CELEBRATING LANCASTER COUNTY'S PEOPLE, SCENERY,

HERITAGE, STYLE & POINT OF VIEW SINCE 1987.

NORTH & WEST: Moo-Duck

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In the North & West, one of the newer players (opened November 2014) has a deep connection to the conservation of the county’s history and community. When I first walked into the business called Moo-Duck Brewery, I had no idea what to expect.

Situated in what seemed to be an auto mechanics garage, I learned owners Kristen and Mike Brubaker (not the former state Senator) have a passion for both brewing and giving back to the community. Each month or two a beer is designated as a charity beer. For every charity beer sold, 50 cents is given to a charitable organization. It’s a win-win-win.

The name Moo-Duck comes from Mike’s bird-watching team. He needed a name for competing in the World Series of Birding while working at the Pocono Environmental Education Center. He says the name is fun, and brewing should be, too. As a brewer, he likes to experiment with more traditional recipes. The brewery’s flagship brews are Hoppy Toad IPA, which has a heavy hop aroma backed by a solid malt background; Purple Carp Irish Red is seriously malty and carries a little roasted flavor; Mistopheles is a big Imperial Stout with the usual notes of chocolate and coffee; The Remedy is a light and refreshing honey chamomile wheat beer made with Orange Blossom honey; The Great 38 is a pale ale brewed with Mosaic Hops (the availability of this beer depends on the availability of this particular variety of hops).

In late August, Moo-Duck put its Crowler machine in motion and joined the trend of small breweries selling 32-ounces of fresh, draft beer in a can. The Crowler is a big can of beer invented by Colorado’s Oskar Blues Brewery to meet the demand of patrons who wanted beer to go.

November 5 marks the brewery’s second anniversary, and Moo-Duck plans to release a limited amount of King Slava Russian Imperial Stout, which is aged in Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels. A recent upgrade from a 1.5 bbl (barrel) to a 5-bbl system will allow Moo-Duck to increase production to provide local restaurants and bars with its product.

Moo-Duck Brewery, 79 S. Wilson Ave., Elizabethtown. Kristen and Mike Brubaker (brewer). Open Thursday-Saturday. Mooduckbrewery.com. 

Utilizing Roadside “Weeds”

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“Only the roadside weeds are flourishing; my prized perennials are languishing during all this heat and humidity,” lamented a gardening friend late in August. “Most are requiring almost daily watering.”

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

This gardening journey will take a look at three of these so-called “weeds” and consider their practical and ornamental worthiness in our designed borders.

One of the most commonly seen “roadside weeds” around Lancaster County is mullein (Verbascum thapsus), which  was introduced here from Europe many years ago. It is usually a pioneer plant found in well-drained, dry and sunny open areas where the ground has been disturbed: fields, roadsides and forest openings. It does not like shade.

Mullein is in the same plant family as garden favorites like snapdragons, foxglove and penstemon, but it is a biennial. In the first season of its growth, there is only a rosette of up to 12 inches long and gray leaves with a soft, dense mass of hairs on both sides. The following spring a single sturdy stem – up to 5 feet high – emerges from the middle of the felt-like leaves. This year I had one that reached almost 7 feet high (one of the plant’s common names is Aaron’s Rod). At the end of this second year, the plant dies.

The leaves at the base can be broad and up to a foot or more long, but they become smaller as they ascend the stem alternately. Thus during rain, the smaller leaves above drop the rain on the larger leaves and down to the roots, very practical since mullein is often growing naturally on very dry soil.

The yellow flowers along the stem bloom a few at a time from July to September. Many insects – including bumble bees, honey bees and hover flies – make use of  the flowers for nectar and ensure pollination.

One mullein plant is said to be able to produce 100,000 seeds! The seeds survive almost any conditions and can last up to a century. Since mullein can’t grow in the shade, the seeds can languish in the soil waiting until plants around them die or are removed. The abundant seeds are relished by goldfinches, Indigo buntings and other birds.

Mulleins are usually left alone by grazing animals because their thick, hairy leaves irritate their mucous membranes. Hummingbirds have been reported to use the soft leaves to line their nests. Few bugs attack the plant, although some grasshoppers will nibble at the leaves. The fuzzy rosette of leaves provides shelter for lady bugs and other insects throughout the winter as well as for spiders, toads and frogs.

Both the flowers and the leaves have been used historically as a supposed home remedy for a vast number of health conditions. Note the seeds are toxic to humans. Should you be a believer in any of the far-fetched claims, be sure not to confuse this plant with foxglove (Digitalis), which has a similar leaf structure though quite different flowers. A tea made from foxglove is lethal.

My Eagle Scout gardening helper tells me that the down on the leaves and stem makes outstanding tinder when quite dry and will ignite with the slightest spark. One of the old names for mullein is Candlewick Plant, since it was used to make oil lamp wicks. There are also old tales of the stalks being dipped in animal fat to burn as torches. The seeds are reported to intoxicate fish when thrown into the water (the active compound is a saponin, a soap-like toxin to cold-blooded aquatic animals). The mullein stuns the fish, which float to the surface making them easy to catch in nets.

I value this roadside weed in my garden for its tall narrow stature, long flowering period, tolerance of heat, drought, and poor soils, and that it is a magnet for goldfinches. In the past decade, a number of hybrids have been introduced by breeders. Some have larger flowers, shorter heights or a tendency to be perennials. I have not grown any of these. My point of view is that plant breeders are sometimes striving to improve flowers that are just fine as they are. Remember that some hybrids do not produce seeds for our birds.

Several cultivars available feature special flower colors:

‘Southern Charm’: pastel shades of lavender, buff, cream and rose on 2-to-3 foot spikes. It grows easily from seed, often blooms the first year and will self-seed. It blooms late spring into early summer and sometimes reblooms in the fall.

‘Caribbean Crush’: multiple 4-foot spikes of burnt orange, yellow and mango flowers. Sometimes reblooms in fall.

‘Banana and Custard’: up to 4-foot spikes of large, bright, two-toned yellow flowers. Often incorrectly listed as ‘Banana Custard’.

V. chaixii ‘Sixteen Candles’: multiple stems with showy yellow flowers with violet stamens.

V. chaixii’: 3-foot stems with white flowers and purple stamens.

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a perennial that is native to eastern North America and was described as early as 1635. Early on it was confused with a species from Asia Minor, hence the syriaca. It is found in full sun and dry, shallow, rocky soil in fields, waste areas and roadsides. It often forms extensive colonies in the wild. It reaches 2-4 feet high on stout stems, and the sweetly fragrant large balls of pink, mauve and white flowers appear in high summer. The leaves are light green with red veins. The stems and leaves exude a white latex when broken.

Milkweed does not transplant well but is easily grown from seed and will self-seed in the landscape unless the prominent, warty seed pods are removed prior to splitting open. The flossy seeds are dispersed by the wind in September and October. The plant does attract a colorful milkweed beetle, and there is a milkweed aphid, which can be controlled with soapy water. The seed pods are often used in dried flower arrangements.

The flowers are a nectar source for honey bees, bumble bees, tiger swallowtails, fritillaries, hairstreaks, painted ladies, hummingbird moths and others. The reason I urge garden cultivation of common milkweed is because the leaves are an obligatory food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Monarch butterfly populations have been dramatically declining because of housing developments and because milkweeds in growing fields and meadows are being eliminated with herbicides.

Butterfly gardens are justifiably popular in botanic gardens and are promoted to home gardeners in the horticulture press. But, it is just as important to grow common milkweed because of its role in the reproductive cycle of the much-loved monarch. The tender new growth on the common milkweed is a preferred egg deposit site and larval food source. One source advises cutting the large shoots of a few plants to half their height before they bloom to encourage more abundant sprouting of these tender new leaves. Other plants should be allowed to mature normally for larger butterfly and moth larvae and for seed production.

Native Americans used milkweed as a source of fibers. In World War II, elementary children collected the floss from the seeds for use in floatation life vests and in pillows.

Daylily, Hemerocallis fulva

Daylily, Hemerocallis fulva

The roadside daylily, (Hemerocallis fulva), is another showy roadside colonizer plant that many mistakenly think is a native plant but was introduced from Asia in the late 19th century. It is commonly found around old homesites. It is just as tolerant of poor soil, summer heat and humidity as the mullein but will also grow in part shade. It is sometimes called tawny daylily because of its large orange flowers, which open individually, each for one day in the summer. However, each spike will have 10 to 20 flowers, providing a long display during early summer. It is rarely sold commercially because of the countless lily hybrids that are favored. Like its cousins, it is extremely adaptable, easy to grow and multiplies readily.

I think it is a valuable plant for  town and country borders because it provides a punchy color contrast, can be massed in larger areas and is very effective in curbing soil erosion when planted on slopes. To maintain a tidy appearance, the spent flowers should be deadheaded and the scapes removed when flowers have completed bloom. After the flowers have gone, the bright-green, fountain-like leaves add texture for the rest of the season.

Daylilies can be considered a large-scale groundcover because they effectively crowds out weeds. Admittedly, they can get established in meadows and forest edges and pose a threat to native vegetation. The thick tubers are a challenge to control once they take over. Hence, some unflattering common names are railroad daylily, outhouse lily and ditch lily.

H. fulva appears on the possibly invasive list of several states and agencies; nevertheless, because of its reliability and ease of culture, it makes a very utilitarian garden plant in suitable locations.

 

THE CITY: Spring House 

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I like to describe Matt Keasey as the mad scientist brewer of Lancaster. If he thinks it can go into a beer, he is going to try it. Take the Astounding She-Monster for example; it is an IPA full of real, fresh mangoes.

Matt started Spring House Brewing Company with his wife Nikki in 2000 at their farmhouse in Conestoga. He concocted Seven Gates Pale Ale, which immediately became an underground hit in the young, but growing, craft beer community. At first, to get some of Matt’s brews, beer-seekers needed to visit his barn, which he outfitted into a massive brewery with an upstairs tasting room. Eventually, his fans outgrew his location, and he opened the downtown Spring House Taproom. The popularity of the brand reached beyond Lancaster and brought in more and more fans, so he moved the brewing site to the city in 2015.

Beyond Seven Gates and the Astounding She-Monster, Spring House offers two other year-round brews: Big Gruesome, a high ABV chocolate-peanut butter stout bursting with flavor, and Lexicon Devil, a hoppy and fruity pale ale, which has just enough malt to keep itself out of the IPA category.

Seasonal brews range from passive to demented, like Diabolical Doctor Wit, Two Front Teeth Holiday Ale, and The Martians Kidnap Santa!, an eggnog stout.

The new brewery is housed inside an old contractor’s warehouse on the city’s south side. The open design allows visitors to view the brewery’s massive tanks and discuss the found artwork – graffiti – unearthed during renovations. When visiting, look down. The wood floor was the ceiling of the first floor, which was partially removed to create space for the brew works.

For the new space, Matt brought in a chef who is testing the taste bud boundaries of Lancastrians. On my first visit, I had a rabbit sandwich and duck poutine. Recently, I had the most amazing cockles steamed with white wine, garlic, tomatoes, soppressata ham and tarragon.

And, to think that it all started because Matt got sick and tired of his day job with a pharmaceutical company.

Spring House Brewing Company, 209 Hazel St., Lancaster. Nikki and Matt Keasey (Matt’s brother Greg runs the Spring House Taproom, 25 W. King St., Lancaster). Open daily. Springhousebeer.com or 984-2530. 

FAR WEST: Columbia Kettle Works

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Walking into Columbia Kettle Works, I realized the interior reminds me of mechanization. It should. Both Rod Smith and Bill Collister, owners of the establishment, are mechanical engineers. Bill is now retired, so the brewery is his second vocation. When looking for a place to start a brewery, he found the United Telephone Company building for rent, checked out Columbia – bar by bar – and decided to set up shop in 2014.

“We really like the industrial look,” says Bill, while on his way in to check on his 5-bbl system. “Columbia needed something like this.”

To keep up with demand, the duo brew twice a week. Kettle Works does not have a lineup of flagship brews, instead choosing to rotate a selection of styles interspersed with seasonal and one-shots. Regulars to the list include a traditional German pilsner brewed with a variety of Noble hops; a big, full bodied Russian Imperial Stout (sometimes aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels); SamuraiPA, which gets its name from the use of rice and Japanese hops used in the brewing process; and a Beechwood-smoked chocolate porter. “We have a half dozen beers we bring back once or twice a year,” Bill notes.

Bill is now into Belgian beers. In August, the brewery released two kegs of a Brett Saison. Brett is short for Brettanomyces, a genus of the yeast family, which imparts certain flavors and characteristics to certain beers. Brett and sour beers are some of the highest-trending styles being brewed today. The response to the Brett has been great, and Bill points out that Kettle Works has added a second Brett beer to the lineup, which will be brewed in October and aged three to four months in wine barrels.

In 2015, sixth generation brewer Chad Rieker joined the Kettle Works team returning his family’s brewing legacy to Columbia – a hot bed of brewing during the lager era. He and Rod add five new beers to the 10-tap system each month. Bill shares that new release events fill the 70-seat establishment, creating a line out the door. A recent expansion added space for 30-plus seats.

Columbia Kettle Works, 40 N. Third St., Columbia. Rod Smith and Bill Collister. Open Tuesday-Sunday. Columbiakettleworks.com or 342-2374. 

THE OLD EAST: St. Boniface 

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What many people call the best brewery in the county started in a small space in a former shoe factory in downtown Ephrata in 2011. Eventually, owners Mike Price and Jon Northup needed to move as St. Boniface Craft Brewing Company grew in popularity. They found a former milk processing facility on Main Street and brought on Dain Shirey as a co-owner. Now, as they start production on their third line of canned beer, the brewery has reached into the Philadelphia market with its product.

St. Boniface is mostly well-known for four signature beers: Paideia, a single (Citra) hopped pale ale; 3 lb. IPA, originally named for the 3 pounds of cascade hops per barrel used in the brewing process; Libation, a big double IPA; and Hegemony, a stout easier to drink than pronounce (huh-gem-uh-knee). The brewery also runs an Offering series; these are seasonal and one-off beers Jon decides to concoct for visitors. Recently, the Offering series featured a festbier, a pilsner and a cream ale.

The story of St. Boniface – the man, not the brewery – is rooted in 7th century Europe. He is considered a patron saint of brewing, and it is said he converted worshipers of Thor by felling a sacred tree while not bringing down the wrath of the god upon himself. He brought Christianity to Germania and is called the “Apostle of the Germans.” St. Boniface’s first name is Winfrid or Wynfrid, which also happens to be the name of the brewery’s latest flagship brew, a low ABV English ale. Wynfrid was first created to please the palate of Bulls Head Public House’s owner Paul Pendyck. The English expat loves low ABV brews and wanted to have a local selection on tap at his Lititz pub.

Back in Ephrata, St. Boniface – the space – recently underwent a redesign. The bar was moved back to accommodate the growing number of thirsty guests, and a pizza oven was installed to alleviate the need for parking lot food trucks. The 15-bbl system keeps up with demand as many visitors simply stop in to fill growlers to take home.

St. Boniface Craft Brewing Company, 1701 W. Main St., Ephrata. Mike Price, Jon Northup and Dain Shirey. Open Tuesday-Saturday. Stbonifacebrewing.com or 466-6900. 

The Engineering of a Birthday Bash

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Imagine for a moment that you’re a mathematically savvy, wildly creative artist. Your imagination-ruled right brain and your analytical-driven left brain chug along in balanced harmony. And to top it off, you’re an extroverted engineer who thrives on thinking beyond the norm of what’s already been done. Now let’s plan a party.

Mickey Tait, scenic designer extraordinare and impresario for his own birthday bash, welcomed guests to the party.

Mickey Tait, scenic designer extraordinare and impresario for his own birthday bash, welcomed guests
to the party.

For Michael Tait – the founder of Lititz-based TAIT Towers – planning his own birthday party was another production in a long list of over-the-top events that have set the stage for countless superstars’ concert tours. During his career, he and his team have masterminded the logistics of staging and scenic design concepts for Yes, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2, Taylor Swift and 19 of the top 20 highest-grossing artists’ world tours. With a front-row (and sometimes backstage) view of these stratospheric spectacles for over 30 years, it takes a lot to impress Michael Tait.

With every client’s production, he has learned from and translated his professional experience into an innate understanding of what makes a party an energized celebration that guests will be buzzing about long after the last partier heads for home. It’s all in the engineering.

When semi-retirement left a void in his life, Michael Tait filled it with travel and dance. A lifelong workaholic (admittedly with a degree of partying thrown in over the years), Tait first pursued tango lessons, then discovered salsa and soon was captivated by the Latin dances. During travels to Miami, Tel Aviv, Paris, Hong Kong and Havana, he sought out more instruction, while also taking lessons here at home. Feeling younger with each dance step as he approached the second half of his life, he became known as Mickey Tait.

When it was time to celebrate Mickey’s 35th birthday (you do the math), the bash was true to his rock n’ roll roots and his new-found passion for dancing – with the theme of “Think Young.”

Commandeering the manufacturing space of TAIT Towers as his party space, Mickey set to laying out a party that would offer his 260 guests a series of surprises throughout the night. A digital invitation enticed guests to come enjoy endless cocktails, tapas and rumba to start the evening, then party ‘til the wee hours with two bands.

While that sounded like fun, Mickey was planning much more. The party began two stories above the yet-to-be-unveiled party space in TAIT’s transformed office and commissary space, where guests were greeted with a specialty cocktail to kickstart the party. Mysteriously blue and named the Ba-Cha-Ta (the namesake of a Latin dance from the Dominican Republic), the tiny tasting (less than an ounce) was hailed as a “fountain of youth” elixir – how could anyone resist?

The PA Mambo Orquesta provided the Latin flavor for dancing.

The PA Mambo Orquesta provided the Latin flavor for dancing.

A band’s rumba music could be heard as guests paused to pose for the professional photographer before proceeding to the cocktails and tapas and greeting fellow party-goers. Chef Tim Carr’s selection of hors d’oeuvres were purposely finger foods, intended to grab on the go, encouraging guests to socialize and circulate.

A few hours later, the rooms suddenly went dark – a signal that the next phase of the party was about to begin. Guests flowed to the ground floor, where many paused for a photo op in front of the Rolling Stones’ iconic tongue (a typical part of the business’ décor, left over from a Rolling Stones’ benefit concert in Toronto). In the huge space where similar staging and scenic elements are created every day, Mickey had designed a room within a room, about to be discovered by his guests as they climbed a set of stairs to pass through a black curtain, salsa music calling to them from the other side. They entered a party room of 4,352 square feet – carefully calculated to provide 8 square feet per guest, the cocktail-party ratio that feels pleasantly crowded but not crushed.

The 60-by-68 foot room was divided into sections of higher-to-lower elevations, thanks to TAIT’s deck staging that has supported Prince, Lady Gaga and scores of other performers. Full-service bars stocked with exotic spirits from all over the world welcomed guests as they entered on the highest level, followed by a level of comfy lounges with sofas, chairs and low cocktail tables to chill and listen to the two bands as they alternated continuous sets of rock and Latin dance music, without breaks. Lounge areas and hi-top tables surrounded a sunken dance floor, allowing all non-dancers to be voyeurs as they enjoyed watching the dancers, some technically accomplished and many just free-spirited and having fun.

Nail polish was available on each table for those who wanted to join Mickey’s signature rock star look of the painted pinkie nail. Candy cigarettes allowed guests to pretend to indulge in the once-chic vice. High above the crowd, the room’s 35-foot ceiling was visually lowered to give the room a more intimate feel through swagged strands of thousands of tiny LED lights, custom-made to span the width of the room.

The big surprise during the birthday bash was Mickey’s presentation of a stellar engagement ring to Lauren Snyder, who beamed with delight.

The big surprise during the birthday bash was Mickey’s presentation of a stellar engagement ring to Lauren Snyder, who beamed with delight.

As guests danced and celebrated, no one noticed that a hidden dais and microphone were quietly coming to life in the center of the room. Mickey stood on the small platform to welcome his many circles of friends who came together to celebrate his birthday. But true to form, the host had another surprise for his guests as he presented a knockout ring to his lovely girlfriend, Lauren Snyder, and they officially announced their engagement.

The party was newly energized with another reason to celebrate for hours on end. When guests finally called it a night, they were offered a take-home gift of Mickey’s native Australia’s signature Vegemite and a “prescription” pill bottle filled with M&Ms for the morning after, guaranteed to preserve one’s youth.

The engineer in Mickey Tait had it all under control. He had pre-arranged to direct the bands’ playlists through hand signals from the dance floor, matching the energy level of the party. To be able to give every guest his personal attention, he calculated that he could spend 1 minute and 20 seconds with each person.

This was a bash engineered for maximum fun.

The State of Brewing in Lancaster County

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The first German immigrants to Lancaster County settled Conestoga (1709), the fourth such settlement in Pennsylvania. They brought with them hope for religious tolerance, a yearning for a better life and specific, unique tastes for food and drink. As German families began to flood the area, a new demand was created. German-Americans wanted beer!

Soon renowned for its production of beer at the height of the lager era, Lancaster was dubbed “Little Munich” in 1868, following a story that was published by The Daily Intelligencer stating “the lager business has assumed immense proportions in our city. Lancaster in America occupies the same position that Munich does in Germany in regard to this branch of industry.”

In Lancaster County, the first lager-style beer – as opposed to the then predominant English ale – was brewed in 1842. By 1873, the county claimed 14 breweries, which employed 80 workers. More than 40 horses trekked the streets of the city and some small back roads to deliver beer. Breweries of this era produced a staggering – for the day – 775,000 gallons of beer annually. In comparison, the popular craft beer producer Dogfish Head – now at its zenith of popularity – produces 5.4 million gallons of beer in a market with advanced refrigeration, networking and demand. (Not to take anything away from one of my favorite brewers.)

The supposed fate for beer making in Lancaster seemed sealed on November 30, 1918, when all beer making in the county ceased. Federal prohibition ended Lancaster’s run at beer prominence.  Owners were forced to change occupations, and their brewing equipment and buildings fell into disrepair.

Dust settled onto the history of Lancaster County brewing … until recently. Now, the Lancaster County beer scene is packed with choices, whether tastes prefer strong, traditional ales or experimental brews featuring unusual ingredients.

 

NORTH & WEST: Moo-Duck

THE OLD EAST: St. Boniface

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAR WEST: Columbia Kettle Works

 

THE CITY: Spring House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tapping into Lancaster’s Beer Scene

There are plenty more possibilities out there! And, don’t forget that in most cases, the breweries are about more than beer. Most offer outstanding food, other libations (wine, craft sodas, etc.), entertainment on a regular basis and special events.

 

 

NORTH & WEST

Appalachian Brewing Company-Lititz

55 N. Water St., Lititz. Abcbrew.com

ABC employs adaptive reuse of buildings when looking to create a brewpub. One of six throughout Central PA, the Lititz location transformed a brick warehouse into a stunning piece of wood-framed art. There are eight flagship brews constantly on hand, which are complemented by a seasonal calendar of beers like porters, hefeweizens, and a set of great fall brews like Rutty Buck Pumpkin Ale and Batch No. 666 Halloween Beer.

Standout brew: Greenaway Farm Fresh Hop Pale Ale

JoBoy’s Brew Pub 

27-31 E. Main St., Lititz.
Joboysbrewpub.com

Known for its authentic, Southern-style barbecue as much as its beer,  JoBoy’s was founded by Jo and Jeff “Boy” Harless in Manheim. The popularity of the product the Harlesses were putting out led them to look for a bigger location. They purchased the historic Rudy building to create a blues-themed restaurant and brewery.

Standout brew: Gose

Mad Chef Craft Brewing

2023 Miller Rd., East Petersburg. Madchefcraftbrewing.com

Greg Kendig, Francisco Ramirez and Gary McVaugh opened Mad Chef in July 2015. Beyond brewing an assembly of traditional styles, the folks at Mad Chef have recently whipped up a sour, a Schwarzbier and even a sugar-free beer. The eatery is also known for its selection of dipping sauces for its Pommes Frites.

Standout brew: F-18 IPA

SBC Brewsmiths

2775 Lebanon Rd., Manheim. Sbcbrewsmiths.com

Named after the largest of the three breweries involved, this co-op produces beer for Swashbuckler Brewing Company on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, Divine Swine Brewing Company in Manheim, and Rumspringa Brewing Company in Bird-in-Hand.

Standout brew: Coffee cider

Bube’s Brewery

102 N. Market St., Mount Joy. Bubesbrewery.com 

Pronounced boob-e, this multifaceted brewery has been a Lancaster County staple for years, hosting events like murder mystery dinners in its catacombs. Visitors simply need to ask to get a tour of the lager-era brewery.

Standout brew: Habanero Pale Ale

Cox Brewing Company

276 Heisey Quarry Rd., Elizabethtown. Coxbrewingcompany.com

Founded by proud veterans and lifelong friends Nick Cox and Tim Kreider, this E-town microbrewery offers three flagship brews: Liberty Lager, 82nd Amber Ale, and CH-47 IPA. With a focus on the military, Cox donates a portion of money earned from its military branded beers to veterans’ organizations. Other than their tasting room, Cox beers can be found at a handful of clubs around the county.

Standout brew: Devil Dog Dunkelweizen

Funk Brewing Company

28 S. Market St., Elizabethtown.
Funk-etown.com 

Funk decided to expand to E-town with its second location because the owners saw an opportunity. The local beer scene is growing. Co-owner Jon “Norm” Norman should know; he lives in E-town. Along with some delicious seasonals, the tap room offers Funk’s flagship brews: Citrus IPA, Efflorescence (a Belgian Saison with hibiscus flowers), Fuego Pale Ale and South Mountain Stout.

Standout brew: White Christmas

 

 

THE OLD EAST

Stoudt’s Brewing Company

2800 N. Reading Rd., Adamstown. Stoudtsbeer.com

Along with her husband Ed, the Queen of Hops – Carol Stoudt – opened Stoudt’s in 1987, long before small breweries were such a hit. (Stoudt’s is the reason why the “old” is in the Old East.) Inspired by traditional German beers, the Stoudts have become a respected force in the brewing industry and hold themselves – and their beers – up to high standards. Stoudt’s offers five flagship brews and a slew of seasonals, reserves and big beers.

Standout brew: Pils

Union Barrel Works

6 N. Reamstown Rd., Reamstown. Unionbarrelworks.com

The high ceilings of this former hardware store not only lend beauty to this restaurant/brewery, but also allow space for fermenters and mash tuns. Owners Tom and Amy Rupp began brewing in this tiny borough in April 2007. While Tom loves his malt, he had to eventually brew an IPA because of demand. UBW offers a variety of classic brews like kolsch, lager and pilsner, but also excel at darker styles, too.

Standout brew: Wobbly Bob

Black Forest Brewery

301 W. Main St., Ephrata. Blackforestbrewery.net

Black Forest is the result of a dream hatched while Bob Harter was hiking the trails of the Black Forest in southwest Germany. Years later, in 2014, Bob and his wife Denise opened a quaint, uber-friendly brewery on the premises of their 1777 Americana Inn Bed and Breakfast. Black Forest has a constant selection of small batch brews in a range of styles.

Standout brew: J.G. Belgian Strong Ale

 

 

FAR WEST

Pig Iron Brewing

40 E. Front St., Marietta.
Pigironbrewingco.com

The smallest of my designated beer regions of Lancaster County includes only one other beer maker. Formerly known as the River St. Café, Pig Iron opened in 2016. Owned by brewer Bob Helm, Pig Iron usually has three of their own beers on tap alongside standard bar offerings like Miller and Coors. The neighborhood-style saloon also taps other craft brews.

Standout brew: Cream Ale

 

 

CITY

Wacker Brewing Company

417 W. Grant St., Lancaster. Wackerbrewing.com

The Lancaster original is back. Bryan Kepner and Michael Spychalski (brewmaster) opened the Little Dutch Taproom above their brewing space inside a former downtown tobacco warehouse in June 2015. Their intent was to revive one of Lancaster’s original brands – Eagle Brewing. Lancaster’s earliest brewery, this historic beer is now the namesake of Joseph Wacker, who purchased Eagle Brewing from the Sprenger family in 1870.

Standout brew: Helles Lager

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

781 Harrisburg Ave., Lancaster. Ironhillbrewery.com

This semi-chain hosts 12 locations throughout three eastern states. Lancaster got its location on College Row in 2007, and it has been a hit with locals and tourists (especially those visiting F&M College) alike.

Although the flagship brews like Iron Hill Light Lager and Pig Iron Porter are brewed at Iron Hill’s main brewing facility, brewmasters at each location create seasonals and special one-offs.

Standout brew: Starry Night Saison (if they ever decide to make it again!)

Lancaster Brewing Company

302 N. Plum St., Lancaster.
Lancasterbrewing.com

One of the first to bring brewing back to the county! Who remembers when it was LMB (Lancaster Malt Brewing) and not LBC and beer lovers celebrated the return of brewing to the city? I do; I had just turned 21 and immediately fell in love with the Milk Stout. The destination brewery is a site to behold, with diners able to view the inner workings of the brewing process from the second-floor perch.

Standout brew: Milk Stout, but the Strawberry Wheat is pretty popular, too!

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse

925 Plaza Blvd., Lancaster.
Bjsrestaurants.com

BJ’s is a national chain with locations in 22 states. They have six breweries nationwide and brew their flagship brews primarily in Reno, Nevada, and Temple, Texas. Their Lancaster location opened in June 2016. BJ’s keeps 11 of their beers on tap continually and offers a couple of seasonal selections throughout the year.

Standout brew: A flight of four 5-ounce pours

Fetish Brewing Company

325 Ice Ave., Lancaster.
Facebook.com/Festishbeer

Rounding out all things brewing in the county is another one of my favorites. Tucked into a tiny side street, Fetish is a little different, as it’s a member-supported brewery. Every Friday, Mike Simpson, Aaron Risser and Brandon Stetser get together to concoct brews with names like Peppercorn, Bumble and Pilgrim. This beer is more than just catchy names. These guys are putting out some of the best beer in the county. While there is no longer a tasting room at the brewery, Fetish beers for non-members can be found at the beer mecca known as The Fridge.

Standout brew: Wild American Dark

 

 

A Pink Halloween Party

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Peggy Walls’ annual Halloween party took on a special significance last year. In December 2014, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which prompted Peggy to accent the party’s standard black and orange color scheme with shades of pink.

Peggy is one busy lady. In addition to being a realtor who stages many of the homes she lists, planning parties is her second love. And, they’re not cheese-and-crackers affairs – Peggy goes all out to create themes for her parties.

When Peggy turned 70 in 2014, her husband, Bob, “suggested” it might be an opportune time to undergo a complete physical. Peggy sheepishly admits she is not one to proactively visit the doctor. But, she took Bob’s advice and scheduled the physical early in December (when real estate slows somewhat).

“My last mammogram was in 2009,” she says of skipping the all-important test for breast cancer for five years. “Besides, I thought when you got to be my age, it was not all that necessary.” The results of her 2014 mammogram provided some unsettling news: a small lump was detected, which proved to be cancerous. “I was in shock,” she exclaims. A doctor she didn’t know (hers was on vacation) delivered the news. “I was totally wiped out,” she recalls. “All I could think about is it’s Christmas and I’m being told I have cancer.” (Now she wonders if maybe she had undergone regular mammograms, the cancer might have been detected earlier.)

Her next stop was Penn State Hershey. “The first person I met with was Dr. J. Stanley Smith,” she continues. “My blood pressure was high, but he calmed me down by spending 2-1/2 hours with me, going over my options.” Peggy’s big question was why her. “There was no history of breast cancer in my family,” she reports.

Peggy’s game plan – she was given Stage 1 status – started with a lumpectomy. “They analyzed four lymph nodes,” she explains. Two tested positive, two tested negative. From there, Peggy was enrolled in a clinical study. The focus of her study group was a test that had been developed to analyze a patient’s need for chemotherapy. As Peggy explains, tissue is sent to a lab in California and, based on a rating between 1 and 100, patients are assigned a score that estimates their chances of cancer reoccurring. The lower the number, the better. “Mine came in at 14, so we decided to forego chemo,” Peggy says, noting she and her daughter, Tanya, had researched the side effects of chemo and hoped it would not be necessary.

However, radiation treatments were a part of her regimen. For that segment of her care, she utilized the services of the Ann Barshinger Cancer Center in Lancaster. “I had 33 treatments,” Peggy says. “The staff there was wonderful.”

In August of this year, Peggy celebrated her first anniversary of being declared cancer-free.

Cancer made peggy aware of the power friends and family wield when a person receives that diagnosis. “Hearing the ‘C’ word for the first time is totally unnerving,” she attests. “Your mind can be your own worst enemy, so you really do need a support group.” Peggy credits Bob and Tanya for being her rocks. “And, my sisters helped me so much,” she says. Friends and co-workers rallied around Peggy, as well. “I was surprised to learn that some of my friends had never had a mammogram in their lives,” she shares. As you can imagine, Peggy’s plight inspired her acquaintances to schedule their own mammograms.

She also became involved in the fight against breast cancer by becoming a volunteer with the American Cancer Society. Last fall she took part in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, a 5K fundraising walk that is held on City Island in Harrisburg. She will be supporting the walk again this year, along with a busload of friends and family – AKA The Perfectly Pink Team – who will be donning pink wigs and sunglasses for the event. “The first thing we’re going to do when we get to Harrisburg is have our picture taken on the steps of the capitol building,” she says.

Peggy will also be holding a benefit for the American Cancer Society on November 5 by “staging” a yard sale. However, this will be no ordinary yard sale. She will be emptying her storage sheds and selling staging items and holiday decorations she has amassed over the years. “I’ve been at this for 15 years, so I have a lot stashed away,” she notes. (For address, hours, etc., email pwalls@supernet.com.)

For Peggy, staging and holiday décor go hand in hand. “I’ve been known to stage a house for Christmas,” she says of past properties she has sold. And, she’s a fan of the “Pink Christmas” movement that has become a trend in holiday decorating. “I do my kitchen all in pink for the holidays,” she explains, adding, “I’ve always loved pink, but now it has a special meaning.”

Indeed, the pink ribbon that is associated with breast cancer awareness represents more than a girlie color. In the world of color psychology, pink represents compassion, nurturing and love. Pink is the color of hope and represents a state of calm. And, over the centuries, pink has been used to describe optimal health, i.e. “in the pink” and “everything’s rosy.”

Halloween is one of Peggy’s favorite holidays, and last year she decided to incorporate breast cancer awareness into her annual women-only party by instructing her guests to add a touch of pink to their witch costumes. As with previous parties, this one followed the same format – food, drinks, décor, flowers, games – only all the elements had a pink theme. “One of the games challenged teams to come up with as many names as they could think of for boobs,” Peggy recalls. “The winning team had 23!”

For this year’s party, pink will again be the theme, and Peggy is instructing her guests to wear the color. She’s also challenging them to get creative and arrive with bras they’ve decorated (prizes will be awarded).

As always, floral designer Brian Horn is on call to carry out the theme from a floral perspective. Outdoors, Chris Abel will again work her magic. “Brian has reserved the entire week for the party,” Peggy reports.

 

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

October 15

City Island, Harrisburg

The purpose of this 5K fundraising walk is to “unite communities to support each other, honor those affected by the disease, and raise awareness and funds to create a world free from the pain and suffering of breast cancer.” Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The walk starts at 8:30 a.m. For more information, visit makingstrideswalk.org/Harrisburg.

 

Pumpkins and Squash Galore

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Twenty-two years ago, Linda and Levi Stoltzfus realized their dream of owning a farm. Little did they know that their daughter’s little pumpkin patch would eventually yield big results.

A year ago, photographer Nick Gould and I were separately  traveling along Landisville Road on our way to Manheim, when we each spied a pumpkin extravaganza. “What was that?” I asked myself. I turned around and drove by once more, this time noticing the fence on which hyacinth bean vines were growing.

When Nick joined me at our destination, he also commented on the farm he had passed. “Let’s go back over there when we’re finished here,” I suggested. Not only were there pumpkins, but also plants, gourds, crafts, wreaths, birdhouses and animals, too. The way the barn was decorated was simply enchanting. We were like two kids in a candy store! So, we sought out Linda and asked if Nick could come back another day and shoot some pictures. To our delight, the Stoltzfuses were open to Nick returning.

originally a dairy farm, the Stoltfzuses were having so much success with their pumpkins, squash and gourds, that two years ago they shut down the dairy operation in order to fully concentrate on their very successful fall-harvest enterprise. Linda was happy to be able to combine two of her favorite things – gardening and animals – into the business. “I’m not happy unless I’m digging in the dirt,” she remarks.

January, however, is dedicated to studying all the seed catalogues that arrive in the mail. Through Linda’s research, 60 varieties of squash, 30 varieties of pumpkins and approximately 15 varieties of gourds now grow on the 47-acre farm. Corn, soybeans and hay are also grown on the acreage.

Linda especially likes heirloom varieties and names Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange as being among her favorite sources for seeds. She buys new seeds every year, having “learned the hard way” that it’s not worth her time or effort to collect seeds from the crops that are grown on the farm. “You end up planting diseases along with the seeds,” she says.

Seeds are planted at the end of May. It then takes anywhere from 85 to 125 days for the pumpkins, squash and gourds to mature. The crops are timed to have a variety ready for opening weekend (Labor Day). Through September and October, the displays multiply.

Pumpkins can be finicky, thus the various fields are rotated about every four years. “Pumpkins are susceptible to fungus,” Linda notes. And, too much or too little rain can be detrimental to their growth. An over abundance of rain late in the season can cause a pumpkin to grow too fast and split open. To keep things on an even keel, the Stoltzfuses irrigate their fields. Linda reports that this year’s pumpkin and squash crops should be good ones. “We had nice rains all summer,” she points out.

as for the animals, when you visit the farm in the fall, you’ll first encounter Tony, one of the family’s dogs, who likes to greet visitors and keep an eye on things. “He just loves pumpkin season,” Linda reports. The Stoltzfuses also purchase at least two calves for pumpkin season, which visitors can see. She also notes that the horses love the attention they receive from visitors. Cats also roam about the property. “I just love animals!” Linda says.

linda admits the business has definitely received a boost thanks to the popularity of decorating homes for fall. “It really has changed since we started,” she says, noting that 20 years ago, a family would arrive to choose a pumpkin for the front porch and perhaps buy some Indian corn and corn stalks. Now, they also want fall flowers, a carload of pumpkins and squash, gourds and trendy plants such as millet and sorghum.

Linda and her daughters, plus their helpers, stay in tune with trends and create garden- and harvest-inspired art and craft items that keep customers coming back. “We learn a lot from our customers,” Linda says. “They’ll bring baskets, bowls and other things for us to fill.” She also admires Martha Stewart and looks through issues of Martha Stewart Living magazine for inspiration.

Linda and her daughters have also helped several English brides choose fall decor for their weddings. One of Linda’s daughters specializes in calligraphy and has created some whimsical “engraved” pumpkins for weddings.

“It’s a family affair,” Linda says of the way their four children pitch in to help with the business. “Our sons always take some time off from their jobs in October to help.” As Martha Stewart would say, that’s a good thing. “Fall is all-consuming around here,” Linda says. “We appreciate the help!”

The Stoltzfus farm is located at 1151 Landisville Rd., Manheim. Hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday through October. Self-service is available beginning November 1 until Thanksgiving.  

 

Pumpkin Trivia
  • The word “pumpkin” is taken from the Greek word pepon, which means “large melon.” The French called it pompon. The English, pumpion. American colonists referred to it as pumpkin.
  • Pumpkins originated in the Americas. They now grow on every continent except Antarctica.
  • Native Americans utilized all aspects of the pumpkin, relying on it to survive the winter, snacking on the seeds, adding the blossoms to stews, grounding dried pumpkin into flour and using its dried skin to create rugs. The Navajos honor the squash with their beautiful squash-blossom necklaces.
  • Christopher Columbus took pumpkin seeds back to Europe with him.
  • Europeans fed their livestock with pumpkins/squash.
  • Native Americans shared the many uses of pumpkins/squash with the colonists. Pumpkin was served at the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth.
  • The pumpkin-beer craze started centuries ago, when the Pilgrims used pumpkin to brew beer.
  • Ever wonder how the pumpkin became known as a Jack O’Lantern? According to the History Channel, legend has it that an Irishman named Stingy Jack was not welcome in heaven or hell. So, he wandered the world, lighting his way with a piece of burning coal that he placed in a hallowed-out turnip. The Irish referred to him as “Jack O’Lantern.” During the period that is now known as Halloween, they would place hollowed-out turnips or potatoes (the English used beets) that glowed with burning coal in their windows to keep evil spirits at bay. Irish colonists in America utilized pumpkins to carry on the tradition.

The Red Carpet … Lancaster Style 

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The VMAs may have Beyoncé, and the Oscars may have George and Amal. But in Lancaster, we have biblical characters and animals walking the red carpet!

the occasion was opening night of Sight & Sound Theatres’ hit show, Samson, in which walls really do fall. Sight & Sound, of course, is Glenn and Shirley Eshelman’s “leap of faith” that has become one of Lancaster’s major entertainment venues, attracting more than 1 million visitors per year (here and in Branson, Missouri). Like other Sight & Sound biblical-based productions, Samson is the story of faith, courage and redemption. Unlike other productions, it takes a cue from pop culture by portraying Samson as the “original super hero.”

As for the animals that paraded down the red carpet, Sight & Sound is their home. Barns and kennels on the property shelter a “Noah’s Ark” of animals that include horses, sheep, camels, dogs, donkeys and more.

Samson is on stage at Sight & Sound through December. Visit sight-sound.com for ticket information.              

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