If you’ve lived in Pennsylvania long enough you know how low the temperatures drop once Winter hits. And while you may think now is the time to get inside, not so fast. Many breweries throughout the state have prepared for the cold weather by offering guests a fantastic outdoor drinking option.
So we have looked all over the state for some of our favorite outdoor beer gardens to take advantage of this Winter.
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Grist House – Pittsburgh
While this list is presented in no particular order, it would be difficult to not lead it off with Grist House. The brewery has not only crafted an ideal outdoor drinking location, but they also hold a special celebration of the space once a year.
The Pittsburgh based brewery’s Fire Fest is held every year in the cold months as a way to enjoy the outdoors. And while Fire Fest highlights the space, guests are welcome to sit outside all year round.
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Love City Brewing – Philadelphia
Like many breweries throughout Pennsylvania Love City’s outdoor dining space was born from Covid restrictions. The Philly brewery initially announced the warm weather beer garden in 2020 as a result of mandates not allowing for indoor dining. And despite indoor dining making a return, the brewery will be bringing it back for 2021.
The outdoor beer garden is complete with accessories to keep locals as warm as if they were in the taproom. As you can see in their post below they have brought in heaters for their tent and in the past have even concocted special cold weather themed cocktails!
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ShuBrew – Zelienople
Probably the newest outdoor beer garden on this list can be found in Zellinople, PA at ShuBrew. The Butler County brewery opened their rooftop outdoor beer garden in October of this year.
The outdoor space is complete with its own private bar as well as fire pit tables to keep you warm throughout the cold winter months.
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Mad Chef – East Petersberg
As you may have read on our site, Mad Chef has undergone a lot of renovations lately. Not only has the Central PA brewery been expanding indoors, they have worked hard over the past few years to provide an ideal outdoor dining space to local customers, no matter the weather.
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Union Brothers Brewing – Harmony
The Harmony brewery may have only opened less than 2 years ago, but it hasn’t taken them long to become one of the premier outdoor dining locations in the area. And to keep the good times going, they have created their “winter wonderland”. A tented cold-weather space that brings the indoor taproom enjoyment to the outdoors.
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Breaker Brewing – Wilkes Barre
We’ve always been impressed with how well brewery owners work with their hands. We’ve spoken with enough breweries throughout the state to know how many have built their breweries from the ground up by hand. This probably makes sense considering craft beer is such a handcrafted product.
And Breaker Brewing is no different with the return of their “Breaker Bungalows” which the brewery first introduced in 2020. The hand-made private dining areas come equipped with their own heating options to keep guests warm while they enjoy their craft beer.
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Big Rail – Grove City
As Big Rail says it, they are “The Funky Little Brewery In The Woods”. Unlike every other brewery on this list, Big Rail doesn’t have an indoor taproom. The only onsite consumption occurs in their outdoor beer garden. But that isn’t the reason they find themselves on this list.
The outdoor beer garden at Big Rail has been crafted to take full advantage of the beautiful landscape that surrounds the brewery. And why should you visit during the cold months? Take it from Big Rail themselves; “the colder it gets, the bigger the campfires get.”
East Branch Brewing – Downingtown
When East Branch Brewing originally opened, their rooftop beer garden was something that was still in the development stages. And those plans have since become a reality. With the installation of outdoor heaters, the Chester County brewery has crafted a space that is an ideal location to sit and enjoy a beer and meal while overlooking Downingtown.
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