Post-Gazette Article on Bear Republic in Western PA

Andy Starnes/Post-Gazette photo

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has an article on the efforts of Fatheads and AM Lutheran Distributors in getting Bear Republic beers in to the Pittsburgh market. There's also talk of a couple other noteworthy California breweries that may be heading this way.

T'was a good Christmas...

Welcome back from my brief hiatus. It's been a busy week, full of good cheer and good beer.

I've taken to dinner and shared a number of my Sly Fox Christmas Ales. Its been well received by all. I've also bought a fair amount of the Lancaster Winter Warmer, a nice tasty surprise and a good value, easily my favorite of their offerings.

Some of the boys in the Beer Club headed out for a round trip of a few spots in Western PA. I was unable to attend but sent along plenty of cash and empties. I got a pretty nice haul for not even attending.
-Growler of North Country Paleo IPA
-Growler of Hereford and Hops IPA
-Growler of East End Bitter End
-Growler of East End Snow Melt
-Bottle of East End Three (Third Anniversary Triple)
-Bottle of Southern Tier Choklat
-Bottle of Southern Tier Gemini
Not too bad for not being able to go along. Much thanks to those guys for accommodating me. So far I've only had the NC offering, but look forward to my thoughts on the others, plus a homebrewing update soon.

From Boston to Latrobe

via Realbeer.com:

The Boston Beer Co., brewers of Samuel Adams beers, has signed an agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of City Brewing Co. to brew some of its beer in Latrobe, Pa.

According to a company press release, Boston Beer and City Brewing will upgrade the brewery by purchasing equipment to allow for Samuel Adams’ traditional brewing process, use of proprietary yeasts and extended aging time, and beer bottling and kegging. Brewing of Boston Beer products is expected to begin during the second quarter.

“This agreement gives us increased flexibility,” said Martin Roper, President & CEO of Boston Beer.

More here. The official press release is on the Boston Beer Co website. This is good news for the region, without a doubt, especially with continued growth in the craft beer market.

Western PA Brewery Updatery

Via the always prescient Lew Bryson come a healthy round of updates, a bunch of which involve western PA.

Blurbbage includes East End, Four Sons, Sprague Farm and Voodoo. But, wait!

Perhaps the most exciting is this:
Andrew Maxwell (out of John Harvard's) and the folks from the Rivertowne Inn (Verona and North Huntington) are getting together to open a brewpub in Monroeville, just off the Turnpike interchange (312 Center Rd.). He's got a 15 bbl. JVNW brewhouse ("Gas-fired," Andrew said, "It’s the nicest system I’ve ever touched.") and tanks already in Pittsburgh, and there's a sales agreement on the building (paperwork should be final in two weeks or so). Get this: "Our goal is to carry between 13 and 18 beers at any one time," Andrew says. "I’ve never been given the opportunity to do something like this." Those of you lucky enough to know him from JHBH Monroeville should be excited; and so should the rest of you. This is going to be a very easy stop off the PA TP...and a must-stop.

Its to be called the Rivertowne Pourhouse, and by golly, I cannot wait for it to open.