For the first time Phoenixville, PA shut down its main drag on Bridge Street to host over 50 breweries, featuring over 100 beers in a wonderful display of Pennsylvania craft beer at the Phoenixville Craft Beer Festival. While not every brewery represented was from the keystone state local staples like Victory, Sly Fox and Tröegs with up and coming breweries Levante and Stable 12 also brought their finest brews. General admission tickets were available for $45 and $50 the day of the festival. A standard ticket came with a complimentary mini pint glass and unlimited tastings from 1-4:30 p.m.

However, the $65 VIP tickets were well worth the additional money offering food and drinks from a exclusive selection of breweries in Bistro on Bridge‘s “Club 212” alongside an hour earlier entrance.  With the day delivering sunny skies and near 90° temperatures the air conditioned environment was a welcomed and often used break from the heat and crowds. Oh yeah, about those crowds, with brewery tents on each side of the street and the festival running the length of only one block things quickly became crowded. The space and comfort of the early access crowd quickly devolved into a cramped herd of beer lovers angling for any free space.

Despite the heavy turn out (even the VIP line wrapped around the street corner) and crowded conditions tickets were still being sold as individuals lined up to get into the festival after gates had opened. While this was definitely a little frustrating given the already packed conditions all of the brewery reps and beer pourers did an amazing job limiting lines to a half dozen people or less at each tent. Every brewery took the time to chat, offer up some information about the beers they’d brought and give suggestions about which to try for specific tastes.

Large crowds, a blazing sun and a somewhat limited general food selection (although there was no shortage of pretzel necklaces) could not damper what was a strong showing for a first time beerfest. There is always going to be growing pains the first time an event is hosted, but when you get the big things right, like a vast and varied beer selection there’s not many complaints that can offset that major success. Simply put, will we be purchasing tickets to the festival if it is held again next year? Without a doubt, but they’ll assuredly be the VIP tickets.

What we sampled

• Evil Genius Beer Company – Stacy’s Mom
  • American IPA – 7.5% ABV
• Free Will Brewing Company – Mango Wheat
  • Pale Wheat Ale – 4.8% ABV
• Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Hoppopotamus
  • Red Ale – 7.9% ABV
• Lancaster Brewing Company – Strawberry Wheat
  • Fruit Beer – 4.7% ABV
• Levante Brewing Company – The Chief
  • Indian Pale Ale – 7% ABV
• Old Forge Brewing Company – Enigma IPA
  • American IPA – 6.8% ABV
• Penn Brewery – Ginger Beer
  • Ginger Beer – 4.5% ABV
• Pizza Boy Brewing Company – Sunny Side Up
  • Imperial Stout – 9.5% ABV
• Round Guys Brewing Company – Debaser
  • Double IPA – 7.7% ABV
• Roy Pitz Brewing Company – Daddy Fat Sacks
  • American IPA – 6% ABV
• Saint Benjamin Brewing Company – Bay Side
  • Saison – 5.2% ABV
• St. Boniface Craft Brewing Co. – Paideia IPA
  • American Pale Ale – 5% ABV
• Sly Fox Brewing Company – Grisette
  • Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale – 5.6% ABV
• Stable 12 Brewing Company – Razzle Dazzle
  • Raspberry Witbier – 4.7% ABV
• Sterling Pig Brewery – Big Gunz
  • Double IPA – 8% ABV
• Weyerbacher Brewing Company – Last Chance IPA
  • Indian Pale Ale – 5.9% ABV
• Wyndridge Farm – Cranberry Cider
  • Hard Cider – 5.5% ABV

More from these breweries

• Brotherly Suds 7 from Sly Fox Brewing, et al.
• Bullitt Train from Levante Brewing Company
• Paideia from St. Boniface Craft Brewing Co.
• SHUT UP, MEG! from Evil Genius Beer Company
• Maholo, Apollo by Iron Hill Brewery
• Purple Monkey Dishwasher by Evil Genius Beer Company
• Mango Wheat by Free Will Brewing Company
• Weyerbacher IPA #1 Review
• Strawberry Wheat by Lancaster Brewing Company