Sharing The Best of Pittsburgh and Southwest Pennsylvania
With the liquor laws easing in Pennyslvania, many brewers, distillers, and alcohol aficionados have been looking at getting into the business of helping appease a thirsty population.
In Carnegie, Quantum Spirits has been improving the libations game one spirit and cocktail at a time.
While this one is still young by distillery standards, with each passing year they are getting better and better with their spirits, bar program, and now even a full kitchen with a stellar food menu as well!
I remember when Wigle Whiskey opened their doors in Pittsburgh. I was so excited that the craft spirits scene was taking off, and eager to get my hands on any of the (limited) concoctions that the distillery was producing.
It is unfortunate to have to admit this, but at the time their namesake whiskeys were not to my liking. I have never been fond of white rye and wheat whiskeys and usually prefer my grain spirits to be aged for several years to get the flavors from the large oak barrels. In being a new distillery, their aging program simply did not exist at the time, so I knew I would have to wait longer for the styles I enjoy.
Although I wasn't fond of the whiskey when Wigle launched, I found myself oddly attached to the Ginever Gin they also produced- another spirit I never really got into the habit of drinking. Soon after I was consuming every cocktail in the city with this delicious spirit and couldn't get enough.
That was in 2012 when Wigle was founded. Fast-forward to the present day, and all that has changed.
The Tryp Hotel opened in Lawrenceville in 2019 and had a few unique features about it. First, it is found in a former school. Second, it is the first hotel to open in Lawrenceville (something that was much needed). Finally, it is home to not one, but two on-site restaurants and bars with one having an incredible rooftop patio looking out over the city!
We were fortunate enough to be able to stay at the Tryp Hotel as guests of the property, and during the course of our stay got a chance to try out the rooftop bar (Over Eden) as well as the first-floor restaurant (Brick Shop).
In this one, we wanted to share a bit about what you could expect with these as they can truly be paired up for a one-two punch.
We're suckers for a good wine bar, and it didn't take long after 23rd & Vine opened in Pittsburgh's South Side for us to make it in for a couple of flights of wine.
While this one is heavily tilted to a few regional producers in Italy and California, we have to admit we loved the variety in the wine list here and can see returning many, many times in the future.
There are a number of reasons to love Levity Brewing in Indiana, PA.
First off, they make stellar beer (really all that matters for a brewery). Second, you can round out your visit with food to make a meal out of it. Finally, and perhaps most interesting to us beyond the brews, is that they are located just steps off of the 10-mile Hoodlebug Trail and a short drive from the trailhead for the Ghost Town Trail in Black Lick.
So if you need reasons to make a day out of it when making the hour drive to the brewery, well, you've got some great options to consider!
When it comes to neighborhood breweries, one we return to time and time again is Lincoln Avenue Brewery.
With a solid draft list, food menu, and rotating specials, we know we can return to this one and find something new to try each and every time.
Over the years, we've had a growing interest in biking, and have developed a love of finding more and more bike trails in Pittsburgh. As much as getting out on the trails for ten, twenty, or forty-plus mile rides is something we quite enjoy, we have to admit it is even better when we can finish the ride at a Pittsburgh brewery for a draft (or two).
Thankfully, our beer scene is quite well developed and there are a number of breweries where you can access them straight from a trail (or within a block or two max on city roads). In this one, we wanted to share all of the ones we've hit to date!
Note: Beyond breweries that are located right off of the bike trails, this article will also give shoutouts to other breweries that are close to the trails but may require a short drive or a longer ride on city roads to reach. The accessibility for bikes varies with these. Some have private parking lots and windows where you can keep an eye on your bikes mounted on your car. Others do not. Some are larger and may allow you to bring your bikes inside. Others may not. As such, you may want to look into the supplemental breweries mentioned a bit more to see if you'd feel comfortable taking your bike as all of their setups are different.
BrewDog is an international brewery and gastropub chain that has expanded into many cities thanks to its crowdfunding system called Equity for Punks.
This crowdfunding system is a lot like a Kickstarter in that there are numerous perks for investors, such as free beers and discounts, while also retaining ownership (while shares can be sold, there is currently no open market for these nor does BrewDog appear to be going public anytime soon- so we look at it mostly as a perks system). The system has allowed the brewery chain to expand at a rapid pace and through it, they opened a Pittsburgh taproom in East Liberty in early 2020.
I visited this one shortly after opening and share a bit more about what it is like in this review!
Our local breweries really run the spectrum in their offerings. If you are looking for a specific kind of experience, odds are good there is a brewery out there that matches your desire.
If a brewery with amazing beer and a robust food menu is something you need in your future, a trip to Insurrection Ale Works in Heidelberg is a must. Or, if you simply want a great brew, their satellite location in the Strip District (no food menu) is sure to please.
The Good Wood Barrel-Aged Beer Festival is an annual event sponsored by Wigle Whiskey and East End Brewing.
While on the smaller end of beer festivals, this one packs a punch as all beers served have been aged in barrels- our kind of niche beer festival in Pittsburgh!