Visiting Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley Beer Trail

In America’s rapidly changing beer landscape, breweries often pop up at rate very hard to keep up with. Areas, which just a decade ago had only a handful of breweries, are being transformed into attractive beer destinations. Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley is one of those areas.

Centered around the cities of Carlisle and Harrisburg, the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail officially encompasses a region running from Chambersburg in the south, up I-81 to the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg. Unofficially, the brewery region can be viewed to also include a close-knit series of towns east and south of Harrisburg, such as Hershey, Middletown, and Elizabethtown. And since it’s close by, we’ll throw in the Gettysburg area too.

The count of breweries in the region seems to be growing almost monthly. The official Cumberland Valley Beer Trail now encompasses about 20 breweries (at 5/2018). Adding in the other towns in the Harrisburg metro region and Gettysburg increases the brewery count by a dozen more. Earlier this decade, positive changes in the Pennsylvania brewery laws helped spur this rapid growth. With the increase in brewery numbers, the region now has the critical mass necessary to become a worthy craft beer tourist destination. This is especially true in the more brewery-developed areas like Carlisle.

“Pennsylvania has seen rapid growth in the craft beer industry, and our region is no exception,” said Aaron Jumper, travel media manager for the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, whose office is in Carlisle. “Craft beer drinkers are passionate explorers that travel to find new tastes, not unlike those who come to hike the Appalachian Trail or attend a car show.”

Even in smaller cities of the region, economic development officials are seeing the positive impact of breweries, an impact that extends beyond tourism. Stephen Christian, president of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, loves what he see happening in his city with two small breweries.

“Chambersburg’s burgeoning craft brewing industry has been a vital part of our town’s growth and revitalization,” Christian said. “The breweries here have added a hip and trendy progressive vibe to our traditional historic downtown.”

Widely recognized today is the ability of small breweries to bring an increased level of energy to city neighborhoods and become a magnet that draws in people and other businesses. Jesse Rotz, co-founder of Roy Pitz Brewing, had this to say about how brewers do it:

“We’re artists and we love to create,” he said. “It just so happens we can enjoy our creations in liquid form.”

Cumberland Valley a short hop from West Virginia

The Cumberland Valley is very accessible to West Virginia making it a great weekend beer road trip. In just over an hour after departing Martinsburg, you can be drinking a porter at Molly Pitcher Brewing in Carlisle. Carlisle is about a 3-hour drive from Morgantown or 5 hours from Charleston. The Cumberland Valley Beer Trail has a helpful website you’ll find useful in planning a visit.

The Harrisburg region’s beer stalwarts are places like Tröegs, founded in 1996, and Appalachian Brewing, founded in 1997. Tröegs’ ultra modern brewery in Hershey has a super tour, beautiful store, and spacious taproom — all just down the street from Hersheypark amusement park and Chocolate World. While Appalachian Brewing has seven brewpub locations around the region, try stopping in the downtown Harrisburg location and combining it with a visit to the Pennsylvania State Museum and the State Capitol Building.

Beyond breweries, don’t overlook the Cumberland Valley’s strong historical, automobile, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Hiking: it sits at the midpoint along the Appalachian Trail. Bicycling: the region has lots of miles of rail trails and many of the cities have bike friendly areas. History: explore the Gettysburg Battlefield and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Auto Shows: find numerous big-time collector car and truck events held annually at the Carlisle Fairgrounds.

Brewery options for every taste

With so many options for beer in a spread-out region, it can be wise to focus your tour to places where the breweries are either walkable or conducive to short Uber/Lyft-hops. For instance, staying in downtown Carlisle, you can easily and safely walk to four different breweries and cideries:  Burd’s Nest, Market Cross, Molly Pitcher, and Grand Illusion. Then take in Desperate Times, Brewing with a short Uber ride. The Beer Trail website will help you figure things out.

But don’t forget about the local neighborhood brewery taprooms distributed across the various little burghs of the region. These are often found in older parts of towns, which the breweries are helping revive. Places like Bube’s and Tattered Flag have a lot of character.

As a plus, you may want to pick up a Cumberland Valley Beer Trail Passport and collect stickers at the breweries. You can earn free premiums like bottle openers and t-shirts. 5 stickers gets you an opener; 15 stickers gets you a t-shirt. You’ll also find a few bars and retail shops in the passport. The passport program is sponsored by the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.

Selected Cumberland Valley – Harrisburg Area Breweries

Roy Pitz Brewing, Chambersburg

Founded in 2008. A great first stop on the way north from West Virginia along I-81. You’ll find crisply-made traditional beers, plus a newer line of more experimental barrel-aged sours. In the Stube you’ll also find a comfortable, casual restaurant offering American pub fare.
Roy Pitz website

Gear House Brewing, Chambersburg

Featuring a broad selection of modern and traditional beer styles. Some include ingredients from their own garden and hops from their own hopyard. Local food trucks provide the grub.
Gear House website

Desperate Times Brewing, Carlisle

Their Schwarzbier is a 2017 GABF Silver medalist and the brewery was voted best brewery in the Cumberland Valley. Brewery restaurant serves a wide range of small bites, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. The brewery sits right next to the fairgrounds and gets extremely busy during auto shows.
Desperate Times website  @desperatetimesbrewery2k16

Burd’s Nest Brewing, Carlisle

Only four beers on tap. Worth a stop? Absolutely. They do artfully crafted beer well. Very nice Hop Blossom IPA and an Oatmeal Stout. One of a group of walkable breweries in Carlisle.
Burd’s Nest website   @burdsnestbrewingco

Molly Pitcher Brewing, Carlisle

Revolutionary War themed brewery with coordinating beer names such as Cannonball Kolsch and Powder Horn Porter.  Offers a good blend of classic styles with innovative newer stuff. Local wines and spirits too. Open 7 days a week.
Molly Pitcher website  @mollypitcherbrewingcompany

Market Cross Pub & Brewery, Carlisle

The look and feel of this pub brewery belies its English connections. They offer a great list of guest taps to go with their English, Irish and American style house brews. The food menu too is a mix of English pub food and modern American cuisine. 
Market Cross website @marketcrossbrewery

Pizza Boy Brewing/Al’s of Hampden, Enola

Maybe the hottest brewery in the region right now. Putting out some beautiful brews, especially their IPAs, stouts, and sours. Al’s pizza is a local favorite.  Love their #PizzaBeerHappy slogan. You won’t want to miss this one.
Pizza Boy website

Ever Grain Brewing, Camp Hill

A large, beautiful facility, with spacious in-brewery taproom and separate restaurant, cocktail bar, and outdoor areas. Opened in 2016 and has been busy ever since. Contemporary tastes dominate their beer list. IPA fans seek their Joose Juicy and Doose Juicy NEIPAs.
Ever Grain website

Harty Brewing, Mechanicsburg

CLOSED — Out in the suburbs the Walden community, this little nano pumps out quality brews. Proprietor Lauren Ishaq knows her beer. Their Coffee Irish Red is a hybrid style you’ll want to try. They keep about six small-batch beers on tap and offer crowlers too.
Harty website   @hartybrewco

Tattered Flag Brewery & Still Works, Middletown

A brewery that also has a distillery operation. Traditional and culinary brews, lots of distilled spirits infusions. Could we interest you in a Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon Porter served on Nitro. Popular brewpub with a solid food menu.
Tattered Flag website

The Vegetable Hunter, Harrisburg

It’s all-vegetarian beer, all the time. It’s pretty good too. Their Zesty Arnie Iced Tea and Lemonade IPA with Lemondrop Hops won people’s choice at the Little-Little Beer Festival during Harrisburg Beer Week. Vegetable Hunter is a full service vegan/vegetarian cafe and boutique brewery located on Restaurant Row in Harrisburg.
Vegetable Hunter website

Moo-Duck Brewery, Elizabethtown

Don’t let the small size of this little nano-brewery fool you; they keep a dozen beers on tap. You’ll find beer from everything from light to dark, malty to hoppy, and session to imperial.
Moo-Duck website

Bube’s BrewerY, Mount Joy

A brewery, restaurant, and museum complex inside an original 1800s brewery. Quite unique. House-brewed beers and everything from pub food to fine dining in the different restaurants.
Bube’s Facebook page

Tröegs Brewing, Hershey

Since 1996, the premier Harrisburg area brewery for craft beer fans. It’s a showcase brewery and beer tourist magnet. Spacious taproom. Exceptional beers in so many styles. The snack bar offers a contemporary international-influenced menu. Take home some limited-release and brewery-only selections from the brewery store.
Tröegs website

Appalachian Brewing, Harrisburg

Started in downtown Harrisburg in 1997, this brewery now operates seven pubs around the region. Their flagships and seasonals are primarily solid traditional styles, some with interesting twists. Full service restaurants give a very broad choice of food items. Try a Beef on Weck with a Trail Blaze Maple Brown Ale.
Appalachian Brewing website

CV Visitors Bureau website link