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 Friday of PGH Craft Beer Week.
Earlier during PCBW, we’ll tap a small portion of Wigle Landlocked barrel-aged Collapsium Barleywine. Look for that on Friday, April 15, in conjunction with a special Wigle pairing flight. We also have a small portion of Hydra Slayer Red aging in Wigle Bourbon barrels, and we just might include a keg in the festivities. And by the way, our saison Elise will make its return as part of the Wigle flight, paired with Afterglow ginger whiskey.
But wait, that’s not all! We have two more tricks up our sleeve for PCBW. Our collaboration with Helltown, Dancing Gnome, and Helicon will debut on Saturday, April 16. It’s a hazy, juicy “New England style” IPA called Greenfield Bridge Is Falling Down. It probably won’t last beyond the weekend, so don’t miss out. And on Thursday, April 21, we’ll tap a special cask of Killer Diller IPA, blended with cold brew from Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange. The coffee complements the fruitiness of the beer in a really unique way.
Now, getting back to the Springtheme (Ween FTW), we have a new beer called Bicycle Seat Wheat on tap. It’s light and crushable, with a touch of citrusy hops and a squeeze of lime. Stunt Double, a Kolsch-style ale, is back for a second year, strictly for the pleasure of one regular. And coming very soon, like any minute now, is How Now Brown, version 2. This time we swapped out the chai spices and hauled in 25 pounds of coconut. If coconut is your jam, it just might be epic.
As we wrap up April and head into May, we’ll bring back some familiar beers and add a few new ones. Astrid, our Belgian Pale, will lead to Lorna, our Belgian Dark, and eventually a new dry-hopped Belgian Tripel. Blackmore, our hoppy black ale, is likely to return this spring. And if we can score some yeast from Meg Evans, the James Brown of the local brewing scene, we’ll turn out a second saison. Oh, and Freemang IPA will hopefully be back before the start of summer.