Selinsgrove (PA)

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Great little place. It's located in the basement of the governor Snyder mansion built in the early 1800's. (Lots of character) Food is basic, mostly sandwiches with a weekly dinner and soup special, but it's all usually good.
Beer selection varies from week to week., but there is usually 8 or so beers on tap. The IPA has been pretty tasty lately, lots of Mosaic. Not much else is going on in Selinsgrove, but this place is definitely worth a stop. Go there, you will want to come back.
 
What to say about SGB that NearTheGrove hasnt already mentioned?

First off, they are not open Mondays and Tuesdays.

Food wise, I think its important to temper your expectations. Just keep in mind, visiting SGB is kinda like visiting your parents but with a better beer selection on tap. The kitchen at SGB is likely the same size or smaller than what you have at your own home. But what comes out of that kitchen is always fresh and enjoyable. Most of what they make is centric to cold cut sandwhiches, wraps and salads. They have a list of different types of sandwhich templates for you to pick from that you can also customize or you can outright build your own picking what type of bread, protein and other miscellaneous stuff. I highly recommend making your own: pretzel bun with marinaded portabella, roast beef and whatever fixens tickles your giblets.

They serve 2 different types of cheese boards and just recently started offering charcuterie. They always have vegan chili and another kind of soup that changes weekly. There is typically 1 main entree that is served hot...it is the special that runs all week long. They only make so much of it each day and when its gone, its gone. The same goes for their desserts.

The place is kid friendly so if your children are old enough and along for the trip, get yourself a table and pull out a game to play from one of the shelves to entertain them while you enjoy yourself.

The beer is awesome. Steve and Heather create beer that is very true to style. The only exception being their fruit beers. The "peach saison" is just a literal translation meaning peach season not a saison with peaches. The kriek and framboise are fruit beers in the vein of new glarus fruit beers not traditional lambic. The pale ale is the single most enjoyable pale ale ive ever had, anywhere. So juicy with hop character I get several growlers of it upon every visit. Just keep in mind that their ipa is also quite nice but it seems they tinker with it and its a little different every time they release it depending on what hops they had on hand.

They also have 2 beer engines though they dont always have something on them. If they do have something on, it most likely will be their wee heavy/barleywine and this year it is the tits!

As the time gets closer and you know exactly when you will be there, send me a message and ill try to meet ya there if able.
 
Excellent summary stakem . The kriek threw me for a loop the first time I had it because I was expecting a more traditional kriek. Going in with the mindset of a New Glarus fruit offering is the perfect comparison. I haven't had it in a few years, but I recall really liking their regular and black ipa as well.
 
Awesome review stakem. Knew he'd chime in with a great summary. Actually a little busy at work today (and maybe a little hung over from one to many of Selingrove's IPA's last night.) But anyways, if you haven't booked a hotel yet, I recommend the Selinsgrove Inn. It's a block away from the pub. Nice to just stroll back to your hotel after one too many.
Let me know when your in town, I'll meet up with ya for a beer or two. Thanks, Kevin.
 
I'm a mile away from SGB. Always down for a bottle share.
I'm there most nights Wed-Sat some Sundays too. Usually sitting next to the mayor, will be there again tonight. Its a daily routine for me. Get there about 8:45 have two beers and call it a day. See you at the pub!
 
Thanks guys. The wife and I were just looking for a quiet little town about 2-2.5 hours away from home with a river, lake or some other body of water for a quick weekend getaway 4/22-4/24. Selinsgrove fits the bill and has a brewery so it's a winner in my book. Not sure if I can get away with a bottle share, but can definitely try to meet up for a few drinks.
 
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I'm there most nights Wed-Sat some Sundays too. Usually sitting next to the mayor, will be there again tonight. Its a daily routine for me. Get there about 8:45 have two beers and call it a day. See you at the pub!

Just got back from having lunch there. Shrimp Caesar salad was really good. If you will be there later shoot me a message or something.
 
Thanks guys. The wife and I were just looking for a quiet little town about 2-2.5 hours away from home with a river, lake or some other body of water for a quick weekend getaway 4/22-4/24. Selinsgrove fits the bill and has a brewery so it's a winner in my book. Not sure if I can get away with a bottle share, but can definitely try to meet up for a few drinks.

Plenty of good BYOB spots in town. Could always have a share there.
 
Plenty of good BYOB spots in town. Could always have a share there.

Location isn't the hurdle, the wife is, lol. Not sure I can get away with meeting up for a bottle share during a weekend where we're supposed to be relaxing and recharging as a couple. Now accidentally running into some of you guys that happen to be at SGB while we're there is a different story.
 
Man this place is incredibly nostalgic for me. Used to stop by back in school (Bucknell) and this was the perfect brewpub. The summaries above capture pretty much everything. Enjoy.
 
I always enjoy the beers, the atmosphere, and the crowd at SGB. Food has never blown me away but it does the trick. Phoenix Kriek is my absolute favorite from them and what usually gets me to do the 5 hour round trip drive!
 
We'll be heading to SGB in about an hour. I'm the portly bearded dude in the blue striped polo shirt and black ballcap.

Also, does anyone know of a grocery store or other place in the Selinsgrove, Lewisburg or Mifflinburg area with a good six pack selection? Not looking to buy a case of anything.
 
Weis in Selinsgrove on 522 has a somewhat decent selection. Their good stuff sells out really quick.
 
The hops, vines and wines fest is Saturday. Anyone else gonna be there?

This is the first year that I didnt have prior commitments and can attend.
 
Honestly the beers there last year didn't impress me. I drank a lot of mead over at the stonekeep tent.
 
Honestly the beers there last year didn't impress me. I drank a lot of mead over at the stonekeep tent.
Sorry to hear that. I havent been to a beer fest in like 5 years so when my friend told me he got a spare ticket I was all over it.

They are up to 60 breweries now. Some of which appear to be homebrewers who are in the process of opening establishments. So it will be neat to get a preview of what their stuff might be like. Quick glance at the list shows about half a dozen places ive never even heard of let alone tried beer from so im trying to be positive about it.

Im gonna get there 2-3 hours early. Planning on eating lunch at the pub, filling some growlers and seeing if Heather and Steve pull any special brews out for the event such as a barrel aged or wild.
 
Selinsgrove Brewery will probably have Kriek on at the pub. I highly doubt they will have a wild or barrel aged beer at the festival. Maybe one of their firkins? If you want to meet up I live in town about a mile from the fest. Always down to share a beer.
 
Selinsgrove Brewery will probably have Kriek on at the pub. I highly doubt they will have a wild or barrel aged beer at the festival. Maybe one of their firkins? If you want to meet up I live in town about a mile from the fest. Always down to share a beer.

Kriek has been on for awhile now no? It was on during my last 3-4 visits I believe.

I could be mistaken but I am fairly certain that in the pub they show off for the fest and completely stack their lineup so that many options are available for the people passing through for the event. Not only will beer be pouring from all the taps but both beer engines will have cask beer available (which isnt always the case during normal visits.) At least this is how it has been the past couple years that I didnt have tickets and just showed up to have a few beers with lunch and fill growlers.

Im pretty sure last year they released their sour/wild version of the peche and the year before that, the barrel aged sour triple (not at the fest itself but it was pouring in the pub on the day of the fest.)

It doesnt matter really, im excited to be going regardless of what they have.

Im always down for putting a face to a username, ill send you a private message prior to heading out saturday.
 
selin's grove pumpkin used to be one of my personal whales. i don't remember the last time it was ever offered for fills though :( kriek was another one, but someone got me a fill a couple years ago.

if either of those fills are available though (kriek or pumpkin.. moreso with pumpkin)... pleeeeeease someone help me out. you'll make a permanent friend in san diego :)
 
Now that I live like an hour away, I need to hit SGB soon... Maybe I should also hit this fest? Anyone been and have any descriptors of what it's like?

EDIT: lol welp didn't notice it was sold out, read better zach. too bad, list looks pretty cool! next year..

State College Brew Expo brewery list looks pretty dope as well, too bad I'm not around that weekend either... dammit
 
selin's grove pumpkin used to be one of my personal whales. i don't remember the last time it was ever offered for fills though :( kriek was another one, but someone got me a fill a couple years ago.

if either of those fills are available though (kriek or pumpkin.. moreso with pumpkin)... pleeeeeease someone help me out. you'll make a permanent friend in san diego :)

Im already intending to fill growlers for my friend who moved to the new england area. It would be no problem to fill one for you as well when I am there Saturday. The pumpkin was never and will never be available for growler fill. It is served via nitrogen for on site only consumption.
 
Now that I live like an hour away, I need to hit SGB soon... Maybe I should also hit this fest? Anyone been and have any descriptors of what it's like?

EDIT: lol welp didn't notice it was sold out, read better zach. too bad, list looks pretty cool! next year..

On their facebook page they state that people show up the day of the fest with spare tickets to sell and leave their contact information at the gate. Not sure if you are willing to roll the dice considering you have an hour drive but I have friends without tickets who are planning on doing that and they are driving in from more than an hour away. ;)
 
On their facebook page they state that people show up the day of the fest with spare tickets to sell and leave their contact information at the gate. Not sure if you are willing to roll the dice considering you have an hour drive but I have friends without tickets who are planning on doing that and they are driving in from more than an hour away. ;)

Hour drive doesn't bother me... More curious if the fest's worth it. I am still readjusting my standards to Pennsylvania...
 
Hour drive doesn't bother me... More curious if the fest's worth it. I am still readjusting my standards to Pennsylvania...
I cant speak for the quality of the fest - was never able to attend one until this year and I believe this is their 9th year of doing it.

I regularly drive an hour just to visit the SGB pub regardless of what they have on tap. Knowing their draft list should be better than usual this weekend, you should go.
 
selin's grove pumpkin used to be one of my personal whales. i don't remember the last time it was ever offered for fills though :( kriek was another one, but someone got me a fill a couple years ago.

if either of those fills are available though (kriek or pumpkin.. moreso with pumpkin)... pleeeeeease someone help me out. you'll make a permanent friend in san diego :)

As of yesterday Kriek was still on tap.
 
As of yesterday Kriek was still on tap.
Just wanted to chime back in and say you were right. SGB made a liar of me and not only didnt have a sour/wild/unique beer on tap but they also didnt have all the taps flowing and both of the beer engines were not pouring cask beer. They did have 2 beers on tap that I dont recall having before: a summer solitice dubbel (always remember seeing the "winter" version not this one) and a roasted oat stout.

The french dip special was out of control good!

The fest itself was pretty cool. Got to try some stuff from new/up and coming places from PA. A brewery called Highway manor had a badass sour saison that was easily the best beer I drank all day with a close second being a peach berliner from a homebrewer.

Ive never been to a beer fest before that had that much food available for free.
Pulled pork, brisket, stromboli, pizza, subs, veggy subs, egg rolls, soft pretzels...there is more that im forgetting.
 
Posting just cuz...

Selinsgrove recently ran into some issues with the PLCB and temoprarily cannot fill growlers... what a kick in the dick that must be financially for them since this went down right before the holidays.

And speaking of the holidays, holy **** it was their 20th anniversary. To commemorate they made a double centennial ipa that I found to be exquisit. Man I hope they tinker and add a DIPA to the seasonal/semi-reg rotation. They also had a "pumpkin special" brew which was a blend of stout and pumpkin ale aged on bourbon soaked oak spirals that was really different. I didnt make it up there in time to try the reg pumpkin ale (this is the first time i missed it in years) but someone told me part of the batch was blended with cider? Why they would do that makes no sense to me unless it was a one-off keg they did that too... but even the pumpkin special I drank that was supposedly stout and pumpkin had a little cider thing going on.
 
I wasn't able to make it over there. I've been in FL for almost a month. My room mate stopped over with a friend and each got a swingtop of that special IPA.
 
Sooooo it sounds like whatever issue SGB had with the liquor board is resolved. They are back to being able to fill growlers again.

We had an impromptu visit this evening and I was shocked to see that they recently had 2 different sours on. A wild version of their kriek and a flanders red. I got to try the flanders red and it was better than expected. Perfect balance of sour, oak and residual fruitiness.

Pale ale was straight fire as it usually is so I ended up drinking more glasses of it than I should have. Then I found out they have been loading their IPA with mosaic lately so I had to have a pint of that too. I usually enjoy the ipa but this recent batch is very under attenuated.
 
Are all NE style ipas out there right now sickeningly sweet?

A disproportionately high % are outside of the well made outliers.

BTW, I'd love to try the Kriek and I see it's coming back soon (and basically anything else from them). If you want something from SWPA, I'd love to set something up.
 
BTW, I'd love to try the Kriek and I see it's coming back soon (and basically anything else from them). If you want something from SWPA, I'd love to set something up.

Its back now. Was put on tap the evening I was there. I honestly dont know when I will get back there, I got a real busy schedule for the next several weeks. Hopefully someone else can hook you up but if not I will see what I can do.
 
Its back now. Was put on tap the evening I was there. I honestly dont know when I will get back there, I got a real busy schedule for the next several weeks. Hopefully someone else can hook you up but if not I will see what I can do.

No problem if you can't. Just a bucket list beer of mine.
 
The new raspberry chocolate porter is freaking rediculous.



That is all.
 
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