The day started with some trails around the Jackson Falls. The Rock Furnace Trail walks right along the beautiful creek’s edge with lots of little rapids and small waterfalls. Beautiful 9AM walk with nobody in sight. It then led into the Roaring Run Trail along the river where there were more bikers and walkers.

After my hike, it was time to keep moving west young faithful traveler.

The first brewery for day two was Allusion Brewing Company in Vandergrift Pennsylvania. A pretty little brewery pub that really captured the old – time feel of the town. The town was quaint, small, and old in that way most small Pennsylvania towns are. It reminded me of the town from the Back to the Future (when they travel back in time). It just had this oldey timey feel. The beers at Allusion were top notch. And if you visit, and Jim is there, make sure to say hello, great guy and fun bartender. The flights are also very cool, they repurposed old library card catalogue holders.

After this I ventured into Pittsburgh itself (I know a dangerous thing for a Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Flyers, and Philadelphia Phillies fan to do), but I visited the Rodef Shalom Botanical Biblical Garden. I stopped here last year with my girls, to find out we were there on the wrong day (despite Google Maps saying they were open). Well, once again Google Maps got me, and here they closed for the season back on September 15th.

I was invited by Bobby, the current head brewer for Couch Brewery, to stop in and pay him a visit. They were closed but he was in the ‘shop’ kegging their upcoming release – The Four Horseman, so he invited me in, gave me a tour of their facilities backstage, and brought me out to the bar, and let me have a run of samples of all of their beers. Even giving me a four pack to go. Top notch dude, a complete blast and riot, funny guy, and knows his beer as well. The beers were all fantastic, and he sent me on my way with – Macho Man, Sofa Quasimodo, Morning Wood (not often can I say that a guy sent me on my way with Morning Wood), and Atomic Clock.

He even gave me a sample of their upcoming collaboration beer that he was kegging – The Four Horseman. (He’s Arn Anderson.) I can’t say enough thanks for the hospitality and friendliness he showed me. If you are in the Pittsburgh area be sure to stop out and check Couch Brewery out.

I then traveled up to Riverview Park, where along the way, I must’ve made about ten different wrong turns, going up the steepest hills and back down the steepest slopes. I passed the St. Anthony’s Chapel, where I had taken my daughters to last year, to see a piece of the Cross. I finally made it to the Alleghany Observatory parking lot, and spent the next couple of hours walking and hiking.

While up on Troy’s Hill I saw Penn Brewery and stopped, they were unfortunately closed, but I still snapped a picture, and found a brewery (don’t fail me now Google Maps) that was open, so I was on my way to Hop Farm Brewing Company.

I got to Hop Farm Brewing Company around 7:30PM to find they were at max capacity, so I walked the block, and went back to my car for about fifteen minutes and read, then came back and they luckily had an open table. (Seating was pretty limited.) The burger was delicious and they did their french fries in hop oil (like how Troegs Brewing does their’s at their brewery), and they were absolutely stellar, better even than Troegs.

My night concluded with me going to The Meadows Casino and Racetrack. Hung out there for a bit, checked out the dice tables, poker room (didn’t play), and tried to get a local beer on tap – Sobel’s Obscure Brewery’s Prehistoric Pilsner. But it kicks with barely a taste in it, and when for replacement I asked the bartender for a local beer, she offers me the Sierra Nevada’s Little Hazy Thing …… sigh. Oh well, so it goes.

Hop and a skip over to my hotel, and I’m calling it a night. See you guys on here again for tomorrow’s recap as I venture into Ohio and Columbus. Cheers!

-B. Kline

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The Trip to Indianapolis:

• The Trip to Indy
• The Trip to Indy – Day One Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Two Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Three Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Four Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Five Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Six Recap
• The Trip to Indy – Day Seven Recap
• Recap and Stats

This is not the post I wanted to make today, especially with the overwhelming bad news that is constantly flooding us all the time right now. In the midst of doing the post and work on the beer education series / class I am doing, this news came out. So I figured I’d post this; go back to finish the school / beer education post, then you can make get a good, happy post, rather than the sad one that this is.

Hopefully this won’t be a harbinger of other breweries closing as well. And this isn’t primarily because of the coronavirus / COVID-19 either; as earlier in the year Full Pint Brewing closed their second location – The Wild Side Pub.

Earlier today, Full Pint Brewing posted on their Instagram:

You can see and view their Instagram page here: Full Pint Brewing on Instagram.

Their Instagram page announces that they will be ceasing operations and closing their business on April 3rd. No word has been said about their facility, their equipment, or their beer (either already sold to distributors or in-house).

Untappd has them listed as a micro-brewery out of North Versailles Pennsylvania. It lists them with 310 unique beers and a global rating of 3.58 (as of 3.27.20).

This is the third brewery to be closed in recent months; with Stoudts announcing their closing and Crystal Ball closing completely earlier.

The caption for their Instagram post reads:

It has been an emotional day looking back through old photos… I would be lying if I was to say that I am not tearing up as I type this caption. I am the guy on the White Lightning label, I have done everything in my power to keep Full Pint alive these past few years but even the “God” of White Lightning or Unit Lorde(Inside Joke sorry) has his limitations. Thank you to all of you for supporting us these past 9 years, we were 1 month shy of 10 years in business. We are going to start discounting our growlers and kegs starting today so please come and help deplete our supplies and show our amazing staff some love. Sincerely, Barrett Goddard

Full Pint Brewing (Instagram) (Barrett Goddard)

It is never pleasant to report the closing of breweries, but sadly, it does happen from time to time. And unfortunately, with the pandemic going on, and with many (ahead of the pandemic) already claiming the ‘craft beer bubble is about to burst’ this might become more of a trend. Fingers, toes, and other appendages crossed – that hopefully this does not. But the future months do look to be tense and uncertain.

If you’ve been to Full Pint, or just enjoyed their beers, let us know in the comments. I know sadly, I never got to try the Festivus beer they made, and as a huge Seinfeld fan that is certainly upsetting.

Hopefully this message finds you all healthy, and well, inside your homes. Stay safe everyone, keep your distance, enjoy your beers at home, and support the craft breweries however / whenever you can. We’re all in this together. Cheers everyone!

-B. Kline

(Additional source: Breweries in PA)