It's getting chilly out there, folks. Let us keep you warm at the Independent this weekend.
Four-Seasons-First-Friday-Firkin
It's the first Friday of the month, which means that it's time to tap another Four Seasons' firkin. Tonight at 8 p.m., we'll tap a pin firkin of Four Seasons' Get Down Brown Ale that has been conditioning with coffee beans for the last several weeks. Pints will be $5 each until there are no more pints to sell. I know, I know -- you love the nature of this event, but you're just not sure that it will contain enough "get down" for you? Fair, which is why we'll honor the hardest working man in show business* with James Brown on the record player for the duration of the firkin. Take it to the bridge!
Hey dad, I can't see real good -- is that Tommy Cruise behind the bar? No, that's our new bartender Max Stein, and he's bringing you a new cocktail list starting this Saturday.
Max joins us from Butcher and the Rye where he has worked and studied with some of the best bartenders in town, and where he has enjoyed his own fast climb up Pittsburgh's bartender ladder, earning such accolades as Rising Star Rookie Bartender from Hal B. Klein in last year's Pittsburgh Magazine. Max is behind our bar five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, and has worked with Adam to develop his own cocktail list for the Independent, which he will premiere this Saturday, and which will then be available Tuesday through Saturday, that will supplement our current day-to-day cocktail menu. The menu is, as Guy Fieri would say, "banging" -- but don't let Guy Fieri's limited vocabulary fool you -- this is a strong list that is going to add a lot of depth to our everyday offerings. Take for instance the "Long." With Bluecoat gin, yellow chartreuse, lemon, blackberries, mint, apricot-raspberry marmalade, lemongrass, and seltzer, this fancy little number may be called "Long" for any number of reasons -- the list of ingredients, what it says about the size of the bartender's ... feet ..., or the fact that Max hasn't named it yet, so I'm just drawing from Adam's crib notes at 2:00 p.m. the day before we have to print the menu. Either way, it's a delightful drink, and I know, because I've had one.**
Sunday Food Truck Series
This Sunday, we're open at 5 p.m. and joined once again by our friends at Berlin Street Food, who are back in Squirrel Hill to feed you the Sunday dinner you don't feel like making. And, of course, we'll be serving beers, crowlers, and cocktails to wet your whistle. Mo', Adam and I are going to be at Churchview Farms, where Mo is honored to close our their season of Farm Dinners with an amazing menu showcasing Churchview's amazing harvest. Adam's doing a few cocktails and I'm pairing a few beers with the food in what should be a great night out at the farm.
Have a loved-one, friend or mortal enemy that you'd like to add to the Independent's email list? Just email me, or forward them to this link.
While I'm don't understand it, I get a number of requests each week for me to add someone to my spam ... er ... "email" list. You can always email me, and I'll try to remember to add your friend. Or, alternatively, your friend can fill out this nifty email-getter form on our interwebs: http://www.independentpgh.com/contact-us/ Please feel secure in knowing that we will sell your information to the highest bidder (probably the Chinese) at our own benefit and, in the meantime, we will also sign you up to receive Trump campaign emails.***
Additionally, if you don't want to get these emails anymore because you hate me or you hate me, then please let me know, and I will take it very personally before removing you from our list.****
That's all folks. See you at the Independent!
Pete K.
* I like to think that James Brown is still the hardest working man in show business. I also like to think that James Brown still moves like this.
** One of my my most difficult duties as co-owner, general manager, baseball manager, steward, rear admiral, and resident drunk at the Independent Brewing Company is the onerous and oppressive obligation of my having to sample every single item that our customers could potentially order at the Independent as part of our rigid and highly-formal quality control process.
*** We won't sell your email address or give it to Donald Trump or anyone else.
**** I get it, dude. I won't take it personally.
