Tag Archives: Appalachian Brewing Co.

Brain Battles: Trivia nights in Harrisburg thrive as games expand

May 29, 2025 | by Colin McGuire

As the lobby filled with patrons for a private event, Brennen Dickerson and Chris Gibson sat in a dark, empty theater at Midtown Cinema on a chilly Tuesday night in April.

Together, they pondered the nuances of the movie trivia game they were about to produce, and one thought emerged as the event’s new mantra.

“We even have a prize for last place,” Gibson, who ran the technical side of the evening, deadpanned. “So, even the losers are winners. That’s kind of our motto here.”

Losing. Winning. Laughing. Drinking. Eating. Spinning the Wheel of Trivia. Whatever the case may be, Harrisburg’s options for know-it-alls (or, as many players endearingly refer to themselves, nerds) are plenty. Spread throughout the region, players can find games on any night of the week, ranging from general knowledge to Harry Potter-themed, to, of course, movies, which is where Midtown comes in.

The cinema hosts movie trivia the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. It began a couple years ago when Rachel Landon, general manager of the theater, asked Dickerson if he’d be willing to serve as host of the event. While they initially held the game weekly, it soon settled into a biweekly gathering, which has been the approach that’s worked best, Dickerson explained.

First place at Midtown earns the winning team $50 in cash while second place earns members a night at the movies—tickets and snack vouchers. Third place finishers receive a round of drinks from the Zeroday Outpost at the theater.

As for the game itself, the night is centered mostly around movie clips. On this night, a round that Dickerson called “Right Scene/Wrong Music” was on tap for the participants. It was here that players were tasked with identifying the correct music for a movie scene that had an incorrect soundtrack dubbed on top of it.

“I think all walks of life can come,” Dickerson noted. “Some rounds are a little trickier, but there’s always a baseline that’s simple and then it gets slightly more complicated as the night goes on. Sometimes, we have groups full of cinephiles and other times, there are more people who wouldn’t consider themselves cinephiles.”

Sarah Berkowitz didn’t consider herself a cinephile, but she also finds herself on the winning team most weeks. That’s because, on this night, one of her teammates, Kevin Durkin, does know a thing or two about film—so much so that the brains behind the event have asked him to occasionally help write some of the trivia questions.

“Most of us are here for the vibes,” Berkowitz said. “We’ve won enough money that we can afford to privately rent out the theater twice, and that’s our plan. We want to put the money back into it and help out as much as we can.”

Down 3rd Street from the cinema, Zeroday Brewing Co.’s taproom holds its general knowledge trivia at 7 p.m. every Thursday night. Ryan Zickgraf runs that game under his “Curious Cat Trivia” moniker. Zickgraf is a veteran of trivia nights—he moved to Harrisburg from Atlanta, where he was part of Dirty South Trivia, an outfit that organized events in that area.

Zickgraf’s approach to outlining the night is both intricate and focused. He writes his own questions and tests most of them at Zeroday before sending them off to Atlanta, where they will be used again. Above all else, Zickgraf takes pride in making his trivia night a unique experience, approaching the evening with more of a game show twist.

“It’s the most fun part-time job anyone can have,” he said as he set up his workspace in the middle of Zeroday’s tap room. “This is always the highlight of my week.”

Prizes for Zeroday’s game include gift cards to the brewery ($30 for first place, $20 for second place and $10 for third place). Zickgraf’s structure features six rounds and includes the Wheel of Trivia, which is spun between rounds and gives participants the ability to earn bonus points depending on where the wheel stops.

Mark Wolfe is typically one of the participants on Thursday nights. He’s also typically part of the winning team, a team that paired itself with another team to form something of a mega-group. Though Wolfe has played trivia elsewhere throughout the city, he explained that he prefers Zickgraf’s game because he feels it’s more refined.

“With it being Thursday night, it feels like the weekend starts early,” Wolfe relayed. “I look forward to it every week.”

While Zickgraf is still building his Curious Cat brand, Cheaters Never Prosper runs games seven days a week, sometimes organizing dozens in a day across central Pennsylvania. One of those gatherings goes down at 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday night at Appalachian Brewing Co.’s N. Cameron Street location.

Alexis Neel is the MC for ABC. She used to captain the trivia ship at Tattered Flag Brewery in Middletown until it closed, and she shifted her focus to Wednesdays at ABC. Though Cheaters Never Prosper offers various themed trivia nights, ranging from “Hunger Games” trivia to an all-music trivia, the ABC game is steeped in general knowledge.

“I was a player first and had a group of people I played with every week,” Neel explained. “The owner of the company let me know they were expanding and looking to hire people. She suggested I might enjoy hosting, and I do enjoy it. You get to meet a lot of fun people, and I’m kind of a nerd, so I like to learn new things.”

Neel’s game lasts four rounds, with 10 questions per round, plus a bonus. ABC issues the prizes in the form of gift cards—$25 for first, $15 for second and $10 for third. Whereas Zickgraf and the Midtown crew write their own questions, Neel is given a set of them by Cheaters Never Prosper each week.

Al Yaney, Steve Marroni and Lori Corden made up one of the seven teams that showed up on a recent gorgeous Wednesday evening. They agreed that they like to play each week for a fun night out with friends, though they did reveal that they began attending the ABC trivia night once Neel took it over because they enjoyed her work elsewhere.

“If we were ever to play individually, we’d come in last,” Yaney admitted. “But our areas of knowledge kind of mesh together really well. Some of us know the important things like chemistry, and some of us know things like ‘80s movies.”

Such is the beauty of Harrisburg’s trivia nights. Because across the city from ABC, there’s a place where you can play a game in which knowing ‘80s movies will be far more important than knowing chemistry. It’s a place accepting all-comers every other Tuesday night. And it’s a place, they say, where even the losers can be winners.

The Answer Is . . .

Trivia nights have become increasingly popular and can be found throughout the Harrisburg area. The venues and events mentioned in this story include:

Appalachian Brewing Co.
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.
www.abcbrew.com

Midtown Cinema
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
www.midtowncinema.com

Zeroday Brewing Co.
925 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
Thursdays, 7 p.m.
www.zerodaybrewing.com

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Peak Performance: Music is back on tap at the Abbey Bar

March 28, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

Photo courtesy of Moon Peak Productions.

It seems like a lifetime ago, but the Abbey Bar was once one of the hottest places in Harrisburg for live music.

The large space, above Appalachian Brewing Co. on N. Cameron Street, hosted numerous bands a week—local, regional and even national.

Thanks to one emerging production company, those good times are back on the bill.

Moon Peak Productions, spearheaded by the husband-and-wife duo of Pat and Sarah Combs, struck up a partnership with ABC last year after the regional brewery started exploring ways to bring music back. The first set of collaborative concerts began in February with a show by one of Harrisburg’s favorite funk bands, The Dirty Sweet.

“We started reaching out to different people in different music production companies in the Harrisburg area who would want to work with us, and what that would look like,” said Samantha Brenner, director of communications at ABC. “We met [Sarah and Pat] through our head brewer [Bruce Tanner], who works with them on the side.”

The venue, long considered a stronghold for bluegrass and jam bands, will continue to serve as a destination for the music community in those genres while adding a greater variety of acts, said Danny McCoy, Moon Peak’s talent buyer and creative director.

Those new types of shows might include “electronic and DJ shows… psychedelic rock and jazz fusion,” McCoy said. Brenner described the planned band schedule as “eclectic.”

“We’re trying to stay true to people who know the Abbey Bar for what it is, and was before, but we also want to get to the current vibe in Harrisburg,” Brenner said.

McCoy also emphasized the organization’s commitment to giving back to the community.

Moon Peak Productions is dedicated to putting together shows and experiences that are produced as sustainably as possible and with charitable components whenever possible, he said. For instance, the company has committed to donating $1 per ticket sold to an area nonprofit, according to McCoy.

“Having a positive impact every way that we can is a huge part of our mission,” said Sarah Combs. “[We’ll] continually switch it up and circle back. So many groups out there could use a little boost.”

For now, the organization has been choosing different nonprofits to partner with nearly every quarter, with more than $400 raised for Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties in 2023. In 2024, the organization plans to make donations to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Valley Youth House, Special Olympics Pennsylvania and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Coming Back

Physically, attendees will find that the space looks a bit different, as the team has removed all of the pool tables and the venue is standing room only, now capable of holding as many as 400 people.

Lighting and sound have been improved to state-of-the-art designs, and the stage has been modified to make it an easier, better experience for performers, Brenner said.

But don’t worry about the most important aspect. This reporter confirmed that the space’s beloved giant disco ball still hovers over the middle of the room.

The Combses, who also are the team behind Mountain Laurel Catering, are taking control of the rental operations of the venue, as well, to keep logistics organized between performances and private parties. The staff working behind the bar during shows will still be ABC employees, though.

“Coming back to this room has significant meaning to me,” Sarah Combs said, adding that it’s held a special place in her heart for 20 years. “We’re very, very excited to be a part of this reopening.”

Brenner said that the Abbey Bar’s comeback has brought new excitement to ABC itself, which, in 1997, opened as Harrisburg’s first brewpub.

The whole restaurant is buzzing, the staff are excited, and we’ve had so many people reach out about how wonderful it is,” Brenner said. “We really feel grateful that the community is rallying behind us with this.”

The Abbey Bar is located on the second floor of Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. For a show schedule and more information, visit www.moonpeakproductions.com.

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Harrisburg developer to breathe life into two long-abandoned buildings, with offices, apartments

September 9, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

The exteriors of 28 and 38 N. Cameron St. in Harrisburg

Two long-abandoned industrial buildings have a new lease on life, as a Harrisburg developer plans to convert them to office and residential spaces.

Matt Long, owner of Harrisburg Commercial Interiors, said that he and his business partners have begun interior demolition work on 28 and 38 N. Cameron St., two derelict buildings near Appalachian Brewing Co.

“Our main motivation is that we wanted to save these buildings,” he said. “No one else wanted to touch them.”

The ownership group, Cameron Street LP, bought the two buildings in mid-August for $25,000 from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority.

Under their plan, the smaller building at 28 N. Cameron St. will become the new offices for Harrisburg Commercial Interiors, while the larger building at 38 N. Cameron will become a five-unit apartment building.

Originally, the century-old buildings housed automobile-related businesses—a Motormart used car dealership and Duco Co. auto refinishers, before being gobbled up by Keystone Building Products, which occupied much of that block for decades.

In 1990, after Keystone left, the city took possession of the abandoned properties, and then-Mayor Steve Reed touted a federally backed retail complex called Paxton Commons, which was never built. At one point, Appalachian Brewing Co. also considered the site for expansion.

In 2015, the city turned the land over to the redevelopment authority, but still nothing happened, with the buildings occupied by squatters.

Long said that his company already has begun the interior demolition and cleanup of the buildings, which were choked with trash.

He expects work on the smaller, 7,000-square-foot building to be finished by the end of this year, which will enable his company to move into the space. The larger, 19,200-square foot apartment building next door will mostly be a 2021 project, he said.

Long said that other potential buyers and developers over the years were deterred by two factors. First, the land sits in the 100-year flood plain right by Paxton Creek, and, secondly, the cost of demolishing the buildings and performing site remediation was prohibitive.

Long said that he’s able to get around these issues by re-using the buildings’ existing industrial exteriors and, for the apartment building, occupying only the second floor, with parking on the first floor.

Floor plans for the five planned apartment units at 38 N. Cameron St.

The five industrial-style apartments will be large—four two-bedroom units and one one-bedroom unit, ranging from 1,400 square feet to nearly 1,700 square feet.

Long conceded that the location isn’t as desirable as some other parts of the city, but said that the units will be priced accordingly.

“Many other cities have taken industrial centers and cleaned them up and made them marketable residences,” he said. “That’s what we plan to do here.”

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A Brew for You: Harrisburg Beer Week is back, with something new on tap.

March 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Over its five-year history, Harrisburg Beer Week has become known for its signature events.

The Little Big Beer Fest, a tribute to high-octane brews, sells out fast, and I know a married couple from Shipoke who actually delayed the start of their European vacation so they could attend their favorite event this month—the annual Battle of the Homebrewers.

Then there’s the 717 Collaboration.

Each year, several Harrisburg-area breweries band together to create a signature Beer Week beer, which is then served over the course of the 10-day suds spectacular.

The “Collab,” as it’s known, is meant to demonstrate the communal spirit and creative power of Harrisburg-area brewers. However, by the organizers’ own admission, the resulting product hasn’t always been a crowd-pleaser.

“It shouldn’t just be for the people brewing the beer,” said Chelsie Markel, Beer Week co-organizer and brewery liaison. “We want to appeal to the entire Beer Week community.”

So, last August, four breweries—Zeroday Brewing Co., Troëgs Independent Brewing, Appalachian Brewing Co. and Boneshire Brew Works—got together to begin noodling concepts for the 2019 Collab.

“They wanted to create an approachable beer,” Markel said. “Nothing crazy or zany.”

At the same time, the brewers wanted to make something unique, which would stand out from all the IPAs and sours on tap everywhere.

After many meetings and test batches, they decided on a final recipe for a helles bock, a crisp, malty lager that is a relatively uncommon offering among central PA craft breweries.

“When this got started last summer, we all went around and talked about styles, ingredients and techniques we were interested in,” said Troëgs brewmaster John Trogner. “Classic styles of beer started to pop up in the conversation, and eventually we settled on a subtly complex lager.”

Last month, area brewers gathered together at Troëgs in Hershey for “717 Collab Brew Day” to ceremonially push the button and let the brewing begin.

Zeroday’s Theo Armstrong said that he and his fellow brewers wanted a beer that average consumers would enjoy, but that would also would hold their interest as beer-makers.

“We asked, ‘What inspires us? What do we like to drink when we get off of work?’” he said. “We all agreed that we like to drink these clean, crisp lagers.”

John Straitiff, head brewer at ABC, described the beer as “light and refreshing with some nice floral notes.”

“It’s meant to be a beer for the general public that is also very distinctive,” he said.

Starting April 26, you’ll be able to find the 717 Collab at more than a dozen breweries and pubs from Carlisle to Elizabethtown to Dillsburg. For the first time, you can also purchase the beer in cans, as 300 cases will be distributed throughout greater Harrisburg.

So, after attending one of Beer Week’s many firkin evenings, tap takeovers, pint nights or special events, you can grab a four-pack to go.

Beer Week co-organizer Sara Bozich emphasized the charitable aspect, as $1 per draft sold will be donated to the event’s beneficiary, Harrisburg River Rescue. Last year, Harrisburg Beer Week donated $40,000 to the River Rescue, with hopes of exceeding that goal this year.

“We want to make sure as many people as possible can enjoy this beer during Harrisburg Beer Week and, by doing that, contribute to a great cause,” she said.

Harrisburg Beer Week takes place April 26 to May 5 at many locations throughout central Pennsylvania. For more information, including a list of where to buy the 717 Collaboration and a full schedule of events, visit www.harrisburgbeerweek.com.

Taste Times Two: Koda, Newfangled offer a flavorsome collaboration.

December 28, 2018 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Photo by Dani Fresh.

Those of us who grew up with Italian grandmothers know what it’s like to live in an environment where food is an expression of love.

We’ve seen firsthand the smiles a good meal elicits. So, it’s no surprise that, as adults, we, too, are interested in creating a similar mood.

As a child, Christian DeLutis observed his grandmother creating praiseworthy meals from simple ingredients and soon learned that he was happiest behind a stove. His passion led him to the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute and, upon completion of the program, to top kitchens in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Ireland.

After spending years away from home, DeLutis decided that it was time to return to the area.

“Family is here,” he said. “I missed home, and I wanted to bring here what I learned over the years.”

Arriving back in central PA, he soon went to work with Tröegs Brewery in Hershey to develop their “snack bar.” The project was so successful that it created a national buzz, with magazines like “All About Beer” singing its praises, using words like “adventurous, forward thinking and experimental.” After five years at Tröegs, DeLutis decided that it was time to move on, to take his career to the next level and become his own boss.

Shared & Loved

Owning his own restaurant was a long-held dream for DeLutis, and he felt that the best way to execute his vision was to start from scratch.

He worked with locally based Yingst Homes to build his restaurant in an emerging planned community located just off Nyes Road between Locust Lane and Union Deposit Road in the Union Station development.

“We chose this area because it is not as tucked away as some planned communities,” he said. “We are convenient to most locations on the East Shore, and there is a parking lot out back that accommodates 100 cars.”

In a nod to his mother’s pet name for him, DeLutis chose the Native American word, “Koda,” for his eatery, which means ‘little bear.’

Upon walking into Koda, the dining room immediately stands out or, in current parlance, is “Instagram worthy.”

An enormous, blue neon sign hangs over the open kitchen spelling out the restaurant name and its founding year in Roman numerals. The space, with its high ceiling and unfinished wainscoting, has an industrial vibe, with elements of Americana pulled from various decades.

Hobnail drinking glasses hail from the 1930s, and tufted booths evoke the steakhouses of the 1950s. One can almost picture the British model Twiggy perched on any one of the mod, white plastic chairs that complement rectangular tables of the same color.

As for the food, DeLutis describes it as “nostalgic” and explains that he considers it “vintage cuisine viewed beneath a modern lens.” The made-from-scratch, Americana-inspired dishes include creative takes on comfort foods like Swedish meatballs (venison, currants, egg noodles, gravy), gnocchi (scallop, lobster, fennel cream) and crispy duck leg (baked beans, barley, bacon, molasses).

Last month, Brenden Orth was one of the first customers to visit the restaurant, just days after it opened. He left praising the homemade pretzel rolls that arrived hot at the table topped with honey butter and the pork tenderloin served with bacon, red cabbage and dumplings.

“Everything was delicious and seasoned perfectly, and my wife thought her salmon was the best she’s ever had,” he said.

The couple made a point to save room for dessert, ordering apple pie and baked Alaska.

“We shared and loved both,” Orth said.

DeLutis attributes the early praise to a well-choreographed team.

“I make no decision without the other three chefs: the chef de cuisine, the pastry chef and the lead cook,” he said. “We all have to nod in agreement when making decisions.”

Through experience, he’s learned that a positive, supportive work environment is key to maintaining top-notch employees.

“I believe that will result in good food and good service,” he said. “We’re not trying to be pretentious here.”

Fun, Approachable

But good food isn’t the only reason to venture out to Koda. In a trend that’s becoming increasingly popular, the restaurant is partnering with a new brewery, which is located under the same roof.

Newfangled Brew Works opened just before Koda, but the timing worked out well. The two operations share about 12,000 square feet of space, but they’re technically separate. So, you can enjoy a craft beer in the casual brewery or slip into Koda for a great meal and cocktail.

Run by brew master Adam Cole, Newfangled prides itself on serving crisp, American-style beers. So, while you’ll find a solid IPA and wheat beer, you probably won’t be faced with anything on the bleeding edge of hoppy or sour.

Cole earned his beer bona fides at well-known breweries like Harrisburg-based Appalachian Brewing Co. and Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown. He said that his degree in biotechnology has translated well into brewing, too. Then there was his experience as a bomb technician in the Air Force, which, he said, has helped him enter the tough world of business ownership.

“I learned not to sweat the small stuff,” he said, with a laugh.

For now, Cole anticipates turning out between 700 and 1,000 barrels annually, offering four standard beers, along with seasonal brews. Wines and spirits will also be available, as will casual fare like tacos, chicharrones and pork carnitas served from an on-site taco truck.

The brewery, which accommodates about 100 patrons, is meant to be an easygoing, fun experience, marked by live music and even party games like Jenga, Connect4 and Ping Pong.

The partnership between Koda and Newfangled enables patrons to enjoy a beer, cocktail or glass of wine at either one place or the other, or both. Even though Cole and DeLutis are running each business separately, both are united in one goal: to foster socialization by creating a fun, approachable destination where everyone feels welcome.

Koda and Newfangled Brew Works are located at 8001 Union Station Blvd., Harrisburg (Lower Paxton Township). For more information, visit www.kodahbg.com and www.newfangledbrew.com.

Beer Week Me: The annual tribute to local craft beer goes another round.

March 30, 2018 | by Norah Griffiths Johnson

Burg in Focus: Harrisburg Beer Week from GK Visual on Vimeo.

We made it through the doldrums of February and the manic weather mood swings of March. Now, in April, our collective reward for perseverance comes in the form of—beer.

Yes, Harrisburg Beer Week is back, the lovechild of a small team of locals who harbor a deep affection for PA’s capital city and local craft beer (though possibly not in that order). Happening the final week of April, Harrisburg Beer Week includes more than 150 events at area breweries, restaurants and venues—from small batch tastings to special releases, from meet-the-brewer opportunities to even a “Stranger Things”-themed costume party (yes, beer will be involved).

Among this flurry of craft beer-related offerings are several signature events. There’s a VIP kick-off party to thank sponsors and a Little Big Beer Fest, which is a tasting celebration showcasing high-ABV (alcohol-by-volume) brews from more than 25 area breweries. The latter of these, plus the Battle of the Homebrewers, is particularly unique to Harrisburg Beer Week.

“Battle,” as those in the know call it, features some 70-plus home brews (and their makers) competing under one tent in the courtyard of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. Ticketholders and judges vote on their favorites and prizes are awarded.

“If you really want to try something unusual and different, the Battle of the Home Brewers is a must,” said Sara Bozich, a founding member of the Harrisburg Beer Week team.

Bozich explained that, because home brewers work with significantly smaller quantities, they have the ability to experiment with a wide range of unusual ingredients that large-scale breweries—due to cost—simply cannot use.

In past years, participating home brewers have brought with them anything from a Bloody Mary beer (an award winner, in fact), to a peanut butter brew, in addition to some delightful sour brews that drew enthusiasm from event attendees. Some market vendors also will be open, complete with special, beer-themed foods for purchase. Did someone say beer fudge?

Both Battle of the Homebrewers and Little Big Beer Fest quickly sell out annually, so advance purchase is recommended. Rounding out the 10-day extravaganza is a mini-golf tournament and an after-party on City Island. This year, the tournament will be held on Sunday, April 29, to allow families to attend.

In addition to Beer Week’s many events, the 717 Collaboration is back. Since the event’s inception, local breweries Tröegs, Pizza Boy and Appalachian Brewing Co. have teamed up to create a signature collaboration beer. New this year, and going forward, an additional brewery will be added to keep things interesting. The end result of this year’s creative endeavor will be available at all participating event locations.

Perhaps the best reason of all to support Harrisburg Beer Week (beyond all the delicious beer, obviously) is that all proceeds go to Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services. Founded more than 60 years ago, this all-volunteer organization plays a pivotal role in the community, providing emergency search and rescue services, as well as support to first responders for fires, floods, accidents and other disasters.

To date, the event has raised a whopping $85,000 in support of the River Rescue, with this number estimated to round out to a cool $100,000 in 2018. The money has helped the volunteers make significant improvements to their headquarters, which was devastated by Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.

Other means of fundraising include a digital raffle, available online throughout April, and a tag up program at most event establishments. The digital raffle is not to be missed, with enviable prizes like the chance to design your own beer with the Zeroday Brewing Co. folks, a van tour of local breweries for you and your friends, and even a tuition discount to HACC’s Brewing Science certificate program.

Harrisburg Beer Week runs April 20 to 29 at locations throughout central Pennsylvania. For more information, including a long list of events, visit harrisburgbeerweek.com.

PA Flavorful

Looking to combine your love of area chefs’ culinary inspiration and craft beer and wine? Then look no further than PA Flavor, taking place April 21 at the PA Farm Show Complex. Now in its eighth year, this event provides attendees with the opportunity to sample the “A” game of more than 50 breweries and wineries and 18 area restaurants.

Presented through a partnership of the Brewers of PA, Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA), American Culinary Federation and the state Department of Agriculture’s PA Preferred Program, PA Flavor, at its core, is a fundraiser.

Heidi Howard, with PRLA, explained that her organization’s share of the PA Flavor proceeds goes towards helping students in the hospitality industry further their education. Each year, PA Flavor enables PRLA to award tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship funds.

“It’s the future of the industry and so important,” Howard said.

Interestingly, PA Flavor and Harrisburg Beer Week (which will have a booth at the event) coincide with one another. This is no coincidence. Three years ago, the events’ organizers began scheduling things to fall at the same time and have found it to be—rather appropriately—a natural pairing.

“I can’t say enough about the partnership that we have with the folks who launched Harrisburg Beer Week,” said Howard. “We have definitely seen an uptick in attendance since that partnership began three years ago. And we’re really appreciative of that.”

Tickets to PA Flavor vary in price, but include VIP and designated driver options. VIP ticketholders will enjoy a private hour in the event hall, with butler-passed and stationary hors d’oeuvres and specialty and small-batch craft beers available only to them.

PA Flavor takes place April 21 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. For more information, visit paflavor.com.

Park Place: In Harrisburg, a foundation is helping city parks make a comeback.

December 29, 2017 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

A late autumn chill lingered in the air on a recent morning in Harrisburg’s Reservoir Park, but the small crowd gathered around Rebirth Fountain didn’t appear concerned about getting wet from the spray.

In fact, some might even welcome it.

It was Nov. 14, the first time the landmark fountain had worked properly in 15 years, thanks to a restoration project coordinated by the Harrisburg Parks Foundation.

To get the 23-year-old city fixture up and running, the volunteer foundation partnered with the Special Projects Committee of the Greater Harrisburg Area, which helped raise funds. The foundation acted as a “coordinator” between all parties involved with the project, which included the city, said foundation member Scott Shepler.

Folks gathered on that day, including Mayor Eric Papenfuse, seemed very pleased with the result.

“This is a clear example of what we can accomplish if we unite the public and private sectors in beautifying our city,” Papenfuse told the crowd.

Foundation chair Jeb Stuart later added his own words of encouragement.

“Our whole thing is to improve the city one way or the other,” he said. “It’s a marriage of historic preservation and restoring and enhancing our parks.”

In Tandem

Many of Harrisburg’s parks took shape or were improved during the City Beautiful movement of more than a century ago. At that time, Harrisburg’s community and business leaders joined forces to improve sanitation services, clean up toxic waterways and restore natural elements to the city’s dense urban landscape.

Today, the city is recommitting to its parks and green spaces, and the Parks Foundation is playing an increasingly critical role in that effort.

The foundation, which operates under the auspices of the nonprofit Foundation for Enhancing Communities, has a layered mission, Stuart said.

Primarily, it supports Harrisburg’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Enrichment to help preserve, maintain and develop the city’s parks and playgrounds. But it also works to improve recreational opportunities in Harrisburg generally.

Besides the city itself, it operates in tandem with several other local organizations, including Dauphin County Parks and Recreation, Capital Region Water, Capital Area Greenbelt and Historic Harrisburg Association.

The foundation, just three years old, already has taken on several high-profile projects.

Besides the fountain restoration, it raised $8,000 in 2015 to purchase a new swing set for a city playground on Vernon Street in Allison Hill. In 2016, members accepted a $15,000 check from PPL Utilities for renovating the pavilion at the 4th and Emerald Street playground. The foundation also played a role in creating the Reservoir Park master plan, which was released earlier this year.

In addition to grants from various organizations, the foundation raises money from the annual Jack Crago Memorial Golf Outing, held each summer, which is its principal fundraising event.

Environmental education is another focus for the foundation.

This past October, it began sponsoring a free environmental film series, which takes place at the Civic Club of Harrisburg.

The next film in the series, “Water Blues, Green Solution,” will screen on March 22. That movie tells the story of communities that create green solutions for water “blues” like flooding, pollution and scarcity.

“Cities of Trees” follows on April 22, a tale of how a nonprofit worked to reduce poverty in Washington, D.C., by offering jobs to the unemployed while improving parks. “How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things That Climate Can’t Change” is also on the docket for 2018.

The film screenings were inspired by the foundation’s previous presentation, “Hometown Habitat” at the Appalachian Brewing Co. in Harrisburg. Upwards of 100 people came to see the environmental film by the Meadow Project and Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council.

Admission to all films is free and open to the public, courtesy of the foundation.

A Marriage

For such a young organization, the foundation has made quite an impact, which is even more impressive as its principals are very busy people.

For example, Shepler is known for his work with the Capital Area Greenbelt Association. He’s also a founder of the nonprofit Trips for Kids, which organizes bike trips for area youth, and was involved with the Reservoir Park master plan.

All in all, Shepler’s civic duties don’t leave him with much spare time on his hands.

“It’s a good thing I don’t have a job,” he quipped, referring to his “retirement” a few years ago.

Harrisburg Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Sanders sits on the parks foundation’s 15-member committee, offering suggestions about potential city projects.

“From our standpoint, we try to provide projects that the city might need help with,” he explained. “We try to guide certain things.”

Stuart, a long-time city activist, historian and preservationist, added that the foundation’s mission ultimately is to help the city progress.

“We’ve already had a lot of successes,” he said. “We’re up and operational and have all our pieces together.”

For more information about the Harrisburg Parks Foundation, visit www.harrisburgparksfoundation.org.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

School of Bock: Yes, you can “major in beer” as HACC, local breweries team up for a certification program.

November 30, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

Burg in Focus: HACC Brewing Science Program from GK Visual on Vimeo.

If you love bold and flavorful beer like I do, the Harrisburg metro area is the place to be. Every few months, a new brewpub opens up, giving beer aficionados a multitude of options.

The craft beer craze has spread so far and deep that it has even caught the attention of academia, including, locally, HACC.

In the summer of 2015, HACC President John Sygielski emailed the college’s director of continuing education, Abigail Peslis, instructing her to look into the craft brewing movement.

“Our college president is extremely innovative and forward thinking, and he said I should check into this, but that I had no need to respond,” recalled Peslis.

Sygielski’s message found the right audience. Peslis is herself a craft beer fan.

“When I had an opportunity to delve into that industry, I grabbed the bull by the horns,” she said.

Peslis called Dan LaBert, executive director of the Brewers of Pennsylvania, the major brewing guild in the commonwealth. He told Peslis that such a program was exactly what the state’s brewing industry needed and connected her with a number of local experts.

She next called Zeroday Brewing Co., which had recently opened just a block down Reily Street from her Midtown office. Zeroday co-owners Theo and Brandalynn Armstrong eagerly expressed interest in helping HACC develop a program in brewing science.

“It’s almost like the stars aligned,” said Peslis. “There was a need for a trained workforce because the brewing industry was exploding.”

In less than a year, HACC’s Brewing Science Certificate Program was educating its first cohort of students. The goal is to make the program sufficiently robust so students come away with all the foundational skills they need to enter the brewing industry’s workforce. But HACC wants the program to be short enough that students can complete it within a year.

Peslis involved local breweries to develop the curriculum. These included Zeroday, Tröegs Independent Brewing and Appalachian Brewing Co. (ABC).

“This program was absolutely created for the local central PA region,” Peslis said.

Full Spectrum

Today, six local brewers provide instruction and expertise: Zeroday, Tröegs, ABC, Boneshire Brew Works and the Millworks, all based in the Harrisburg/Hershey area, and Old Forge Brewery in Danville. The students also visit Sunny Brea Hops, located just outside of Carlisle, to learn more about the high-quality hops used for craft brewing.

“We do a lot of hands-on learning, so our students visit all of those facilities,” Peslis said. “Our students get the full spectrum of everything.”

In return, HACC gives local brewers qualified applicants to join their teams and to raise the standards of brewing in general.

Anybody who is 21 or older can enroll in the HACC program. No background in brewing or biology is required.

Earlier this year, the first cohort of 11 students, ranging in age from 21 to 60, completed about 250 hours of coursework and earned their certificates. They took evening classes in a wide range of topics relating to the brewing business, including safety, sanitation, culinary math, marketing and microbiology.

And, most importantly, the students selected a style of beer to brew, worked with vendors to choose the ingredients, and brewed it from scratch. With guidance from Zeroday, they decided to brew a coffee oatmeal stout, a popular winter beer.

“The students got hands-on experience and recipe design,” said Brandalynn Armstrong. “They got to have some fun and get their hands dirty.”

But as Armstrong is quick to point out, the program is not just about brewing good beer.

“We asked students to think: How are you going to sell the beer after you make it?” she said. “So, we added a marketing component.”

The students had to look at their product from a business angle and come up with a name, a sales strategy and a pitch. Several local brewers and restaurant owners judged different names and decided upon HACChiato (like a macchiato from Starbucks) because the stout contained coffee and milk. The students even worked with an attorney to make sure the name was commercially viable and didn’t infringe upon any copyrights.

HACChiato was unveiled at a launch party at Zeroday. More than 300 people came that day to taste the beer, including Sygielski.

“The stout turned out very lovely,” Armstrong said.

Cutting Edge

Peslis said that it’s essential for local brewers to recognize the credentials that the students receive. And thanks to HACC’s partnership with the Brewers of Pennsylvania, the program guarantees that all graduates can receive a 40-hour volunteer internship at a local brewery.

Some of the recent graduates plan to start their own breweries. Others are mainly interested in brewing better beer at home. And one of the recent graduates is now the tasting room manager at Tröegs.

“They are moving into nice roles in the industry,” Peslis said.

Marc Michaud of Carlisle is one of the home brewers who recently graduated. He was the one who came up with the name, HACChiato. Michaud found out about the program from his wife, who thought he would be interested.

“I wanted to at least be a little better than what I was doing at home,” said Michaud, who did his internship at Molly Pitcher Brewing Co. in Carlisle. “It was a great experience. I learned a lot of different things, a lot more on the business side of brewing than I thought, which was awesome.”

Michaud recommends the program to anyone who is interested in going into the industry, who home brews or who just likes beer and wants to learn more about the industry.

The program is currently educating a second cohort of 13 students, who will graduate in February. At the time of this writing, the students had not yet decided what style of beer to brew, but their HACC brew will be available at Zeroday around the time they graduate. HACC plans to can the 2018 beer, which means the students will have to come up with catchy artwork, as well as a name.

The program has made several changes since last year and will continue to evolve to remain cutting-edge, Peslis said.

“It was nice being a part of creating that program with all the guidance and amenities of HACC,” said Zeroday’s Armstrong. “For us, it was really awesome to be part of it.”

The next HACC Brewing Science Certificate Program runs from May 2018 to February 2019. The cost is $4,500, which includes all books and materials. To learn more about the HACC program, visit www.hacc.edu.

Hoppy Trail: Best of the West Shore featured in Cumberland Valley Beer Trail.

June 30, 2017 | by Karen Hendricks

By the standards of the craft beer industry, Market Cross Pub may be the ancient man of Cumberland County.

The English-style pub opened in 1993 in downtown Carlisle, adding a brewery in 2002 that today produces 12 to 15 varieties annually.

But Market Cross now has teamed up with a bunch of young bucks to form the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail, which showcases 15 of the West Shore’s breweries, restaurants and pubs.

Conceptualized last summer and launched in April, the beer trail “received immediate, positive response” from both breweries and patrons, said Aaron Jumper, communications coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, which created the trail.

“We learned very quickly that the breweries love partnering with each other,” he said. “It’s a unique industry, and they’re very willing to collaborate.”

It works like this: Patrons pick up a beer passport at participating locations, collect stamps at each location, and mail the passport to the visitors bureau after five, 10 or 15 stamps for one, two or three chances at a monthly, $50 gift certificate redeemable at any trail establishment.

Jumper said that beer trails are popping up all over the country, following closely in the footsteps of wine trails. And he calls Market Cross Pub a “cornerstone” in the trail’s creation, as owner Ashleigh Corby provided invaluable advice. Market Cross is one of several beer trail locations with a brewery on site.

“We use the Peter Austin brewing system, an English system with open fermentation,” explained Corby. “It’s all very manual, with brick-lined kettles and mashing by hand—it’s fairly unique.”

In addition to Market Cross Pub, beer lovers can enjoy local creations from Carlisle’s Desperate Times Brewery, Carlisle’s Molly Pitcher Brewing Co., Mechanicsburg’s Harty Brewing Co., Appalachian Brewing Co. in Mechanicsburg, Chambersburg’s Roy Pitz Brewing Co. and Camp Hill’s Ever Grain Brewing Co., which occupies an industrial building that once housed Sun Motors.

“Having an open brewery, being able to see the tanks and our brewer working, is one of the appealing aspects,” said Angella Hodges, Ever Grain’s marketing director.

With styles ranging from a light-bodied, German-style helles lager to a coffee-infused, Russian-style imperial stout, the lineup at Ever Grain also includes playful creations like Fluffhead, a Bavarian-style hefeweizen. The former car dealership window opens to the neighboring Red Sky Café, where patrons can order a bite to eat.

Designated drivers on the beer trail can enjoy numerous handcrafted sodas, and the trail’s cuisine includes English, Belgian, German and even Italian food—transporting you to Europe via the Cumberland Valley. For example, you can nosh on bangers and mash at Market Cross Pub, pomme frites at Café Bruges and specialty pizzas at Al’s of Hampden.

Café Bruges is one of several CV Beer Trail stops that carefully curates a collection of imported and/or craft beer. Others include Grain + Verse, T. J. Rockwell’s, Brewhouse Grille and Al’s of Hampden, which also features selections from the onsite Pizza Boy Brewery.

“Belgium treats beer as the rest of the world treats wine—they’re very bold with lots of different, fun flavors,” said Café Bruges manager Chantal Schurr, who credits the creative use of wild yeast for Belgian beer’s layered flavor profiles.

Café Bruges carries more than 80 different Belgian beers.

“This is huge, because Belgians can be hard to get,” Schurr said. “Additionally, Belgium has six of the world’s Trappist (monastery) breweries, and we carry five right here.”

There are interesting twists and turns along the trail. Carlisle’s Castlerigg Wine Shop features a wine bar, and downtown Mechanicsburg’s Larsen Meadworks explores the fine art of producing mead—an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water and infusing flavor via fruit, spices, grains or hops. It’s one of about 10 meadworks in Pennsylvania.

“What I found is that mead has the ability to appeal to both beer and wine people,” said owner Nate Larsen, a former Lower Paxton Township police officer.

Larsen uses 500 to 600 pounds of Lancaster’s Dutch Gold Honey monthly. Captain Awesome, inspired by spiced rum, is his most popular creation. On the other end of the spectrum, Cello-Sol (a.k.a. “Liquid Happy”) is a light, refreshing mead that combines honey, lemon and mango.

Jumper predicts the trail’s expansion as additional breweries pop up throughout central PA.

“The beer industry seems to be flourishing in our region, providing great experiences for residents and visitors alike,” he said. “There is definitely growth potential on the horizon.”

To learn more about the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail, visit www.visitcumberlandvalley.com and click on “things to do.”

Author: Karen Hendricks

Best of the Brews: A self-described “beer snob” makes the rounds of our rapidly expanding craft beer scene—and shares his favorites.

April 28, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

A few months ago, I was marveling at the seemingly endless list of craft beers at the Federal Taphouse in downtown Harrisburg.

I asked my long-time friend Andy Shaffer, “When was the last time you ordered an imported beer?”

Andy couldn’t recall, and neither could I. Long gone are the dark days when beer lovers were forced to choose between imports and wimpy, watery American brews.

With the craft beer revolution in overdrive, the number of quality American breweries has exploded in recent years. And nowhere is this more evident than in the Harrisburg metro area. New brewpubs are sprouting up everywhere, including five in just the past year alone.

“Making Harrisburg a beer destination point is a big thing,” said Kristin Messner-Baker, owner of the Vegetable Hunter, a downtown Harrisburg restaurant that started serving its own beer in February.

Being a beer connoisseur (some might say “beer snob”), I set out to visit all the brewpubs in the immediate Harrisburg metro area. I ordered samples of their beers, or a flight, and then picked my favorite. I focused mainly on beers that are available year-round.

No two people have the exact same taste in beer. I prefer full-bodied, strong-flavored brews, usually with high alcohol content. I am a generalist, meaning I can appreciate quality beers across a wide spectrum of styles, though I gravitate toward porters, stouts, IPAs and Belgian ales. I am particularly fond of beers that are solid representatives of their types but that have subtle and complex flavors resulting from a creative mix of ingredients.

Below are brief descriptions of the breweries and my selections.

Al’s of Hampden / Pizza Boy Brewing Co., 2240 Millennium Way, Enola
This establishment brews so many beers that I couldn’t try every one. I found the quality to be consistently high, so it was difficult to single one out. In a very close call, I went with the double coffee stout over the Murren River IPA, which I also loved.

Sunny Side Up Double Coffee Stout, 9.5% ABV
This stout has such a strong coffee flavor, courtesy of Little Amps Coffee, that it might turn off some stout lovers. But for me, it has the heart and soul of a great stout. It’s full-bodied with an extremely complex flavor, including a very subtle sweetness that complements the rest of the beer. This is right up there with my favorite Harrisburg-area beers.

Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
There was a period when I avoided ABC because their beers tended to be watery. But I feel ABC has raised its game in recent years. Besides my selection below, I loved the Outta Focus Double IPA and the Chocolate Avenue Stout.

“Jolly Scot” Scottish Style Ale, 5.9% ABV
I instantly liked the ale, and it got better with each sip. It has a tinge of fruitiness that gives it character but does not dominate the overall flavor. I can taste a little bit of maltiness but no hoppiness. It’s right up my alley, but not for hopheads. I sat at the downstairs bar next to a visiting beer-lover from northern Virginia, who said this was his favorite ABC beer.

Boneshire Brew Works, 7462 Derry St., Harrisburg
This small brewpub is one of the new kids on the block, having opened its doors in October.

LazaRIS Unrobed Russian Imperial Stout, 9.5% ABV
This was my favorite in the flight of five, and master brewer Alan Miller described it as his “flagship.” It’s extremely smooth with a beautiful head. It has just enough texture to make it a satisfying stout. I taste a very subtle sweetness that is pleasant but does not overwhelm the classic Russian imperial stout flavor. It has a very pleasant aftertaste, and it went down easily in a way that made me want another.

Ever Grain Brewing Co., 4444 Carlisle Pike, Camp Hill
Ever Grain has gotten off to a flying start since it opened in September, which explains why it has been packed every time I’ve visited. The beers are so consistently strong across the line that it was painful to choose a favorite. All of the IPAs were first rate, and I also really liked the Udder One nitro stout. My bartender Brian said it best: “It’s an honor to pour these beers.”

Kaboo Pale Ale, 5.5% ABV
I actually preferred the IPAs (especially the Surf Breaker and the Doose Juicy), but I was startled by this beer, which I enjoyed far more than a typical pale ale. It has a mild but extremely pleasant hoppy flavor that is a perfect introduction to the world of IPAs for people who normally don’t like hoppy beers.

Harty Brewing Co., 146 Walden Way, Mechanicsburg
This is a very small brewery that opened in 2015. If you visit, I highly recommend the seasonals.

Hefeweizen, 4.9% ABV
I’m one of those snobs who think Americans still have a lot of catching up to do with the Germans when it comes to wheat beers. But this hefeweizen comes razor close to German classics such as Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. This beer is tasty and thick-textured. The German yeast gives it its flavor, but I could also taste the underlying German hops. Extremely satisfying.

Lancaster Brewing Co., 469 Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg
This Lancaster-based brewery has been around since the mid-1990s. The sampler tray consisted of a whopping 13 beers, which ran the gamut—I loved some and hated others.

Boss Hog Double IPA, 9% ABV
This double IPA compares favorably in my mind to any IPA brewed in the United States, or anywhere else, for that matter. It has a strong hoppy flavor, but unlike some IPAs, the hops are in the Goldilocks zone—they are not overdone, they are just right. And it has an extremely smooth and thick texture that makes it an absolute pleasure to drink. And by the way, the Hop Hog single IPA ain’t too shabby either.

The Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
The Millworks started serving its own beer in late 2016 and features a small but excellent list of other Pennsylvania beers.

Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Barley Wine, 10% ABV
This extremely strong-flavored beer is definitely not for Bud or Miller Lite drinkers! The malt is prominent, but this high-alcohol barley wine gains its distinction from a strong whiskey flavor resulting from barrel aging. I also detected a very subtle caramel and oak flavor in the background. The taste is better on the back of my tongue than on the tip. A bitter aftertaste lingers quite a while.

Tattered Flag Brewery & Still Works, 1 S. Union St., Middletown
This is another new brewery, having opened last July.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Warbonds Stout, 9.2% ABV
I normally don’t find beers mixed with bourbon to be particularly appealing, but I could drink this stuff all night. It has just enough bourbon taste to give it a distinctive flavor, but it does not overwhelm the underlying stout. The high alcohol content gives it a real bite. This is a very well-crafted and highly original beer, but I agreed with the bartender when she said, “It’s not for everyone.”

Tröegs Independent Brewing, 200 Hersheypark Dr., Hershey
Along with ABC, this is the granddaddy of local breweries. And like ABC, Tröegs has been very generous to startups, loaning equipment and supplying hops in a spirit of brotherhood among craft brewers. Tröegs’s flagship line is strong, but like several friends of mine, I tend to prefer the seasonals (especially Nugget Nectar and Mad Elf) and some of the scratch beers.

Nitro Chocolate Stout, 7.1% ABV
The nitro gives this stout an ultra-smooth, creamy texture. The chocolate flavor is just right—strong enough to make it interesting but not overbearing or causing the beer to lose its classic stout character. It has a mellow but complex flavor, with almost no bitterness. It has a very pleasant, slightly sweet aftertaste.

The Vegetable Hunter, 614 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
Another of the newbies, with four beers on tap during my recent visit.

Veg Halen Porter, 5.6% ABV
This mellow porter has a tinge of coffee and coconut flavor in the background that blends in beautifully with the classic porter taste. And it’s full-bodied, while avoiding the tartness and fizziness that ruin some porters. It also has a very pleasing aftertaste that doesn’t linger too long.

The Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey, 598 Schoolhouse Rd., Middletown
As one might expect, this establishment brews sweet-tasting beers that seem to be catered toward wine lovers.

Chocolate M.I.L.F. Brown Ale, 5.2% ABV
I admit this is a guilty pleasure. I like this brown ale a lot, but the strong chocolate flavor and light texture will turn off some hard-core beer lovers. The sweet chocolate flavor is so dominant that it almost tastes more like chocolate milk than a traditional brown ale. Still, I really like it for reasons I cannot explain, though I preferred some of the seasonals.

Zeroday Brewing Co., 250 Reily St., Harrisburg
This brewery has improved tremendously from when I first visited two years ago. Over a very strong line, I gave the edge to the triple IPA over the seasonals Grievance Ale (a winter warmer) and the DTF Douglas Fir Saison.

Large Ass IPA (Triple IPA) 12.4% ABV
This beer lives up to its moniker: it kicks serious ass. It has a wonderfully full texture and a bold hoppy flavor that stops just short of crossing the line into the realm of hoppiness-for-hoppiness sake. I could drink this stuff all night, but with its high alcohol content, someone better be available to give me a ride home!

Clearly, craft beer aficionados in the Harrisburg area have no shortage of options, and I didn’t even include high-quality breweries in Carlisle and Lancaster County. If you love craft beer, I urge you to check out all of these establishments. Your list of favorites probably won’t overlap with mine, but you’re guaranteed to find beers that are right up your alley. Harrisburg-area brewers have overachieved in both quality and quantity. Our region has indeed become a destination for beer lovers!

To learn more these beers, visit the breweries’ websites. Also check out the film, “Brewed in the Burg,” on YouTube to find out more about the rise of craft beer in our area.

Author: Robert Naeye

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