Thursday, October 1, 2009

Not a Trashy Beer

Jake Ocque was the winner of the home brew competition held organized by TRASH; the Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers. It took place at the Rivertowne Pour House in Monroeville this past July. Rivertowne was kind enough to let Jake brew his beer with them, which has to a big thrill for any homebrewer. Well, I was happy to have some last night at Piper’s Pub. The beer, is a cask-conditioned English style Dark Mild coming in at 4.7%. After fist taking a few sips I took a look at the color. It is a dark beer and the color is brownish and not like Guinness or Mackeson; both of which are stouts. The head had some bubbles as it should have and it looked like a northern mild as I think it was. The taste was excellent and I picked up a hint of caramel in it and in the nose. It was faint and contributed to the taste. Most UK mild’s that I have had were very thin in the body to the point that they were anorexic. Jake’s had a better mild body to it. You knew that you were drinking a beer. After three pints I came to the conclusion that this beer should be on every publican’s order. Jake, you did good. You beer can stand with any in a British pub.

If you know me then you know I live for mild beer. My enjoyment of Jake’s beer continued long after my session at Piper’s. When I drink higher alcohol beer that has a greater level of hops I usually feel it the next morning. That doesn’t stop me from drinking it but I sometimes wonder why I do. Cask mild such as Jake’s left me refreshed the next morning. I seldom get a headache or hangover from drinking good beer. But I sometimes feel crappy in the morning and I don’t want to get out of bed. The lower alcohol with moderate hops makes for a pleasant morning for me. I for one am glad to be able to find beers like this at Piper’s. All the Pittsburgh brewpubs make mild at one time or another and I am glad that they do.

Cheers, to Jake, Piper’s and Rivertowne

Sunday, August 30, 2009

I Love New York

I have not been to New York City since late 2000. This year I was able to visit Manhattan twice in June. I shall visit once more this 11 September. Other than to break away from my office computer I want to take part in Beer Week. I discovered the joys of being back in my old favorites, d.b.a. as well as seeing new ones; Brazen Head, Rattle & Hum, just to name a few. I was able to visit the Blind Tiger for the first time in June but that experience left a sour note with me. Other than that I love drinking in the Big Apple. Here’s why.

The pubs are (can) be quite. Most places I visit in the afternoon are quite oasis’s and far removed from the mass horde of people at the tourist traps. I staff, usually nice looking young ladies that are pleasant and delightful to talk to. Most of all they are relaxing places and unlike the New York Public Library, they serve cask conditioned ale. This is in stark contrast in my taverns in Pittsburgh. Some are quite and some not. Even if the juke box had a volume control many Pgh Pubs have screamers. Sometimes it’s just not relaxing to come in for a pint. Yes, I am sure that there are many NYC bars that can make your ears bleed, but I have yet to find one. Well, maybe one. I did pop into O'Reilly's Pub one night at midnight. The music was blaring but they had good Guinness and college girls dancing one the tables, so it balanced out. Still, many people have a miss conception about the city. It is nice for walking and relaxing. Get away from midtown and go to the villages. Eat in a deli and ride the subway. If you want to get away from it all go to New York. Yes, that’s right. I said that. I Love New York!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Bankrupted Reporting

KDKA news (online) posted a story from CBS News about up-scale South Side restaurants taking a hit, presumably due to the economy. I would like to make a comment on this story. BULL CRAP. First of all there is no name associated with this story so I don’t know who he is or if he even lives in Pittsburgh. Second, why was this story written? It said very little and then contradicted itself. Why did it not say retailers thriving? It said that Café Allegro closed after 22 years and Bruchetta's is going to close. Yes, that is bad for us but never assume that a business is closing because they are not making money. We will never know why and it is none of our business. It also said that the Wine Loft is doing well. $90,000 a month in wine sales! How does he know that? What drivel was he told? The story never mentioned that they are in bankruptcy. I hope they come out of this ok, by the way. I need more information on this and I demand better reporting. Were other owners interviewed? What about the other up-scale places on the South Side? I need to know or I may loose sleep over this. Then again, maybe not.

Fat Head's Brewery

I must say that I am in a quandary and I don’t know what to do. I am updating my Pittsburgh Brewery’s page on my website: Pubnetwork and have an issue with an entry; Fat Head's. I was thinking about this during their beer tasting event at Bocktown on Wed. 29 July. Fat Head’s is a bar on the South Side and they do not brew (here). There is a Fat Head’s Brewery in Cleveland. It is a franchise of the South Side tavern. Many bars in Pittsburgh bring in beers from micro-breweries but that does not get an entry on my site. But what if it’s the bar’s name on the beer? Any bar can have a brewery contract a brewery to make them a house brew or a series of beers with the bar’s name on the label. But I this case it is a much-more stronger tie. We hear about bars (in England) being tied to a brewery, but in an odd sort of way in this case it is the brewery being tied to the bar. This must be a first in America.

In any event, “Fat Head’s” brews in Ohio and serves it here at their bar, as well as Piper's Pub and soon to be in many more, hopefully. So, how do I list them on my “Pittsburgh” breweries page? If you have a comment please pass it my way. I am not looking for a legal opinion, just a beer drinker’s thoughts. And don’t be afraid to stop in the bar to help you get opinionated. I do several times a week.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

The President's Beer

Let me make it clear that I have no intention of making a political statement but I have something to say about Mr. Obama having guests over for a beer. As you recall, because the news media will not let it go, Mr. Obama is trying to make peace between a Harvard professor and a police office. He has extended an offer to them to stop in or a brew. I think this is a nice thing for him to do and it is a part of his job to calm the public. Many people on other blogs have criticized him over this but but he is n track with his offer. Why? Because BEER BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.

One thing is not yet known; what type of beer is he going to serve? It should be foremost an American Ale. As Commander-in-Brew, he can have any beer he wants flown in. It is a perk that comes with the office. I would like to recommend several from Pittsburgh's breweries. In any event I am sure that there will be pizza and a game on the big screen in the war room. Hopefully the girls will be off to the mall. I hear that DC has a really big one. By the end of the night all will be friends and we may have world peace. So I say let them crack a few open and relax. Chill out and have a brew. Oh yes, you guys in the news should sip a few more suds too.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

My Ass

There are a few things that I can count on happening every Sunday morning. Church bells will ring. I treat myself to a breakfast out. South Siders wake up to see the mayhem from the night before from out-of-control party goers. Some blame the number of bars but I will not. In the 1980’s the South Side had tumble weeds rolling down Carson Street. One new bar opened, then two. Soon more would come in and we were grateful. We kissed their ass. Now, after we drove off all the bakeries and furniture stores (how has T&T managed to stay here still?) we want to kick them (the new bars) in the ass. I will not. I will not blame the police either. I would like to see them issue more tickets for parking, littering and public drunkenness. Let us put the blame on the people causing the problems here. Maybe if we kicked them in the ass they would not cause so much destruction?

I was born here in 1953 (that’s like 1776 to some of you 20 year olds) and have seen it all. In the pre 1980’s we had as many bars as today, if not more (some were even next to schools). Yet things were not this bad. A lot has to do with respect for others and self respect. I think we have lost a lot of that. I can’t understand why people block fire hydrants, but then again, I only got a sixth grade education. I will never understand how one can come from a bar and break windows, leave broken glass on steps, put sand bags on cars, break car windows, remove drain pipes, change Tampons in the gutter (photos coming), This all has happened to me except for the Tampon change. Others have been shot stabbed, run over by cars and car jacked. I could go on. The South Side was a great place to live. I don’t think so anymore, but this is my home and I want to make it better. But I need community leaders and city officials to do there part. The only think I get from them is that if I don’t like it I should move. To those people let me just say, kiss my ass. To those who want to have a clean and safe community; bless you.

President Obama was put into office under the banner of change. We can make the South Side a better place but we have to have the spirit to want to do it. Instead of placing misguided blame we need to go after the people actually causing harm. I have gone after people doing damage to my property. I scared the crap out of some. Some were taken to jail. Others were baffled why a home owner would yell at somebody peeing on their door. I may get shot some day but one thing I will not do to people with no moral compass is kiss their ass.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

London Bus in Pittsburgh

For those that cannot get to London, England anytime soon you can still experience the thrill of a ride on the big red bus. An old Routemaster (No. 12 to Victoria) departs the South Side Works for a journey around Pittsburgh. You can’t miss seeing it parked on South 27th Street. The red double-decker bus is rather imposing at 14 feet high. Vince and Manon LaMonica run the service here in Pittsburgh. See this site for details.

The No. 12 in London originates at Oxford Circus and travels towards Trafalgar Square, Parliament Street, Elephant & Castle Station and onward to Dulwich Library. Sadly, they are no longer used in London except for one or two limited routes. Londoners were experienced in hopping on and off the bus whilst it was still moving. Some never made in on and I don’t know of anyone getting hurt other than loosing a shoe now and then.

The thrill was hopping on the bus as it was pulling away from a stop. You did not enter from the front and pay the driver. He sat in an enclosed cab and was only concerned with traffic. People got on and off at the rear where there was no door but an open platform. It had a pole that you grabbed so you could pull yourself in. A conductor walked the upper and lower saloons looking for new faces. He would come around and take your 10p and would give you your ticket from a dispensing machine hanging from his neck. Yes, the bus did stop and as there was only one way on or off you had to move quickly. The best seats were on the upper deck. Climbing curving stairs on a moving bus was like being at Kennywood.

If I may borrow from Natalie Tran AKA Community Channel, the word of the day is saloon. No, a saloon is not a drinking establishment but an open area or room in which people could stand. Taverns have a saloon and they commonly have a bar where drinks are sold. Old English homes often had a saloon where the lady of the house entertained guests. Obviously they did not stay long but maybe that was the point of having one. Anyway, getting back to Vince and Manon LaMonica; good luck, no flats and will you drop me off at the pub?

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Margaritaville

A few months back the owner of Margaritaville on the South Side was given notice by Jimmy Bufffet's lawyers to stop using the name Margaritaville as only JB can use that name for any reason in any state at any time. It seems to me that JB has new lawyers with nothing to do so they must be trawling for Margaritaville bars in the country. Now, JB has a claim to this as he has this name registered most places, but not in Pa. I can't find the story in the local or national news outlets but this is not the first time the owner of this Carson Street bar has been served. Years ago when the bar was under the original owner JB's lawyers came in to shout the place down. They were pretty smug about it until they found out the the name was registered by the bar's owner first. They left town and life went on. Now it is under new ownership and the lawyers are back at it. I would hope that the bar's owners will find the name to be legal and send the others back to the beach. I haven't seen any more of this on the news so it is either dragging on or resolved.

Shootz Bar

I have gotten the scuttle butt from two people so far that tell me that Shootz bar on Carson Street on the South Side has closed. Can anyone confirm that? I will check into this further after the holiday. If they are closed during standard opening times then that should be that.

A note to the news people out three. For years I have cringed at how you identify streets and areas of the city incorrectly. For those of you who were born here you should know better. For those who are not from here, buy a map. In checking into Shootz I saw a video from one station that placed the bar next to the Birmingham Street Bridge. There is no BSB. It is called the Birmingham Bridge. But, at least that is not as bad as Liberty Street Tunnels. And I wonder why I drink?

UPDATE: The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is moving in as they have left the State Office Building. I hope that they can find their way down Carson Avenue. Yes, that appears on some of my bank documents.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

G20 Beer Festival in Pittsburgh

The Obama administration announced a G20 Summit that will take place in the United States on September 24 & 25, 2009. The host city will not be New York, Los Angles or Crawford, but my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My guess is that he wants to take in a Steeler game or a pub-crawl on the South Side. As past news stories have shown we can expect demonstrations. So, what can we do to keep mayhem at a minimum and help developing countries boost their economy? I suggest a G20 Beer Festival inside the convention center. Beer brings people together and drinking together usually solves the world’s problems. I should know; me and my mates do it every weekend. Admission will be free to all demonstrators (proper ID required) and world leaders will pay for the beer. Democrats will do a food service and Republicans will check ID at the door and clean up afterwards. There will be two children’s play areas, one red one blue.

The beers on tap will come from the G20 developing counties as shown below.
Bolivia (Huari), Brazil (Frevo), Chile (Kunstmann), China (Zhujiang beer 珠江啤酒), Cuba (Bucanero Beer), Ecuador (Cerveza Nevada), Egypt (Sakara), Guatemala (Moza), India (Cobra), Indonesia (Bintang), Mexico (Negro Modelo), Nigeria (Guinness made with Sorghum), Pakistan (Murree), Paraguay (Baviera), Peru (Cusquena), Philippines (San Miguel Pale Pilsen), South Africa (Zulu beer, it’s pink), Tanzania (Safari beer), Thailand (Chang beer), Uruguay (Patricia beer), Venezuela (Polar beer) and Zimbabwe (Zambezi)

A few notes on some of the above. I drank the Nigerian Guinness in London last year. It is high gravity beer in a bottle and was wonderful. It was not what I expected and if I could buy it in Pittsburgh it would be (one of) my beers of choice. A surprising note is that more Guinness is drunk in Nigeria than in Ireland. The Zulu beer is served in milk containers and you don’t want to know how it became pink. The Polar beer will be served by Al Gore but don’t expect it to be warm. From what I have been reading beer seems to be doing well in Muslim nations.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

South Side Hole in the Wall

On May 19, 2009 the Pittsburgh Post published a story on the doings of a bar on the South Side. S Bar applied for a permit to work on the former Tom’s Diner on East Carson Street in the city’s beer haven district. They told the city that it was to be used for retail and no mention that it was to serve alcohol. So says the city. Then S Bar applied for and received a liquor license extension. The bar is the adjoining building. Some city folks don’t like this so his building work was ordered stopped. What caused the work stoppage was that S Bar made an opening between the two buildings. When S Bar sealed the opening (how?) the city lifted the cease-work order. Can it be reopened when the city isn’t looking?

The city is bent out of shape that S Bar did not tell them they got a license extension, but guess what, they still have it. So they have a license to serve in a building that the city says should not be serving. The city is upset because they say S Bar lied to City Planning and sent Zoning down to close the place. This entire affair is about a hole in the wall and not alcohol. If it was the city’s desire to limit licensed bars then City Planning, Zoning and Council should have the balls to bring S Bar in for questioning. Can they stop this? If so why haven’t they? There are a lot of things not mentioned in the Post’s story. Future posting will highlight some of them. For the record, I have been in the S Bar a few times and it is a very clean and well run place. I have no connection to it or it's owners. On a legal point, is the license extension valid if ther is no direct passage from one building to another?

Monday, May 4, 2009

Bocktown Beer Tasting

I have a post below that mentions a few tastings on the South Side. There is a great bar out west that has tastings every Wednesday. Well, they are not that far out west that you need a cowboy hat but Bocktown has a beer tasting at 6 pm. Usually you can meet a brewer or rep that can give you good info on the beer. Their website can give you details and directions. Talk making its way down the barstools has it that they may put a beer engine on. Let's hope so. They do beer good and serve good beer. The food is great too. Plenty of free parking as well.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Guinness 250

I stopped at one of my favorite pubs for a pint of the 250th anniversary Guinness. For several years now Guinness have been toying with the brew and how it is served. They continue to play games. I can describe the beer in one word, nothing. It has nothing. No body, no flavor (rather lackluster), no head. I wish it had no nitrogen but that will never happen now. Gentlemen, you make a classic beer. Why are you not happy with what you have? Just to be fair I had two pints to make sure that I wasn't drinking anything. What else can I say. That about sums it up. To be a bit more descriptive; Guinness started out as a porter and became a stout. The 25 is neither but more like a dark mild. I am happy that they did not replace the original Guinness. On the other hand I did get a free Guinness Tee Shirt from a pretty girl.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Cask Ale in May

There seems to be a lot of beer events happening in town this month. Here are a few venues doing cask ale for May 09 with a smidgen of April, in Pittsburgh’s South Side. To locate these fine pubs go to the Bars of the South Side on my site: pubnetwork.

April 29th (Wednesday) at Piper’s Pub will be meet the Yards Brewers. Cask Ale will be served from a firkin. For more on their cask ales see Piper's Pub. I am hoping that they have the Brawler on cask, 4.2%ABV.

April 30th (Thursday) at the Birmingham Bridge Tavern (no known web). On draft from the Yard’s Brewery in Philadelphia will be Thomas Jefferson Ale (8.0% ABV) & General Washington Porter (7.0%ABV). The BBT does not pull a beer engine but we may need more Yard’s ale. For the good of the country of course.

The meet the Yard’s Brewer night on Wednesday and Thursday is a Vecenie Distributor promotion. Ok boys and girls, what does the 1933 mean to you?

May 7th (Thursday) Piper’s Pub will introduce the Duck Rabbit Brewery from North Carolina. They are sending a firkin of the Duck Rabbit Coffee Porter that will be pouring. Somebody from the brewery will be in that evening for the event. Sorry, no ABV.

May 8th (Friday) Fat Heads will also place a firkin on the bar of the Duck Rabbit Porter. Fat Heads starts tapping the firkins at 5 pm so get in line behind me. In addition to the porter expect to see 2 or 3 others from the brewery. They make a milk stout, brown, amber and the porter. The Imperial porter may come this way too.

May 15th (Friday) is a non-cask night at Fat Heads but our friends from Oskar Blues (Dales Pale Ale) will be in at 6pm.

May 18th (Monday) will be a cask night at Fat Heads but we can meet the brewer from Victory Brewing. Not sue of the time so check out Fat Heads. St Boisterous Bock (7.3%ABV) and Braumeister Pils (?%ABV)will be on Tap and the Hop Wallop (8.5%ABV) on Cask.

Just a note for June 2009, the Penn Fest is scheduled for the first Saturday of the month. I already have my tickets. The Penn is located on the North Side and can be found at Penn Brewery.
MAY 12, 2009 PENN BREWERY UPDATE: The Penn Fest is being re-scheduled. If you have a ticket you need to take it to the brewery for a refund. They need the ticket as this is their way of keeping track of returns. Check their site to updates.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Pitt Students in London

I am looking for Pitt Students (or other college students) who have studied in London for a semester with the University.No need to call 911 as I am not looking for anything shady. I noticed on the Pitt web-site that students are given a travel pass for the time they are there but not for one week in March. I wondered what type of card you get and why none for the one break week. I think it would be better to be issued a travel card (monthly, seven, three and one day) which will give you unlimited travel in zone 1 & 2. I have to think that the guys at Pitt know about this but I don't know what pass students get while in London. So, how do you like studying in London? Way different than Oakland, uh?

Friday, April 17, 2009

Blue Dust

April saw the doors open at a new bar the entrance to Homestead's Waterfront. Blue Dust is on Amity Street at the stop sigh at the railroad tracks. It is rather elegant with a European cafe feel to it. Jerry Miller, who was one of the founders in introducing craft beers to Pittsburgh (I will have more on this in another post) is the owner. He has 26 craft beers behind him on tap. Included in this is my favorite, Kaiser Pils from Penn Brewery. Thank God. They are still getting a few details cleaned up so its cash only for the first few days. Soon they will take credit cards and the ATM inside will be working. They do have food. Hours are (yes, this is correct) Tuesday thru Friday 4:07 to 1:37, Sat 11:37 to 1:37, Sun 11:37 to when ever. They are closed on Monday. In time they are going to have a lot of bottles to go as well as growlers. The lovely Sarah Miller built the bar top. It is lovely too. Look for parking in the rear lots (I don't know if they charge) and some street parking. Ask at the bar if you have concerns.
UPDATE: They now have their own site here: Blue Dust

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Hofbrauhaus Opens

The Hofbräuhaus House in the South Side Works has opened as of Monday, March 16, 2009 and is wonderful. They have 4 beers on tap from Munich (Lager 5.2 %, Weizen 5.4 %, Light 3.8 % and Dunkel 5.5 %) and they are bottled in six packs for take-a-way. The on-site brewed beer will be tapped in April after the Munich beer is gone. The place is huge and the bar is a large horse shoe bar with a wood top. It’s not the Penn but they got a good welcome from the patrons. One thing that surprised me were the security people; large men in yellow tee-shirts. They look like bumble bees and they sting. I don’t know when their web site is going to be updated. The girls have nice outfits and some of the skirts are short. I’ll be back.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Drinking & Smoking on Sunday

I am confused. For a bar to be open in Pittsburgh, or any place in Pa. for that matter, it needs to have a Sunday license. To get one the bar must do 30% or more in food sales. They don't have to sell food on Sunday they just need to sell a lot of food. Recently, the Commonwealth passed the Almost Clean Indoor Air Act, which prohibits smoking indoors. Well, almost. But the state prohibits bars from allowing smoking unless it gets an exemption. That requires that the bar does no more than 20% of their sales in food. Let's re-cap. Sell a lot of food and stay open on Sunday with no smoking permitted. Sell little food and let the patrons smoke all day without grub. So why do I see smoking permitted bars open on Sunday? I think the 10 to 20 percent gap is wide enough to do the intended job. Sell more than 20% in food but less that 30% and you can do neither smoking or Sunday sales. Am I confused? Did I miss something? Can somebody clear the smoke from my eyes?

Incidentally, if the bar has an exemption absolutely no one under 18 is allowed in the bar. Not your kids or the owner's kids. Bar have to post a sign no under 18's allowed, but many bars list 21 as the minimum age.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Beer Secrete

OK, this is my rant of the day. Why is it a secrete to know the alcohol strength of a brew? In my last post I commented on how strong-beer seems to becoming the norm. At one time elected officials would not allow the strength of a beer to be posted as it would entice consumers into buying the the strongest brands. Can we take a look at wines and spirits? Can we take a look at getting new officials? Although this law has been relaxed there is no law that requires the gravity to be posted in a bar. Many bars are noting the strength of the beers but only when the brewer provides it. I like the idea that we have a huge choice in selection now a days but should we not know the strength be a part of OUR decision making? If you order a 7% pint not knowing that it is, could that put you at risk, either in driving or medically? As beer is controlled by the the alcohol and tobacco people and not the FDA, no "food label" is required. I would think that consumers would want to know. But I rant.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Normal Beer

I know that the United States is a big country, but does that mean we have to make our beer as big? After prohibition, and up until not too many years ago, most beer in the states was about 5% in strength. Basic Bud is 5% and that seems to have been the target for most brewers. In the UK a beer of that strength would be considered a strong-ale. But brewers here are pushing the limits for beer strength. At a few of my favorite watering holes I find most of the beers on tap come in between 6% to 11%. That’s fine for a special brew once and a while but it seems to be the norm now a days. Is it just me or are there others who think this is getting to be too much? I know people who actually think 8% beer is your everyday brew. Noooooo!

I don’t blame bar owners from selling them since they have a higher profit margin. But for me it cuts into my choice. And it goes against the grain, so to speak, in general beer drinking. With more emphasis placed on DUI one would think that people would be seeking out lower gravity beers. I find cask ale better for me as it usually comes in under 5%. This allows me to have a few and still have a sense of direction back to the house. A lot of brewers make wonderful porters and pale ales, yet when see 7% after the name I shy away. Yes, these are enjoyable brews but I think this is getting to be too much. At first I thought it was a trend set by the Belgian importers. But it looks like the muscle beers will be with us for some time to come. Heck, I can remember when people said Guinness was strong.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Penn Brewery

When Tom Pastorius came back to the states from working in Germany he found crap for beer. So he founded the Pennsylvanian Brewing Co. I can’t remember if this was in 1986 or if that’s the year he took over a building on Pittsburgh’s North Side. That building once belonged to another German brewing concern, Eberhardt & Ober. Tom wanted to brew but he also wanted to open a nice restaurant and that’s when the law said no. At the time brewers were not permitted to sell direct to the public. Tom was determined to change this and in short order he did. Without doing into details, Tom openned Pennsylvania’s first tied house since prohibition, the Allegheny Brewery & Pub. That date was September 12, 1989, as miss-written as 1986 by so many other publications. Since then other brewpubs have opened across the state and Tom made this possible. The Eberhardt & Ober Brewery was located here since 1848 and once more the building is under threat as the new owners are looking to close the brewery, but more on that in a latter post. This post is being written to say thanks to a gentleman who made my favorite beer, Kaiser Pils, and allowed me to drink it in a wonderful old building. Simply stated, thanks Mr. Pastorius for what you have done for brewing, Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth. For more see Tm’s site at http://tompastorius.com/

Monday, March 2, 2009

Pittsburgh Pubs

Well, now that my other blog, edslondon.blogspot.com is of to a roaring stand-still I thought that I would try one more. Yes, I am a Pittsburgher and I love pubs and I love to talk pub talk. The burgh is a good beer drinking town and having five golden rings only adds to the living here. I live on the South Side and there is no wanting for beer. There is a lot to say however. The drink tax, no smoking are forefront right now but my first comment will be on the closing of the Penn Brewery. First I want to get a bit tanked at one of my locals so I can get worked up over this. Needless to say that I am pissed about this. So, let get to drinking and I will be back soon to hit the keyboard. For other info check out my site, pubnetwork.com.