The Bottom Line
This small, creative brewery is the only one still operating in the city of Lancaster, Penn. It's a restaurant and a brewery all-in-one, so if you stop by during the day, you can watch the brewery at work while you enjoy lunch or a snack. This brewery may be small but its beers are well-regarded regionally.
Pros
- You can see right into the brewery's operation while you eat in the pub or drink at the bar.
- Brewery tours are free.
- Good seasonal selection of beers to choose from.
- Historic building.
Cons
- It's a small brewery, so the tour is quick.
- You don't get to see the bottling.
Description
- Location: 302 N. Plum Street, at Walnut Street.
- Telephone: (717) 391-6258.
- Website:Lancaster Brewing Company.
- Additional location: In Harrisburg, at 469 Eisenhower Blvd. (717) 564-4448.
Guide Review - Brewery Tours in Pennsylvania: Lancaster Brewing Company Review
History:
At one time, Lancaster had a vibrant brewing industry -- some 14 breweries were operating in the city, and it wasn't just for local consumption either. As American tastes turned from English style beer toward German lagers in the 19th century, Lancaster's German immigrant community was able to fill the national need. After Prohibition, the beer business in Lancaster went into decline, and was basically finished until what eventually would become Lancaster Brewing Company opened its doors in 1995.
Atmosphere and Décor:
Lancaster Brewing Company is located in an old brick tobacco warehouse that dates to the 1880s. In the 1930s, the building was used to house enemy prisoners during World War II, and then as a scrap metal warehouse. The top level of the building is the bar and restaurant, and the brewery operates below, so you can easily peer down and watch the mash and lautering tanks at work, piping eventually into fermentation tanks.
The Tour:
Brewers are on hand to give free tours during weekdays and they'll walk you through the process; the tour takes about 20 minutes. (But if you happen to be there at a time when the brewers aren't around, friendly restaurant staff may accompany you to the brewing area anyway.)
The Beer:
Year-round favorites include Amish Four Grain, a pale ale made with oats, rye, barley and wheat, and Strawberry Wheat, a light lager. There are several brews only available on tap at the brewery, like Celtic Red Rose, an Irish amber ale. And then there are the seasonal brews. In the warmer months, popular choices are the Spring Bock, a German lager, and the Rare Rooster, an extra pale ale. In the winter, a popular addition to the beer menu is Amish Shoo-Fly porter, made with local molasses -- the same that are used to make local specialty, shoo-fly pie.
At one time, Lancaster had a vibrant brewing industry -- some 14 breweries were operating in the city, and it wasn't just for local consumption either. As American tastes turned from English style beer toward German lagers in the 19th century, Lancaster's German immigrant community was able to fill the national need. After Prohibition, the beer business in Lancaster went into decline, and was basically finished until what eventually would become Lancaster Brewing Company opened its doors in 1995.
Atmosphere and Décor:
Lancaster Brewing Company is located in an old brick tobacco warehouse that dates to the 1880s. In the 1930s, the building was used to house enemy prisoners during World War II, and then as a scrap metal warehouse. The top level of the building is the bar and restaurant, and the brewery operates below, so you can easily peer down and watch the mash and lautering tanks at work, piping eventually into fermentation tanks.
The Tour:
Brewers are on hand to give free tours during weekdays and they'll walk you through the process; the tour takes about 20 minutes. (But if you happen to be there at a time when the brewers aren't around, friendly restaurant staff may accompany you to the brewing area anyway.)
The Beer:
Year-round favorites include Amish Four Grain, a pale ale made with oats, rye, barley and wheat, and Strawberry Wheat, a light lager. There are several brews only available on tap at the brewery, like Celtic Red Rose, an Irish amber ale. And then there are the seasonal brews. In the warmer months, popular choices are the Spring Bock, a German lager, and the Rare Rooster, an extra pale ale. In the winter, a popular addition to the beer menu is Amish Shoo-Fly porter, made with local molasses -- the same that are used to make local specialty, shoo-fly pie.
