We have no idea how devastating this coronavirus / COVID-19 will be; either on a physical / societal level for people’s health and well being, or financially, especially on the mom and pop, on the small businesses, on your local craft brewery. Currently, Pennsylvania (currently as of 3.18.20) is on a two week lock-down. But this could be extended, with some discussing it going til May 1st. But here’s the thing, nobody knows. This is a time of uncertainty.

BUT – thankfully, many local breweries, restaurants, and businesses are doing what they can to a) stay afloat and b) to help us (regular people) out. Many are offering curbside to go, take out, delivery, and sales by online or phone.

In my attempt to help out where I can, I am writing up this blog article, to let everyone know what breweries and restaurants are doing what, so that people can stay informed, and be able to purchase and support their favorite local breweries. I’ve attempted to start up several coronavirus / COVID-19 posts over the last several days. But as soon as I’d get information; there’d be more information, or things would change. I tried keeping up with what local-ish breweries were closing (like Guinness and Flying Dog) but it soon became too overwhelming to keep up, especially once Governor Wolf’s mandate came down at 2PM on Monday (3.16.20). But, this is something I can do, and keep people informed. Hopefully, people will see this, and help support their local breweries.

I’m working on trying to get listed as many places as I can. This won’t be completely comprehensive. It can’t possibly be. But I will do my best to list as as much as I can list. If you feel left out, message me, and I will update and include your brewery, restaurant, etc. I want it to be as comprehensive as I can, but I just know it won’t be.

I’m going to try and do it by county / larger municipality areas. There might not be a rhyme or reason to the order of the counties, but you can do a search function and find your county / large municipality to find what you need.

DAUPHIN COUNTY:

• BONESHIRE BREW WORKS
  Boneshire Brew Works is offering: (From their Facebook page): With the mitigation practices to fight the spread of COVID-19 we are open from 4pm to 7pm daily for to-go sales. You can come in and get 4-packs to-go as well as growler fills. For those of you that want to reduce contact even more we have set up an online ordering system to allow for Pick Up. We have knocked off up to $5 per 4-pack depending on the variety. Please be patient with us as we try this out. Again thank you for the support and remember we are all in this together! https://boneshirebrewworks.square.site/
• OFFICIAL BBQ and BURGERS
  Official BBQ and Burgers (Pizza Boy’s secondary location) announced on their Facebook: We care! We apologize for the inconvenience but we will only be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 12PM-9PM. In effort to protect our employees and you we will be offering two modified ways to order: Call in ordering – we will be providing carside service! Delivery within 5 miles. YES! You read that right! We want to help people who aren’t comfortable leaving their house still have access to food. (Over the phone CC payments required for all orders. No cash accepted.)
• MOO-DUCK BREWERY
  Moo-Duck is offering to-go food and beer. With precautions that only up to 10 people can be inside their brewery at once. Their hours of operation are: Wednesday-Friday 3-7PM, Saturday 11-7PM, and Sunday 12-5PM. Call: (570) 242-5658 for more information or details.
• FUNK BREWING E-TOWN
  On Funk’s E-Town Facebook page: We are Open today for take out and to go 4pks at 12. You can order online from our website www.funkbrewing.com or use this link to go straight to our menu http://toasttab.com/funk-brewing-elizabethtown New cans of Mixed Tape: Sour Peach IPA will arrive sometime in the afternoon. Call ahead or check social media for availability.
• COX BREWING COMPANY
  On Cox Brewing Company’s Facebook page: Growler and Howler fills available with amended hours. Please share and follow closely as things may change. Special shout out to first responders, nurses and doctors during this time. 💪🍻🇺🇸 #nursesrock #togobeer #lancaster #elizabethtownpa #cbc #coxbrewingcompany. Hours: Wednesday and Friday 5-8PM, Saturday 12-3PM.
• TATTERED FLAG
  Tattered Flag has options from both their brewery in Middletown as well as their Hershey location (the former Hershey Biergarten); their distillery lounge. On their brewery Facebook page: Thanks to each and every one of you who ordered take out food, beer, spirits, and canned cocktails today! You can’t possibly understand how grateful we are. Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will be open in Middletown from 11-7 (food, beer, spirits, canned cocktails, limited coffee), Hershey from 4-7 (bottled spirits and canned cocktails only), and Gettysburg from 4-7 (beer, spirits, and canned cocktails). We hear that state stores are now closed, so be sure to see us for all you quarantine needs! #grateful #community #thankyou #proudtoraiseaflagwithyou
  Their distillery lounge page posted this yesterday on 3.17.20: We will be offering Togo liquor/ can cocktail sales starting tomorrow Wednesday March 18th from 4-7pm. Check out our website for our wide variety of spirits.
• APPALACHIAN BREWING COMPANY
  This is was on their ‘overall’ Facebook page. It applies to their Harrisburg, Lititz, Mechanicsburg, and Shippensburg locations. They are all doing the same. Their Facebook page posted today (Wednesday, 3.18.20) around noon:

As restaurants and breweries everywhere work to come out strong on the other side of current closures, the National Restaurant Association has declared today #CarryOutWednesday!

Support local restaurants like our own by ordering food 🍔and beer🍺 to go; our kitchens 👨🏼‍🍳 and our phones 📞 are open and ready to take your takeout orders from 12-8 p.m. today!

Call (717) 221-1080 to order, and view our full menu online here (as well as our Irish Fest menu in the comments)! ⤵️
https://www.abcbrew.com/menu/brew-pub-menu

• TROEGS BREWING
  Troegs announced on Wednesday that starting Thursday – 3.19.20 they would be starting curbside pickup (beer and food). Their website for their curbside pick up is: http://troegs.com/curbside

MECHANICSBURG / ENOLA / MARYSVILLE AREA

• EVER GRAIN BREWING
  On March 16th, Ever Grain posted on their Facebook:

We’ve been listening to your requests and in light of the current situation have come up with the following solution to keep fresh beer and food available to you!
•
Beginning Tuesday 3/17/2020 we are implementing take out & delivery service during the hours of 11am to 7pm until further notice.
•
Delivery service will be available in the following areas:
-Camp Hill
-Mechanicsburg
-Silver Springs
-Lemoyne
-New Cumberland
-Wormleysburg
-Enola
•
We will post menus of food, and beers available in 4-pack and in crowlers.
•
In addition, we have the following specials available:
~4 Crowlers for $40, please pick from the daily posted list.
~Gift cards: buy $100 get $10, buy $50 get $5 – these can be added on to your orders.
•
We ask that all transactions are done via credit card with deliveries having 18% tip included at the time of order.
•
Please call us at 717.525.8222 to place all orders!

Be safe everyone! 🍻🙏🏼
#evergrainbrewing #hopculture #breweriesinpa #pabeer #camphill #pennsylvania #craftbeer #instabeer #beerporn #supportpabeer #independentbeer #seektheseal #hibernate #paproud #craftbrewery #craftbeerporn #beertography #pouredinpa #drinklocal #supportlocal #craftbeernation #beerthirty #brewerylife #dreambeer #pahandcrafted #pacraftbeer

• BREWHOUSE GRILLE and 2050 STATE BREWING
  Brewhouse Grille posted on their Faceook: We added BURGERS, WINGS, Buffalo Chicken Wrap as well as some delicious Salads & Kids Meals. We will be open for takeout from 11am-7pm. Just call 717-737-0030. Don’t forget you can purchase Gift Cards & 6pks! Free $5 with a $50 gift card purchase and Free $10 with a $100 gift card purchase.

• AL’S of HAMPDEN / PIZZA BOY BREWING
  On Al’s of Hampden (and their Pizza Boy) Facebook pages:

Starting tomorrow Tuesday March 17th we will be-
OPEN from 11am-8pmish all seven days.
3 types of orders
1-PICK -UP
2-DELIVERY
3-TO GO
Telephone orders (717-728-3840)
Online orders www.alsofhampden.com
And the app.

***IT IS YOUR CHOICE TO COME INSIDE, ORDER TO GO, OR GET CURBSIDE SERVICE, LET US KNOW!

Any of the orders above can include FOOD AND BEER. Yes we will deliver beer (@pizzaboybrewing products only) they will be on the online and the app. No limits. Cans, 6packs,pre mixed 6packs (no choice) cases, 750s, and crowlers.
Please bare with us as we are in uncharted territory. The app and online will be updated tomorrow morning. Wash your hands.
#getfrontsided

• LIQUID NOISE BREWING
  From their Facebook page: Hey everyone don’t forget, we are open for growler fills , Gift Cards and merchandise, from 4-7pm stop on by stock up and hunker down while you stay safe! Bring a clean growler with and we will double sanitize it just in case before you head home. #craftlikearockstar #smallbusiness #craftbeer #harrisburgpa #marysvillepa
• MELLOW MINK
  Mellow Mink announced on their Facebook page that they would be starting to-go / curbside on Thursday 3.19.20. They posted a video from Cole saying: Hi Everyone,

It’s Cole from Mellow Mink! I hope this message finds you safe and healthy. Just wanted to let you all know that tomorrow evening (3/19), from 5pm-8pm, I’ll be available to fill growlers to go.

We will sanitize and fill your own growler. Or, if you’d like to purchase a growler, we have two styles of Mellow Mink growlers available. We have both 1 liter glass ($20) and 1 liter stainless steel ($8) growlers.

We also have bottles of our Scarlet Sunrise Blackberry and Blueberry sour red ale (750mL, 6.8% ABV) available. $20 per bottle.

#mellowmink #craftbeer #growler

LEBANON COUNTY

• MT GRETNA BREWERY
  From their Facebook page: Take-out begins today (3.17)! Check-out our take-out menu and Ready-made Casseroles Menu (Casseroles start 3.18) https://www.facebook.com/gretnabrewery/menu/ We appreciate your support of local business during this difficult time. Call in time: 3-7PM, pickup from 4PM to 7:30PM.
• ROTUNDA BREWING / THE BATDORF
  From their Facebook page: We are offering our full menu for pick up and delivery! Call 717-867-0113 to place your order! Any order over $10 receives 1 free role of toilet paper! @ Batdorf Restaurant

LANCASTER COUNTY

• SPRING HOUSE BREWING
  (NO LONGER DOING CURBSIDE / TO GO / DELIVERY)
• MAD CHEF BREWING
  Mad Chef announced on their Facebook page that they are doing to-go pickups. You can order by phone or at the brewery. Their post stated on 3.17.20: Hey Mad Chef family! Like every other business affected by COVID-19, we are operating in uncharted territory and will be taking things day by day. Tomorrow, we will be open from 4 to 8 for takeout only. Orders can be placed over the phone or at the pub. We’ll be offering our full menu and you can purchase crowlers or growlers from us to go (please don’t bring in your own growlers). You can also support us by purchasing gift cards and merchandise during this time! Thank you for all your support!🍻
  (EDIT: ON 3.19.20 MAD CHEF HAS ANNOUNCED THEY ARE FULLY CLOSING THEIR DOORS FOR A FEW WEEKS.)
  
• ST. BONIFACE BREWING
  Announced on their Facebook page that they are doing to-go orders of beer and food, Monday-Thursday 4-9PM and Friday and Saturday from 11AM-9PM.
• FETISH BREWING
  Fetish Brewing announced on their Facebook page on 3.17.20 roadside service: Here we go — roadside pick-up 4-8pm today at Fetish. We are offering all of the below in 32oz crawler cans and we’ll make you a bunch. Everything below costs $11, except Wild American Sour and Peat Scottish Wee Heavy, which are $21. Text Aaron at 717-917-0974, tell us what you’d like, come on up to Rock Lititz and we’ll get it ready for you! We still accept cash, cards, and bitcoin. See you people today!

• LANCASTER BREWING COMPANY
  The Lancaster Brewing Company’s Lancaster Facebook page posted the following on 3.16.20: !!!!!IMPORTANT NEWS – WE ARE OPEN FOR TAKEOUT & CURBSIDE PICK-UP BEGINNING TOMORROW!!!!! Dear friends of Lancaster Brewing Co – In response to the recent COVID-19 Pandemic, we are encouraging takeout & curbside pickup beginning tomorrow (3/17) – just call to place your order, and we will bring your order to your car. So whether you’re looking for a quick bite, a family dinner a growler fill or just a case of beer, we’ll be here for you. This situation is a fluid one, and we will make adjustments based on any further guidelines given by the authorities. Until then, we are working on a limited menu with takeout & curbside delivery from 12pm – 6pm every day. To prepare you the best takeout meals for your family, please give us a call at 717-391-6258. Cheers, and thank you for your support! https://www.lancasterbrewing.com/lancaster to view menus ***Takeout + Curbside Pick-up*** EVERYDAY – 12pm – 6pm

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

• ROUND GUYS BREWING
  Their Facebook posted on March 17th:

🚨 Online ordering and delivery 🚨

Delivery hours will be between 12pm-8pm. We will be adding a food menu very soon!
Four packs and crowlers available. Place your order at https://roundguys.square.site/

I am going to go ahead and post this now, and then come back in and update this blog post as I get more to add to it. (And yes, I know I have lots more to add.) (I will post a EDIT tag at the bottom with what I’ve added when I make my edits.) The original version of this blog is going live at – 3PM (EST) 3.18.20. I will put the date and time with each EDIT.

I hope this helps! Lets pull through together. Practice your social distancing, and help those in need. Spend this time reading blogs (hint hint hint), read a book, learn to cook, learn to play an instrument, take an online course, do house work, call the elderly on the phone and listen, etc, etc.

EDIT: 4:33PM 3.18.20: Updated Dauphin County. Included Appalachian Brewing Company.

EDIT: 12:16PM 3.19.20: Updated Dauphin County. Updated Mechanicsburg. Added Lancaster County. Added Montgomery County.

EDIT: 2:19PM 3.19.20: Mad Chef no longer serving.

Cheers everyone, and hope you all stay healthy and safe!

-B. Kline

Its March 14th, Pi Day, and doom and gloom, national hysteria, societal collapse, is all impending and collecting around the fringes of our collective consciousness. The end is nigh. What do you do? …Simple. Irish Car Bombs at 9AM awaiting Kegs and Eggs.

Now, obviously, this is not a “traditional” Irish Car Bomb. BUT…. it is called Irish Car Bomb (Nitro Stout) and it is better than a Guinness at being the same thing. You could easily do the ‘real’ Irish Car Bomb with this beer, and it’d be better than using a Guinness (also a lot more filling, richer, and probably lead to even more car bombs than the traditional Guinness approach).

For those not in the know, an Irish Car Bomb is a drink / shot. You have a full pint (or for some a half-pint) of Guinness. You then drop a shot of either half and half of Bailey’s and Jameson or straight up Jameson into the pint, and chug all (both pint and shot) as one. Its delicious, its tradition, and its pretty much the only way I do shots anymore unless harassed and harangued into doing some by co-workers when out and about at dive bars with them. (See Tuesday night / Wednesday morning for proof of that.)

But, this could easily replace the Guinness in those shots, and would be much better. Its smoother, tastier, creamier, more delicious, all around better than a Guinness while being pretty much the same thing.

Comparison sake:
Guinness Draught:
Style: Stout – Irish Dry
ABV: 4.2%
IBU: 45
Untappd Description:

Swirling clouds tumble as the storm begins to calm. Settle. Breathe in the moment, then break through the smooth, light head to the bittersweet reward.

Unmistakeably GUINNESS, from the first velvet sip to the last, lingering drop. And every deep-dark satisfying mouthful in between.

Pure beauty. Pure GUINNESS.

Guinness Draught is sold in kegs, widget cans, and bottles. The ABV varies from 4.1 to 4.3%. Guinness Extra Cold is the exact same beer only served through a super cooler at 3.5 °C
Global Untappd Rating: 3.79 (as of 3.16.20)

Rotunda Brewing Company’s Irish Car Bomb Nitro Stout:
Style: Stout – Irish Dry
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: No IBU
Untappd Description: (Blank)
Global Untappd Rating: 4.31 (as of 3.16.20)

So stat wise; you go from a 4.2% to a 5.5% ABV. No mention of IBU in the second so can’t really compare. And also no description, so if your looking for information on the beer going in, your getting a blank. But I can tell you… which one is better. So thats just what I’ll do.

So lets run this beer down and drink up for St. Patty’s Day and for The End of Times. So cheers to the end of all things and for the doom of society!

Beer: Irish Car Bomb (Nitro Stout)
Brewery: Rotunda Brewing Company
Style: Stout – Irish Dry
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: None Listed
Untappd Description: (blank)

First off, you can tell this is creamy. Just look at that picture! Nitro is one of the best things that has ever happened to beer, and this proves why. It provides a wonderful robust creamyness to this already good looking beer. It is dark, Razor Ramon hair black, midnight black, your ex’s soul black. It has a super rich, creamy head to it. The whole appearance of this looks frothy, rich, creamy, decadent. (Don’t worry, it lives up to it.)

Aroma is malty, rich, and creamy. You are going to see the word ‘creamy’ a lot in this review. Maybe I should have led off about that getting people to do a drinking game everytime they see the word creamy in the review. An Irish Car Bomb (shot included) everytime they read the word creamy in this review? ….Ah you poor schmucks would be dead by the end of the review then! Anyway, back to the aroma….. this has a deep malt smell, roasted malt, with vanilla, the nitro brings out that and the deep roasted malts and also highlights the caramel malts a bit as well. All around this smells as delicious as it looks… and it certainly does…. look….. creamy.

Creamy. Creamy. Creamy. Creamy. This. Is. Creamy. Oh… did I mention; that its creamy? You guys still alive out there doing the drinking game? Because if so…. its creamy. Despite its 5.5% ABV, this is a strong, dark, deep, rich, full, and filling beer. Its basically brewed on the same premise as a Guinness draught. To be filling, full, and a damn good stout. The ABV doesn’t matter because the beer itself is so full and rich. And with the nitro, it makes it so creamy, and even more rich and full. This is both a beer you could drink TOO many of and also not be able to drink TOO many of. Depending on time of day, mood, food, stomach, etc. You get the dark, roasted malts, the caramel malts, the roast and darkness of this brew really kick into ultra-drive as you drink it down. The richness from the nitro lending a strong sweetness to it is very nice. It does differ from Guinness where there’s not really a lot of bitterness to this. It might be more malty, and it might be more high ABV, (4.2% to 5.5%) but its certainly a lot sweeter. Not in a bad way, but for a traditional Irish Dry Stout some might prefer some level of bitterness to this, where here its pretty more nonexistent. This is a full, and delicious beer, as it warms you get even more essence out of it, and it just broadens and opens up more, offering the fullness of its vast flavors and ingredients. This is a wonderful beer at 9AM to start your day with breakfast, and even better to be the kick-off lead-in beer before doing a Kegs and Eggs mini-brewfest! (It certainly helped stave off the gloom and doom anyway!)

My Untappd Rating: ****.50
Global Untappd Rating: 4.31 (as of 3.16.20)

Like I said, March 14th (Saturday), was the Kegs and Eggs (2020) brewfest and event at The Batdorf and Rotunda Brewing Company in Annville, Pennsylvania. I am working on the write-up of the event as we speak, and it might get posted tomorrow, or Wednesday. Currently, my job is still open (the only Casino in the state to still be open despite the pandemic going on), so I am still working. I don’t know when I’ll be shut down, if I’ll be shut down, or whats going on. There’s a lot of uncertainty at my job right now, especially since we’re the only ones still open. Ohio Casinos are shut down, Maryland casinos are shut down, the other PA casinos have voluntarily closed…. but we are still open. Financially, health, ethically, there is so much uncertainty at our job right now. Getting to work on the blog is providing a nice escape and stress release for me.

So you can look forward to seeing a Kegs and Eggs (2020) event write-up by myself. I hung out with J. Doncevic, D. Scott, and we caroused our way through sampling from a myriad of breweries in a confined space. Also hanging out with guys from Rotunda Brewing like Kevin, Bryan, and hanging out with Bart from Hop Headz and so many more great people.

I have talked to Karl Larson recently, and he has expressed interest in writing for the blog. So he might start writing soon… or he might not. Either way, no pressure on him. He does have a fantastic Wee Heavy for me to try and review for the blog, that he’s won a National Award for, so I can’t wait for that.

I think I will also be trying to wrap-up my Coronavirus / COVID-19 article. And give ways to help out local breweries. As they are going to be hurting the most from all of this. So please, if you are able to support your small time local breweries (like Boneshire Brew Works, Moo-Duck Brewery, Rotunda Brewing Company, ZeroDay Brewing, etc.), please find ways to help them out where you can. We all need to stick together to get through this.

Also, if you’re new to the blog, please follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER and INSTAGRAM. Also click the FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE here on the blog. And don’t hesitate to leave feedback in the COMMENTS or through our CONTACT PAGE directly. We love to hear from you guys!

Thank you for reading, cheers, and Happy Stone Cold Steve Austin Day!

-B. Kline