Pennsylvania Has One of the Best Beer Festivals
Beer festivals are all the rage, especially in Pennsylvania, and it’s not like they’ve ever not been cool, but as the years go by, it seems as if beer festivals are becoming even more popular and celebrated. It’s something of a must-do summer activity at this point, to attend a local beer festival and have some bubbly brews. There’s something special and unique about attending a beer festival that’s in your home state, and it makes for a great, communal activity with friends. Now, one Pennsylvania beer festival has been named one of the best in the country.
Pennsylvania Beer Festival Honored
The experts at USA Today have released their roster of the best beer festivals in America, as part of their 10 Best series. This series has experts picking spots for which to vote, and then readers voting for their favorites. “Beer festivals not only offer attendees the chance to sample numerous brews (sometimes even rare and one-off pours),” USA Today notes, “but also allow beer fans to get to know their favorite brewmasters, sample paired foods, and learn all about beer and brewing.”
Before we get into our state, let’s look at the history of beer festivals. Beer festivals have actually been around for centuries. “Ancient brews were often celebrated during religious ceremonies and seasonal harvest gatherings,” notes Medium. “These events not only allowed the community to come together in merriment but also provided an opportunity for brewers to showcase their craft.”
The very first beer festivals usually took place in small villages or towns, with local artisans and farmers sharing their brews with family and friends. That’s not too different from beer festivals today, which also often take place in small cities, as well as large ones. The Homebrewers Association points to one of the very first beer festivals being held in 1810, when “Bavaria’s King Maximillian I. Joseph declared a 2-day festival in mid-October to celebrate the wedding of his son, Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese.” That festival marked the start of the famed Oktoberfest.
Now, let’s get to Pennsylvania. The famed Barrel & Flow Fest in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earned the No. 2 spot on the list. The festival has “some 3,000 craft beer industry professionals and enthusiasts come together for a weekend celebrating Black-owned breweries,” USA Today notes, adding that it also features “collaborations with Black artists and entrepreneurs from throughout Pennsylvania and the United States.” That festival takes place annually at The Stacks at 3 Crossings, 2875 Railroad Street in Pittsburgh. It’s too bad that it’s so far from Philly.
