Fourscore Beer Co. — Restaurant in Gettysburg

I will start off by saying this place has a lot of potential. The dining room was very nice with the big windows. The staff was friendly enough. Menu descriptions “look” great. Some safe beer choices and some fun off the wall stuff as well.

But how it went.

When we went to order I asked if I could have a taste of a certain beer. I was immediately told they can’t do that. I have been to well over a hundred breweries and have never been told you couldn’t try a sip. This immediately threw up some red flags for me. To me you either don’t trust in your beer or you are running a cheap operation.

Ended up ordering something safe (generic hazy ipa) instead of something that looked unique but wasn’t allowed to try. Shame because I may have really enjoyed it. The beer wasn’t bad but it doesn’t stand out either.

We ordered some burgers. One was The Campfire Stack which by the description sounded amazing. The burger itself was temped very well. The pulled pork was dry and if there was this great sounding campfire sauce on it, you couldn’t tell. Overall a very bland experience.

Another burger was the Bacon Jam Burger. This burger was also temped well. But yet again same experience. The bacon jam was almost non existent the “caramelized onions” had no flavor. Another big disappointment.

Fries were barely warm when we got them. They were fine in taste.

The cucumber slaw was something I was really looking forward to. Came out looking amazing. One bite in and again, just lacks flavor. The slaw mix was the consistency of water which leaves it almost soupy by mid bowl.

Going back to my red flags. After our entire experience it really feels like the operation as a whole is run as cheap as possible and at the cost of quality.

To top it off you order at the bar, pub style. Which there are plenty of breweries who operate like this. But you also have to bus your own table once finished including taking your glassware back to the bar.

I wouldn’t have a big problem with that but if you are saving money by limiting staff, maybe make up for it by offering someone a sip test and quality made food.

I really hope this place isn’t shared tips throughout the house because if you are dining at a table your service is “order taken, handed beer, given a number to take to your table, food brought to your table.” That’s it. As someone who has worked in the industry as a server and bartender even I had to laugh at the minimum 15% tip button. For what? Tip was still left but it was at a custom amount I felt was equal to the service provided and even that was probably generous.

A lot of potential at this place but it needs to add the quality to both the...

Firstly, for a brewery to open with all 14 taps online with different beers - is impressive. The imperial stout was magnificent, the Cushwa collab DIPA was excellent - just about every beer I tried was very well executed, right down to the American Pislner. How about a German Dunkel fermented in a foeder with brettanomyces? What? But it was awesome! Head brewer, Ben Little has a perfect balance of leading-edge creativity and traditionalist to please both the classic and hip craft beer drinker. Other than a few small subjective critiques on the beer, I did not have one that disappointed - and several that impressed. I can't wait to see how the beer improves as they become more familiar with the new system and hit their stride!

For the first night as a test opening the place was quite busy at 8:00 PM, yet we were served quickly. The staff was friendly and accommodating, we ordered a small appetizer (fried mozzarella) which was also prepared quickly and tasted delicious. It's clearly evident that the owners know a thing or two about running a successful business.

The interior is stunning, a modern minimalist almost SoHo-styled design aesthetic, with cooperage containing aging beer that is proudly displayed along with the upright wooden foeders. An array of large windows to the left of the bar affords the patron a view into the extensive brewhouse to see the stainless steel in all of its glory. The clean design and sensible atmosphere is befitting of the metropolitan, the beer-nerd, and everyman alike.

The perceived small exterior of the building is misleading, once inside you'll ask yourself how so much was fit into the structure, yet there is still plenty of room to sit and mingle. Just a remarkable feat of effort that was a long time in the making, but certainly worth the wait! Kudos to the Kranias brothers for what will be another excellent establishment here in Gettysburg. Their other business, Tommy's pizza just a block south has been famous in the area for both the pizza and rotating craft beer taps. Owner Drew knows the market well and has his finger on the pulse of what's hot in craft beer. Definitely worth a visit, I know I'll...

Stopped in early this week for lunch with the family after driving to Gettysburg. Wow, what a disappointment. I'm not even sure which was worse - the food or the beer.

Visting brewpubs while traveling is a hobby of ours and we've been to hundreds, if not more. We know good from bad - the beers we had here were beyond bad. In fact, we both agreed this was the 2nd worst brewpub we've ever been in (the first being so bad and knowing they were that bad forbid you from using a smart phone or taking notes while in their pub). The West Coast IPA had the appearance of tan/green dirty dishwater. It tasted like it was brewed over a year ago, or not at all stored properly - old, oxidized, wet newspaper flavors. The body was thin and weak, the hops were just some bitterness with no hop flavors. My wife's session IPA was basically beer flavored water. The beers were so bad neither of could even finish our beers - even after a 3 hour drive and a walk to this place.

Now the food. Ordered the "smokehouse burger", which is supposed to be a house burger with beef brisket and homemade BBQ sauce. I should have realized it was going to be bad when they didn't ask how I wanted it cooked. The burger was SO ridiculously overcooked it was crunchy around the edges and chewy like leather inside. We're talking miles past just dry. Well maybe the brisket would redeem it? Nope. To call that pile of textureless, flavorless, gray, over cooked, over microwaved meat brisket is a crime against humanity. I'm guessing it comes to them precooked from some factory in a steam bag and they just reheat it or microwave it to death. Just god-awful horrible. Wife's burger was in the same burnt as a cinder condition but since it had the elote salad on it she at least had some flavor from that.

I'm shocked how many good reviews this place has. In fact, I question those. If you read through and find the bad ones, those are really the correct reviews.

If you enjoy beer and brewpubs, don't waste your time. If you enjoy edible food, really don't waste your time - there are a ton better places in and around...