I’ll admit it. I like beer, a lot. But none of that yellow fizzy crap that seems to be pervasive throughout the college drinking scene. I’m what many would consider a craft beer enthusiast, and while the amount of time that I’ve been enjoying “good” beer is rather limited, I’ve come to discover the wonders that can be found in a quality IPA or Oatmeal Stout. Thanks to establishments such as Zeno’s or the Z-Bar, I’ve been able to expand my knowledge about craft beer further than I could have imagined before turning 21. But State College is sadly devoid of a location where I could purchase quality beer for home consumption, or should I say was.

Opened last week, the Hopshop Beer Market offers over 500 selections of brews from locations all over the world. Set underneath the Deli Restaurant, the layout is enough to make any beer enthusiast  giddy. I remarked to my friend (a self-proclaimed beer snob) after a few minutes in the store that I might never leave. Obviously, I did end up leaving the store, but not without taking a growler (a reusable half-gallon jug) of Big Hop IPA by East End Brewing Company with me. The Hopshop has 4 beers on tap for growler filling, you can bring your own or purchase one of theirs for $5 (plus cost of beer).

For as large of a selection and seemingly small target audience, the pricing at the Hopshop is perfectly reasonable and on par with the other downtown bottle shops when it comes to easy-to-find beer, but with a much better selection of craft beers. If you’re looking for a place to start your journey into quality craft brews, I can’t think of a better place to start in State College than the Hopshop.