Iron Hill Brewery is NOW OPEN in Lancaster, PA

From the local paper: Iron Hill Brewery has to opened its $2.8 million restaurant and brewpub today in College Row, the $30 million student housing and commercial complex at Franklin & Marshall College.The 280-seat restaurant at 781 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, PA expects to annually brew about 37,200 gallons of beer on site. It will feature six house brands, as well as seasonal beer varieties. House brands are Iron Hill Light Lager, Raspberry Wheat, Lodestone Lager, Anvil Ale, Ironbound Ale, Pig Iron Porter. Dinner entrees will range from $12 to $20 in the restaurant, while lunch entrees will cost $9 to $14. The restaurant will have about 80 employees.The Delaware-based Iron Hill also has locations in Media, North Wales, West Chester and Phoenixville, and in Newark and Wilmington, Del.

Sweet T and I had lunch their last Saturday. We both had the sample tray of beers, which included 9 samples for $7.00. A great price and a great way to sample their brews and seasonal. I am familiar with their brews from their other restaurants but they always have something new. I was delighted with their Pig Iron Porter with Nitro, nice and creamy. Their pints are $ 4.50 and they sell growlers to go. A word of caution to the local beer lovers: They will NOT fill your LBC Growler, only their own. So NO use taking that with you!

The wait staff was friendly and I recognized a few from other local restaurants. I ordered the Angus burger and did not notice the small print: All Meat is cooked well, no pink. I liked my Med. rare to well, so I definitely thought my burger was too dry. Partly my fault and great waiter would have asked me but I will overlook that since the restaurant is so new. However, I cannot over look how over salty my pomme frites were. I think I went in to a sodium coma.

Overall, not too bad for just opening and I will definitely be going back.