Brewers from across Bucks County gathered at Warwick Farm Brewing last week to unveil their latest collaboration: Expedition Bucks County, a hazy IPA.
This year’s collaborative beer has an ABV of 5.5% and is dry hopped with Simcoe and Cryo-Citra hops. Brewmasters said the beer offers a rich, candied orange flavor paired with citrus and tropical fruit notes. The addition of oats enhances the beer’s mouthfeel, providing a smooth and satisfying experience.
Last Tuesday, the tourism agency Visit Bucks County gathered the brewers of Warwick Farm Brewing for the second statewide community beer of the Bucks County Ale Trail.
The event took place parallel to the brewing process and gave those present an insight into the creation of the “Expedition Bucks County”.
The new collaboration beer will be available on tap and in cans from August 30th in all participating breweries on the Ale Trail.
Representatives from the county’s 32 breweries attended the event, which also featured beer tastings from each brewery, food from Fry’s Catering Scratch Kitchen and fellowship, organizers said.
Breweries at the event included: Aristaeus Craft Brewing Company, Artifact Brewing, Bitchin’ Kitten Brewery, Broad Street Brewing, Broken Goblet Brewing, Bucks County Brewing, Crooked Eye Brewing, Free Will Brewing Company, Free Will Brewing Taproom, Geronimo Brewing @ Lily’s Jury Room, Great Barn Taproom, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Langhorne Brewing Company, Mystic Ways Brewing, Naked Brewing Company, Naked Brewing Company – Bristol Taproom, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company – Dublin, Newtown Brewing Company, Odd Logic Brewing Company, Puck Live by Great Barn, Red Lion Brewery, Second Sin Brewing, Second Sin Brewing – Newtown Taproom, Tranquility Brewing Company, Triumph Brewing Company, Two Rivers Brewing Taproom, Van Lieus Brewing, Vault Brewing Company and Vault Smokehouse.
The Bucks County Ale Trail has expanded significantly, from 15 breweries when it opened to 32 today.
Visit Bucks County officials said the area’s beer scene is a tourist attraction.
Bucks County welcomes over 8.2 million visitors annually, generating an economic impact of nearly $1.2 billion and supporting more than 28,675 hospitality jobs, according to Bucks County.
While some craft breweries across the country have faced challenges and even had to close, the National Brewers Association released a 2023 study that found an all-time national high of 9,761 breweries, including 2,092 microbreweries, 3,502 brewpubs, 3,910 taproom breweries and 257 regional craft breweries.
According to the Brewers Association, there were 530 craft breweries in Pennsylvania in 2023, the third-highest number in the country. These breweries produced a total of 3.1 million barrels of beer.
According to the information, Pennsylvania-based DG Yuengling and Son is the largest craft brewery in the country.
Bart Watson, vice president of strategy and chief economist for the Brewers Association, noted that 2023 was a competitive year for brewers.
“Despite the slowdown in growth, small breweries have proven quite resilient, as evidenced by the increased number of breweries, relatively low closure rates and an increase in local sales and jobs,” he said.
