In terms of Pennsylvania there may be loads of delight. (Hell, we also have a beer sequence named after it). Satisfaction of which beer is greatest out of your native neighborhood, metropolis, and even whole area. And with the Keystone State being quantity two within the nation for craft beer manufacturing, you possibly can wager there may be loads of delight to go round.
So it clearly begs the query… how does every metropolis evaluate in terms of craft beer? We got down to reply that query.
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To do an evaluation on every of PA’s high cities we dove deep into the numbers. We seemed on the 5 completely different areas of the state (NW, SW, Central, SE, and NE) and analyzed every. Under is the info we gathered for every metropolis:
- Variety of breweries in that particular metropolis (primarily based on energetic licenses)
- Common Untappd score of all breweries situated within the metropolis (numbers as of August eighth, 2023)
- Inhabitants Measurement (in response to United States Census)
Given all the components above right here is how the highest 5 areas in PA stack up for craft beer high quality*.
(All of Allegheny County)
Brewery Rely: 44
Common Untappd Rating: 3.80
Inhabitants: 1.23 million
Brewery Per Capita: 3.57 breweries per 100,000 residents
The Highlights: To do an entire breakdown of craft beer in Pittsburgh would take days. Particularly given the truth that Allegheny County is primary in PA for brewery depend. So we’ll stick with the 30,000 foot view. There isn’t any shock right here, however the Pittsburgh brewing scene is pretty younger. Whereas manufacturers like Church, East Finish, Penn, and others have been round for fairly a while, even their origins are younger in comparison with these within the subsequent main metropolis; Philadelphia (apart from Pittsburgh Brewing, after all). However whereas many of the metropolis’s brewing corporations could also be younger, Pittsburgh leads the way in which whenever you take a look at Untappd scores. Whereas Philadelphia depends on just a few outsiders to bolster its rankings, nearly all of Pittsburgh’s high producers are homegrown (apart from one) and all opened lower than a decade in the past. With Grist Home, Dancing Gnome, Brew Gents, Aslin, Abjuration, and Previous Thunder all main the way in which with 4.0 or higher on Untappd.
Brewery Rely: 33
Common Untappd Rating: 3.79
Inhabitants: 1.57 million
Brewery Per Capita: 2.09 breweries per 100,000 residents
The Highlights: Very similar to Pittsburgh an entire breakdown of Philadelphia can be in depth. The brewery depend is excessive, and a number of the oldest, most acknowledged producers within the state reside throughout the metropolis limits. Philadelphia is a mixture of nicely established manufacturers like Yards, Dock Avenue, and Philadelphia Brewing which have a deep historical past of creating beer mixed with a plethora of newcomers. Being Pennsylvania’s largest metropolis it’s no marvel that Philadelphia has additionally attracted out of state manufacturers. Brewing corporations like Different Half (NY Based mostly) and Supply (NJ primarily based) have each known as Philly residence. And it’s manufacturers like these holding the Untappd depend so excessive. Of all of the 33 breweries in Philadelphia solely Different Half, Supply, Human Robotic, Humble Parlor, and Fermentery Type are averaging a 4.0 or higher on Untappd.
(All of Lehigh and Northampton Counties)
Brewery Rely: 25
Common Untappd Rating: 3.74
Inhabitants: 689,167
Brewery Per Capita: 3.62 breweries per 100,000 residents
The Highlights: Whereas not fairly the main metropolitan areas that Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are, the Lehigh Valley nonetheless holds its personal. Whereas this space does technically embody two counties, the full inhabitants nonetheless stays smaller (regardless of having 2 of the highest 10 most populous cities in PA; Allentown at #3 and Bethlehem at #7). Don’t let the smaller inhabitants idiot you, the Lehigh Valley outpaces each Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in terms of breweries per capita, so there’s loads of beer to go round. Very similar to the smaller, extra rural areas on this listing, no brewery averages a 4.0 or larger on Untappd (Misplaced Tavern comes the closest at 3.99). However the future within the Lehigh Valley beer scene is vivid. A majority of the breweries solely opened throughout the final 5 years… so there’s no telling what the Valley’s beer panorama will appear like in years to return.
Brewery Rely: 9
Common Untappd Rating: 3.64
Inhabitants: 267,969
Brewery Per Capita: 2.97 breweries per 100,000 residents
The Highlights: Clearly there isn’t lots to dissect right here. To place this in perspective Erie has the identical variety of energetic breweries as Phoenixville, regardless of having nearly 200,000 extra residents. With such a small pattern measurement it’s powerful to actually rank Pennsylvania’s fifth largest metropolis in terms of craft beer. Given the pretty low per capita rating, the info would recommend there may be brewery progress awaiting Erie. With manufacturers like Lavery, Erie Brewing, and The Brewerie all opening nearly twenty years in the past town has a historical past of beer success with extra progress alternatives forward.
(All of Lancaster County)
Brewery Rely: 30
Common Untappd Rating: 3.59
Inhabitants: 553,652
Brewery Per Capita: 5.41 breweries per 100,000 residents
The Highlights: One side impacting Lancaster’s common Untappd rating can be the variety of “chain breweries”. The sort the place meals and growth come first, and beer can have a tendency to return second. We personally haven’t any points with a lot of these breweries. These institutions normally make beer extra accessible and are the sort of breweries wanted to transform the lots who aren’t fairly prepared for an amazing taplist of adjuncts. However the truth nonetheless stays that chain breweries traditionally are likely to carry out low on Untappd. Regardless of this, Lancaster boasts some superb manufacturers with loads of beer to go round; having the biggest brewery per capita on the listing. And whereas the county doesn’t have any 4.0 producers (but), there are a lot on the cusp. With Our City, Pour Man’s, Bespoke, Moo-Duck, Rural Metropolis, and Cartel all main the way in which at 3.85 or higher.
*High quality is subjective. Don’t let foolish lists like this impression having fun with what you want.