Pay no attention to the fact that I haven’t updated this blog in more than half a year. So let’s get right to it, then. Our 2nd Anniversary is a week away, and we have some cool things planned for Year Three. Increased distribution, a little bit of canning, more barrel-aged beers, additional mainstay brands to accompany Killer Diller, and a few collaborations. We’ll get the ball rolling with the release of barrel-aged 2 Minutes to Midnight Imperial Stout on Tuesday, Jan. 31, as we kick off Anniversary Week. And …
New Brunch Menu Launches August 14th
New Brunch Menu Launches August 14th Brunch: it’s the perfect way to kick off a Sunday. In all fairness, it’s the perfect way to kick off every day. But we’ve been focusing on Sunday Brunch here at Spoonwood since August 2nd, 2015 and strive to deliver the best breakfast/lunch goods to your plate. Pair them with your favorite beers and you’ve got the perfect foundation to make Sunday pretty amazing. It’s only fitting, after a year of brunchy goodness, that we shake things up a little. This Sunday, August 10th, …
Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em
Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em by Jason Cercone It was less than two weeks ago that we watched the Pittsburgh Penguins win Game 6 of the Finals and bring the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh. There was something in the air that fateful Sunday evening that made me believe glory was about to be bestowed upon the Pens. Seven years to the day, they beat the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals to secure the franchise’s 3rd championship. I grilled some delicious wings …
IN THE TANK, OUT THE TANK (VOL. 6)
Be on the lookout for a few malty lagers early this summer. We recently tapped Faintheart, a low-ABV red lager with a strong caramel malt presence. One guy referred to it as “malt-nificent.” (That guy was me.) About a week from now, we’ll tap Smoke & Oats, an amber with a generous helping of beechwood smoked malt. It’s a personal favorite, inspired by the classic smoked lagers of Bamberg, Germany. And finally, there will be a Doppelbock called Embiggenator, a vulgar display of malt power and a nod to the …
Giving Dad His Props
Giving Dad His Props As we roll into June, we prepare to bask in the glory that is Summer. Temperatures may have been generously warm prior to today, but there’s something reassuring about flipping the calendar and knowing the warmest days of the year are ahead of us. Barbeques, golf, hiking, baseball, a potential Stanley Cup parade, and a tremendous amount of other outdoor activities are all in sight. Yes, it’s time to break out the sunscreen and soak in the rays! This month also brings us the time-honored tradition …
What American Craft Beer Week Has Inspired
What American Craft Beer Week Has Inspired We are living in the golden age of American craft beer. You needn’t look any further than the number of bars featuring artisanal beers and the number of breweries rising up across these 50 states to know that craft beer culture is strong. On a daily basis, consumers identify with numerous brands and eagerly seek out offerings from their countless breweries, building loyalty with an overall movement just as much as with specific brands. In 2006, the Brewers Association took what was formerly …
In The Tank, Out The Tank (vol. 5)
Sometimes it’s a grind. But at the end of the day, literally and figuratively, there’s beer. There’s music, too, and someday I’ll write about that. But right now, this is about beer. So let’s talk about what’s up and coming. Spring calls for lighter styles, so naturally we brewed an imperial stout. Evolution’s End will finish at just under 9% ABV, appropriately black and bitter, with a citrusy edge from Cascade and Centennial hops. We’ll stash a portion in whiskey barrels prior to the tapping on April 22, the second …
Do You Even Jenga, Bruh?!
Do You Even Jenga, Bruh?! Compete in Spoonwood’s First-Ever Really Big Jenga Tournament During Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week! If you’ve visited the Spoonwood Brewing taproom before, you may have noticed an adult-sized version of Jenga tucked away in the far corner of the dining room. And if you didn’t see it, perhaps you heard it as someone’s Jenga fate met an ill-timed demise as their tower came tumbling to the brewpub floor. Jenga is one of many cool ancillary reasons to visit Spoonwood (we prefer to lead with the beer …
Screamin’ Danger Pinned and Tapped at Carson Street Deli Thursday Night!
Screamin’ Danger Pinned and Tapped at Carson Street Deli Thursday Night! It’s been a few weeks since our friends Coheed and Cambria played an absolutely phenomenal show at Stage AE. It was one of the better shows I’ve attended in recent memory and, without question, the light show that accompanied the music was the coolest I’ve ever seen live. Myself and our brewers Steve Ilnicki and James Evans had the opportunity to hang out with Claudio Sanchez, frontman for Coheed and Cambria, for a few minutes as well. It was …
2 Minutes to Midnight Releases Feb. 26th and 27th
2 Minutes to Midnight Releases Feb. 26th and 27th After a couple planning sessions, a very fun brew day, several weeks in the fermenter, the addition of vanilla, chili peppers, and chocolate from Sarver’s Speckled Hen Chocolate Company, an enjoyable back-and-forth exchange over the beer’s eventual name, and the anxious wait for bottle label approval, we are happy to report that 2 Minutes to Midnight, an Imperial Stout created in collaboration with Caliente Pizza & Draft House, is ready for you to consume! When our initial collective ideas started to …
Screamin’ Danger IPA: Made in Collaboration with Coheed and Cambria
Screamin’ Danger IPA: Made in Collaboration with Coheed and Cambria It started with a tweet. It ended with a kick-ass beer. If you were unaware, yours truly and both our brewers, Steve Ilnicki and James Evans, are HUGE Coheed and Cambria fans. Many days, the brewhouse is bumpin’ to the tracks of Coheed while brand new beers go from recipe to reality. It makes for a pretty productive work environment, I have to admit. In fact, Spoonwood’s Double IPA, Good Eye Sniper, earned its name from a lyric in the …
6 Reasons To Join Us For Our Second Beer & Food Pairing
6 Reasons To Join Us For Our Second Beer & Food Pairing Back in September of 2015, we began a tradition at Spoonwood that showcased the skills of our chefs and brewers while giving you a wonderful opportunity to get to know us a little better. It was our very first Food & Beer Pairing and the night was exceptional. 40 craft beer and food enthusiasts came together to enjoy the creations of Executive Chef Jeffrey Simpson and Head Brewer Steve Ilnicki as both worked meticulously to present six courses …
Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter
Greetings Spoonwood Nation! We have officially started up a weekly newsletter to better keep you informed on beer releases, food specials, brewery updates, and special events going down in our taproom or at destinations throughout our region. We encourage you to welcome us into your inbox so you never miss what’s happening at Spoonwood Brewing. Signing up is easy. Simply enter your name and email below. From there, you will receive a confirmation message that contains a link. Click the link and you’re in. We look forward to keeping you …
In The Tank, Out The Tank (vol. 4)
I’d like to begin this installment by thanking my loyal readership. You’ve inspired my brewing, you’ve inspired my writing, and I owe a debt of gratitude to the both of you. It’s been a while since I last checked in – more than a month, in fact – and I suppose a lot has happened during that time. We closed out the year with the release of Collapsium barleywine. I have to say that it turned out really well, and it just might be my favorite beer of 2015. I …
One
One 2015 is in the books. Another holiday season behind us and a brand new year in front of us. This time of year often leads to reflection and a dedication to doing something better with the days that lay ahead. Too often we get so caught up trying to make these monumental changes from some missed steps the year before, we forget about the small victories that defined a year’s worth of progress. Over time, those small victories add up, thus making the big picture that much clearer. As …
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