supply chain interlocking: Ingredient imports, yeast procurement, packaging changes (if new label art or recipes), and logistics are often timed to regulatory clearance. Delays there cascade into production and distribution.

  • Margin sensitivity: Craft breweries typically run lean. A few weeks of delay can jeopardize cash flow, especially for smaller operations without deep reserves.

  • Three-tier distribution pressures: Because craft brewers often must move through distributors and retailers, downstream partners expect timely delivery. A delay in one link (label approval) can stall the entire path.

Recent shutdowns as precedent

In the 2019 federal shutdown, breweries found their seasonal releases held up. In the Philadelphia region, for example, breweries that had planned winter or spring launches were forced to delay or cancel new beers because labels couldn’t be approved.

Industry analysts note that during shutdowns, many breweries end up with “tanks full of beer they can’t release.”

The Brewers Association, reacting to the current shutdown, is advising brewers to expect immediate disruptions to labeling, formula, permitting, and that the pause may last for some time.

Distillers, winemakers, and crossover impacts

While this post is beer-centric, the parallels in the wine and spirits world help underscore how universal the regulatory risk is:

  • Distillers see the same freeze on label and formula approvals during shutdowns.

  • The wine industry notes that permit and label processing stops entirely, though excise payment functions remain.

  • The broader hospitality sector feels the ripple: delayed new product releases, fewer SKUs entering the market, and slowed innovation.

In short: The shutdown isn’t a minor inconvenience. It threatens growth, planning, and the very operations of craft beer producers across the country.


3. Pennsylvania Breweries: Facing the Shutdown in the Keystone State

Now let’s zoom in. Pennsylvania is one of the heavyweight states in craft beer. The stakes are high—and uneven across breweries.

The state’s brewing landscape (pre-shutdown)

To understand who’s most vulnerable, we need to recap how Pennsylvania’s beer economy stands:

  • Pennsylvania ranks among the top states in craft beer production and economic impact.

  • As of 2023/2024, the craft beer industry in PA contributed billions to state economies, with strong volumes.

  • However, 2024 saw some contraction: some of PA’s larger craft breweries reported sales declines, and at least 18 breweries closed in the state.

  • The craft boom in PA has also been tempered by saturation, competition, and broader market pressures.

  • Additionally, in 2025, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (a multi-location brewpub chain that included ten in PA) abruptly closed all locations, citing financial challenges.

Given this backdrop, a shutdown may push already marginal players dangerously close to the edge.

Local precedents: how past shutdowns affected PA brewers

In 2019, when the federal shutdown paused TTB approvals, breweries in the Philadelphia region reported that seasonal launches were delayed or canceled. WHYY covered how Dock Street Brewery, for example, had new beer plans halted midstream.

Ted Zeller, General Counsel to the Pennsylvania Brewers Association, warned that without label approvals, beers can’t reach shelf or tapline.

These episodes show that PA brewers are not new to this risk—but this shutdown may be deeper, longer, and more consequential.

What’s different in 2025

  • Larger scale and more sophistication: Some PA breweries now operate regionally or nationally and often have tighter supply chains, making delays more damaging.

  • Slimming margins: With recent sales declines and closures, many breweries may not have much buffer.

  • Distribution complexity: Breweries supplying interstate markets will be directly hit if TTB doesn’t approve labels for out-of-state distribution.

  • Connected local networks: PA breweries often collaborate, co-brew, or share resources. Therefore, a shock to one node can affect others.

  • Media attention and local demand: As beer tourism picks up, local reputation matters. Delays or canceled launches may erode consumer trust.

Who in Pennsylvania may handle this better (and who’s vulnerable)

Best positioned:

  • Large, vertically integrated breweries
    For example, D.G. Yuengling & Son, with deep reserves, long operating history, and diversified operations, is better able to weather temporary disruptions. (Though even they are not immune—2024 saw an 8% sales drop for Yuengling.)

  • Breweries with stable, ongoing SKUs
    Brewers whose core lineup dominates their sales are less reliant on frequent label tweaks or seasonal launches.

  • Breweries with local focus
    Breweries that sell primarily within Pennsylvania and whose distribution doesn’t cross state lines may be less exposed to label/distribution bottlenecks.

  • Those with compliance and regulatory foresight
    Breweries that preemptively processed label changes, modular formula options, or prepared alternate versions may be more resilient.

  • Cash-rich or well-funded operations
    The ones with financial reserves to absorb a few weeks (or even months) of stalled product launches.

Most vulnerable:

  • Small startups and taproom-centric breweries
    New breweries relying on label and permit approval to launch or move beyond taproom sales could face crippling delays.

  • Breweries with heavy seasonal catalogs
    Those whose revenue depends heavily on limited releases (e.g. fall pumpkin ales) are in the crosshairs.

  • Breweries with narrow margins
    Those already struggling with rising costs, labor pressure, or debt burden will feel immediate financial strain.

  • Operators with heavy interstate distribution
    If their label approvals are stalled, they can’t ship new beers out of state, which may suppress growth or demand.

While I did not find credible published quotes yet from specific Pennsylvania breweries making statements about the 2025 shutdown, the patterns and warnings are consistent from breweries in other states and in prior shutdowns. The Brewers Association, American Craft Beer, and LibationLaw provide strong industry frameworks.


4. Historical Context: Shutdowns, Precedents, & Lessons Learned

To truly appreciate the severity of the current landscape, it helps to look back at how prior shutdowns have hit breweries—and what lessons can shape responses.

2019–2020 shutdowns and craft beer

The 2019 federal shutdown (Dec 2018 – Jan 2019) was one of the longer interruptions in memory. During that time:

  • The TTB essentially stopped approving new labels, formulas, and permits. Breweries were left waiting.

  • In the Philadelphia region, breweries canceled or delayed seasonal launches.

  • Some breweries reportedly had beer languishing in tanks because they couldn’t legally bring it to market.

The takeaway: even a few weeks of delay can derail a brewery’s schedule, cash flow, and consumer momentum.

Shutdowns during the Trump era & industry behavior

While not always explicitly tied to breweries, shutdowns under the Trump administration repeatedly spotlighted delays in regulatory agencies—a pattern breweries grew accustomed to treating as “business risk.”

Some breweries adopted strategies like:

  • Pre-submitting all anticipated label filings before seasonal cycles

  • Buffering product inventory before expected shutdown windows

  • Avoiding reliance on narrow release windows near the edges of regulatory cycles

These behavioral adaptations are relevant now as well.

Broader regulatory and enforcement shutdown history

Historically, during government shutdowns, many federal oversight functions roll back to bare minimums — public health, safety, and financial protection are prioritized, while discretionary functions halt. This has ripple effects in food, environmental, and industrial sectors. Breweries often live in that discretionary space (e.g. labeling, new product approvals).

Additionally, during shutdowns, the backlog and pent-up demand can swamp agencies when they reopen—leading to long delays even after funding is restored. That “catch-up hangover” is part of the real cost.


5. What Breweries Can Do: Mitigation Strategies & Prepared Moves

Even as the shutdown looms, breweries aren’t powerless. Below are actionable strategies to reduce risks and improve resilience.

Pre-shutdown preparedness (ideally before the lapse)

  1. File early and often
    Submit label changes, formula modifications, and permit adjustments before the funding cutoff—if possible.

  2. Submit “scalable” or modular label/ formula alternatives
    If your process allows, pre-file alternate labels or versions that require minimal changes so that small tweaks may sail through or avoid major rejections later.

  3. Stock up buffer inventory
    For key seasonal or high-margin beers, produce extra in advance so you have something to market while new releases are stalled.

  4. Reserve critical raw materials
    If import or customs delays might arise, have extra hops, yeast, adjuncts, or packaging materials in hand.

  5. Tighten compliance and audits now
    Make sure all existing labels, formulations, ingredients, and documentation are in order to minimize risk of regulatory flags when oversight resumes.

  6. Stress test cash flow
    Model scenarios: what if launches are delayed two months? What if some SKUs are stuck? Understand worst-case margins.

  7. Engage with trade organizations
    The Brewers Association, state brewer groups, and regional alliances can lobby, share intelligence, and amplify impact.

During the shutdown: defensive operations

  1. Pause new launches
    Don’t start marketing or production of new SKUs intended for release until the regulatory path clears.

  2. Pivot focus to core SKUs and taproom sales
    Double down on what you already can sell legally without needing new approvals.

  3. Communicate carefully
    Let distributors, retailers, and customers know there may be delays—maintaining goodwill is crucial.

  4. Monitor federal announcements
    Stay abreast of TTB, Treasury, and Congressional developments via official portals and trade newsletters.

  5. Document everything
    Track submission dates, label versions, formula data, correspondence—so when the agency reopens, you have clear records.

  6. Plan for extended backlog
    Anticipate that even after funding returns, approvals may be slow. Prioritize essential filings first and consider triaging less critical ones.

  7. Explore intra-state sales or local channels
    If possible under state law, sell more directly to local consumers or use taproom strength to offset distribution delays.

Post-shutdown: recovery & catch-up

  1. Push prioritized filings immediately
    As soon as TTB reopens, move critical filings (seasonal releases, revenue drivers) to the head of the queue.

  2. Reconfirm submissions
    Sometimes, during the pause, systems or databases may lose synchronization—confirm that your filings are intact.

  3. Negotiate with distributors/retailers
    Get buy-in for staggered delivery or alternate SKUs while the label queue clears.

  4. Leverage marketing flexibility
    Use the delay period to ramp up pre-launch hype so that once you’re cleared, demand is ready.

  5. Learn and adapt
    Use the shutdown experience to revise your regulatory strategy for future cycles.


6. Pennsylvania Breweries Best Equipped (and What They Bring to the Table)

Some Pennsylvania breweries are better positioned to survive (or even thrive) during a regulatory freeze. Below are illustrative types and examples, along with traits to emulate.

D.G. Yuengling & Son (Pottsville, PA)

  • Legacy scale & capital reserves: As the oldest brewery in America, Yuengling has operational depth and financial strength.

  • Core SKU dominance: They rely heavily on flagship beers, less frequent branding shifts, and have strong name recognition.

  • Vertical infrastructure: Large operations, distribution networks, and buffer capacity give flexibility.

  • Community and brand loyalty: Their historic brand status gives them a cushion when marketing or new SKUs stall.

While not immune to shutdown pressures—they saw an 8% sales drop in 2024—Yuengling is in a relatively advantaged position.

Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, PA)

As one of Pennsylvania’s well-known craft names, Tröegs has a diversified portfolio, regional distribution, and a stable market presence. Their size and brand equity give them room to absorb delays. (Cited among PA’s top producers in recent rankings.)

Pittsburgh Brewing / Iron City

Pittsburgh has a storied brewing heritage. Pittsburgh Brewing (and legacy brands tied with it) can tap into legacy branding and local loyalty.

Mid-sized regional brewers

Brewers who have scaled somewhat—enough to maintain reserves, but still nimble—are in a sweet spot. If they primarily serve Pennsylvania or neighboring states, so long as label and permit issues are handled prudently, they may endure better than small startups.

Taproom / direct-sales centric brewers

Breweries whose revenue and brand come largely from on-site sales, community events, and local customers can sidestep some distribution and label pressures. While they still need regulatory compliance, their reliance on novelty SKUs is lower.

Traits to emulate (beyond names)

  • Advance filing discipline

  • Modular product planning

  • Cash buffer and financial flexibility

  • Strong local consumer support

  • Robust taproom and direct-to-consumer channels

  • Agile marketing and pipeline coordination

These traits help create a buffer against the sudden regulatory blackout.


7. Closing Thoughts

This shutdown is more than a bureaucratic freeze — it’s a stress test on how deeply entwined craft beer is with federal infrastructure. I’ve seen breweries born in garages and grow into regional legends; I’ve watched label art get revised, formulas rebalanced, and seasonal beers become brand inflection points. The TTB, often unseen by drinkers, is a silent gatekeeper. When it pauses, the gates slam shut.

Pennsylvania, with its brewing heritage rooted in Yuengling and vibrant craft corridors in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and beyond, is front and center in this fight. Some breweries will grit their way through with lean operations and agile pivots. Others may stagger. A few may not survive. That’s not alarmism — it’s acknowledging the unexpected: months of delays, a backlog of approvals, and consumer impatience.

If Congress and the White House manage to restore funding soon, we’ll see a mad sprint at TTB headquarters to clear the backlog. But that won’t erase the weeks lost. Breweries that had planned, built buffer, and stayed lean will have a head start. Those caught flat-footed will be scrambling.

To brewers in Pennsylvania: move carefully, prioritize your essential SKUs, protect your cash, and plan as though this shutdown could last weeks — or even stretch long enough to undermine your seasonal wheels. Trade groups, local MLA’s, and the Pennsylvania Brewers Association must be your ally. Use them. Stay vocal in public forums, media, and with congressional offices — your local voice counts.

I believe in the resilience of this community. Beer thrives on risk, on experimentation, and on the tenacity of people who wake daily to mash, boil, ferment, package, and sell. But risk without hedges is needless and preventable. Use this as a wake-up call: regulatory risk is real. Build for it. And when the breweries in Pennsylvania emerge from this shutdown, let the stories of adaptation, survival, and ingenuity be part of what defines the next chapter in American craft beer.

Raise one — cautiously, but optimistically — to better days ahead.

8. Sources

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The Grateful Goat Brewing Company to Close After Nearly Five Years in Camp Hill https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/10/04/the-grateful-goat-brewing-company-to-close-after-nearly-five-years-in-camp-hill/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-grateful-goat-brewing-company-to-close-after-nearly-five-years-in-camp-hill Sat, 04 Oct 2025 20:30:15 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16626 The Grateful Goat Brewing Company to Close After Nearly Five Years in Camp Hill

After nearly five years serving the Camp Hill community, The Grateful Goat Brewing Company has announced it will be closing its doors. The brewery shared the news via Instagram earlier this week, revealing that it has accepted an offer to sell both the business and its real estate.

Their final day of service will be Sunday, October 12th, 2025.

“After nearly a half decade as part of the Camp Hill community, we’ve accepted an offer to sell the Grateful Goat and its real estate. It’s a great move for us, and an opportunity we simply could not pass up,” the post read.

“Our last day of service will be Sunday, October 12th. After that, the Goat will make way for a brand-new restaurant joining the neighborhood soon.”

The announcement took many local beer fans by surprise, as The Grateful Goat had become a comfortable fixture in the West Shore’s growing food and beverage scene. Known for its combination of approachable house beers, elevated pub fare, and warm hospitality, the Goat quickly built a loyal following since first opening in 2020.


Grateful Goat’s sign and announcement of last call

A Fixture in Camp Hill’s Evolving Scene

When The Grateful Goat opened its doors on Market Street, it joined a wave of small breweries and restaurants breathing new life into Camp Hill’s downtown corridor. The Goat’s combination of craft beer and gastropub-style cuisine helped bridge the gap between the area’s traditional dining spots and the new generation of independent eateries.

From juicy burgers to inventive flatbreads and rotating taps of house brews, The Goat carved out a niche as a local go-to for relaxed nights out, date nights, and happy hours with friends. Their beer list typically included a mix of crowd-pleasers—IPAs, lagers, and seasonals—along with occasional experimental releases.


A Strong Community Presence

Beyond beer, The Grateful Goat’s charm came from its community focus. The staff cultivated a friendly, welcoming environment—often calling regulars “Goat friends.” The brewery hosted events, live music, and themed nights, and was frequently cited by patrons for its personal, down-to-earth vibe.

Their closing post reflected this gratitude:

“We’re grateful for everyone who’s supported us all these years. See you this week for one last round at the Goat!”

The team encouraged guests to stop by during the final week of operation to use gift cards, enjoy favorite menu items, and say goodbye to the space that’s served as a local gathering spot for nearly half a decade.


What’s Next for the Location

While the Grateful Goat team didn’t specify what’s coming next, they did note that a “brand-new restaurant [will be] joining the neighborhood soon.” The sale appears to include both the business and the property itself, signaling that the incoming concept could be a full-scale reimagining of the space rather than a continuation of the current brand.

The news continues a trend seen throughout 2024 and 2025 of small, independently owned Pennsylvania breweries making strategic exits, often due to real estate opportunities or shifting post-pandemic economics. In several cases, the underlying property value or offers from restaurant groups have made selling an attractive option.


The Broader Picture: Changing Tides for Small Breweries

The closure of The Grateful Goat reflects an ongoing reshaping of Pennsylvania’s craft beer landscape. Many small brewpubs and breweries that opened in the late 2010s or early pandemic years are now facing increased competition, rising costs, and challenges in maintaining steady foot traffic amid changing consumer habits.

Still, the local craft beer community remains resilient—Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, and Harrisburg continue to be home to thriving breweries like Ever Grain Brewing Co., Boneshire Brew Works, Al’s of Hampden / Pizza Boy Brewing, and others.

Even as The Grateful Goat prepares to close, the region’s love for local craft beer remains strong—and many of its fans will no doubt raise a glass in honor of what the Goat brought to the scene.


Final Call: One Last Round at the Goat

With their final day set for Sunday, October 12th, fans have just a few days left to stop in for one last pint, meal, or toast to the team that brought the Goat to life.

Whether you’re revisiting an old favorite beer, trying one last appetizer, or simply stopping by to say thank you, this final weekend offers a chance to celebrate what The Grateful Goat represented—good beer, good food, and good company.

The Beer Thrillers will continue to cover updates on what’s next for the location once more details become available.


Announcement

Here is their full announcement from their Instagram page:

Hey Goat friends,

We’ve got some exciting news. After nearly a half decade as part of the Camp Hill community, we’ve accepted an offer to sell the Grateful Goat and its real estate. It’s a great move for us, and an opportunity we simply could not pass up.

❗Our last day of service will be Sunday, October 12th.❗ After that, the Goat will make way for a brand-new restaurant joining the neighborhood soon.

If you have gift cards or coupons, now’s the time to use them! It’s also your chance to stop by for one last happy hour, enjoy your favorite bites, and send the Goat off in style. 🍻

We’re grateful for everyone who’s supported us all these years. See you this week for one last round at the Goat!

— The Grateful Goat Team ❤️ 🐐

The Grateful Goat : Instagram Post


For More Information

For more information on Grateful Goat Brewing.

The following comes via Untappd.

Grateful Goat is considered a brew pub from Camp Hill, PA. They have 167 unique beers and over 8,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.63 (as of 10.4.25). Their Untappd description is blank.


Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, auctions, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:


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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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 ReviewsHike ReviewsBook ReviewsBrewery News, Brewery OpeningsBrewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – FacebookFacebook GroupTwitterInstagramYouTube, 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!

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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!

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Boxcar Brew Works is Closing Their Doolittle Station Taproom https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/09/24/boxcar-brew-works-is-closing-their-doolittle-station-taproom/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=boxcar-brew-works-is-closing-their-doolittle-station-taproom Wed, 24 Sep 2025 22:14:26 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16619 Boxcar Brew Works is Closing Their Doolittle Station Taproom

Unfortunately the rough year that is 2025 continues, as another brewery announces its taproom closure. On the heels of numerous large announcements, as well as Iron Hill announcing three taproom closures, Boxcar Brew Works is the next to announce their closure. There is a silver lining in this though, with the announcement of Premise Brewing emerging.

Boxcar Brew Works at Doolittle Station Complex

The Announcement

The following is the announcement that Boxcar Brew Works just posted on Facebook:

Hi Everyone,
I would like to thank you for your continued support and loyalty to Boxcar Brew Works over the years! It has been a joy to serve you all over the last 8+ years.
This is a message I have been regretting writing. It saddens me to inform you that the taproom for Boxcar Brew Works located on the Doolittle Station complex (1290Rich Hwy) will be closing permanently on Sunday 09/28/2025. With the new owners of the property, we were unable to come to a short- or long-term lease agreement. It’s with bittersweet and mixed feelings that I make this announcement. The complex and customers have been good to us over the years with us making many new friends and seeing some old friends with which we have lost touch. You never know who would be in the train car.
It’s not the end of the story for us though. Boxcar Beer will be available at a few different places until we can no longer distribute at the end of the year. Until then you can pick us up at some of our regular stops; El Gordo Burro (Du Bois, PA), Handlebar Cafe and Craft House, Saxonburg, PA, Super Sub & Six Pak (Du Bois, PA), Angry Goat (Du Bois, PA) and a few others out in the wild (Mike’s Beer Bar(Pgh), Federal Taphouse (State College). Please stop into any of them and enjoy a cold Boxcar beer.
This isn’t the end of us though! We will be opening a new brewery in downtown Du Bois soon. Located at 285 Hahne court, Du Bois, PA, Premise Brewing will be a place you want to stop and enjoy a cold one. Like and Follow us on FaceBook and Instagram to find out more about Premise Brewing. We are planning a few pop ups through the remainder of the year to let others become familiar with our new space, watch fb for more on that.
We wish to thank you again for being one of our valued customers. If you have any questions, please feel free to DM us. Until we meet again “PROST”!
Sincerely,
John
Boxcar Brew Works

Boxcar Brew Works at Doolittle Station

Boxcar Brew Works is currently located at 1290 Rich Hwy #300, DuBois, PA 15801. They have enjoyed over 8 years in business, and have been a lovely spot for the community and tourists alike. A unique spot with a unique appearance and vibe comparatively to other breweries. The new Premise Brewing will be located at 285 Hahne Ct, DuBois, PA 15801. The following map shows the distance from Boxcar Brew Works to the future home of Premise Brewing: Boxcar to Premise.

Boxcar Brew Works last day of operations will be on Sunday, the 28th, of September (2025). Make sure you stop out and see them one last time!

More Information on Boxcar Brew Works

The following comes via Untappd.

Boxcar Brew Works is listed as a nano brewery from DuBois, PA. They have 132 unique beers, and over 8,800 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.74 (as of 9.24.25). Their Untappd description reads: “Brewed by friends, for friends. We are a nano-brewery located outside Dubois, PA. Our brewery is built inside a boxcar with state of the art brewing equipment and our tap room is built inside neighboring cars. We have connected them by a deck for you to enjoy. We also have a third meeting/lounge/party space for your use. We are set up to allow brewers (home and professional) to collaborate and produce great interesting beer!

You can follow them at these social media platforms:

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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.)

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