Pittsburgh Brewery - The Beer Thrillers

Aslin Beer Company Confirms Their Expanding Into Pittsburgh

BKline — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 23:45:06 +0000

Picture collage from Aslin Beer Company’s Facebook post today

And We Have Confirmation

As we posted yesterday – Aslin Beer Company Expanding to Pittsburgh – Aslin Beer Company hinted in their Instagram post about moving in at 1800 Smallman Street Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Today, 9.14.21, they posted a Facebook update that provided definitive information, and confirmed that they are indeed moving into Pittsburgh.

Aslin Beer Company’s Facebook Post

As posted on their Facebook page this morning around 9AM, Aslin Beer Company confirmed they are moving into Pittsburgh with the following Facebook post:

PGH YOU READY FOR US?! Coming Summer 2022: Aslin’s Pittsburgh taproom & brewhouse will be located in the Strip District’s Terminal building, as part of it’s full-scale revitalization. This new space will be the hub for research and development unique to Pittsburgh. A 10-barrel brewhouse, lagering tanks, open fermenters & fouders will support new brewing processes, techniques & ingredient choices. The space will also include a 7,000 sqft taproom, second floor mezzanine, outdoor patio and cafe..
We’ll be partnering with local business @scratchco_pgh, a community-oriented restaurant that supports farmers and producers, collaborates with nonprofits & maintains a firm commitment to sustainability and equity.
Founder of Scratch & Co. Don Mahaney adds, “We are very excited to showcase the best of our region’s farms and producers on the Aslin Pittsburgh menu.”
All good things.
Stay on the lookout for more updates!.
We’re stoked to share our beer with guests and collaborate with some of the country’s best brewers who call Pittsburgh home!…
#craftbeer #drinklocal #pittsburgh #visitpittsburgh
Aslin Beer Company’s Facebook Post

Photos courtesy of Aslin Beer Company’s Facebook Page

New Process of Brewery Expansion?

Looks like we’re seeing what will be the future of brewery expansion, at least here in Pennsylvania. Breweries able to ship and distribute their beers and merchandise, can use this as a way to gauge interest and to project and predict growth of their companies. If their shipping sales do well, and for an extended period of time, and if there seems to be legitimate interest in the area, and good real estate for such a move, they could then proceed to move and expand.

I foresee this becoming a trend with breweries who have gotten the ability to expand into Pennsylvania, and other areas, as well as breweries in general, using this as a trend and ability to do some market research before putting their resources into a possible expansion that could fail or backfire. Sadly, we’ve seen in the past breweries attempt to expand too much and it costing them dearly, not just in terms of the new location, but even their business as a whole.

It will be interesting to see if this becomes a trend for future breweries or not.

Looking Forward to the Future

We are certainly looking forward to the future of Aslin Beer Company in Pittsburgh, as well as their beers in general. They have always been a well received, and well liked brewery here at The Beer Thrillers HeadQuarters, and we can’t wait to make a trip out to Pittsburgh to get to visit them.

Also, today, Tattered Flag has announced for certain that their Lancaster Barrel House location will be opening Friday – September 17th. We will be posting more information about this shortly.

Additional Information and Links

To get more information on Aslin Beer Company, you can visit their social media sites:

Check out more articles from us here at The Beer Thrillers:

Other:

PennLive: Pittsburgh Breweries – Hannah Ison

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Aslin Beer Co. Coming to Pittsburgh

BKline — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 02:43:43 +0000

Aslin Beer Company’s Instagram Post Today – 9.13.21

Looks Like Aslin is Moving into Pittsburgh, PA

Well, for all intents and purposes, it looks like Aslin Beer Company is moving into Pittsburgh. They posted the above image to their Instagram page (Aslin Beer Co. Instagram) earlier today, with the caption that shows a pin and says “1800 Smallman St” with the “looking” eyes emoji.

After this was posted, and then re-posted, and then re-posted, and again re-posted, in several Facebook groups, and online message boards, several “people in the know”, stated how “finally the cat is out of the bag”. So it looks like, without saying it, their saying it. And it seems to be happening.

1800 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA

1800 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh – Google Maps

Sorry for the quality of the pics, but Google Maps was giving some trouble in screenshotting. But these give you an idea of the map and area of Pittsburgh where Aslin hinted at in their Instagram post.

According to the Google Maps street view, its down the street from The Church Brew Works, and it looks to be close to Insurrection Ale Works Tap Room. (In the first pic, screen shotted from the mobile Google Maps app, the beer mug is the Insurection Ale Works Tap Room, and the red pin is 1800 Smallman Street.)

Pittsburgh is home to numerous breweries, including mentioned Church Brew Works, Insurrection Ale Works, as well as Brewery Gentleman, ShuBrew, Penn Brewery, Cinderlands, Dancing Gnome, Couch Brewery, Hitchhiker, Grist House, and many more.

So this will certainly be a wonderful addition to the brewery scene in Pittsburgh. Ryan Galiotto commented about the “cat being out of the bag” now today about Aslin expanding into Pittsburgh, and pointed out that they are a part of the ‘Drink the Table’ brewfest in Pittsburgh on November 6th. Ryan is the founder and head of Fueled by Hops LLC and community.

News About the Brewery

There has been no word yet on the construction or anything more substantial than this Instagram post and the comments made by several people. So timescale on construction, opening dates, or anything more than that. But when news becomes available, we’ll be posting it here, so be on the look out.

Additional Links

Additional news and links we think you might find interesting:

Other:

PennLive: Pittsburgh Breweries – Hannah Ison

Grist House Shipping Statewide in Pennsylvania

BKline — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 22:45:00 +0000

Grist House PA Beer Shipping (photo courtesy of their Facebook page)

Earlier today Grist House Craft Brewery announced that they will be shipping statewide in Pennsylvania. Adding yet another fantastic brewery to a growing long list of breweries shipping statewide in Pennsylvania. Soon it’ll be easier to list the breweries NOT shipping than the ones shipping.

They posted on their Facebook page at noon today:

“You have asked and it’s finally here! We are now shipping Grist House beer anywhere in Pennsylvania!

We’ve been working on this for a long time now, and we are so excited to be bringing Grist House to craft beer lovers all over the state!

Visit gristhouse.com/shipping for more info.”

In just the past week several breweries have announced shipping within or into Pennsylvania. If there was one thing that has been a good that has come out of 2020, its the increase in shipping for beer and beer services.

Grist House Craft Brewery is a micro brewery located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to Untappd they have 185 unique beers and a global average rating of 3.99 with 150K ratings. Their Untappd description reads: “Grist House Craft Brewery is located in the heart of Millvale, PA just minutes north of downtown Pittsburgh. Family owned and operated, we strive to produce high quality beer that is delicious and easy drinking. The brewery is loaded with character, from our taproom overlooking the brew system, our all-season deck and spacious outdoor seating area, to our tap handles hand crafted by a local blacksmith. We invite you, your friends and family to come enjoy a pint with us.”

As always everyone, get out there and enjoy some great local craft beer, or get some shipped to you from a small time great like Grist House or Tattered Flag or The Veil or Aslin, and enjoy a delicious pint of great craft beer.

Cheers!

-B. Kline

For more information check out:

Brewery Openings, Closings, Shipment News

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

Breweries Shipping in and into Pennsylvania:

Tattered Flag Supply Drop Shipping Statewide
Imprint Begins Shipping Statewide
Aslin
Helltown
The Veil
Gristhouse

Brewery Closings:

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Cinderlands Beer Company is Expanding to Their Third Location

BKline — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 03:50:00 +0000

Cinderlands Beer Co.

Cinderlands Beer Co. has announced that they will be opening their third location – this one in Wexford, Pennsylvania. They announced on their Facebook page earlier today:

Cinderlands Beer Company’s Facebook announcement

This will be their third location. Wexford is roughly (depending on traffic) 23 – 27 minutes (depending on final location in Wexford; and according to Google Maps).

From Cinderlands Warehouse to Wexford, PA

Cinderlands Beer Company already has two locations currently running in the greater Pittsburgh area. One location is the Cinderlands Warehouse. This opened in May 2019 in the Pittsburgh Strip District. The technically oldest of the two locations, is their Cinderlands Foederhouse in Lawrenceville. This was their original location, but was originally a tap room, and they re-did it, renovated it, and made it into their Foederhouse in December 2019.

This marks their third opening / changing / renovating / expansion in under two years time (though, the Wexford location won’t be opening until 2021). This is fantastic news for Cinderlands Beer Co and fans of their wonderful beers. I got to stop out at their Cinderlands Warehouse location in August 2019 with my daughters on a trip, and loved the beers I had.

According to Untappd – Cinderlands Beer Co has 203 unique beers, 72K+ ratings, and has a global average rating of 3.91 (as of 12.9.20). Their Untappd description reads: “A Craft Brewery & Scratch Kitchen located in Pittsburgh, PA”

For more information on Cinderlands Beer Co and their expansion, you can check out their following social media platforms:

As always everyone, thanks for reading. Speaking of Pittsburgh, be sure to check out the new article we wrote about the upcoming Pittsburgh museum on beer – BREW – The Museum of Beer. Or our new article on Hop Culture being bought out by Untappd / Next Glass. As always, be sure to get out and support your local breweries in restaurants, this year has been a year of uncertainty, but right now we are in even more uncertain times, (here in Pennsylvania especially) as there is constant talk from every corner on which day, when / if , what / if, etc, about new mandates, restrictions, lock downs, or quarantines. So while you can, support your local small breweries and restaurants so they’ll still be here after the pandemic.

Please follow us on our social media platforms below, and also make sure to check out other expansions, openings, and closings, and brewery news with the links below. Thank you all for reading. Cheers!

-B. Kline

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

You can read about more brewery closures here:

Brewery Tour: Couch Brewery

BKline — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 13:35:00 +0000

Firstly, let me give a big shoutout to Bobby Nacho for inviting me to the brewery and giving me a personal tour and sampling of their beers on my trip to Indianapolis. You can read about my full day two trip (which included hiking, Vandergrift, Pittsburgh, and Washington) here: The Trip to Indianapolis – Day Two. (There will also be full links at the end of the article, for this trip, and other similar travelogues as well as similar brewery experiences.)

Couch Brewery

On Monday, as part of my drive out to Indianapolis (from Harrisburg – Hershey area) I was in the Pittsburgh area. I started in Indiana, having visited Levity Brewing the night before, and hiking The Thousand Steps trail, Monday morning I started with Rock Furnace Trail, Roaring Run Trail, and visiting Allusion Brewing Company in Vandergrift Pennsylvania.

Ahead of Monday, Bobby had reached out to me and invited me to stop in for a brewery tour and sampling. He knew I was going to be passing through the area, and he was going to be in the brewery kegging ‘The Four Horseman’ for their upcoming Black Friday event – BLACK AHT 2020. You can get the cans and tickets to the event here: Couch Brewery – BLACK AHT 2020. Technically, The Four Horseman isn’t a stout, but is a Wild Ale / Brown Ale. But its still a part of the event (and don’t worry, it is amazing!)

I met Bobby around 1-2PM or so on Monday at the brewery, and he brought me in through the loading dock and side area of the brewery (the actual brewhouse). He took me through their small brewery and brought me then to the bar. First, we stopped, and looked at the fermenters, and the various equipment, discussed their barrel size, what they’ve done is recent months, the beers they are most known for, changes, growth, etc.

I’ll admit I was unfamiliar with Couch Brewery; and had never been to the brewery before, or even had their beers before. They do not distribute out to Harrisburg, Hershey, Hummelstown area, (unfortunately!) and I’ve never had them in a trade or at a bottle / beer share. But I must say, from now, I will be on the look out for them wherever / whenever I can.

Couch Brewery Brewing System

The above picture is their brewing system and set-up. If it looks small and home-brew-ish, its because it pretty much is. This takes nothing away from the beers, or how much they produce, or what they can do however. They still brew a large amount, and a wide variety of styles. So don’t let this set-up fool you. They are still pumping out some delicious brews.

Some of the best beers I’ve had have been brewed on the smallest of set-ups and systems; and some of the worst beers I’ve had have been on the biggest, largest scales, and the most expensive looking equipment. Its all in the skill of the brewer.

Rows of Fermenters

As you can see in the above picture, they have several fermenters that are constantly in use, so there are always lots of brews in the works here at Couch Brewery. They have 12 taps at the bar in the brewery, and they keep them full primarily because of how often they brew and fully utilizing all of their fermenters. Like a large revolving door, they are moving an empty keg for a new one, and emptying fermenters and refilling, and kegging, and keeping the kegs cooled and to the side waiting to be put on tap, etc. Like a constant dance, that keeps the beers flowing smoothly and the guests happy and the continuing flow of the suds, a perfect balance.

The Four Horseman

The beer that Bobby was kegging while I was there. Its a collaboration amongst buddies. Couch Brewery (Bobby represented as Arn Anderson), Fury Brewing represented as Tully Blanchard (I believe… I might be mixing him up with Ole Anderson here), Bash Brew which is represented by Ole Anderson, and Ric Flair of course rounding out the Four Horseman.

If you don’t know anything of The Four Horseman of wrestling, at least familiarize yourself with them. Probably the best stable ever in professional wrestling, of any generation or era. You can read more about them on wiki: The Four Horseman.

For more information on Black AHT 2020, you can read this quick article on Fueled by Hops: Couch Brewery hosting Black AHT 2020 Still.

For Black AHT 2020, there is 10 stouts for the event, and then as a special entry, The Four Horseman which is a Brown Ale / Wild Ale, and there is also a Rye Barrel Aged version on draft only at Couch Brewery.

One of the brewer’s for the collaboration’s wife did the artwork shown above, which will also be on the cans, and is drawn spectacularly.

Couch Brewery’s Bar

Now, it was time to get to the bar, and actually drink some of the amazing beers Bobby has been brewing at Couch Brewery. I had the 11 beers they had on tap (out of the 12 taps), as well as the Four Horseman straight from the kegging.

Recliner
Morning Wood
Hippie Blackberry Sour
Sofa Quemando
Fest Bump
F1 Hazy IPA
Thicc Ric
Macho Man
Atomic Clock
Stardust – Mango Passion
The Four Horseman (collaboration)

Recloner

Beer: Recliner
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Stout – Oatmeal
ABV: 6%
IBU: 30
Untappd Description: A delicious yet unconventional oatmeal stout brewed with the wrong hops, or so you would think. It delivers a wonderful silky smooth mouthfeel with a refreshing hint of citrus, a little bit of chocolate and a touch of coffee.
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.67 (as of 11.23.20)

Morning Wood

Beer: Morning Wood
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Stout – Coffee
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4.5
Global Untappd Rating: 3.87 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Hippie Blackberry Sour Ale
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.68 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Sofa Quemando
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Stout – Other
ABV: 7.1%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Mexican Stout.
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
Global Untappd Rating: 4 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Fest Bump
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Festbier
ABV: 5.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.7 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: F1 Hazy IPA
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.56 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Thicc Ric
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.53 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Macho Man
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Wheat Beer – Other
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Hibiscus Raspberry Lime Wheat
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
Global Untappd Rating: 3.82 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Atomic Clock
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Red Ale – American Amber / Red
ABV: 6.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4
Global Untappd Rating: 3.57 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: Stardust – Mango Passion
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Style: Hard Seltzer
ABV: 5%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 3.5
Global Untappd Rating: 3.52 (as of 11.23.20)

Beer: The Four Horseman
Breweries: Couch Brewery
Collaborators: Fury Brewing Company, Bash Brew, X
Style: Brown Ale – Other
ABV: 8.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: (blank)
My Untappd Rating: 4.5
Global Untappd Rating: 4.22 (as of 11.28.20 [EDITED]

Beer: The Four Horseman
Brewery: Couch Brewery
Collaborators: Fury Brewing Company, Bash Brew, X
Style: Brown Ale – American
ABV: 8.3%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Rye barrel-aged version of Four Horsemen.
My Untappd Rating: 4.5
Global Untappd Rating: N/A (as of 11.28.20) [EDITED]

My favorite of the group was The Four Horseman, followed by (surprisingly to myself) Macho Man, Atomic Clock, and Morning Wood. I even discussed with Bobby about how I’m not a big fan of hibiscus in beer, and not a fan of Crimson Pistil by Troegs Brewing (an IPA that uses hibiscus) but absolutely loved Macho Man. (Look for a review of it coming soon.)

Pictures of the Couch Brewery bar area

The bar and drinking area of the brewery has such an old-school lounge feeling. Like you are stuck in the 70s and Billy Joel could be in the corner playing Piano Man. An amazing atmosphere, I can’t wait to come visit sometime when they are open and get to actually sit and drink on the couches. The old school vibe is fantastic. Also, Bingo is a must when visiting Couch Brewery and an event to add to the calendar.

Bobby was an absolute blast to hang out with and talk to and we killed quite a bit of beer and quite a bit of time just discussing the craft beer industry, COVID-19, the mandates, the changes of the times, staying afloat, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, home brewing, brewing, Full Pint Brewing, professional wrestling, and pretty much everything and anything under the sun. If you ever get to have a drink with Bobby, make sure you do, he is fun, entertaining, and hilarious, and an all around great dude.

Couch Brewery

I have to say, I was reluctant to leave, but had to due to other trips and activities, and Bobby had to get back to work on finishing up his brewery duties for the day. But he did send me on my way with a four pack of Macho Man, Morning Wood, Atomic Clock, and Sofia Quemando. Which once back home, me and my buddy Drew killed the four pack together while streaming for his channel. He loved the Mexican stout.

For those in the Pittsburgh area, be on the lookout in 2021 for news on Full Pint Brewing. Big news. As many know, they closed up shop this year, which you can read about here: FULL PINT BREWING CLOSES. I don’t want to let too much out of the bag, but be on the lookout for news about them, and possibly…. dare I say it… a resurgence or resurrection? Who knows….. but like I said…. I won’t be the one to leave the cat out of the bag… Just be sure to stay tuned, and you’ll definitely hear about it here as soon as more is allowed to be said.

Again, in closing, I want to thank Bobby for a wonderful time, for opening his brewery to me, for inviting me out (on his own initiative), for the free samples, for the four pack, and for a wonderful time enjoying beers with a fellow beer enthusiast. He is a great dude, and I wish him the best with everything he does, a wonderful brewer, and a hell of a host. Thank you.

To everyone reading, be sure to check out the quality beers for the Black AHT 2020. You can read more, and get your tickets on Couch Brewery’s website, as well as through their social media pages.

Couch Brewing:

As for me here at The Beer Thrillers, thanks for reading. I always love to hear from you all, so be sure to leave comments, thoughts, your reviews, suggestions, questions, whatever you want. Also, be sure to like, follow, subscribe, you can find our social media links at the top of each page, as well as below. Also be sure to check out all of the links below for more great stories, beer reviews, brewery reviews, brewery and beer news, travelogues, and much more.

Please stay safe, and hope everyone has a great upcoming Thanksgiving. Cheers all!
-B. Kline

The Trip to Indianapolis – Full Articles:

Day One: Thousand Steps Trail, Juniata Brewing Company, Ghost Town Trail, Levity Brewing
Day Two: Rock Furnace Trail, Allusion Brewing Company, Couch Brewery, Riverview Park, Hop Farm Brewing Company, The Meadows Casino
Day Three:
Day Four:
Day Five:
Day Six:
Day Seven:

The Trip to Indianapolis – Recap Articles:

August (2019) Road Trip Series:

Rickett’s Glen (2020) Road Trip Series:

Monocacy Battlefield Road Trip:

Visiting Reading Pennsylvania:

A Visit to Reading
The Birthday Trip to Reading Pennsylvania – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

A Road Trip to The PA Grand Canyon:

Visiting Wellsboro PA and the Grand Canyon

Hiking Hawk Rock

Hiking Hawk Rock and Visiting Liquid Noise Brewery

Hiking Pinnacle Trail and Pulpit Rock

Hiking to Pinnacle Overlook, Pulpit Rock, Visiting 1787 Brewing and Schaylor Brewing

Hiking Around Ephrata Pennsylvania:

Hiking Around Ephrata Pennsylvania – Pour Man’s Brewing, Black Forest Brewery

Hiking Sunset Rocks and Checking Out Maxie’s Brewhouse:

Hiking Sunset Rocks and Checking Out Maxie’s Brewhouse in Shippensburg Pennsylvania

Other Brewery Hopping Articles:

My Article for Breweries in PA:

Touring Breweries Around Harrisburg

My Podcast About Breweries in Central PA:

Beers with Strangers – A Beer Thriller in Hershey

Some other brewery tour and road trip articles:

Also, be sure to check out some of our other beer reviews in recent history: