Food & Beer Culture

Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine goes hand in hand with Pennsylvania beer. The pretzel crossed the Atlantic in the 18th century with German-speaking immigrants, many of them Mennonites and Amish. In Lancaster County, it's still baked today as a Soft Pretzel—warm, soft, and served with yellow mustard. The salt and the roasted note of the dough pair with a copper-colored lager just as naturally as a pretzel pairs with a stein.

Scrapple is a typical breakfast dish of the region: meat scraps are cooked with cornmeal into a loaf, sliced, and fried until crispy. It's hearty, savory, and rich. Beer tends to be more of an evening drink, but the same logic applies: where there's fat, the drink needs carbonation and bitterness.

The city's most famous dish is the Philly Cheesesteak, thin-sliced beef with cheese in a roll. According to popular legend, Pat Olivieri invented it in 1930. An amber lager, with enough caramel and body to hold its own, pairs well with its seasoning and melted cheese.

On Sundays in southern Pennsylvania, you'll find Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie, a stew with squares of dough. A pilsner pairs well here, refreshing the palate. For dessert comes Shoofly Pie made with molasses, which surprisingly works wonderfully with a porter's roasted notes.

Drinking culture in Pennsylvania also means tavern, brewpub, and homebrewing. Philadelphia celebrates Philly Beer Week every year. Drinking remains a matter of taste, and in this state, beer is always found right next to a plate of food.