The Finger Lakes region of New York and areas of Northern Pennsylvania are known for their wineries. In a growing trend, these wineries are now, more and more, becoming breweries as well. The Wagner Vineyards was one of the first and had some acclaim for their brews like Sled Dog. Recently, the Nimble Hill Winery in Tunkhannock became the first of Pennsylvania’s 130 wineries to start beer production and tastings as well.
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Tunkhannock is a sleepy little town of just less than 2,000 people on the banks of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern region of Pennsylvania. At the edge of town, on Route 6, is the Nimble Hill Winery. Nimble Hill opened in 2007 and produces thousands of gallons of wine every year. They have a lovely wine tasting room where you can sample many different labels.
In the summer of 2013, the winery went double duty and started brewing beer in a 15 barrel system, producing 12oz and 750ml bottles as well as kegs. More recently, they opened their growler den for growler fills as well.
The tasting room is an offshoot of the wine tasting complex, located to the right as you enter the front door. The floors of the tasting room are done in an exquisite hard wood, the ceilings are knotty pine, and it’s rounded off with off-white walls. The entire look is stunning with the halogen track lighting above and a huge Nimble Hill Brewing Co. logo on the far wall as you enter. Just around the corner is the tasting area. There is a very small bar where you can stand or one tall table. Between the bar and table, it can accommodate around 10-12 people at a time, at the most. Large groups beware.
The tasting room is decorated very nicely throughout. The art on the walls, the displays of bottles and cases, and the bar are very tastefully done.
We were served by the owner’s daughter and she was very pleasant. She gave us the list of 10 beverages to taste (9 beers and one hard cider) and we paid $2.00 each for the ten samples. The beers in the table below are in the order tasted:
| Nim Wit | Belgian White Wheat Ale | 4.8% ABV | 13 IBU |
| Hammer Time | Hard Cider | 5.5% ABV | |
| Jack be Nimble | Pumpkin Ale | 6.5% ABV | 24 IBU |
| Flinke Hugel | Munich Helles Lager | 5.0% ABV | 18 IBU |
| Midnight Flinke | Black & Tan | 5.2% ABV | 20 IBU |
| Midnight Fuggle | Robust Porter | 5.5% ABV | 27 IBU |
| Cluster Fuggle | American Pale Ale | 5.0% ABV | 30 IBU |
| Hop Bottom | American IPA | 7.0% ABV | 75 IBU |
| Bonczek | Imperial Double IPA | 9.0% ABV | 100 IBU |
| Mysteria 4.0 | Sour Ale | 6.0% ABV | 0 IBU |
The first thing we noticed about the beers was the unique names. Flinke, Fuggle, and Hugel are all mixed in with the funny names like Hammer Time and Nim Wit. Each beer had a story from our host. This one was named after this neighbor and that one was made with this friends hops. The impression we had in the end however, was that none of the beers really jumped out at us as being excellent. Our Untapped scores averaged a little below average at 2.45. Like many breweries we visit, there is not enough difference between their flavors, a lack of complexity if you will. They do get good marks from many people and some of their brews are good for sure. A standout on the list was the seasonal Pumpkin Ale. There is no food at Nimble Hill other than the ubiquitous pretzels on the bar.
The pricing for most of their beers is quite reasonable. Sixty four ounce growers can be filled for $10.00 each with some special brews running $20.00 a fill. Cases of twelve-ounce bottles will run you $36.00 for most labels. The tastings are a bargain at $2.00 for ten 2 ounce samples.
A highlight of the trip to Nimble Hill is some of their merchandise. They have some stunning wooden growler holders made from pine and wood-burned with the Nimble Hill name. Gift boxes of their bottled beer are also available and their presentation is done with flare and style.
It’s a Wrap
Winery style breweries are popping up left and right with mixed success. Nimble Hill, like many with a winery mindset, has a beautiful presentation, a very inexpensive tasting, and a need for some additional work in the brewing department to become world class. We loved some of the merchandise and the look of the place but were left wanting in other areas. The next time we are in the neighborhood, we will certainly stop in to see what new seasonal brews they have and to try some of their wines.
| Overall Rating |  |
| Quality and Selection of Beer | |
| Quality and Selection of Food | N/A |
| Family Friendliness (For those who care) |  |
The Details
| Address
3971 US-6 |
Hours Monday 11 AM – 5 PM Tuesday 11 AM – 5 PM Wednesday 11 AM – 5 PM Thursday 11 AM – 5 PM Friday 11 AM – 7 PM Saturday 11 AM – 7 PM Sunday 12 PM – 4 PM |