The spirit of the region comes to life on the Pocono Beverage Trail. The self-guided tour taps into the wealth of breweries, wineries and distilleries in the area. Select a designated driver or book a ride with one of the many transportation providers in the region. There are 19 stops on the Pocono Beverage Trail so you can break up the tour into the Northern and Southern Poconos. Choose your area of interest or mix and match for a diverse experience.
Breweries
You can “hop” on the Pocono Beverage Trail right here in Hawley at Hopping Eagle Brewing Company. The craft brewery opened on the ground floor of the Hawley Silk Mill in 2019. Owners Ron and Maggie Passaro operate the one-barrel nano-brewery with eight fermenters. There are eight types of beer on tap at all times, plus a nitro-brew. Staple brews include the Blonde Ale and a Double IPA plus a rotating selection of seasonal beers and specials. Jalapeno Pale and Coffee Cream Ale are among the unique pours on tap. Guests are welcome to bring food in or even have meals delivered to enjoy with Hopping Eagle’s brews.
Less than a mile away, Wallenpaupack Brewing Company has created a stir since it first opened in 2017. The 14,000 square foot facility features a 20-barrel craft brewery, brewpub and beer garden. There’s a rotating selection of pours, but a few brews such as Largemouth IPA, Paupack Cream Ale and Hawley Hefeweizen have become flagship offerings. Many ingredients for the handcrafted beer, as well as items on the menu, are locally sourced. The menu boasts a satisfying selection of burgers, wings, tacos, sandwiches and fries. A patio offers plenty of outdoor seating and the ax throwing area is a popular spot among visitors.
Here and Now Brewhouse in the neighboring town of Honesdale describes itself as seasonal, local and whimsical. The seven-barrel brewery is located along historic Main Street. Order from the rotating selection on tap, in cans or build your own flight. Pizza reigns supreme with 10 different styles on the menu, but there’s also pub favorites to munch on such as popcorn, hand-cut fries and chicken wings.
Another microbrewery in the Lake Region combines a love of craft brews and tunes. The Jam Room Brewing Company in Newfoundland is a passion project for five long-time friends. Tap selections includes Belgian, Lager, Stout, Cider, Pale Ale, IPA and more. A small snack menu features staples such as sausage sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers. The guys invite visitors to enjoy, “a great tasting beer and great music in a laid-back atmosphere.
The four breweries in the southern Pocono Mountains offer a different experience and varied tastes. Spend some time visiting the larger operations such as Barley Creek Brewing Company, Mountain View Brewing Company, Pocono Brewery Company and Shawnee Craft Brewing Company.
Wineries
A scenic trip along Route 6 will take you to the wineries on the Beverage Trail of the Northern Poconos. Home winemaker Shannon Birosik founded Soaked Winery with the mission to make wine more accessible to the masses. The winery prides itself on small batch wine production and has become known for the wide variety of options- including seasonal fruit wines. The tasting room on Broad Street in Milford opened in 2020.
In Hawley, Three Hammers Winery is nestled on 15 picturesque acres. Operations here are based out of a meticulously restored 1820s farmhouse and barn. Three Hammers Winery focuses on handcrafted, small-batch, classically styled wines with offerings of dry reds, dry whites, semi to sweet reds, semi to sweet whites and specialty wines.
Extend the tour of Northern Pocono wineries with a visit to Antler Ridge in Honesdale. The award-winning wines are made at the original location in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains region. The Tasting Room on West Park Street in downtown Honesdale offers a selection of the winery’s labels including dry, sweet, semi-sweet and fruit wines. Visitors may also shop a collection of wine gifts and wine making supplies.
The tradition of wine making has deep roots in the southern Pocono Mountains. In Monroe County, there are three wineries within eight miles of each other. Mountain View Vineyard, Blue Ridge Winery and Sorrenti Family Estate Winery are home to wines ranked as some of the best in the nation. Eagle Rest Cellars offers visitors an idyllic escape. Nestled on 200 acres between Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap, there are 900 trellised vines on the farm.
Distilleries
The craft of curating fine cocktails and spirits is having a major comeback. In the southern Pocono Mountains there are three distilleries churning out everything from mini cocktail flights to barrel aged spirits. Barley Creek in Tannersville boasts a hand-crafted, 50-gallon, six-column Hillbilly still that creates small batches of vodka, vanilla vodka, whiskey, spiced rum and flavored moonshine. Mountain View Distillery is a family owned operation known for its hand-crafted vodka, moonshine, brandy, and port-style wines. The only mother-daughter duo in the distilling business owns Silverback Distillery in East Stroudsburg. Their award-winning spirits range from the citrus-forward Strange Monkey Gin, to real honey liqueur-infused Blackback Rye Whiskey and the “ultimate butterscotch bomb,” Blackback Bourbon.
Don’t Miss the Hawley Silk Mill
The spirit and history of the Lake Region flows through the Hawley Silk Mill. Built in 1880, it continues to be a hub of activity. Make some time on your travels to visit the shops located on the first floor. Browse the works of professional artists at Looking Glass Gallery. Fuel up for the journey with fresh roasted coffee, hearty sandwiches and decadent treats from Cocoon Coffee House and Bakery. You can’t miss this landmark building in Hawley.