Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania is your quintessential American small town, nestled in the postcard-like and outdoor activity rich Pocono Mountains. While this is a smaller town of under 6,000 residents, don't get confused by the size. This city has plenty of modern appeal and things to do. The abundant and unique charm of this town is only magnified during the winter months. The natural landscape is enhanced by the snowfall and the town comes alive in festive decor on many of the sidewalks and storefronts. Stroudsburg is loaded with great winter activities including sledding, snowshoeing, ice-skating, ice fishing, and wildlife viewing. Plus, you're never far from world class skiing in Pennsylvania. If the indoors are more your speed, then you won't be disappointed. While the town is small, it has a vibrant culture and a booming artisan scene. You’ll find art galleries, museums, art shows and studios, theaters, live entertainment and so much more! Stroudsburg is also a small town that loves to celebrate and new to the event circuit this year is the Pocono Winterfest Beerfest.
In a region with so much to do during the winter, why not add a cherry on top and join the festivities of the inaugural Pocono Winter Beerfest. Held at the state of the art Sherman Theater, this event aims to unite the craft beer community with the people who support them and enjoy their tasty creations. They will be featuring over 75 different beers from brewers from near and far. No matter your taste in beer, the festival will have the perfect craft brew for you. Beer is not the only thing you’ll find at the event. They will have a delicious selection of food, as well as live music that will be played throughout the duration of the event. This is the perfect place to get to know new people, talk about craft beer and get to know professionals who tirelessly work to make the best craft beer possible. Grab your friends and bring your growler because the Pocono Winterfest Beerfest is right around the corner! We got the opportunity to interview Scott Judy, Membership Coordinator for the Sherman Theater, to talk about the event.
RAL: Tell me a little bit about the event.
SJ: This is the inaugural year of the Pocono Winterfest Brewfest! Come into the warm community center of the Sherman Theater for the Beerfest event of the winter season! With over 75 taps of your favorite stouts and ales, we have a beer style for everyone! This winter festival is the place to be on a Saturday between the NFL Conference Championship games & the Super Bowl.
RAL: What kind of crowd are you expecting?
SJ: It's tough to tell being that this is our first year, but we expect to see around a thousand people in attendance. We are obviously catering to the 21+ crowd, but we hope to bring in anyone of age who loves beer, conversation, and good times. It is the first Beerfest in 2016, on the weekend between the Championship games and the Super Bowl. Nobody has an interest in the Pro Bowl and everyone needs something to do on Jan 30th from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
RAL: Take me through the activities that attendees will find at the festival.
SJ: First and foremost is the beer tasting. We have over 75 different craft beers on tap including 3 Guys & A Beer'd, Flying Fish Brewing Company, Ithaca Beer Co., Latis Imports, Magic Hat Brewing Company, New Belgium Brewing, Otter Creek Brewing, Samuel Adams, Sea Dog Brewing Company and Shipyard Brewing Company, just to name a few. In addition to the beer, we will have a food area with plenty of delicious options for all tastes. Live music from great local acts will fill the air as you enjoy your brew and converse with fellow beer enthusiasts.
After 4:00 pm, when the event ends, many pubs and restaurants in Stroudsburg will be busy. Star Hill, one of the featured breweries of Pocono Winter Beerfest, is doing a “tap takeover” at Sarah Street Grill, which is located directly behind the Sherman Theater. The “tap takeover” takes place directly after the event and it's a great location where customers can try the brewery’s current featured beers and specialty beers.
RAL: What makes craft beer unique?
SJ: The number one reason why you should drink craft beer is because craft beer tastes much better than the “beer water” that is mass produced and mass marketed by the big beer companies. Craft beer tastes much better because craft brewers spend their time focusing the quality of their beer rather than focusing on their marketing campaigns and stock prices. Craft brewers put their heart and soul, as well as, lots of amazing ingredients into every beer they brew and don’t cut any corners. The big beer companies, on the other hand, are on a mission to take ingredients out of their beer in order to make their beer as “watery” as possible. Why would anyone want to drink beer that is purposely being watered down by leaving out important ingredients?
RAL: What can attendees expect to find for local lodging?
SJ: There are plenty of options for local lodging and since it's a slower season check with the individual establishments to see if they offer any deals or specials. A couple of the local options include Northslope II at Shawnee Mountain and Stroudsmoor Country Inn.
RAL: What kind of impact does or will the festival have on the community?
SJ: Being that this is the first year it's hard to tell but the extra people that come into the community will need a place to stay, food and gas. So we expect to see a bump in the sales of the local businesses during the festival. We came up with the idea of an event to help sustain the theaters expenses during the winter months. We want to keep our great venue in top condition for all great shows and events we host for the community.
RAL: Why should people come to the festival?
SJ: People should come to the event to see what the new spring craft beer tastes like. It is a great social event where you can taste 3 oz of beer and be next to someone you don’t know. It the perfect environment to carry on a conversations about the brew you just tasted. You can have conversations with hundreds of people you don’t know.
One of the coolest benefits of drinking craft beer is that you can visit a local craft brewery where your favorite craft beer is made and actually meet the people that making the beer. People that make craft beer, whether they are home brewers or brew masters, are some of the nicest and funniest people you will ever meet. So go to Craftbeer.com and find a craft brewery in your back yard and start hanging out with your local craft brewers! Most craft breweries offer daily brewery tours during which you get to sample all of their beers!
For more information about the Pocono Winterfest Beerfest, please visit their website.