Visit Bucks County and Warwick Farm Brewing brought representatives from all of Bucks County’s breweries together this week.
The gathering at the brewery in Warwick Township that offers a scenic hilltop view of the area was set up to launch the inaugural county-wide collaboration beer that is part of Visit Bucks County’s Ale Trail.
The beer, which will be offered at all of the county’s 26 breweries, is dubbed “Expedition Bucks County” and is a crisp American pale ale.
Visit Bucks County officials said the beer is brewed with “cascade and citra hops. Expect a clear and crisp pale ale that has peach, grapefruit, and sweet fruit flavors.”
Expedition Bucks County should begin to roll out later this month.
Paul Bencivengo, president and COO of Visit Bucks County, said the beer is one of a number the tourism agency has pulled off with local brewers since 2019, but it is the largest collaboration since the Ale Trail launched.
When the Ale Trail began in May 2019, there were 15 breweries in Bucks County.
As of this week, there were 26 breweries and 32 separate taprooms.
Bencivengo said food and beer tourism has been big for Bucks County, which saw tourism contribute $1.2 billion to the county economy last year. He said the Ale Trail has helped draw beer tourist from around the county and places further away.
The Ale Trail has had more than 41,000 activation by tourists and more than 7,000 people have claimed a free T-shirt by checking in at five of the breweries, Bencivengo explained.
Bucks County’s reputation on the regional beer scene has only grown in the past few years and Visit Bucks County hopes the collaboration between breweries only grows that fact.
More than 30 brewers from lower, central, and upper Bucks County all celebrated collaboration between different breweries.
Gregg Bonstein, the owner and head brewer at Newtown Brewing Company, was impressed with the turnout of the event.
“It’s great to see breweries working together,” he said. “And it’s great to see everybody is willing to get together.”
Odd Logic Brewing Company owner Tim Shaw said the Bristol Borough brewery was thrilled to take part in the event. He said the Bucks County beer scene is a good one to work in and collaboration and sharing is strong between the businesses.
Bubba Grosse, one of the co-owners of Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem Township, celebrated the collaboration and said brewers often don’t get a chance to all get together and just talk beer.
While the brewers discussing beer, Fry’s Catering Scratch Kitchen food truck offered meals for those gathered.
The breweries in attendance were Aristaeus Brewing, Bitchin’ Kitten Brewery, Broad Street Brewing, Broken Goblet Brewing, Bucks County Brewery, Free Will Brewing Company, Geronimo Brewing, Great Barn Brewery, Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, Langhorne Brewing Company, Lucky Cat Beer, Mad Princes Brewing, Moss Mill Brewing Company, Mystic Ways Brewing, Naked Brewing Company, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, Newtown Brewing Company, Odd Logic Brewing Company, Red Lion Brewery, Second Sin Brewing Company, The Proper Brewing Company, Tranquility Brewing Company, Triumph Brewing Company, Two Rivers Brewing Company, Van Lieus Brewing Company, Vault Brewing Company, and Warwick Farm Brewing.