Friends:
With great happiness we prepare to bring in the New Year at the Independent. We're proud of what we've accomplished in 2014. We're even more proud of what our good friends, the craft brewers of South Western Pennsylvania, did in 2014. The Brew Gentlemen, Hitchhiker, Grist House, Milkman, and Whitehorse all started up their businesses and shocked people with how quickly they hit the ground running with quality, consistent, and innovative beers. Four Seasons won a Silver Medal at the GABF with their Oatmeal Stout. Roundabout and Hop Farm coexisted with beautiful beers and great tap rooms in upper-lawrenceville. All Saints continued to make some of the best malt-forward beers in the Commonwealth. And East End and Full Pint, the seasoned veterans of our beer market, once again led the whole pack forward, setting good examples of cooperative spirit and collaboration for the younger, smaller breweries (and making some pretty damn tasty and innovative batches of beer while they were at it). When it comes to beer, South Western PA isn't just holding it's own. It's poised to lead the way. I mean it when I say, there's no other place on earth I'd rather be drinking and selling beer right now.
A Few New Year's Eve Tickets Left:
Tonight is the night to get your NYE tickets. We have a few left, and we can't make any guarantees that we'll sell them at the door tomorrow. We're trying to keep this party fun and being overcrowded is no fun at all. Get your tickets now. If you can't make it to the bar tonight, you can call in your order with a credit card from 5p-11p. Our number is 412-422-5050. That's a land-line, to the extent that makes you more comfortable. That said, I've heard the stooges at the NSA just LOVE Amazon.com, so caveat emptor.
Televising the Steelers Playoff Game Saturday Night
Yep, you read that right. We're broadcasting the Steelers Playoff game on Saturday night. Why? This game isn't the moon-landing equivalent of the Pirates playoffs, but at the end of the day, we can't see the harm of playing the game. Most of you like the Steelers. Most of you want to watch this game. Frankly, we like the Steelers and we want to watch this game. And, at the end of the day, it's the freakin' NFL playoffs -- at most, you'd be subjected to four whole 3-hour spans of television over the next 5 weeks. Don't worry, the TVs are temporary and aren't coming back in 2015.
That said, we don't want to just do this: we want to do it right and make it a uniquely Independent viewing experience. What we WANT to offer, and what we think that we CAN offer, is a place for grown ups to watch the game. You know, limited swearing at the television (ok, at least witty swearing at the television); an understanding that the guy on the other team is a human being and we shouldn't root for his death; a general disdain for the Ravens, who apparently needed to see a video of what domestic violence looked like before they had the guts to fire a guy who they KNEW had knocked his wife out cold in a fucking elevator. That's not to say that we're not rooting for the Steelers on Saturday. That's not to say that we're not going to do so vocally and with spirit. It's just to say ... well ... it's just to say that we'll be drinking craft beer and cocktails when we do it; not swilling macro beers with sexist television commercials and drinking shitty flavored vodkas or jagermeister. #TakeBacktheNFL
Closed New Year's Day
We'll be closed New Year's Day; We'll be back and better than ever on Friday, January 2, 2015.
Thank You
If I don't see you tomorrow night to thank you in person for all of the support you've given us, all the memories that you helped us create, all the memories that you created, and all the love you've sent our way, please accept my most sincere "thank you." It's been one hell of a year thanks to you guys. This bar is for you. And, hell, we opened in five days -- it's by you as well. Thank you.
Pete K.
