Penn Brewery
Encyclopedia
Penn Brewery, also known as the Pennsylvania Brewing Company, is a brewery
and restaurant
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. It was founded by Tom Pastorius in 1986, and is located at 800 Vinial Street in the Troy Hill
neighborhood of Pittsburgh, on the site of the former Eberhardt and Ober Brewery
(founded in 1848).
and then the Jones Brewing Company until 1989. Known as Penn Pilsner, Pastorius brewed the full bodied German-syle beer in strict accordance to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot
) of 1516. Penn Pilsner quickly gained in popularity among Pennsylvania beer drinkers, increasing the need for its own brewing facility. Pastorius also recognized the demand for authentic German cuisine
in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, spawning the idea of a "tied house
", or brewery and restaurant under one roof, similar to the many beer halls he experienced while living in Germany
for twelve years.
Prior to 1987, however, Pennsylvania
law prohibited such a facility. Pastorius responded by successfully lobbying Pennsylvania legislators to change state law. In 1989 Pastorius, with technical and financial assistance from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
, began restoring the former Eberhardt and Ober Brewery located at 800 Vinial Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Three of the original E & O brewery buildings remain, the stock house (c. 1880-84), and office building standing on a side cut into the rock of Troy Hill. Pastorius hired German Brewmaster Alex Deml to oversee construction of the 30,000 barrel-a-year capacity brewing facility, which included custom built micro-brewery equipment imported from Germany.
On September 12, 1989, the Allegheny Brewpub (later renamed Penn Brewery) opened its doors, with dignitaries including Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff
and Pennsylvania Governor Bob Casey
tapping the first keg. The Pennsylvania Brewing facility also created a "business incubator" offering low-rent and consultants for start-up companies.
Pastorius' great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Franz Daniel Pastorius
, founded Germantown, Pennsylvania
in 1683. In 2003, Wexford, PA
, based Birchmere Capital LP purchased a controlling stake in Penn Brewery.
in Wilkes-Barre, PA
. The restaurant was scheduled to close February 28, 2009, but a last-minute agreement allowed it to remain at its current location for the next five years.
On August 19, 2009, Birchmere announced the indefinite closing of the Penn Brewery Restaurant.
On December 8, 2009, brewing officially resumed at the E & O facility, with the first mashing
occurring at 10:20 AM. December 30, 2009 at 4:00 PM marked the first beer tasting of the new era of Penn Brewery.
On December 30, 2009 the Penn Brewery Restaurant opened for a "sneak peek" preview of the beers. Festivities were open to the public and the response was incredible.
In February 2010 a new kegging line was installed, and on February 17, 2010, the first kegs of locally brewed Penn Brewery beer were released to wholesalers.
In March 2010 the Penn Brewery Restaurant started weekly "growler hours" every Friday from 4pm to 6pm. The public was given the opportunity to purchase pint drafts and half gallon growlers for home while construction continues on the kitchen. Varieties available on tap will vary based on latest brewings from Penn Brewery, right here in the 'Burgh - but in general will include Penn Pilsner, Kaiser Pils, Penn Dark, and new Allegheny Pale Ale.
The restaurant is now open for lunch and dinner most days.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. It was founded by Tom Pastorius in 1986, and is located at 800 Vinial Street in the Troy Hill
Troy Hill
Troy Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side. It has a zip code of 15212, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 1 ....
neighborhood of Pittsburgh, on the site of the former Eberhardt and Ober Brewery
Eberhardt and Ober Brewery
The Eberhardt and Ober Brewery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a building from 1883. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It is now part of the Penn Brewery complex....
(founded in 1848).
History
Originally a contract brewing operation, Penn Brewery brewed its original and flagship product at the facilities of the Pittsburgh Brewing CompanyPittsburgh Brewing Company
The Iron City Brewing Company is a beer company that until August 2009 had been located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. On June 11, 2009, it was reported that the brewery was "moving" to Latrobe, Pennsylvania...
and then the Jones Brewing Company until 1989. Known as Penn Pilsner, Pastorius brewed the full bodied German-syle beer in strict accordance to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot
Reinheitsgebot
The Reinheitsgebot , sometimes called the "German Beer Purity Law" or the "Bavarian Purity Law" in English, was a regulation concerning the production of beer in Germany. In the original text, the only ingredients that could be used in the production of beer were water, barley and hops...
) of 1516. Penn Pilsner quickly gained in popularity among Pennsylvania beer drinkers, increasing the need for its own brewing facility. Pastorius also recognized the demand for authentic German cuisine
German cuisine
German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighbouring Swabia, share many dishes....
in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, spawning the idea of a "tied house
Tied house
In the UK a tied house is a public house that is required to buy at least some of its beer from a particular brewery. This is in contrast to a free house, which is able to choose the beers it stocks freely.- Definition of "tied" :...
", or brewery and restaurant under one roof, similar to the many beer halls he experienced while living in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for twelve years.
Prior to 1987, however, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
law prohibited such a facility. Pastorius responded by successfully lobbying Pennsylvania legislators to change state law. In 1989 Pastorius, with technical and financial assistance from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 to support the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA....
, began restoring the former Eberhardt and Ober Brewery located at 800 Vinial Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Three of the original E & O brewery buildings remain, the stock house (c. 1880-84), and office building standing on a side cut into the rock of Troy Hill. Pastorius hired German Brewmaster Alex Deml to oversee construction of the 30,000 barrel-a-year capacity brewing facility, which included custom built micro-brewery equipment imported from Germany.
On September 12, 1989, the Allegheny Brewpub (later renamed Penn Brewery) opened its doors, with dignitaries including Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff
Sophie Masloff
Sophie Masloff is an American politician. A long-time member of the Democratic Party and civil servant, she was elected to the Pittsburgh City Council and later served as the mayor of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 1994...
and Pennsylvania Governor Bob Casey
Robert P. Casey
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Sr. was an American politician from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995...
tapping the first keg. The Pennsylvania Brewing facility also created a "business incubator" offering low-rent and consultants for start-up companies.
Pastorius' great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Franz Daniel Pastorius
Francis Daniel Pastorius
thumb|right|300px|Home of Francis Daniel Pastorius in Germantown, PA as it appeared circa 1919Francis Daniel Pastorius was the founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania, now part of Philadelphia, the first permanent German settlement and the gateway for subsequent emigrants from Germany. He was "the...
, founded Germantown, Pennsylvania
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
in 1683. In 2003, Wexford, PA
Wexford, Pennsylvania
Wexford is an unincorporated community in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The area known as Wexford is split among multiple municipalities, including Franklin Park, McCandless, Pine Township, and Marshall Township...
, based Birchmere Capital LP purchased a controlling stake in Penn Brewery.
Closure
On January 2, 2009, Birchmere ended beer production at the Vinial Street location and laid off 8 of the 10 brewery employees. All production was outsourced to the Lion BreweryLion Brewery, Inc.
Lion Brewery, Inc, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, is one of the oldest breweries still in operation within Pennsylvania. Its beers and sodas are sold in Pennsylvania and neighboring states.-History:...
in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. The restaurant was scheduled to close February 28, 2009, but a last-minute agreement allowed it to remain at its current location for the next five years.
On August 19, 2009, Birchmere announced the indefinite closing of the Penn Brewery Restaurant.
Re-Opening
On November 23, 2009, Penn Brewery issued a press announcement indicating that Tom Pastorius, and a small group of local investors, had acquired Penn Brewery from Birchmere Capital, under undisclosed terms, and that Mr. Pastorius would be returning to lead a restart of brewing at the Vinial Street location, as well as an eventual reopening of the restaurant.On December 8, 2009, brewing officially resumed at the E & O facility, with the first mashing
Mashing
In brewing and distilling, mashing is the process of combining a mix of milled grain , known as the "grain bill", and water, known as "liquor", and heating this mixture...
occurring at 10:20 AM. December 30, 2009 at 4:00 PM marked the first beer tasting of the new era of Penn Brewery.
On December 30, 2009 the Penn Brewery Restaurant opened for a "sneak peek" preview of the beers. Festivities were open to the public and the response was incredible.
In February 2010 a new kegging line was installed, and on February 17, 2010, the first kegs of locally brewed Penn Brewery beer were released to wholesalers.
In March 2010 the Penn Brewery Restaurant started weekly "growler hours" every Friday from 4pm to 6pm. The public was given the opportunity to purchase pint drafts and half gallon growlers for home while construction continues on the kitchen. Varieties available on tap will vary based on latest brewings from Penn Brewery, right here in the 'Burgh - but in general will include Penn Pilsner, Kaiser Pils, Penn Dark, and new Allegheny Pale Ale.
The restaurant is now open for lunch and dinner most days.