SEPTA's Lansdale-Doylestown Line Brewery Crawl

The Line:
SEPTA's Lansdale-Doylestown Line runs from center city Philadelphia to its last station in Doylestown. The Line's section from center city to Lansdale was originally part of the Reading Railroad's route from Philadelphia to Bethlehem and the Lansdale to Doylestown section was the Reading Railroad's Doylestown branch. The Line's electrified service originally went as far as West Trenton when it was opened in 1931, with plans to extend electrified service to Jersey City, but this never happened as a result of the Great Depression. 
As automobiles took over, ridership dropped to areas such as Bethlehem and the Leigh Valley area, resulting in the termination of the line north of Lansdale. 

The Breweries:
Six breweries were chosen for this crawl, starting in downtown Philadelphia and ending in Chalfont, PA. Doylestown Brewing Company currently is contract brewing, but they plan to open a location right in the center of town, so look forward to that addition. 

1. Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant- This little second floor brewery is adorned with many little bobble heads of various personages. They maintain a small rotating tap list, which features many beers worthy of tasting. Having opened in January 2000 at the location of a former Samuel Adams Brew House, their beers have been earning awards, most recently at the Great American Beer Festival.
1. Note: Originally Triumph Brewing Company in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia was the first stop on the crawl. Unfortunately is was discovered in January 2014 they would be selling this location (they still have locations at Princeton, NJ and New Hope, PA. They have officially closed as of April 2014; hopefully a new brewery will open there soon, the Inquirer article mentions the possibility, so lets hope!
2. GG Brewers- This little place often gets overlooked in the Philly beer scene. As far as size goes, they claim to be the world's 2nd smallest independent brewpub (I have no statistics to back that up).
3. Forest & Main Brewing Company- In a refurbished Victorian house located at the intersection of Forest Ave and Main St, is this cozy brewpub which serves up beers of both British and Belgium inspiration. With many small rooms and two levels to choose from, it is easy to find yourself a nice little corner to enjoy your beer.
4. Prism Brewing Company- This brewery got their start brewing at the now closed General Lafayette Inn and Brewery. They were able to open their own brewery in October 2010 and in less then a year also had a taproom in operation. In addition to their beer, you will also find PA Wine and gourmet hot dogs available to supplement your visit. Tours are at 3pm on Sundays.
5. Round Guys Brewing Company- Started by two friends (a biologist and an engineer), this Lansdale brewery is humming along. They have a tasting room where you can try their year round and seasonal beers. The host bands as well, so if you're lucky you will have some live music to enjoy your beer with.
6. Crabby Larry's Brewpub Steak and Crab House- You will be pleased to know that their really is a "Crabby Larry" and he just so happens to be a part of the duo, Larry and Dani, who run this Caribbean themed restaurant and brewpub. Starting out as a seafood restaurant, they decided decided to add brewpub to the mix after trying their hand at brewing. You'll find an assortment of beers that the couple has brewed using their 50 gallon batch system.    
7. Doylestown Brewing Company- (Note: No physical location; do not actually go to Doylestown in search of this brewery, you won't find it.) A new entrant to the beer scene, this brewery is currently contract brewing at City Brewing Co in Latrobe, PA. The plan, though, is to open up a brewery right in the middle of town for the operations where tours and tasting will be available. Their website indicates it will be coming Fall of 2014.

The Tour:

1. The tour will start in downtown Philadelphia and like the Keystone Line Crawl, start at Nodding Head (1516 Sansom Street); you’ll find them up the stairs on the 2nd floor.
2. After finishing at Nodding Head, walk to Suburban Station at 16th St and JFK Blvd where you will catch the Lansdale-Doylestown train. This underground station was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and opened in 1930 to replace the original Broad Street Station.
3. Your first stop will be at Glenside for GG Brewers (282 North Keswick Ave). Take note of the historic Keswick Theater just across the street from the brewpub.   
4. The next station you will want to jump off the train at is Ambler in order to taste the brews of Forest & Main (61 North Main St). As you leave the station, you'll see the old Ambler station just across Butler Pike, now the Trax Restaurant & Cafe.
5. After another short train jaunt you will find yourself in North Wales and walking to Prism Brewing (810 Dickerson Rd). The roads for this walk generally do not have side walks and sometime not even a good shoulder is available for walking. If you want to take a longer route through more residential area it might provide for a safer visit.
6. The next station is Lansdale for a stop at Round Guys Brewing (324 West Main St), which is only a short walk down the street. Just north of the station, you can see the main tracks that in the line's heyday would take trains to Bethlehem.
7. The last stop will be at Chalfont to visit Crabby Larrys (237 West Butler Ave). The road here also does not always have a sidewalk, so be careful. Enjoy a beer and maybe a crab cake before getting that train back to downtown.

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For a quick roundup of the Philadelphia areas breweries, check out this list from visitphilly.com. 

Amtrak's Keystone Line Brewery Crawl

Amtrak's Keystone Line Brewery Crawl

The Line:

Amtrak's Keystone Service from Philadelphia 30th Street Station to the Harrisburg Transportation Center starts and ends in two historic train stations in addition to history that can be seen throughout the line. The route runs along the line of the former Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line. The full route is electrified and consists of unreserved coaches. 

The Breweries:

Nine breweries were chosen for the tour, although it is not necessary to stop at all locations. 

1. Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant- This little second floor brewery is adorned with many little bobble heads of various personages. They maintain a small rotating tap lists, which features many beers worthy of tasting. Having opened in January 2000 at the location of a former Samuel Adams Brew House, their beers have been earning awards, most recently at the Great American Beer Festival. 
2. Tired Hands Brewing Company - This "brewcafe" just opened in 2012 and has garnered quite the reputation. Their beers are influenced both by the farmhouse brews of France and Belgium along with the American brewer. They have no qualms going off in their own direction, using all types of local and far off ingredients to come up with one of a kind tastes. The beers pair perfectly with their locally produced meats, cheeses, and pickles. They most recently purchased a larger location nearby which will significantly increase their brewing capabilities; follow them on Facebook to keep updated on the continuing renovations!
3. Victory Brewing Company- Opened in 1996, this brewery has made the amazing expansion from just 1,725 barrels in their first year to just over 93,000 in 2012. You will find a large tap list from which to choose at their brewpub
4. Lancaster Brewing Company- Lancaster is a city steeped in brewing history, but until Lancaster Malt Brewing opened its doors in 1995 (bought in 2001 by Lancaster Brewing Company) it had been 39 years since a brewery was in the city. The brewery and restaurant is located in the historic Edwin McGovern Tobacco Warehouse, which allows you to enjoy your brew and your history simultaneously. Brewery tours are 1-2pm Monday to Friday upon request and Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. 
5. Taproom Spring House Brewing Company- The actual brewery is located just outside the city in a barn, but here at the Taproom in downtown Lancaster you can find a wide selection of their beer on tap, including such diabolical creations as a peanut butter stout and mango IPA. Fun fact, the barn where the brewery is located is actually the location of a natural spring. 
6. Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant - This brewpub chain is now up to 10 locations, with the first Iron Hill having opened in Newark, Delaware in 1994. Each location has their own brewer who has leave to put their own mark on some of the beers, in addition to their house beers which are available at all locations.  
7. Bube's Brewery- Although the modern incarnation of Bube's Brewery opened in 2001, the brewery was originally started in 1876 by Alois Bube. Over his life he expanded his brewery to include a Victorian hotel, all of which is included in the complex you can see today. In addition to being a brewery and restaurant, Bube's hosts live music, information brewery tours, murder mystery diners, ghost tours (they were featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters), and hostel accommodations. Informal brewery tours are available most Saturdays around 2pm. 
8. Zuckfoltzfus Brewing Company- This is the newest brewery on the list. Their Mount Joy brewery features up to eight beers on tap. 
9. Appalachian Brewing Company- Now with six locations, the Harrisburg brewpub is Appalachian's original location opened in 1997. The brewery is located in an impressive three story building built in 1915 and both flagship and seasonal beers are available. Brewery tours are Saturdays at 1pm. 

The Tour:

1. Start your tour at Nodding Head in downtown Philadelphia at 1516 Sansom Street. 
2. After enjoying a beer, walk to 30th Street Station where you will catch your first train. Take some time to enjoy the impressive station, with its Corinthian columns at the entrance, Art Deco main waiting room, and art pieces throughout the station. 
3. The first journey is a short one and you will quickly find yourself in the suburban town of Ardmore on Philadelhia's Main Line. Tired Hands Brewing (16 Ardmore Ave) is a short walk away where the next beer can be enjoyed. 
4. After getting back on the train in Ardmore, you will next get off the train in Downingtown, where you will have to take a bit of a trek to get to Victory Brewing Company (420 Acorn Lane). 
5. Board Amtrak again and make your way into Lancaster County where you will get off in Lancaster (the city) to make your way in a loop to three separate breweries: Lancaster Brewing Company (302 North Plum St), Taproom Spring House (25 West King St), and Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant (781 Harrisburg Ave). The full loop will take some time to complete, but it'll be worth it. 
6. Another short train ride will find you in the small town of Mount Joy where you will get to taste beers from the newest brewery on the tour, Zuckfoltzfus Brewing, and (arguably) one of the most history laden breweries on the tour, Bube's Brewery. Both Zuckfoltzfus (12 South Market St) and Bube's (102 North Market St) are located near the train station, so take your pick on the order. 
7. The last stop on the tour is the Pennsylvania capital of Harrisburg where you will take a short ramble over to Appalachian Brewing Company (50 North Cameron St) for a final beer and self congratulatory pat on the back.  

View Amtrak's Keystone Brewery Train Crawl in a larger map