Pennsylvanian Brewed Beers - Archived - May No Longer Be Relevant

As craft breweries pop up from coast to coast, we’ve grown to development tastes and preferences for lagers, ales and stouts from numerous states. While these other brews may be comforting sometimes there is no place like home. Pennsylvania is home to some old and new breweries that brew up delicious and refreshing beers. Here are a few of our favorites.

Yuengling – Pottsville, PA

Yuengling Traditional Lager – Yuengling boasts the title of America’s oldest brewery and has the beers to prove it. Perfect for washing down pierogies or kicking back with, Yuengling’s Traditional Lager is nothing short of an iconic American lager. Standing tall with a rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor, the roasted caramel malts add a subtle sweetness that helps this brew go down smoothly. There is something comforting and nostalgic about this Pennsylvanian-made classic.

Yuengling Black & Tan – Yet another Yuengling classic comes in the form of Black & Tan. It gives you the best of both worlds combining Yuengling’s Dark Brewed Porter with their Premium beer. Pour it into a clear glass to see the ombré of color. The darkest of the porter floats at the top, while the soft brown sits at the bottom offering a well-balanced flavor with hints of caramel of coffee.

Church Brew Works – Pittsburgh, PA

 ThunderHop IPA – Brewed in a former Pittsburgh church, ThunderHop IPA is this brewery’s answer to the India Pale Ale popularity. This beer has all the intense bitterness, flavor and aroma of an IPA mixed together for a sensory nirvana experience. It is made with nearly 3lb of Australian Galaxy and American Chinook hops per barrel of beer that creates a piney, citrusy, earthy aroma and flavor. The body is big and malty, but the finish is soft and sweet.

Pious Monk Dunkel – This beer took the Silver Medal at the Great America Beer Festival in 2012 and for good reason. First brewed in Munich, Germany over 150, this dark style lager isn’t your typical lager. Over the years various breweries have brewed their own. Church Brew Work’s version is slightly dark in color but is not as strong as you may think. The beer has a mellow body and a low alcohol content that allows for the wonderfully clean and roasted aroma to finish crisp, as a typical lager should.

Helltown Brewing – Mt. Pleasant, PA

Rapture IPA – Started in 2011, this relatively new brewery is not to be counted out. Started in a mechanic’s garage they focus on using high-quality grains and a healthy amount of hops to make their devilishly delicious brews. This Rapture IPA is hopped with some aggressive West Coast grains and has aromas of pine and citrus fruits.

Mischievous Brown – Whether you’re up to no good or a sworn angel, this brown ale is certain to make you feel just a bit mischievous. A classic English-style brown ale, it contains strong nut and caramel characteristics that are accented by subtle roasted notes of cocoa, biscuit and brown sugar. Can’t you just picture rich brown color of this light and smooth ale?

Yards Brewing Company – Philadelphia, PA  

Love Stout – Who needs a love shack when you could have a love stout! Stouts are known to be rich and smooth, but something about this stout is a little something extra. Maybe it is the fact that the brewers poured their hearts and roasted malts into this rich, seductively smooth and well-rounded stout. It features luscious notes of coffee and chocolate that perfectly compliments the smooth, creamy mouth feel.

Extra Special Ale – How could we not include an ale so properly hopped that it got the title of “Extra Special.” This ale is Yard’s Brewing Company’s first-ever and most-beloved brew. It helped establish a following for the brewery back in the ‘90s as the East Kent Golding hops added a subtle spiciness that complements the strong malt backbone. Beyond that, Extra Special Ale is floral, earthy and smooth—with bites of chocolate and caramel that help to round out this deep chestnut colored ale.

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