Bucks/Lehigh Valley Beer and Wine Trail

We're stretching into the Poconos for this one as we continue our fall explorations with a trip to the new Brix Brewhouse in Brodheadsville (Chestnut Hill Township), Monroe County.

Opened in May 2026, Brix Brewhouse is located in the former West End Fire Company station, built in 1953. The brewery features rotating taps of small-batch house brews. Current selections include a light pilsner lager, amber ale, American wheat ale, session IPA, brown ale and blonde ale. They serve their own food including sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, salads, mac and cheese and more.

It's a unique indoor space and outdoor seating is available, weather permitting.

We'll get things started at 12:30 p.m. for drinks and lunch. See you there!

The fall fun continues on the summit of Blue Mountain for this one as we combine a 4-mile trail walk on the famous Appalachian Trail with lunch at the trailside Thunderhead Lodge in Andreas (West Penn Township, Schuylkill County).

The Thunderhead Lodge, originally the Blue Mountain Summit Inn, AKA Dorward's Inn, turned 101 this year. The original facility that opened in 1925 was a hotel with cabins for lodging and, later, a tap room.

Early owners of the property also operated a service station and refreshment stand here. The current owners took over in 2019, made some renovations and rechristened the business Thunderhead Lodge.

Past iterations included the Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant, which also operated as a bed-and-breakfast, the Restaurant on Rascal Hill and Gambrinus Bavarian Restaurant, which hosted many an Oktoberfest in its day.

Thunderhead Lodge remains a popular stop for day-hikers and thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. It's common to see them pass through the restaurant with their hiking and camping gear. We'll get into the spirit of things with a short 4-mile out-and-back trail walk from the parking lot across the road from the Thunderhead Lodge to the New Tripoli Campsite and Spring.
Drinks and lunch to follow at the lodge.

After lunch, head outside for marshmallows, s'mores, campfire songs and ghost stories around the fire pit, hosted by LoriAnne.

See you there!

We'll start off the day at the newer of the two breweries, Nazareth Brew Co. Opened just in July 2025, Nazareth Brew Co. has won acclaim for its diverse beer menu and elevated food menu. You can count on stout, lager, pilsner, pale ales, ESB, Belgian wit and hazy IPAs always being on tap there, along with plenty of seasonal options.

We'll plan to have lunch at this first stop. Then by mid-afternoon, we'll head around the corner to Nazareth's original brewery, Birthright Brewing Company, which opened in February 2018. Plenty of fruited sours, saisons and Berliners are usually on tap there, along with multiple IPAs. You can get food there as well if you're not able to join us for the first stop.

Should be a fun day to hit a couple of local breweries before the holiday season craziness starts.

See you there!

Something different this time, we're going to celebrate St. Andrew's Day, Scotland's official national day, with a Monday night dinner at the Lehigh Valley's premier Scottish pub, the Braveheart Highland Pub in Hellertown.

St. Andrew is Scotland's patron saint. The national flag of Scotland, known as the Saltire, with a white diagonal cross on a blue background, represents the crucifixion of St Andrew.

Tradition has it that the flag originated in a battle fought near the East Lothian village of Athelstaneford in AD 832, between an army of Picts and Scots under King Angus and a larger force of Saxons led by Athelstan. Fearing the outcome, King Angus led prayers for deliverance and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of a white Saltire against the blue sky.

The king vowed that if his troops won the battle, Andrew would thereafter be the patron saint of Scotland. The Scots did win, and the Saltire eventually became the flag of Scotland.

Or so the story goes. Today, St. Andrew's Day is a celebration of Scottish food, music and culture so we'll get in on the fun at the Braveheart, where such Scottish favorites as meat pies, bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, mince and tatties, bridies, potato and leek soup, haggis hush puppies, Scotch eggs, boxty, beef stew, and fish and chips are always on the menu. Plus they have Belhaven Scottish Ale and Tennent's Lager on tap.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Monday night and kick off the holiday season.

See you there! Or as they say in Scots Gaelic, chì mi ann thu!