The Mash Loop – Lancaster’s Best Wine, Beer & Spirits Tour
May 25, 2021
Craft wine, beer and spirits tours are super-popular right now, and with good reason! These small venues offer locally made DELICIOUS adult beverages in unique environments where you can really get a sense of the local area. Ephrata is special in that we have SIX of these wonderful businesses all within a mile or two of one another, so you can take an easy tour (we call it “The Mash Loop”) without wasting precious drinking time, not to mention gas, driving from place to place!!
Weathered Vineyard Ephrata
900a West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
Weathered Vineyards Ephrata is a cute wine bar located inside the Historic Smithton Inn Bed and Breakfast. The property was established as a stagecoach stop in 1763, so you can enjoy a tasty beverage in a building that’s been standing since before the revolutionary war! They serve their own boutique, Bordeaux-Burgundy style wines & wine slushies, plus local craft beer and mixed drinks. The food menu is Mediterranean Bistro style appetizers & entrees.
While You’re There:
Enjoy the lovely outside Courtyard where musicians perform live on Friday & Saturday nights during the warm-weather months.
Check out the gift shop that’s on the way to the restroom for cute gifts including up-cycled wine items.
St. Boniface Craft Brewery
1701 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
St. Boniface was Ephrata’s FIRST craft brewery and paved the way for the Mash trail we have today! While they’re known for their ‘hoppy beers’, Boniface has the largest selection of craft beers on tap in Ephrata (their own plus some visitors), so we guarantee they’ll have something you’ll like. They also have a terrific menu of pizza, sandwiches, and salads to choose from.
While You’re There:
Try the flatbread pizza…specifically “The Shire” which is so freaking delicious!
Across the street is “Good’s General Store”… basically “Amish Walmart”. It’s a cute shop where locals can get all the home-goods & sewing supplies they need.
Olde Republic Distillery
3 Dutchland Ave., Ephrata, PA 17522
At Olde Republic Distillery, located in a historic barn, you’ll enjoy delicious, creative mixed drinks in a reclaimed, hip setting. The owners of ORD also have the coffee/sandwich shop, Javateas, next door… which is great because they’ve created a terrific bar menu that they’ll deliver over for you.
While You’re There:
Javateas is a fantastic local coffee shop, so if you’re a fan of cold brew coffee they’ve got it on tap & you can take a container home with you, and while you’re at it you should grab a few delicious pastries from the display case to go with your coffee
Cloister Cabinetry is another business located in the same complex and they contribute to the fantastic outdoor atmosphere of ORD with their collection of seating & fire pits that customers can sit in and enjoy. You’ll be so comfortable that you’ll want to take it home… and you CAN!
Black Forest Brewery
301 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
Black Forest Brewery offers German-style beers in a cozy, rustic environment with big sliding doors that open the bar area to the outdoors (weather permitting) and outdoor shaded seating as well. This small family-owned business shares something in common with Weathered Vineyards in that it’s located on the site of a historic colonial Bed and Breakfast!
While You’re There:
The food here is fantastic and creative without being pretentious. Come hungry, portion sizes are large!
If they’re open & you’re a history buff, check out the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley across the street.
Pour Man’s Brewing Company
284 S. Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
These guys at Pour Man's don’t just make great beer, they’ve got a terrific sense of humor as well, which is evidenced by the names they come up with for their collection of brews: Ja’Crispy Kölsch, Goin' Broke IPA IPA – American, Oats & Hoes Stout - Oatmeal and Jabreakit Jubawdit Sour – Fruited are a few of the examples you’ll find when you visit. Taps are always changing so you’ll be guaranteed a new experience every time you visit.
While You’re There:
Pour Man’s is located practically next door to the Ephrata Skate Park (at the Library) and the Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail.
Try the food, it’s delish!
Hillside Public House at Doneckers
333 N. State Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
The newest of the craft beverage venues in Ephrata, the Hillside Public House is a tasting room located in the old Doneckers Restaurant building. The interior has undergone substantial renovation to transform it into the hip & trendy space that customers enjoy today. Hillside serves creative mixed drinks with their own distilled spirits in addition to serving wines & craft beers on tap.
While You’re There:
Eat some wonderful BBQ presented by Brewster’s BBQ
On a Friday you should continue driving up State Street to visit the Green Dragon Market. Any other day of the week, if you’re in the mood to do some shopping, downtown Ephrata has a killer collection of Thrift Stores where you can hunt for buried treasure!
Visiting Lancaster County sometime soon? Book a stay at the Historic Smithton Inn, a historic-hip bed and breakfast in Ephrata, PA. Choose from one of our eight guest accommodations including Queen Rooms, King Jacuzzi Suites or a Private Vacation Rental Home.
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