January 14, 2025 • 9 mins
Pennsylvania's first alcoholic ginger beer brewery lives in the heart of the East End. Offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic variations of their product brewed onsite. Visit the tasting room, which is home to a full bar featuring Pennsylvania-based libations.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
And welcome in. This is the Heart of Pittsburgh podcast.
I'm your host, Johnny Heart. Well, today we're going to
be talking about ginger beer. Jackwart ginger Beer. It's brand new,
it's in Larimer and we have one of its co founders,
Tyler Lewison's studio. Tyler, How are you so great? How
you doing so? Ginger beer? This is Pennsylvania's first ginger
beer brewery right here in Pittsburgh. When did it start?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Started last May?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
And what was your interest in ginger beer? How did
that happen?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Ginger beer was traditionally alcoholic preprohibition, and we're looking to
bring it back as people are looking for something else
outside of beer, so we're bringing something new to the market.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Seriously, I've never I've never been introduced to alcohol version
of ginger beer.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
It's easy fermented cane sugar, ginger limeon water, five percent ABV,
gluten free, and we use organic ginger as well.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Well.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I like it. Well. First of all, ginger beer is fantastic.
It mixes with almost anything. Oh yeah, rum, vodka, tequila,
all sorts of stuff, so it mixes with all of that.
So when did you start becoming fascinated with Ginger Beer.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
This goes back about ten twelve years with my business partner, Jackworth,
and you know, we just started building the company and
during the pandemic started raising money. We raised enough money
to start our brewery and Larimer and it's been you know,
boots on the ground ever since.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
All right, so you've been around for less than a year.
So what's the progress. How have you evolved?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
It's been crazy since we opened up.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We've just been seeing the bar get more and more
popular every week because we do have a full bar
at our brewery and we're in over sixty locations now
across Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, where is your exact location of the bar.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
We're on Hamilton Avenue.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
It's address is sixty six point five Hamilton Avenue and Larimer.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
It's right between East Liberty and Homewood.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I know it's Saturday morning, but it's five o'clock somewhere
exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, we open at twelve o'clock.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Today, So let's taste a little bit today, all right.
So this is your alcoholic version.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
It is, yeah, and you're gonna taste a little bit
of fermentation in there. We use a champagnees to ferment
our cane.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Sugar, but he still has that ginger beer taste exactly exactly.
Get that nice ginger cack in that and it is
dry January for a lot of people. So I'm tasting
your This is the non alcoholic correct.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
We have three non alcoholic versions of our ginger beer.
The first one you're tasting is our classic. That one's
a little bit sweeter because it's not fermented, and it's
gonna have a little bit more sugar to it, so
it's gonna be It's great on its own, great as
a mixer, makes a really great Moscow mule, maybe even
a better darkened stormy if you're a fare of those.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, especially anything with rum. I love it now. I
also like the heat. And your your third one, I'm
really curious to taste.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeahs an arrow it does. Yeah, it's our spicy, nan
alcoholic ginger beer. It is despite the habanero, really pair
as well with the ginger.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
But it's not overpowering. It's not like you know, haben
arrows can be a nasty pepper. But yes, this one
just gives a It complements the.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Ginger exactly exactly. It also compliments tequila. If you're looking
to make a cocktail.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
And what is this? The fourth one here?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
The final one is our dry January special. We just
released it. It's going to be a mainstay for us.
It's called Jackworth Dry. It's a lower sugar, lower calorie
version of our classic, about eight grams of sugar per.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Can and the ginger is more upfront exactly. All right,
Where can we get this?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
You can get it at our brewery always, and if
you look at our website you can find all the
sixty locations where we're located.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
And what's the website?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Website is Jackworth dot co dot com?
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Got it? So is Jackworth available at distributors or do
you have to go to certain places bars? Establishment? Of
course you can get them at your bar.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Right, absolutely, you can always get Jackworth at the bar
and brewery. We are located in distributors, cafe, bars, restaurants,
et cetera.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
All of that is listed on our website Jackworth dot Co.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
One of our main distributors we work with is Arsenal
Beer Emporium on Butler. You can always find us there.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So tell us about the bar. What is it like?
The bar?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Oh, my goodness, the bar is beautiful, rustic, chic.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Some people walk in and say California vibes, New Mexico vibes.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
It used to be a print shop.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
We'd left it very bare and just it feels like
old Pittsburgh when you walk in. There's history in that
building and we wanted to keep it that way. Everything
in that bar is secondhand from construction junction. We wanted
to feel like there was a story to tell about
every piece in the bar. Behind the bar, there's these
(04:47):
big glass panels that used to be sliding glass doors
in a mansion. The bar top is a big marble
slab that used to be a wall on a bank.
Underneath the bar is fencing for from an old farm
outside of Pittsburgh. The lights over the top of the
bar where lights in an elementary school gym, so they've
(05:09):
been hit by kickballs.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Once all the time.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
And we have a water fountain that was a holy
water fountain. So you know the bars. The bar is
the iconic piece it takes over there.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
You have special events going on all the way all.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
The time, all the time with DJ's live music. We
have an art show coming up. We're always looking for
new and unique ways to engage with space.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
All right, we're still going to be talking about the
ginger beer. It started about ten years ago with your partner,
Jack Worth, which is obviously where you got the name.
So do you find Pittsburgh is warming up to the
ginger beer trend?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I think that's when we talk about ginger, Ginger is
a warming thing, so we know we're warming pittsburgh up
a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And it's Pennsylvania's first ginger beer brewery and we're talking.
Most people think ginger beer is exclusively non alcoholic, but
you've introduced an alcoholic version exactly with different flavors to
exactly give us four reasons why we should try your
ginger beer.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Well, the first one is there's nothing like it out there,
right yours first and only ginger beer brewery, so you
got to try it.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Also, most people think it's non alcoholic, you have an alcoholic.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
You have an alcoholic version, but.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
For since it's dried January for some you also have
some options there as well.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, we have a full bar program at a brewery,
so we encourage people to come down and try our
cocktails for dry January. We have an alcoholic and a
non alcoholic version of every single cocktail. So people can
try everything on our menu with either non alcoholic spirits
or the full thing whatever they do.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
To have a spicy version. Now, the habit narrow version
is that alcoholic or non alcoholic are both the hob
and narrow.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Ginger beer is non alcoholic, but we do create an
alcoholic cocktail even without the outcoholic exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
The vibe of the bar. So tell us get people
to get to the bar. What what kind of experience
are they going to get there?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
They can expect your experience laid back, fun, chill vibe.
You know, everybody who comes in just feels refreshed. Everyone
says it's cozy, which is perfect for this time of
the year. They could expect to feel warmth from the cocktails.
We have a very warm staff. Our staff is great.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
It's funny. Ginger beer is very refreshing in the summertime,
but it also has a little bit of a heat
to keep you warm. The best of both worlds.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
In other way, exactly exactly that ginger beer is always teasonble.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
All right, So a full bar at what else do
you have? You have userve food.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
We do food trucks on the weekends, so usually Thursday
through Sunday, people can expect some.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Food and what other kind of happenings do you have
throughout the year?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
You can always expect some sort of music on the weekends.
Definitely look out, especially on our Instagram. We do a
lot of our advertising for different events. We're doing something
crazy and unique all the time. We're doing stuff that's
outside of the box. Most people will come to us
and be like, I don't understand how you're doing these events,
but we're doing some crazy, weird events.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
All right. We only have about sixty seconds left, So
what is that one thing you want people to know about?
Jackwork Ginger Beer.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Jackworth Ginger Beer is the most unique brewery in Pittsburgh
by far. Again the one and only ginger beer brewery
in Pennsylvania. Located in the East end of Pittsburgh. You
get a unique experience at the bar. We have very
unique cocktails, we have a very unique product in our
(08:40):
ginger beer itself, and you can always expect a welcoming
time at the.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Bar and brewery.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So we just invite people to come down and experience
it for themselves.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
And where's the location.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
It's at six six one five Hamilton Avenue. In Larimer
right between East Liberty and Homewood.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
And of course if you want more information, the website
is Jackworth dot com. Correct and get more information on
Instagram as well. Yep, absolutely, this is fantastic. I think
it's I love these new Pittsburgh has always been a
city of innovation, and you are in the forefront of
the ginger beer revolution and I wish you all the
luck in the world, and you have a fantastic product.
(09:17):
So Tyler, thank you for coming in. Thank you very much.
I appreciate it, appreciate it. This has been the heart
of Pittsburgh podcast. I'm your host, Johnny heart Well, thank
you so much for listening.
And welcome in. This is the Heart of Pittsburgh podcast.
I'm your host, Johnny Heart. Well, today we're going to
be talking about ginger beer. Jackwart ginger Beer. It's brand new,
it's in Larimer and we have one of its co founders,
Tyler Lewison's studio. Tyler, How are you so great? How
you doing so? Ginger beer? This is Pennsylvania's first ginger
beer brewery right here in Pittsburgh. When did it start?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Started last May?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
And what was your interest in ginger beer? How did
that happen?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Ginger beer was traditionally alcoholic preprohibition, and we're looking to
bring it back as people are looking for something else
outside of beer, so we're bringing something new to the market.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Seriously, I've never I've never been introduced to alcohol version
of ginger beer.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
It's easy fermented cane sugar, ginger limeon water, five percent ABV,
gluten free, and we use organic ginger as well.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Well.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I like it. Well. First of all, ginger beer is fantastic.
It mixes with almost anything. Oh yeah, rum, vodka, tequila,
all sorts of stuff, so it mixes with all of that.
So when did you start becoming fascinated with Ginger Beer.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
This goes back about ten twelve years with my business partner, Jackworth,
and you know, we just started building the company and
during the pandemic started raising money. We raised enough money
to start our brewery and Larimer and it's been you know,
boots on the ground ever since.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
All right, so you've been around for less than a year.
So what's the progress. How have you evolved?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
It's been crazy since we opened up.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We've just been seeing the bar get more and more
popular every week because we do have a full bar
at our brewery and we're in over sixty locations now
across Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, where is your exact location of the bar.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
We're on Hamilton Avenue.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
It's address is sixty six point five Hamilton Avenue and Larimer.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
It's right between East Liberty and Homewood.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I know it's Saturday morning, but it's five o'clock somewhere
exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Well, we open at twelve o'clock.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Today, So let's taste a little bit today, all right.
So this is your alcoholic version.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
It is, yeah, and you're gonna taste a little bit
of fermentation in there. We use a champagnees to ferment
our cane.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Sugar, but he still has that ginger beer taste exactly exactly.
Get that nice ginger cack in that and it is
dry January for a lot of people. So I'm tasting
your This is the non alcoholic correct.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
We have three non alcoholic versions of our ginger beer.
The first one you're tasting is our classic. That one's
a little bit sweeter because it's not fermented, and it's
gonna have a little bit more sugar to it, so
it's gonna be It's great on its own, great as
a mixer, makes a really great Moscow mule, maybe even
a better darkened stormy if you're a fare of those.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, especially anything with rum. I love it now. I
also like the heat. And your your third one, I'm
really curious to taste.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeahs an arrow it does. Yeah, it's our spicy, nan
alcoholic ginger beer. It is despite the habanero, really pair
as well with the ginger.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
But it's not overpowering. It's not like you know, haben
arrows can be a nasty pepper. But yes, this one
just gives a It complements the.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Ginger exactly exactly. It also compliments tequila. If you're looking
to make a cocktail.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
And what is this? The fourth one here?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
The final one is our dry January special. We just
released it. It's going to be a mainstay for us.
It's called Jackworth Dry. It's a lower sugar, lower calorie
version of our classic, about eight grams of sugar per.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Can and the ginger is more upfront exactly. All right,
Where can we get this?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
You can get it at our brewery always, and if
you look at our website you can find all the
sixty locations where we're located.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
And what's the website?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Website is Jackworth dot co dot com?
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Got it? So is Jackworth available at distributors or do
you have to go to certain places bars? Establishment? Of
course you can get them at your bar.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Right, absolutely, you can always get Jackworth at the bar
and brewery. We are located in distributors, cafe, bars, restaurants,
et cetera.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
All of that is listed on our website Jackworth dot Co.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
One of our main distributors we work with is Arsenal
Beer Emporium on Butler. You can always find us there.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
So tell us about the bar. What is it like?
The bar?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Oh, my goodness, the bar is beautiful, rustic, chic.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Some people walk in and say California vibes, New Mexico vibes.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
It used to be a print shop.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
We'd left it very bare and just it feels like
old Pittsburgh when you walk in. There's history in that
building and we wanted to keep it that way. Everything
in that bar is secondhand from construction junction. We wanted
to feel like there was a story to tell about
every piece in the bar. Behind the bar, there's these
(04:47):
big glass panels that used to be sliding glass doors
in a mansion. The bar top is a big marble
slab that used to be a wall on a bank.
Underneath the bar is fencing for from an old farm
outside of Pittsburgh. The lights over the top of the
bar where lights in an elementary school gym, so they've
(05:09):
been hit by kickballs.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Once all the time.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
And we have a water fountain that was a holy
water fountain. So you know the bars. The bar is
the iconic piece it takes over there.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
You have special events going on all the way all.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
The time, all the time with DJ's live music. We
have an art show coming up. We're always looking for
new and unique ways to engage with space.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
All right, we're still going to be talking about the
ginger beer. It started about ten years ago with your partner,
Jack Worth, which is obviously where you got the name.
So do you find Pittsburgh is warming up to the
ginger beer trend?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I think that's when we talk about ginger, Ginger is
a warming thing, so we know we're warming pittsburgh up
a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And it's Pennsylvania's first ginger beer brewery and we're talking.
Most people think ginger beer is exclusively non alcoholic, but
you've introduced an alcoholic version exactly with different flavors to
exactly give us four reasons why we should try your
ginger beer.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Well, the first one is there's nothing like it out there,
right yours first and only ginger beer brewery, so you
got to try it.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Also, most people think it's non alcoholic, you have an alcoholic.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
You have an alcoholic version, but.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
For since it's dried January for some you also have
some options there as well.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, we have a full bar program at a brewery,
so we encourage people to come down and try our
cocktails for dry January. We have an alcoholic and a
non alcoholic version of every single cocktail. So people can
try everything on our menu with either non alcoholic spirits
or the full thing whatever they do.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
To have a spicy version. Now, the habit narrow version
is that alcoholic or non alcoholic are both the hob
and narrow.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Ginger beer is non alcoholic, but we do create an
alcoholic cocktail even without the outcoholic exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
The vibe of the bar. So tell us get people
to get to the bar. What what kind of experience
are they going to get there?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
They can expect your experience laid back, fun, chill vibe.
You know, everybody who comes in just feels refreshed. Everyone
says it's cozy, which is perfect for this time of
the year. They could expect to feel warmth from the cocktails.
We have a very warm staff. Our staff is great.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
It's funny. Ginger beer is very refreshing in the summertime,
but it also has a little bit of a heat
to keep you warm. The best of both worlds.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
In other way, exactly exactly that ginger beer is always teasonble.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
All right, So a full bar at what else do
you have? You have userve food.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
We do food trucks on the weekends, so usually Thursday
through Sunday, people can expect some.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Food and what other kind of happenings do you have
throughout the year?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
You can always expect some sort of music on the weekends.
Definitely look out, especially on our Instagram. We do a
lot of our advertising for different events. We're doing something
crazy and unique all the time. We're doing stuff that's
outside of the box. Most people will come to us
and be like, I don't understand how you're doing these events,
but we're doing some crazy, weird events.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
All right. We only have about sixty seconds left, So
what is that one thing you want people to know about?
Jackwork Ginger Beer.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Jackworth Ginger Beer is the most unique brewery in Pittsburgh
by far. Again the one and only ginger beer brewery
in Pennsylvania. Located in the East end of Pittsburgh. You
get a unique experience at the bar. We have very
unique cocktails, we have a very unique product in our
(08:40):
ginger beer itself, and you can always expect a welcoming
time at the.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Bar and brewery.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So we just invite people to come down and experience
it for themselves.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
And where's the location.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
It's at six six one five Hamilton Avenue. In Larimer
right between East Liberty and Homewood.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
And of course if you want more information, the website
is Jackworth dot com. Correct and get more information on
Instagram as well. Yep, absolutely, this is fantastic. I think
it's I love these new Pittsburgh has always been a
city of innovation, and you are in the forefront of
the ginger beer revolution and I wish you all the
luck in the world, and you have a fantastic product.
(09:17):
So Tyler, thank you for coming in. Thank you very much.
I appreciate it, appreciate it. This has been the heart
of Pittsburgh podcast. I'm your host, Johnny heart Well, thank
you so much for listening.
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