Apericena wine bar opened in late 2018 across from South Hills Village in Upper St. Clair. Serving higher-end wines in full pours or in flights, the bar had our name on it and we made our way to the South Hills to check them out shortly after opening.
Alcohol
First and Third Friday Wine Tasting at Palate Partners
If you've spent any time driving through Lawrenceville, specifically up Liberty Avenue from the Strip District, odds are good you've seen Dreadnought Wines (just a few blocks from Church Brew Works).
Odds are good you've also never checked this one out besides seeing it in passing.
The reason for this is because Dreadnought Wines is not a winery, but rather a specialty wine importer that serves many restaurants, wine shops, and other businesses in the state. But their sister business, Palate Partners, is for the public- and this one holds wine tasting events and more formal wine classes at the same location.
We recently visited for one of their informal First and Third Friday wine tastings events and wondered why it took us this long to go in the first place.
Strange Roots Experimental Ales Review – Wild Ales in Pittsburgh
Strange Roots (originally founded as Draai Laag) is one of the oldest breweries in Pittsburgh, and is certainly one of its most unique.
And to be completely honest, they're one of our favorite breweries in the region as they focus on wild fermentation that produces an array of stellar sour beers!
Hitchhiker Brewing Review – An Array of Stellar Beers
When Hitchhiker Brewing Co. first open its doors in Pittsburgh (in Mt. Lebanon), we thought their beer was decent but were not overly blown away. But after their rapid expansion with a second facility in Sharpsburg, PA, did we notice that the brewery had vastly improved into what we believe is one of the finest breweries in Pittsburgh.
Grist House Review – A Wide Array of Beer Styles in Millvale
Grist House is a popular brewery in the Pittsburgh suburb of Millvale (located just across the Allegheny River from Lawrenceville) that serves up an array of beer styles ranging from the hoppy IPA to fruited sours and everything in between.
Even better? This stunning spot features a gorgeous outdoor beer garden and is dog friendly!
Dancing Gnome Review – Some of the Pittsburgh’s Finest IPAs
Dancing Gnome in Sharpsburg, PA, just east of Pittsburgh, is known for their love of hops and their passion to produce some of the region's best IPAs and pale ales.
Even if you are not a fan of this style of beer, Dancing Gnome may be the spot that converts you.
They did for us!
J Gough’s Tavern Review – A Well Curated Whiskey Bar in Greenfield
We love finding out about new bars in Pittsburgh, and when our friends at Take Back Roads informed us of a whiskey bar almost hiding in plain sight in Greenfield, we were in for a drink (or three).
Since J Gough's Tavern has one of the most beautiful walls of whiskey we've ever seen, three was sadly just not cutting it.
Bob’s Garage Review – Color Overload at the Bar
When it comes to bars in Pittsburgh, we have no shortage of them. From dives slinging Yuengling to artisan making some of the finest craft cocktails around, Pittsburgh has them all.
Some of our bars are, well, a bit odd.
One such bar is Bob's Garage in Blawnox, a dive bar through and through that offers something most bars do not- color overload.
Barrel and Flow Fest – The Nation’s First Festival for Black Breweries
Barrel & Flow Fest (formerly Fresh Fest) is a unique beer festival in Pittsburgh put on by our friends at Drinking Partners podcast and was designed to be the first black brewery festival in the United States.
The festival had many goals in mind, including introducing craft beer to a market that has been traditionally overlooked, highlighting local minority-owned businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs, and of course celebrating beer made by a few of the only 50 or so breweries in the USA operated by black business owners.
If that sounds like a tall order with a lot of ways to experience the event, you're not alone. But after attending this one practically every year since its inception, we can safely say this is one we'll be making a staple in our Pittsburgh beer festival rotation for many years to come.
Pittsburgh Beerfest Summer Edition Review – Drinking in the Summer Heat
Pittsburgh Beerfest returned to Stage AE in 2018 for their summer event and, as we love a good beerfest, you know we had to make the trip down to check it all out.
What is the event like? Is it worth your time and money? Are the beers any good? These were some of the questions we wanted to find out the answers to.