Arrive hungry and ready to throw back a beer or two at Robin Hood Brewing Co. in Bellefonte. Only 12 miles from Beaver Stadium, this family-friendly restaurant and brew pub at 1765 Zion Road opened in 2008, with the addition of the brewery in 2013.
With seating for 180, Robin Hood Brewing can accommodate small and large groups. It’s open for lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (midnight on Friday night), as well as Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The crowd-pleasing menu consists of a good mix of American, Italian, and pub fare including salads, wings, pizza, cheesesteaks, burgers, and tacos.
“There are 14 different tacos on the menu,” explains general manager Mark Lambert. “The Baja crispy fish taco is our most popular, but we also have your traditional beef, a chorizo sausage, a Cajun shrimp, or our Asian-inspired Banh Mi taco!”
Pizza and cheesesteaks are by far the most popular items on the menu, followed by the 14 to 17 styles of craft beers on tap. As craft beer continues to grow throughout the country, it’s important to remember that Pennsylvania is a hotbed for independent craft breweries that started in the early 1990s.
Head brewer Chris Schell began his brewing career at Cooperstown Brewing Co. in Milford, New York, in 2010. And then he went to work at Butternuts Beer & Ales in Garrattsville, New York, before coming to Robin Hood in 2013. Over the years, his beer has won numerous awards. Most recently, Robin Hood Brewing Co. Frost Autumn IPA won the bronze medal in the Double IPA category at the Raise a Glass International Beer Competition 2016 in St. Louis. The Pomegranate Wheat Ale won the bronze medal and the Blooming Spring IPA won the silver medal at the Denver International Beer Competition 2016.
Schell studied anthropology at Hartwick College and uses his science background and passion for brewing to produce the equivalent of 1,600 kegs of beer every year at Robin Hood Brewing Co., which is 200,000 pints!
“Our best sellers are our American IPA, Bulls IPA, and the wheat beers. Our blueberry wheat is one we have year-round and our seasonal for November is our Orange Wheat!” says Schell. “My favorite pairing is the Godmother sandwich with our F. Tuck Porter because it highlights the smokiness of the cheese.”
Try a flight of 5-ounce pours to get a sampling of the different style from lagers and IPAs to porters and stouts.
“Some of our most unique and must-try beers include our BlueBoary Pancake Porter made with real pancakes and our Chili Pale Ale made with Fresno, poblano, serrano, pimiento, and jalapeno peppers,” says Schell. “We will also have a Crooked Arrow Three Orange Sour ready in November that we left to ferment in oak barrels for 7 to 10 months!”
For a lifetime membership fee of $50, join the Mug Club to enjoy benefits including a free birthday dinner, 15 percent off merchandise, choice of a 25-ounce or 64-ounce growler, $10 in rewards on your card for every $100 you spend, invitations to Bow & Arrow Club events such as special brew releases, and your beer served in a special 18-ounce mug.
“We do a lot of fundraising with schools and booster clubs where we donate 10 percent of the food sales from 4 to 9 p.m.,” says Lambert. “We also have a ‘Giant Pizza’ challenge where we let your organization choose one person to attempt to eat a 24-inch pizza and if they complete the challenge, we will donate $250 to your organization in cash or gift cards for team meals.”
Robin Hood Brewing Co. has happy hours Monday 5-7 p.m., and Tuesday-Friday 4-7 p.m.
To check out the menu and the brew list, visit robinhoodbrewingco.com.
