When it comes to Pennsylvania there is a lot of pride. (Hell, we even have a beer series named after it). Pride of which beer is best from your local neighborhood, city, or even entire region. And with the Keystone State being number two in the nation for craft beer production, you can bet there is plenty of pride to go around.

So it obviously begs the question… how does each city compare when it comes to craft beer? We set out to answer that question.

To do an analysis on each of PA’s top cities we dove deep into the numbers. We looked at the five different regions of the state (NW, SW, Central, SE, and NE) and analyzed each. Below is the data we gathered for each city:

• Number of breweries in that specific city (based on active licenses)
• Average Untappd rating of all breweries located in the city (numbers as of August 8th, 2023)
• Population Size (according to United States Census)

Given all of the factors above here is how the top five regions in PA stack up for craft beer quality*.

Pittsburgh

(All of Allegheny County)

Brewery Count: 44
Average Untappd Score: 3.80
Population: 1.23 million
Brewery Per Capita: 3.57 breweries per 100,000 residents

The Highlights: To do a complete breakdown of craft beer in Pittsburgh would take days. Especially given the fact that Allegheny County is number one in PA for brewery count. So we’ll stick to the 30,000 foot view. There is no surprise here, but the Pittsburgh brewing scene is fairly young. While brands like Church, East End, Penn, and others have been around for quite some time, even their origins are young compared to those in the next major city; Philadelphia (with the exception of Pittsburgh Brewing, of course). But while most of the city’s brewing companies may be young, Pittsburgh leads the way when you look at Untappd scores. While Philadelphia relies on a few outsiders to bolster its ratings, just about all of Pittsburgh’s top producers are homegrown (with the exception of one) and all opened less than a decade ago. With Grist House, Dancing Gnome, Brew Gentlemen, Aslin, Abjuration, and Old Thunder all leading the way with 4.0 or better on Untappd.

Philadelphia

Brewery Count: 33
Average Untappd Score: 3.79
Population: 1.57 million
Brewery Per Capita: 2.09 breweries per 100,000 residents

The Highlights: Much like Pittsburgh a complete breakdown of Philadelphia would be in depth. The brewery count is high, and some of the oldest, most recognized producers in the state reside within the city limits. Philadelphia is a mix of well established brands like Yards, Dock Street, and Philadelphia Brewing which have a deep history of making beer combined with a plethora of newcomers. Being Pennsylvania’s largest city it is no wonder that Philadelphia has also attracted out of state brands. Brewing companies like Other Half (NY Based) and Source (NJ based) have both called Philly home. And it’s brands like those keeping the Untappd count so high. Of all the 33 breweries in Philadelphia only Other Half, Source, Human Robot, Humble Parlor, and Fermentery Form are averaging a 4.0 or better on Untappd.

Lehigh Valley

(All of Lehigh and Northampton Counties)

Brewery Count: 25
Average Untappd Score: 3.74
Population: 689,167
Brewery Per Capita: 3.62 breweries per 100,000 residents

The Highlights: While not quite the major metropolitan areas that Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are, the Lehigh Valley still holds its own. While this area does technically encompass two counties, the total population still remains smaller (despite having 2 of the top 10 most populous cities in PA; Allentown at #3 and Bethlehem at #7). Don’t let the smaller population fool you, the Lehigh Valley outpaces both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia when it comes to breweries per capita, so there’s plenty of beer to go around. Much like the smaller, more rural regions on this list, no brewery averages a 4.0 or higher on Untappd (Lost Tavern comes the closest at 3.99). But the future in the Lehigh Valley beer scene is bright. A majority of the breweries only opened within the last 5 years… so there’s no telling what the Valley’s beer landscape will look like in years to come.

Erie

Brewery Count: 9
Average Untappd Score: 3.64
Population: 267,969
Brewery Per Capita: 2.97 breweries per 100,000 residents

The Highlights: Obviously there isn’t a lot to dissect here. To put this in perspective Erie has the same number of active breweries as Phoenixville, despite having almost 200,000 more residents. With such a small sample size it’s tough to really rank Pennsylvania’s 5th largest city when it comes to craft beer. Given the fairly low per capita score, the data would suggest there is brewery growth awaiting Erie. With brands like Lavery, Erie Brewing, and The Brewerie all opening almost two decades ago the city has a history of beer success with more growth opportunities ahead.

Lancaster

(All of Lancaster County)

Brewery Count: 30
Average Untappd Score: 3.59
Population: 553,652
Brewery Per Capita: 5.41 breweries per 100,000 residents

The Highlights: One aspect impacting Lancaster’s average Untappd score would be the number of “chain breweries”. The type where food and expansion come first, and beer can tend to come second. We personally have no issues with these types of breweries. These establishments usually make beer more accessible and are the kind of breweries needed to convert the masses who aren’t quite ready for an overwhelming taplist of adjuncts. But the fact still remains that chain breweries historically tend to perform low on Untappd. Despite this, Lancaster boasts some amazing brands with plenty of beer to go around; having the largest brewery per capita on the list. And while the county doesn’t have any 4.0 producers (yet), there are plenty on the cusp. With Our Town, Pour Man’s, Bespoke, Moo-Duck, Rural City, and Cartel all leading the way at 3.85 or better.

*Quality is subjective. Don’t let silly lists like this impact enjoying what you like.