Von Trapp is a family name known to generations from the Greatest to Alpha, but more often associated with Edelweiss, favorite things, and climbing the Alps to escape the Nazis. It doesn't go well with beer.
But Austria's love of Kölsch and Pilsner runs as deep as the singing talent in the family. Sam von Trapp, son of Johannes, the youngest and last surviving member of the original Trapp Family Singers, was here recently to introduce von Trapp Brewing beers to Pittsburgh.
Although Johannes was born in America (his mother Maria was pregnant with him when he immigrated in 1938), Sam says his father always enjoyed a beer when visiting Austria. “He wanted that crisp, clean lager.”
So the family decided to brew their own, opening a brewery in 2010 on the grounds of the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Mountain stream water is combined with German malt and hops to produce highly rated beers, including a bohemian-style pilsner and several lagers, including dark Dunkel and golden Jerez.
The brewery expanded in 2015, and its beer is now available in most of Pennsylvania, as well as New England, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Oregon, and more.
On a mini-tour of Pittsburgh, Sam and his crew brought beer to Lawrenceville's Beer Port, Walter's, Abbey on Butler, and D's SixPax and Dogz in Regent Square. Vecenie Distributing will be selling von Trapp beer around town in the coming weeks.
It was Sam's first trip to Pittsburgh.
“There's a lot of vibrancy here. You can tell there's a lot of pride,” he said.
Vermonters enjoyed a visit to Old Thunder Brewing in Brownox, which specializes in beers similar to Von Trapp's. But what Sam is most excited about may be a landmark that's starting to rival Mount Washington in popularity.
“I drove by Duolingo today. I didn't know they were from here!” he exclaimed. “I've been using the app for 800 days.”
Interestingly, he is learning German. “His father never spoke German at home because he didn't want his mother to feel left out.”
jackworth ginger beer
Like Sam von Trapp, Jackworth-Smith grew up in the hospitality industry. He started washing dishes at the age of six at Dunning's Grill, a Regent Square landmark owned by his father, George Smith.
After college, Smith traveled to cities such as Detroit, Seattle, and Miami, working as a bartender.
Named after his grandfather Howard Jackworth, whom he calls Jack, he returned home and named his dream project Jackworth Ginger Beer, Pennsylvania's first ginger brewery and taproom. In order to do so, we expanded our family name.
Smith has been experimenting with brewing ginger beer ever since he discovered an old recipe and made his own.
“The first batch was terrible,” he says. “There's really no blueprint for ginger beer: cane sugar instead of barley, ginger instead of hops.
But in the end, with the help of his friends, he succeeded. Fresh Peruvian ginger is chopped, soaked in filtered water with cane sugar and Panera sugar, and fermented with fresh lime juice (not the case with the N/A version). .
Smith and partner Tyler Lewis expect Jackworth to open by the end of March. In addition to natural, low-alcohol ginger beers (and variations such as beers made with habanero peppers), local beers like Old Thunder and Dancing Gnome will also be available. Ginger beer, traditional cocktails and mocktails are also on the menu.
The brewpub on Hamilton Avenue in Larimer has outdoor seating outside and occasional live entertainment, along with food trucks.
“I’m excited,” Jack said of the opening. “This was a 10-year project.”
Voodoo Brewing is growing again.
Voodoo Brewing Company, a Meadville brewery with pubs on the North Shore, recently announced an opportunity through Honeycomb Credit, a Pittsburgh-based organization that facilitates crowdfunding investments nationwide. Voodoo wants to raise the working capital to continue expanding nationally, as well as improve the efficiency of his new 10,000-foot facility. According to Honeycomb's girlfriend Madeline Farina, she has raised more than $285,000 as of March 4, six days after its launch.
Tom Guzik, Voodoo's director of marketing, said the funding will allow the brewery to select from a wider range of styles and N/A options and improve distribution to its Pittsburgh stores. Additionally, we would like to add a covered patio that can be used during the colder months as well as the summer.
Voodoo will continue to work with Audacy, which owns several local radio stations, to provide live broadcasts at concerts and related events, including last summer's Guns N' Roses and Morgan Wallen pre-concert parties. While the expansion of parking options that many North Shore visitors desire is not possible, “I wish there were more free parking days,” Guzik said.
St. Patrick's Day Special
Local breweries and distilleries will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with brunch, whiskey and trolley rides, and while green beer will be completely eliminated, there will be plenty of craft beer stouts and red ales.
Love, Katie Distilling in Sharpsburg March's cocktail menu includes the Leprechaun Jig (gin, vermouth, dill, basil) and the Irish Margarita (rye whiskey, triple sec, lime juice).
Dancing Gnome, also located in Sharpsburg, will kick off the holiday weekend with live music by Mary Blacksmith from Donegal (Ireland, not Turnpike Interchange) on Friday afternoon, March 15th. We will be preparing barrel-aged stout “Through the Glade 2024.'' Garavogue Irish Dry Stout uses nitro and Irish Red Ale uses tap.
Saturday, March 16th is parade day, and you'll see the tapping of Wolfhound Irish Red barrels at the Lawrenceville Hop Farm. Brownox's Old Thunder Brewing will be carrying it in barrels as well. Just so you don't get confused, Leaning Cask Brewing in Springdale also brews their own Irish Wolfhound barrels.
Beers of the Burgh will host its St. Patty's Day Beer Market at Velum Fermentation on the South Side starting at 4 p.m. Beverages from Velum, Full Pint Beer, Inner Groove Brewing, Old Thunder Brewing, Goodlander Cocktail Brewery and Greenhouse Co-op will be available, as well as food trucks and live music. ticket.
Scheduled to appear next month
We talk to Mike Scarlatelli, owner of Smiling Moose and also brewing beer in his spare time. And check out Torchard's openings at Souls, Coster, Headley, and Grist House expansions both to the north (Freedom Farm) and west (Nike Missile Site).
