Recently, I was meeting up with some friends over at Boal City Brewing on a pleasant, warm evening. Of course it was pretty busy, as it always is in the lovely Boal City beer garden on nice weekend nights, but I found a place by a firepit after I grabbed a beer. There I waited for my friends who were meeting me following an after-work hike in Rothrock State Forest.
Sitting near me around the fire pit was a couple, and as I was waiting for my friends, we began to strike up a casual conversation. Eventually, my friends finished their hike and joined us by the fire pit. My old friends and my new friends and I all engaged together in lighthearted conversation with a lot of laughs.
It was fun, but eventually the couple said goodbye. After they left, my friends looked at me inquisitively and asked if I knew the people we all had been chatting with over our beers.
“Well, I just met them before you came. That was firepit talk,” I told them. They laughed and said that they thought I was friends with them.
That is one of the things I love about patronizing our local craft beverage establishments: You are likely to meet some good people and have a fun conversation. Whether by the communal firepit or sitting at the bar, these places invite the community to come together, and it is not just about alcohol.
Taking things even further, lately I have noticed a growing trend: Many of these places go out of their way to bring people together with fun events and group activities that get people talking and engaging together, instead of looking down at their phones.
For example, I recently read a story in The Centre County Gazette about a Star Wars Pin Ball Night offered at Axemann Brewery on May 4 (May the Fourth be with you). It seemed like a fun way to celebrate this new holiday, and it looks like pinball tournaments (of the non-Star Wars variety) are a monthly thing over there in the large beer hall outside of Bellefonte. What a fun throwback.
Axemann Brewery is also known for its cornhole events, which bring out those who like their competition with fresh beer in their hands (my kind of people). Cornhole play is also on the event calendar over at Voodoo Brewing Company’s State College pub. I can’t believe I haven’t gotten into this yet. I love tossing bags (back in my home state of Wisconsin, we call the game “bags”) with friends, and it really does get my competitive juices flowing. The best part about it is meeting new people and having some laughs over a silly game.
Of course, for those who would rather test their brains instead of their bag throwing skills, many of our craft beverage producers also offer up trivia nights. Both Voodoo and Axemann have fun trivia nights during the week to help take the mind off work and into more trivial matters. Trivia is also on tap at Big Spring Spirits in Bellefonte and Elk Creek Cafe and Aleworks out in Millheim.
Elk Creek also serves as an after-ride gathering spot for the Penns Valley Pedals and Pints bike club. Each Thursday, members raise money for charity as they bike around Penns Valley. The community vibe is topped off with a post-ride Elk Creek pint or two; sounds like a great way to make friends.
Boal City Brewing gets the active community together every week with the Trails and Ales Running Club on Tuesday nights. What a fun way to burn off a few calories before enjoying an ale or two with new friends afterward. The run usually kicks off at 6 p.m., featuring a 5K route before heading back to the brewery for drinks and community. All skill levels are welcome.
Axemann, too, offers something for the athletic crowd, with Yoga on the Deck on Wednesday afternoons in July. I would need the complimentary post-yoga drink to come before class started to get myself to be a little more limber.
If you would rather get your artistic juices flowing with a beverage, Boal City also hosts Craft and Brews on Monday evenings, where patrons are invited to bring their own craft activity and create with others. Sounds like a fun way to get inspired with new craft ideas and meet some like-minded people.
University Wine Company also hosts a sip and paint night, where folks can create and enjoy a sip or two. These classes focus on certain techniques and skills, and reservations are required. With my painting skills, I would probably have to pay extra, but I would be willing to give it a shot if there was University wine involved.
These are just some of the ways that our local craft beverage producers are creating places where the community can come together and have fun and make friends. If all else fails, just find a seat by the bar or firepit, put down your phone and strike up a conversation with someone nearby. You never know — you just might make a new friend. It could even be me. Cheers! T&G
Vincent Corso enjoys drinking local and meeting new people at Central Pennsylvania’s many interesting establishments.
