The Session No. 89: Beer in History

The Session is a monthly blogging project among the beer bloggers where the host chooses the topic in which the rest of the participants can write about. I took the load of hosting the July Session post here on my blog. I chose to involve one of my favorite topics, that being history, for this month's topic. I figured that it was quite fitting for many of us as the first Friday of this month is the Fourth of July.

Pennsylvania has a deep alcohol history. A lot of it dates back to the days of the American Revolution in the late 1700's. Some of it liquor and some of it beer. There have been many places I've been to to enjoy a festival, a meal as well as a beer with both of those great things! One of the things that attracted me to some of the places is the historical allure each of them have. Most importantly, each of them are in buildings that hold some form of a historical significance!

Part of my start into craft beer was while attending school in Slippery Rock, PA. Right on Main Street was North Country Brewing Company. This was back before we even used the term "craft" or "craft beer." If you didn't want to stoop low as to drink the usual American swill you went to North Country or as we called it, The Brewery. I still have many memories of downing pint after pint of Blue Bear E Fruit Ale and Squirrel Nut Brown.

What was the building prior to North Country brewing in it? It used to be a morgue! That made it fitting for that annual Halloween party. You knew I was getting to Gettysburg at some point in this post. That's where I'll be for the next few places.

Battlefield Brew Works just up the York Road outside of Gettysburg proper is one of my favorite brewpubs in the entire Commonwealth. The bar inside is crafted from trees that were grown on the farm's property when it actually used to be a farm. The establishment itself is completely inside an 1860's style Pennsylvania Dutch barn.

The Brew Works sits on what once was (or kind of still is) the Monfort Farm just outside of Gettysburg. At one point during and for some time after the Battle of Gettysburg the barn was used as a field hospital and is designated as such by a plate on a fireplace inside. I can honestly say that in my two plus years of doing things and recording some of them on this blog that this one was the most excited I have ever been to combine both beer and history. I can't wait to return next month.

A little closer to the heart of Gettysburg was the Blue and Gray Bar and Grill. This still resides in the town square of Gettysburg which is probably the most picturesque part of the town. The building itself has been there since before the two armies ever met there. If you go a ways down Baltimore Street to the South you run into a place that's been in Gettysburg since the times of the Revolution - The Dobbin House Tavern. There you can have 1700's style fare in the dining room or downstairs in the Springhouse Tavern. It's easy to find Jack's Hard Cider from the local Hauser Estate Winery here!